Holo Audio Serene Preamplifier

[Gavin1977]

Great review @GoldenOne, and nice lead in - many people will benefit from the introduction on different methods of attenuation.  I fully agree with you on the Pre90 - I bought one and it does sound as you describe.

 

I also agree with you on how you feel about the Holo vs passive attenuation.  I have a similar issue with my Audio GD-Master 9 which is marvelous - it adds something that makes it better and yet it's difficult to put it into words.

[Gavin1977]

Do you have a review up of Holo May / Spring?  I would be very interested to hear your thoughts.  Your MQA video was an amazing amount of effort.  Well done.

[Gavin1977]

13 hours ago, GoldenOne said:

I doubt I'll be reviewing it. Unfortunately I really wasn't keen on the hpa4 as a headphone amp. 

 

To be brutally honest it sounded like a slightly better thx 789.

 

A YouTube reviewer (here) compared HPA4 with the Topping Pre90 and he was unable to tell them apart. Try the Pre90 (Amazon, easy returns) and see if you like it.

 

I did not personally enjoy the sound of NFCA / THX AAA - impressively clean, but not a pleasant listen and sounded artificial to me.  I don't like this topology - might work for someone who runs tube amps further down the line though  (I have similar thoughts on the D90).  I sent my unit back.

[Gavin1977]

I have a DC4 LPS DAVE visiting me this Wednesday...

[Gavin1977]

On 6/21/2021 at 4:41 PM, Gavin1977 said:

I have a DC4 LPS DAVE visiting me this Wednesday...

Sean Jacobs DC4 LPS to the DAVE is amazing, best DAC I've heard so far.  It is significantly beyond the TT2.  As I have written before I didn't much care for the DAVE in stock form.  As others will have experienced when adding LPS on other equipment, the DC4 effects the DACs entire performance for the better.  I experienced a similar uplift adding linear to a qutest, but the DAVE and DC4 combination is dramatic. 

 

Holo Audio May (Wildism Edition) should be with me in 2-4 weeks.