HOLO Audio MAY DAC

[Hiker]

Question for those whom placed an order from Tim , How long did it take for Tim acknowledge your order,,,.Thank you,,...I placed an order last Thursday, filled out everything per instructions for international customers and still waiting for a PayPal invoice from Tim ..am I being too impatient? 

[lpost]

1 hour ago, Quadman said:

Congratulations!  when did you place your order?

Feb 8th 

[Stevem324]

14 minutes ago, lpost said:

Feb 8th 

So about 5 weeks.  When I ordered, the expected timing was 5.5-6 weeks.

[Diavolo]

50 minutes ago, Hiker said:

Question for those whom placed an order from Tim , How long did it take for Tim acknowledge your order,,,.Thank you,,...I placed an order last Thursday, filled out everything per instructions for international customers and still waiting for a PayPal invoice from Tim ..am I being too impatient? 

I ordered 15 days ago and definitely paid via PayPal. Did you not get the ability to pay through paypal? I did and paid for the Serene using my PayPal credit account.

 

Just waiting a month or so more for delivery.  When I login to check my order it's just sitting there with button for view invoice and a paid invoice I can look at comes up. 

[Hiker]

3 minutes ago, Diavolo said:

I ordered 15 days ago and definitely paid via PayPal. Did you not get the ability to pay through paypal? I did and paid for the Serene using my PayPal credit account.

 

Just waiting a month or so more for delivery.  When I login to check my order it's just sitting there with button for view invoice and a paid invoice I can look at comes up. 

The ordering set up the dealer have for international customers like myself is once all relevant information is filled out including the specific component you are purchasing it’s stated a PayPal invoice will be sent ,.

 

I hope sales isn’t lumped in with random questions , this kinda worries me because of the wait time for a simple reply to a couple of questions summited twice , weeks went by with no reply I then summited the same questions a second time this time it took about week .

 

 

 

 

[lpost]

46 minutes ago, Stevem324 said:

So about 5 weeks.  When I ordered, the expected timing was 5.5-6 weeks.

Yes but not yet delivered. I have tracking info but DHL is still awaiting the package since Friday Hong  Kong time.

[Diavolo]

16 minutes ago, Hiker said:

The ordering set up the dealer have for international customers like myself is once all relevant information is filled out including the specific component you are purchasing it’s stated a PayPal invoice will be sent ,.

 

I hope sales isn’t lumped in with random questions , this kinda worries me because of the wait time for a simple reply to a couple of questions summited twice , weeks went by with no reply I then summited the same questions a second time this time it took about week .

 

 

 

 

I missed the international part, sorry about that. 

[Quadman]

I have seen many people post here that communication is slow, at least initially, with Kitsune.  Now an order was placed Thursday and an invoice has not been sent.  That is not very good communication and reflects on the company itself.  I get it they are busy, but I remember when Alex from uptone audio was slamming, working in the shop 10+ hours a day and constantly replying to emails and forum questions in a timely manner.  He just got er done.  It looks like the dac's come direct from China as ordered L1,L2 KTE so Tim does not have to mod himself in house.  I can't imagine what is keeping them so busy they can't reply to new inquiries or orders in a timely manner.  I am seriously thinking of ordering this dac but these issues keep me from pursuing it further.  Hire someone..cheez

[Hiker]

6 minutes ago, Quadman said:

I have seen many people post here that communication is slow, at least initially, with Kitsune.  Now an order was placed Thursday and an invoice has not been sent.  That is not very good communication and reflects on the company itself.  I get it they are busy, but I remember when Alex from uptone audio was slamming, working in the shop 10+ hours a day and constantly replying to emails and forum questions in a timely manner.  He just got er done.  It looks like the dac's come direct from China as ordered L1,L2 KTE so Tim does not have to mod himself in house.  I can't imagine what is keeping them so busy they can't reply to new inquiries or orders in a timely manner.  I am seriously thinking of ordering this dac but these issues keep me from pursuing it further.  Hire someone..cheez

I could be making too much of a deal about it however I just hope sales isn’t mixed in with general questions by the apparent enormous amount of questions this dealer gets . ,..I’d sure be on it if someone was ready to purchase a top product from me .

 

Anyway they need to look at how functional their web page is ..Then number one take care of sales also I would suggest set up a self serve Q&A at the top of their web page they must get a load of questions asked repeatedly though sales should be their priority.

[JMD54]

I placed an order last night and the receipt was sent to me by PayPal, not Kitsune, immediately plus as was said earlier it is on the Kitsune website under your account. If it didn't come in your e-mail look in your account under orders. 

[Hiker]

39 minutes ago, JMD54 said:

I placed an order last night and the receipt was sent to me by PayPal, not Kitsune, immediately plus as was said earlier it is on the Kitsune website under your account. If it didn't come in your e-mail look in your account under orders. 

Tim’s web page is set up primarily for American buyers , I can’t set up an account, there’s no option for my country or address ,,There’s a spot for international orders you click on that where you fill out a order form then it’s stated a PayPal invoice will be sent ,,...

[lpost]

1 hour ago, lpost said:

Yes but not yet delivered. I have tracking info but DHL is still awaiting the package since Friday Hong  Kong time.

Delivery scheduled for this Thursday. May has left Hong Kong.

[Johndubya]

New here, but I ordered a Holo May yesterday. The web site was very slow. The order eventually went thru. I got an invoice from Tim as well as an apology for the web site. Apparently it's a problem with Microsoft services. 

[Diavolo]

30 minutes ago, Johndubya said:

New here, but I ordered a Holo May yesterday. The web site was very slow. The order eventually went thru. I got an invoice from Tim as well as an apology for the web site. Apparently it's a problem with Microsoft services. 

Congrats on getting a superb DAC!

You're in for a treat! 

[Diavolo]

23 hours ago, Hiker said:

I could be making too much of a deal about it however I just hope sales isn’t mixed in with general questions by the apparent enormous amount of questions this dealer gets . ,..I’d sure be on it if someone was ready to purchase a top product from me .

 

Anyway they need to look at how functional their web page is ..Then number one take care of sales also I would suggest set up a self serve Q&A at the top of their web page they must get a load of questions asked repeatedly though sales should be their priority.

From what I gathered in my dealings with Tim, it's a very small company and that he and his wife do this because they love the products. Even Holo Audio is a very small group of dedicated people from what I gathered from what I recall Tim telling me.  

[Mops911]

12 minutes ago, Diavolo said:

very small company

IMHO, the best music always comes from small shops. Large companies always sacrifice music for dollars :-D

[John Hughes]

On 3/15/2021 at 11:33 AM, Quadman said:

I have seen many people post here that communication is slow, at least initially, with Kitsune.  Now an order was placed Thursday and an invoice has not been sent.  That is not very good communication and reflects on the company itself.  I get it they are busy, but I remember when Alex from uptone audio was slamming, working in the shop 10+ hours a day and constantly replying to emails and forum questions in a timely manner.  He just got er done.  It looks like the dac's come direct from China as ordered L1,L2 KTE so Tim does not have to mod himself in house.  I can't imagine what is keeping them so busy they can't reply to new inquiries or orders in a timely manner.  I am seriously thinking of ordering this dac but these issues keep me from pursuing it further.  Hire someone..cheez

I've ordered several times, including purchasing the May.  Yes, Tim is slow to respond to initial orders and questions.  Usually it takes a couple of days to respond to new orders or a legitimate question.  However, once the connection is made, he is fairly prompt, on point, and very useful. Each order I have received the package faster than expected.

 

With a star product that is garnering so many awards and kudos, he is probably swamped with useless queries that go nowhere and just take up time.  I've been there, it can be very time consuming with little reward.  Also, I think as a small businessman he has a choice to prioritize quality of life over the American obsession with instant gratification. And I applaud that choice. More of us should live that way :) Working with someone that runs a bespoke business requires more patience, and the reward can be products with more soul.  

[sledwards]

Thought I would report on my short time with the May (KTE version) so far. I have had it in my system for about a week now, and yes, it took about the quoted 6 weeks to arrive. The May is replacing a Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro MQA, a DAC I was hoping would be my last (for a while anyways).  For initial evaluation, I just swapped the two DACs and ran the May in NOS mode. A little about my digital front end. I use a dedicated HQPlayer server running HQPe (Ubuntu 20.04).  It is an i7-8700K machine with an RTX-2080 graphics card for CUDA offload. I am upsampling all music to DSD256, ASDM7EC modulator and typically use the sinc-L filter. I also run convolution using 384 kHz filters generated using Acourate, hence the reason for the RTX-2080.  My NAA is a passively cooled i5-9400T in a HDPlex v3 chassis, with JCAT net Femto and USB XE cards. Power is supplied by the HDPlex 300W, 4-output  supply.  The NAA runs HQPe, bootable image on a USB stick.  Currently, I am using the Singxer SU-6 to convert USB to i2S input to the May. For the analog downstream portion of my system, I run direct connect to my power amplifier (Neurochrome Modulus-686) and use the wonderful 64-bit HQPlayer volume control which integrates well with Roon.  Speakers are GR- Research NX-Oticas, with 2- triple OB 12-inch servo subs and 2 sealed PSA 15-in powered subs.  You can never have to much bass. I split the balanced output of the May and send it to a Mini DSP 4x10 for control of all 4 subs.

 

The sound…aMayzing (sorry about that, could not resist).  After reading all the reviews and testimonials, I could not have wished for more.  I listen to a lot of acoustic guitar, and I have never heard the resonance, timbre and decay of acoustic strings sound so life-like; almost spooky. When strings are strummed, the individual notes are easy to resolve without smearing.  It’s so clean, I find myself increasing the volume beyond levels I had previously thought were comfortable limits.

 

I will continue my evaluation by changing HQPlayer settings (high rate PCM and different filters) and modes.  What I have tried so far is to remove the Singxer SU-6 from the audio chain and let the USB XE talk directly with the May. To be honest, I actually preferred  the sound a bit more with the Singxer in circuit. A little more sparkle on the top end and transients seemed a bit more lively.  I would only be guessing as to why I heard the difference, but one thing that does differ are the cables in use. While the same USB cable is used in both configurations, the i2S cable is not present in both.  The cable I am using is a Phasure HDMI^2.

Those who are patiently waiting will not be disappointed. Questions and comments welcome.

 

Regards,

Steve
 

[Hiker]

1 hour ago, Johndubya said:

New here, but I ordered a Holo May yesterday. The web site was very slow. The order eventually went thru. I got an invoice from Tim as well as an apology for the web site. Apparently it's a problem with Microsoft services. 

The dealer site now has a Live Chat feature no one at the dealership is manning ,.lol ,.I’ve been trying since 8:00 AM this morning, My last note I left started with Please Help ,...it’s now 4:20 so some of you know what that means ,.

[John Hughes]

22 minutes ago, sledwards said:

Thought I would report on my short time with the May (KTE version) so far. I have had it in my system for about a week now, and yes, it took about the quoted 6 weeks to arrive. The May is replacing a Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro MQA, a DAC I was hoping would be my last (for a while anyways).  For initial evaluation, I just swapped the two DACs and ran the May in NOS mode. A little about my digital front end. I use a dedicated HQPlayer server running HQPe (Ubuntu 20.04).  It is an i7-8700K machine with an RTX-2080 graphics card for CUDA offload. I am upsampling all music to DSD256, ASDM7EC modulator and typically use the sinc-L filter. I also run convolution using 384 kHz filters generated using Acourate, hence the reason for the RTX-2080.  My NAA is a passively cooled i5-9400T in a HDPlex v3 chassis, with JCAT net Femto and USB XE cards. Power is supplied by the HDPlex 300W, 4-output  supply.  The NAA runs HQPe, bootable image on a USB stick.  Currently, I am using the Singxer SU-6 to convert USB to i2S input to the May. For the analog downstream portion of my system, I run direct connect to my power amplifier (Neurochrome Modulus-686) and use the wonderful 64-bit HQPlayer volume control which integrates well with Roon.  Speakers are GR- Research NX-Oticas, with 2- triple OB 12-inch servo subs and 2 sealed PSA 15-in powered subs.  You can never have to much bass. I split the balanced output of the May and send it to a Mini DSP 4x10 for control of all 4 subs.

 

The sound…aMayzing (sorry about that, could not resist).  After reading all the reviews and testimonials, I could not have wished for more.  I listen to a lot of acoustic guitar, and I have never heard the resonance, timbre and decay of acoustic strings sound so life-like; almost spooky. When strings are strummed, the individual notes are easy to resolve without smearing.  It’s so clean, I find myself increasing the volume beyond levels I had previously thought were comfortable limits.

 

I will continue my evaluation by changing HQPlayer settings (high rate PCM and different filters) and modes.  What I have tried so far is to remove the Singxer SU-6 from the audio chain and let the USB XE talk directly with the May. To be honest, I actually preferred  the sound a bit more with the Singxer in circuit. A little more sparkle on the top end and transients seemed a bit more lively.  I would only be guessing as to why I heard the difference, but one thing that does differ are the cables in use. While the same USB cable is used in both configurations, the i2S cable is not present in both.  The cable I am using is a Phasure HDMI^2.

Those who are patiently waiting will not be disappointed. Questions and comments welcome.

 

Regards,

Steve
 

Hey Steve, congrats!  I am really curious what your experience would be to listen for a while without upsampling in the loop through HQPlayer.  The May does such an excellent job at Nos, I have found I prefer it to any upsampling that Roon can do (up to DSD512 or 384PCM). Nos was definitely more open.  I have not taken the leap to HQ player though.  Its been my experience that while upsampling can add technical merits to audio quality, it can also make it sound more closed in with less energy and possibly more synthetic.  Some people have been 'converted' lol.  

[Quadman]

1 hour ago, John Hughes said:

Yes, Tim is slow to respond to initial orders and questions.  Usually it takes a couple of days to respond to new orders or a legitimate question.  However, once the connection is made, he is fairly prompt, on point, and very useful. Each order I have received the package faster than expected.

Thanks John.  Good to hear from multiple times buyer.  And yes I imagine the crazy questions he gets is maddening, a good Q+A sections could probably answer most of those questions.

 

39 minutes ago, sledwards said:

Those who are patiently waiting will not be disappointed. Questions and comments welcome.

Great write  up Steve, one of the first I read that actually use HQP and send up a sampled stream to the dac.  Most reviewers just NOS or play with the dac's internal up sampling.  Say what was the shipping cost of your dac to the US?

[ted_b]

John Hughes, you need to try HQPlayer sometime soon.  When you get the just the right recipe of filter and dither/modulator (especially if your server has enough gas to do EC modulators) you'll hear that it goes way beyond what Roon can do.  Roon is still a piece of this, but on another machine, feeding HQPlayer (the startling benefits of taking Roon off your HQPlayer machine is quite dramatic in my estimation).  Another nice thing about upsampling in general, and HQPlayer's upsampling in particular, is that almost all dacs have a sweetspot where they sound best.  Because Holo products like May can be put in NOS mode, it's easy to find that sweetspot(s) over time. 

[sledwards]

1 minute ago, Quadman said:

Great write  up Steve, one of the first I read that actually use HQP and send up a sampled stream to the dac.  Most reviewers just NOS or play with the dac's internal up sampling.  Say what was the shipping of your dac to the US?

It shipped by DHL and took about 5 or 6 days to North Carolina.

[Diavolo]

5 minutes ago, sledwards said:

It shipped by DHL and took about 5 or 6 days to North Carolina.

Same here, to Raleigh, NC. 

[Diavolo]

57 minutes ago, sledwards said:

Thought I would report on my short time with the May (KTE version) so far. I have had it in my system for about a week now, and yes, it took about the quoted 6 weeks to arrive. The May is replacing a Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro MQA, a DAC I was hoping would be my last (for a while anyways).  For initial evaluation, I just swapped the two DACs and ran the May in NOS mode. A little about my digital front end. I use a dedicated HQPlayer server running HQPe (Ubuntu 20.04).  It is an i7-8700K machine with an RTX-2080 graphics card for CUDA offload. I am upsampling all music to DSD256, ASDM7EC modulator and typically use the sinc-L filter. I also run convolution using 384 kHz filters generated using Acourate, hence the reason for the RTX-2080.  My NAA is a passively cooled i5-9400T in a HDPlex v3 chassis, with JCAT net Femto and USB XE cards. Power is supplied by the HDPlex 300W, 4-output  supply.  The NAA runs HQPe, bootable image on a USB stick.  Currently, I am using the Singxer SU-6 to convert USB to i2S input to the May. For the analog downstream portion of my system, I run direct connect to my power amplifier (Neurochrome Modulus-686) and use the wonderful 64-bit HQPlayer volume control which integrates well with Roon.  Speakers are GR- Research NX-Oticas, with 2- triple OB 12-inch servo subs and 2 sealed PSA 15-in powered subs.  You can never have to much bass. I split the balanced output of the May and send it to a Mini DSP 4x10 for control of all 4 subs.

 

The sound…aMayzing (sorry about that, could not resist).  After reading all the reviews and testimonials, I could not have wished for more.  I listen to a lot of acoustic guitar, and I have never heard the resonance, timbre and decay of acoustic strings sound so life-like; almost spooky. When strings are strummed, the individual notes are easy to resolve without smearing.  It’s so clean, I find myself increasing the volume beyond levels I had previously thought were comfortable limits.

 

I will continue my evaluation by changing HQPlayer settings (high rate PCM and different filters) and modes.  What I have tried so far is to remove the Singxer SU-6 from the audio chain and let the USB XE talk directly with the May. To be honest, I actually preferred  the sound a bit more with the Singxer in circuit. A little 

I too replaced my Matrix Audio XSabre Pro MQA DAC with the May and have fanless Sigao media server going straight usb to the May.  I have a couple of older dell blade servers, but I use that for plex up until recently.  I have the Femto jcat card, not the XE.  I have the hdplex 300w LPSU.  I have only a 2060 for hqplayer. 

AND YOU LIVE IN RALEIGH? 

 

Is your name also Jon? 

 

That would really spook me out a lot! 

 

My doppelganger? 😂