@jjss49 I've heard that about the 40's but I have never felt they have overloaded the room. I do not listen at extremely high levels but I like it moderately loud (my wife thinks it's really loud, LOL). My speakers have some shelving between them and the back wall, so this might defeat some of the low frequencies. If those shelves were not there the bass might overwhelm the room. I think as is they are absorbing the bass to some degree. If those shelves were not there I would likely need bass traps. I had 40.1's previously, BTW. Loving the Harbeth sound for sure!
Holo Audio May DAC
Just read a very nice review of this in Stereophile this month and after doing some research it looks like this one could be a very nice option for me.
https://kitsunehifi.com/product/holo-audio-may-dac/
It's made in China I think (or could be Taiwan?, and yes, I am very well aware that these are two very different countries. ;)), and employs a direct to consumer model to keep the price as low as possible. This does not worry me after purchasing a Jay's Audio transport from Vinshine Audio and having zero issues.
Just curious if anyone here has heard one or purchased? I'm very intrigued. I know the Denafrips Terminator is another highly regarded DAC with a similar ordering model, but costs a couple grand more than this one. Considering that one as well.
Thanks
https://kitsunehifi.com/product/holo-audio-may-dac/
It's made in China I think (or could be Taiwan?, and yes, I am very well aware that these are two very different countries. ;)), and employs a direct to consumer model to keep the price as low as possible. This does not worry me after purchasing a Jay's Audio transport from Vinshine Audio and having zero issues.
Just curious if anyone here has heard one or purchased? I'm very intrigued. I know the Denafrips Terminator is another highly regarded DAC with a similar ordering model, but costs a couple grand more than this one. Considering that one as well.
Thanks
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I got my May KTE DAC in way early. OMG! I’ll never buy a chip based DAC again. This thing makes music transcendental. It’s so damned detailed and yet so natural sounding. I hear everything, every little microdynamic nuance. This has surpassed my greatest expectation for taking my system to the next level. I’m completely smitten. |
@snackeyp Thanks, It's been a nonstop marathon of music playing since I've received the May! I am (and have been for 20 years) running source direct to my amplifiers because I have no analog sources to speak of, and have always preferred the more direct and detailed presentation that running from my fanless/silent running media server directly via USB to DAC and from DAC to amplifier. I co-designed several of Niveus Media's earliest fanless/silent running media server designed to operate seamlessly in an audio rack in the living room. This was a couple of decades ago believe it or not! (https://www.google.com/search?q=niveus+media+denali&newwindow=1&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS824US824&...). The May DAC connects via USB to a brand new custom silent-running and completely fanless Sigao Model B dedicated Roon server that has a 10th Gen 10-Core i9 10900T Intel Cpu, 4TB Samsung SSD for music library, 512gb Samsung 970 Pro NVME O/S/Roon/HqPlayer drive, 32gb DDR4 2666mhz, a separate JCAT FEMTO clocked USB PCIE add-in card (not in use atm because it doesn't support 1.536mhz or DSD512/1024 upsampling currently, but fortunately the Intel based USB ports do support the higher rates). I use Roon to feed HqPlayer software a 1.412mhz or 1.536mhz or DSD512 upsampled signal using their proprietary filters to the Holo May in NOS mode. I control the volume through Roon which attenuates it in HQplayer since the May Dac does not provide volume control. I power both the Sigao Roon server and JCAT USB Card separately with with a multi-rail dedicated 300w HDPLEX Linear Power Supply and that is plugged into a dedicated Equitech Son Of Q Balanced Isolation Transformer. Certain DSD512/1024 filter settings in HQPlayer can be very taxing on even the best CPUs hence the need for a 10/Core processor. SIGAO https://www.atlastsolutions.com/sigao-model-b-fanless-pc-10th-gen-10-core-i9-10900t-up-to-64gb-most-... HDPLEX PSU https://hdplex.com/hdplex-fanless-300w-linear-power-supply-for-pc-audio-and-ce-device.html JCAT USB PCIE CARD https://jcat.eu/product/usb-card-xe/ (Note: I DON'T own this JCAT model USB add-in card, but Tim Connor at Kitsune Audio (distributor for Holo Audio USA) is getting one in a week and testing it to see if the newer NEC USB chip will handle the faster upsampling speeds that the May dac supports. |
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