Holo Audio May DAC

The Halo May Level 3 and the AudioByte Vox | Zap | Hub stack seem like advancing DAC technology without breaking the bank. I am looking at these 2 to supplement or replace a Benchmark DAC3B.

The AudioByte vs the Rockna Wavelight is also very interesting since they come from the same designer and are priced around the same.

Wow, two *very* different approaches for the Holo vs AB. NOS vs upsample everything to dsd512. Would be an interesting and informative comparison.

But you're right that the standard r2r modules are still involved.

Of course they are. (just fishing)

Cheers George

I've had my Holo May KTE DAC for a couple of months now. It's as impressive today as it was the day I got it.  It never dissapoints.  I do now use HQPLAYER and Roon, but I actually prefer PCM 20bits (per Jussi)/1.536MHZ to DSD512.  I find it a tad more resolute, and detailed honestly. I also think DSD512 is also very good, but just a hair smoother too me and maybe that's preferred by some or it's just the synergy between running source-direct to my Pass Labs XA25 amplifier and then on to my Tekton Encores.  I use Roon for volume attenuation which manipulates HQPLAYER's built-in volume control. I've only got two digital sources and no analog sources. I've always preferred the sound source-direct and not through a preamp.  I'm a big fan of the shortest signal path. I've used mostly SET Tube Amplifiers for 25 years. The XA25 is the first solid-state amplifier to change my mind with its unreal set-like midrange and Pass's signature bass which is outstanding. 

I've also enjoyed the Holo May KTE DAC very much with no hqplayer processing on redbook lossless in NOS mode of course. It's superb, but I drank the Hqplayer kool-aid recently after swearing I'd never buy it for years while settling for Roon's upsampling as sufficient. Eitherway, it's definitely the best sounding DAC I've owned or heard in my experience. 

@lordcloud Sorry for the delay, I don’t get updates on this thread even though I’m subscribed for some reason.
The Benchmark DAC3 HGC is a great Sabre chip based dac, but the Matrix XSabre Pro MQA DAC is $2k and a superior sounding dac. There’s a slight upper-midrange glare or minor harshness at higher volumes I’ve noticed over the years that the Matrix XSabre Pro MQA doesn’t have. It’s just a better execution and better sounding DAC. Now, with regard to the Holo May KTE DAC, no Sabre dac I’ve ever heard (Manhattan, Aurelic etc) sounds as real and natural as the May. It’s really in its own league. It’s kind of like going from 2d to 3d for sound. Guitars are frightenly real. Jazz/acoustic/bluegrass/blues/classical instrumental images are well delineated in their own space, and their decays hang in the air. Transients effortlessly leap out and microdynamics are retrieve and rendered flawlessly. It nails harmonic richness and timbre is stellar. It’s really a notable gestalt that is hard to put into words, but realism is the best I can attribute to the experience. It’s presentation is attention grabbing, emotionally connective, and just an absolute blast to experience.