HOLO Audio MAY DAC

[Quadman]

1 hour ago, CJH said:

I see a large film cap at the output of each channel.

According to Tim, there are no capacitors in the signal path in the May.

[reeve_mike]

On 5/30/2020 at 5:01 PM, GoldenOne said:

  On 5/30/2020 at 4:09 PM, Miska said:

 

Same as Spring 2, so if you use PCM mode, set DAC Bits 20 and use noise shaper like LNS15 at 1.5 MHz sampling rate. I personally stick to DSD256 output using ASDM7EC modulator.

  

@Miska I note that you use the May's maximum PCM rate but a somewhat lower than maximum DSD rate.  Would you be willing to share the reason for sticking to DSD256?

 

MANY THANKS!  Mike

 

[ted_b]

DSD256 is the highest rate possible (real-time) when using EC modulators. No cpu is yet fast enough to go beyond

[scintilla]

No.  It is because the noise floor is lower with 256 vs. 512 and 1024. There is a sweet spot with the Holo DACs with rates for best performance and it isn't the highest possible rates.  Same with the AKM 4499 in DSD direct mode. This is a function of settling times, resistor matching and the randomizing algorithm used but at these high rates we start pushing the theoretical limits and 256 is what Jussi has shown to be optimal for Holo DACs. It isn't because processors can't to 7EC at higher rates.  I do ADSM7 512+ fs with my machine just fine. 

[Miska]

7 hours ago, reeve_mike said:

  

@Miska I note that you use the May's maximum PCM rate but a somewhat lower than maximum DSD rate.  Would you be willing to share the reason for sticking to DSD256?

 

 

I don't use Holo Audio DACs in PCM mode for anything else than testing.

 

But the DSD mode performs best at DSD256 which is also maximum you can do with current hardware and EC modulators.

 

[ted_b]

6 hours ago, scintilla said:

It isn't because processors can't to 7EC at higher rates.  I do ADSM7 512+ fs with my machine just fine. 

Sorry but that ain't an EC modulator.  It is a fact that DSD512 with EC is only available (currently) when doing offline, i.e HQPlayer Pro. 

[GoldenOne]

6 hours ago, scintilla said:

No.  It is because the noise floor is lower with 256 vs. 512 and 1024. There is a sweet spot with the Holo DACs with rates for best performance and it isn't the highest possible rates.  Same with the AKM 4499 in DSD direct mode. This is a function of settling times, resistor matching and the randomizing algorithm used but at these high rates we start pushing the theoretical limits and 256 is what Jussi has shown to be optimal for Holo DACs. It isn't because processors can't to 7EC at higher rates.  I do ADSM7 512+ fs with my machine just fine. 

512+fs isn't an ec modulator. 

 

Ec modulators are considered to be the best afaik. 

 

Maybe @Miskacan comment but iirc he said that the ec modulators are preferable to the 512+fs ones

[camott]

On 7/1/2021 at 7:31 PM, John Hughes said:

I use this streamer with the May.  It is custom hardware with a software implementation of RopieeeXL.  I connects to the May up to 1.5Mhz PCM and 1024X DSD without problems.  No drivers necessary.

 

Can you confirm that you are able to get 1.536Ghz PCM from the Link II to Holo May using HQPlayer NAA?? I read your posts back in April saying that were getting noise/distortion at that rate ... 

[damascato]

Hey guys, while waiting for a Usbridge, I tried to connect the May via USB to my MacBook Pro (with an usbA—>C adapter).

 

When putting the Tidal app in exclusive mode, the volume becomes all of a sudden incredibly low so that to have a decent listening level I need to crank up my amp almost to max (which is not what usually does, it’s a Hegel 190).

 

when I had the May connected vis coax to a usbridge this never happened.

 

any ideas/tip?

[Miska]

23 minutes ago, damascato said:

Hey guys, while waiting for a Usbridge, I tried to connect the May via USB to my MacBook Pro (with an usbA—>C adapter).

 

When putting the Tidal app in exclusive mode, the volume becomes all of a sudden incredibly low so that to have a decent listening level I need to crank up my amp almost to max (which is not what usually does, it’s a Hegel 190).

 

when I had the May connected vis coax to a usbridge this never happened.

 

any ideas/tip?

 

Your May has volume control?

 

[damascato]

20 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

Your May has volume control?

 

i don't really think that the May has any volume control.

[Miska]

5 minutes ago, damascato said:

i don't really think that the May has any volume control.

 

I was just wondering if there was a pre-amp module variant of it like there is for Spring 3.

 

In any case, if there's a digital volume control or similar, it could be controlled through USB and have low default value... So go to sound preferences, or Audio & MIDI Settings and check if there's some volume control...

 

Technically USB Audio Class has such capability, while S/PDIF doesn't.

 

[damascato]

7 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

I was just wondering if there was a pre-amp module variant of it like there is for Spring 3.

 

In any case, if there's a digital volume control or similar, it could be controlled through USB and have low default value... So go to sound preferences, or Audio & MIDI Settings and check if there's some volume control...

 

Technically USB Audio Class has such capability, while S/PDIF doesn't.

 

No, no pre-amp on the May.

I'll try, but with all my other DACs when you force the volume from Tidal, that's it: volume control is through the device.

[Hiker]

Would anyone know how to configure the l2s pin outs with the May dac ?,..

I may , pardon the pun have to re-configure the pin lay out to match another manufacturers i2s output . 

Many thanks ! 
I just received an email from the distributor with a copy of their l2s pin out my question am I right this is a match ? 

[MrDerrick]

I think you want ALT1, but before you commit please wait for someone else to confer with me ( or correct )

 

I don't think that pin 18 has any relevance with the May. 

 

My eyes are not the best anymore, good that I still have my hearing!

[GoldenOne]

1 hour ago, Hiker said:

Would anyone know how to configure the l2s pin outs with the May dac ?,..

I may , pardon the pun have to re-configure the pin lay out to match another manufacturers i2s output . 

Many thanks ! 
I just received an email from the distributor with a copy of their l2s pin out my question am I right this is a match ? 

Hold the power button to turn the dac off. 

 

Then, press and hold the 'menu' and 'power' buttons to boot it into configuration menu. 

Use the keys to navigate to i2s layout config, and change to 'alt1'. 

 

There is no confirm/enter action, just set it to alt1, then power dac off again and then on normally

[Hiker]

46 minutes ago, GoldenOne said:

Hold the power button to turn the dac off. 

 

Then, press and hold the 'menu' and 'power' buttons to boot it into configuration menu. 

Use the keys to navigate to i2s layout config, and change to 'alt1'. 

 

There is no confirm/enter action, just set it to alt1, then power dac off again and then on normally

Thank you 

[KenMoreira]

On 4/22/2021 at 7:18 AM, stefano_mbp said:

If you set some kind of upsampling try to play instead as bit-perfect (no upsampling) some 16/44.1 file.

Which dac do you have?

 

On 5/23/2021 at 12:58 PM, zackthedog said:

 

My understanding is that gentooplayer can load the entire OS into ram for operation, but GMrenderer is too large to accomodate this on some boards.  Since it precludes running the system in ram on the Allo, you must choose to install it knowing it will limit other features.  But someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

On 7/14/2021 at 8:08 PM, toddrhodes said:

Interesting. I can upsample to DSD512 and PCM1.5 (is that fs32?) on my Venus II via direct output of Pi4 --> USB --> Venus II, using the HQP NAA image. So I know the Pi is capable of outputting it, at least. How the May reconciles/allows that from its end, I can't say. 

 

I CAN put the PC next to it. It's just, well, loud :) And my concern there is that nothing has been done in that PC to make it electrically quiet and it's a bit too muscular (CPU, GPU, Fans) for an LPSU to work with it. 

 

Very interesting, either way. Thanks!

 

On 7/19/2021 at 2:58 PM, dkdali said:

Finally got my Innuos Zenith to run embedded HQPlayer OS and streaming sweet 1536kHz (Sinc-Mx, LNS15) to the May.

I had expected to run the Zenith as a NAA but after having had huge problems with running the NAA image I ended up trying the OS image instead. To my huge surprise the Zenith upsamples to 1536kHz without any problems and I don't have to use my Windows PC to run the Desktop app - big win!

I have made a post in the Music Servers section if anybody else is interested in how to do this.

 

I have a HQPlayer - May dac question: I see that people like @GoldenOne configures HQPlayer to only send 20 bit sound to the May. I thought the May was capable of running 24 and 32 bit. Why not use the full bit resolution?

 

On 7/25/2021 at 1:53 PM, damascato said:

Hey guys, while waiting for a Usbridge, I tried to connect the May via USB to my MacBook Pro (with an usbA—>C adapter).

 

When putting the Tidal app in exclusive mode, the volume becomes all of a sudden incredibly low so that to have a decent listening level I need to crank up my amp almost to max (which is not what usually does, it’s a Hegel 190).

 

when I had the May connected vis coax to a usbridge this never happened.

 

any ideas/tip?

I have the usbridge signature player, waiting on my Spring still.  I figured it wouldn't help much as the onboard usb is pretty killer on these dacs.  Guess might be worth it 

[KenMoreira]

7 minutes ago, KenMoreira said:

On 7/25/2021 at 1:53 PM, damascato said:

app in exclusive mode, the volume becomes all of a sudden incredibly low so that to have a decent listening level I need to crank up my amp almost to max (which is not what usually does, it’s a Hegel 190).

 

when I had the May connected vis coax to a usbridge this never happened.

 

any ideas/tip?

Expand  

I have the usbridge signature player, waiting on my Spring still.  I figured it wouldn't help much as the onboard usb is pretty killer on these dacs.  Guess might be

 

[WilliamWykeham]

I have a 3.072Mhz file (upsampled with PGGB).  When I try to play, the Holo screen says "UNLOCK".  Is the limitation due to the USB driver (I have the intel one), due to my music player (JPLAY), or something on the Holo?

[GoldenOne]

2 minutes ago, WilliamWykeham said:

I have a 3.072Mhz file (upsampled with PGGB).  When I try to play, the Holo screen says "UNLOCK".  Is the limitation due to the USB driver (I have the intel one), due to my music player (JPLAY), or something on the Holo?

May can't do 3.072Mhz. Don't think any dac can

[ted_b]

2 minutes ago, WilliamWykeham said:

I have a 3.072Mhz file (upsampled with PGGB).  When I try to play, the Holo screen says "UNLOCK".  Is the limitation due to the USB driver (I have the intel one), due to my music player (JPLAY), or something on the Holo?

I’m doubting the Holo can play, what is that, 64fs?

[WilliamWykeham]

36 minutes ago, GoldenOne said:

May can't do 3.072Mhz. Don't think any dac can

 

Let me rephrase. When Kitsune's website says "theoretically it can do ... 3.072Mhz", what are the points in the audio chain preventing the theoretical limit from being reached today.  

[scintilla]

May firmware for sure, plus probably the USB driver as well. You would need to ask Tim if/when a firmware might be available to allow that. 

[ETWok]

Hi all, I am new to this forum. Just ordered the Holo Audio May KTE from Wildism, and will be shipped later today.

 

I have one question, does an iPad connected via USB work with the May?