I just A/B'd my Level 2 May DAC (fully broken in, in NOS mode, with balanced outputs) w/ my Chord Qutest (with Teddy Pardo LPS and unbalanced outputs) just prior to listing the Qutest for sale. They both sounded amazing (extremely quiet, excellent speed), but the biggest difference between them that I could tell was that the Qutest was more crisp-sounding, with less "air" or reverb/decay. The May let the reverb linger for much longer, which to me makes it feel more "real" or "live" in recordings that emphasize this. However, the Qutest had such a clean crisp sound to it, and some/many might prefer that, especially for more synthetic music. Otherwise, I'd say the May's overall sound was a little fuller/warmer/richer which made the Qutest sound a little quieter, volume-wise. Can't go wrong with either, but the May won me over for good.
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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