The lovely thing about the May is that every corner of the community loves it for similar reasons. Gorgeous build quality and control (for everyone), fantastic engineering (for that crowd), incredible objective performance (for that crowd), absolutely fantastic subjective performance. And they don't even dabble in audiophool nonsense. Definitely my dream DAC to add as a compliment to my ADI-2 Pro Fs BE. Being able to run it from the AES out on the RME with signal processing etc would be a dream
"The DSD Dac module resistor network of May Dac does not use R2R architecture for the DSD, more specifically it uses a very specific architecture which is optimized to perform DSD data to analog. So to be entirely accurate the DSD part of May Dac is using resistor ladders, not R2R.." So Holo is using discrete components to decode DSD. Pretty cool.
@@angelwars3176 Then what's the point of an expensive R2R DAC if you're going to convert to DSD? You won't be using the ladder converter. And most of your music and audio is PCM anyway.
Fantastic video of a fantastic piece of equipment. What did make me wince, though, is that during the extensive narration of the internals (please excuse the bluntness) you would have been gently spraying them as you did so! Silly as it might sound, I would have used a surgical mask!
Still mainly in FPV format, but clearly a big step up in production quality. Great video. I actually got quite impatient for your next video, feels like it was more than two weeks lol Looking forward to the next one
Great review! I have a system running AudioLinux. Would this DAC be able to support DSD512 playback using hqplayer from Linux sources via USB? Most DACs unfortunately- like my Qutest - requires windows with ASIO drivers to get DSD512 playback via USB using hqplayer .
It’s not over budget when you consider that this is probably the last DAC you will ever need to buy in your lifetime. That was my rationale for getting it. :)
@@BrentLeVasseur Don't get me wrong, It's beautiful and I bet you will have a lot of fun with it... but following my experience, in Fields like Mechanical Keyboards, Synthesizers and also Audio-Gear... Even if you reach an extremely High-End state with your Gear, there are still flavors within that state. There is no Endgame... :D
@@Nexotron I understand your perspective, however that kind of thinking will drive you bankrupt and insane. :) There is a “good enough” point where you can hit audio nirvana that isn’t the absolute perfect sound - because that doesn’t exist in nature - but it sounds good enough to make you forget that you are listening to gear and let’s you just enjoy the music. That’s true end game for me, and the Holo May DAC gives me that experience. Not once do I think…hmmm there isn’t enough detail there…or geeze this sounds really chalky or glitchy…-it just gives you the music as it was recorded. That’s all I need!
@@BrentLeVasseur I agree I have had the KTE now for a month and I have never yet felt that the music was misrepresented or distorted in any way. I think he had it right when saying that the best way to describe it is just an organic/analog sound which is completely open and just there. I don't see myself getting another DAC either. What worries me is the upkeep. The reality is that these are technical components that can break over time and the more you have of those you need a budget to deal with the maintenance. Most people that have a DAC like this will have this value multiplied from the transport to the amplification and speakers/headphones. That's what scares me the most.
@@dennisd9875 Maybe the capacitors might loose some of their charge over time, but that would take 20 years or more. By then we could both be dead. I wouldn’t worry about it.
I’m new to your channel. Love how informative and entertaining your videos are. Looks like I have new things to listen to while I cook, clean, or whatever.
Hey goldensound i was very very much looking forward to watching your reviews on this very very very good sounding and amazingly detailed dacs i would really really love to know and to see if you can be able to help me choose which kind of dac i should get
Since this unit draws 50 W at idle I would like to turn it off when not using it for a long period of time. My set up is in a vented cabinet with no convenience access. I use a PS audio power generator with switched power outlets. My question is, since there is no hard on/off switch, if you cut power to the May Dac, when you restore power does it turn back on?
Great review, thanks. You mentioned Crystek. What clocks are they? Maybe that's the only thing not top of the line, although it probably serves the purpose. Would you agree?
Looking forward to getting this on the review desk. 🐅🐅🐅 The line between analogue and digital most certainly is truly blurred now. currently reviewing the spring 2 L4 I never Believed possible they’re being such a difference between it and the chord cutest
The interlink cable has a large number of separated conductors. You can see this on the internals actually too. So some will go from the left psu to left channel, some from right psu to right channel etc imgur.com/a/zCrpasF
Your channel sold me on the Holo May KTE and it's been the best return on investment I've ever made in any of my components. One thing I'm experiencing is with my cheaper Naim solid state amp it is everything great anyone has ever said about it. But when I connected to my Supratek Cortese LCR tubed amp, the details have increased and there's more separation in instruments but all the smoothness, liquid, musically immediacy is gone. It really loses its magic. Don't get me wrong it's still sounds great, but I wonder if the May is better suited for a solid state preamp rather than tubed. Mine is an active tube, and is well reviewed with exceptional praise, but I feel like it filters out something in exchange for detail and sounding a bit analytical. The difference is sounds aren't close enough to ignore so I may be considering the Serene next. Any one else pair the May w a tube preamp and have any experience they can share?
Thanks for the clarity of your reviews. I'm never going to be able to afford anything like this but as technology tends to trickle down to less expensive gear it's worth understanding how it works and the benefits of it.
I can't afford the gear, so I come here for music discovery. Beautiful opening track sequence, I've discovered several songs and artists listening to your videos! Enjoy the content! Cheers!
Hello, I'm new to your channel. The first thing I want to say is that I'm kind of wondering what your desk is. It is spacious enough to hold everything on top of it yet it still lots has space left on it! The second thing is your speakers. Are they active? If they're passive, what drives them? The third thing is your isolations. Did you make them? If not where can I get those? Thanks for the great channel. I finally found a reviewer who is really interested in quality and doesn't use "budget" keyword in his videos ^.^
This is a great review. But it begs to ask the question can someone who is not “perfection” hear any difference between this or something like a RME ADI-2? Can you actually the roughly $3000 difference in real world listening? Or me simply asking this type question means I have no business evening consider a Holo May Dac
For sure you can hear the difference, just hunt down some Holo May demo's like these all immediately recognisable for their 3D holographic sound and natural instrument timbres: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QlzuOuwnZ00.html , ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-R2tsBvWDfBk.html , ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Yw8I75hsCAE.html , ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dKNYZxTGSM8.html , ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-uPGVMUPSuAI.html , ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-EUsETdszUm0.html , ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YzGg-iuzHto.html , ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZIvdu0Qiwk8.html , ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5-LEYv3cQVc.html
Question: Do Holo develop circuit modules for NASA and ESA? Judging from the design and build quality, they might be doing this "on the side". Someone who can state "Quality without compromise." without lying. Nice. Rare.
Wow. After you implied that this is superior to the Dave M scaler, I thought it'd be like 15-20k. Pleasantly surprised. Still too rich for my blood, but 4-5k seems like an amazing price.
Both prices are extremely exaggerated. Just think about it, it is a downpayment for a house. For what? A small box of transistors and capacitors and other elements.
@@Burevestnik9M730 a Ferrari costs as much as a house. And for what? Just a car with 4 wheels that takes you from A to B. See how flawed your argument is?
@@Burevestnik9M730 where do you live that even 25k is a propper down-payment? Hell, where I am a 100k down-payment only gets you a 600sqft condo and im not even in a major city...
Sir, My wife pulled up your website and we watched several reviews. I apologize for not watching you for sometime, even though I'm a subscriber, totally forgot. As I am looking for a new DAC, Your review on the Holo Audio May KTE was so well done. I'm almost ready to pull the trigger. However, Read all posts and no one has mentioned reliabilty, where to get service if needed, is the distributor good to deal with???? Sometimes service is just as important as the purchased item!!!! Robert Shaw TN Your reviews have drawn me back, Thank You.
Hey Rob. Customer service will depend on which dealer you bought from. Both Tim at kitsune and Jo at wildism have been brilliant with me. As to reliability, according to Tim he can count the number of devices they've had sent back with faults on two hands, so I think reliability is going to be very good.
@@GoldenSound Thank you for the quick response. That makes me feel a lot more comfortable. I then assume the handful that had issues went where? Stateside or back to China for repair?
Yep it is indeed real NOS. I'll talk about this a bit more in the Ares 2 review cause it turns out denafrips "NOS" isn't NOS at all. And yes the symbol translates to 'plum' or 'mei' when written plainly I think
always nice to see a full review showing all the internal construction You out did yourself thank you for all your hard work 4 us I just purchased the L2
I request a video for newbies. Say someone who's only had typical AVRs. It fels like there's an information gap between typically audio equipment and when you start going more enthusiast, I mean in general. Not speaking to this video.
I was attracted to the May for the perfectionist approach to engineering described in this video. It's not often that a product can so thoroughly satisfy both objectivists and subjectivists, but May delivers everything that both parties want. And it sounds glorious.
Please recommend me player or streamer (or any other source) different than PC for this DAC in order to be able to use all its abilities especially high resolution PCM and native DSD. Thank you.
Would you mind elaborating? I have an RME ADI-2 and am seriously considering upgrading to the Holo May, but I need more convincing, about $2,000 USD more convincing, before I take the plunge. I'm quite happy with the RME in every respect except for the soundstage/depth. I keep hearing reviewers describe how the lead singer or instrument is center stage and backup singers and other instruments can be clearly placed in 3D space, but all I'm getting as far as I can tell is a wall of sound with L/R separation, but without the spatial depth. Does the Holo May do that, or does my room/setup just need more tweaking? The rest of my system is highly resolving and I've been tweaking with REW and DIRAC room correction, which gives me a strong center stage, but the depth is elusive and I WANT IT!
Just an opinion that the fine sound of this DAC is due more to its outstanding power supply, analog sections and USB implementation, and less to its D2D digital to audio conversion. Swap out the D2D and replace with 2 ES9038pro chips and I think you will have a DAC of comparable quality. And you will cut production cost by a significant sum.
@@lennym2407 according to whom? Some people love r2r DACs and DCS method of randomizing the noise. The brain is very sensitive to artificial, repetitive noise.
I doubt a delta-sigma is used for DSD there. The best way to decode DSD is to use several shifting registers and a simple low pass filter. Cannot imagine how many millions have been invested into a development. And how many people must purchase it to be even.
Zeos left the chat 😂😂😂 If you know what i mean..😂 Awesome review. Even i didn't know this did dsd natively. And infact denafrips isn't even 24bit ladder its 20bit. I think its not possible to have 24bit ladder.
So, this is going to work well with my audio research reference 5SE preamp and decware tirode amp Point to point wired. And Klipsch Cornwall fours. I hope so. 🤞🏼
Can't comment firsthand (other than vs ares 2 which isn't really fair) but those who have tried both including Ron from NRD, and a friend of mine who currently owns May and Terminator, say that the May wins. May also quite comfortably beats the denafrips stuff in various objective aspects. I hardly imagine you can make a "bad" choice though, they're both going to be excellent.
Great review! I am very interested in the May. I have heard the M scaler and TT2 and they are very good. In your M scaler review you mentioned that you would talked about pairing with the May? I didn't see that in the review of the May . The review of the May is very complete and with your technical expertise and what NRD had to say. It is almost a given this is the best DAC going for the Money. I just wonder does the M scaler help? I hope you get the opportunity to test the Mola Mola Tambaqui and give a perspective on it given its price. Thank You!
Great review! Might want to correct something: DSD stands for Direct Stream Digital, NOT delta sigma DAC. Delta Sigma is a totally different animal and would not be worth implementing is this level of unit IMO.
I'm aware, but when in "OS DSD" it is operating as a delta sigma dac. It is using delta-sigma modulation to modulate the incoming 16/24bit information to a high sample rate 1-bit stream and converting on the 1-bit converter. This is delta sigma.
