2. digital
  3. 159610-3674

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
128x128snackeyp
Ag insider logo xs@2x
cudfoo
15 posts
 
Thanks all. Looking forward to receiving the unit. Any idea what the used market is looking like for the DSD. You think 3k is possible at this point? Mine is 3yrs old perfect condition. If I could get the May with 2- 2500 out of pocket that would be great. thx again...
tinear123
241 posts
 
I sold my DSD a few weeks back for $3k and it sold in just a few hours.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
cudfoo
15 posts
 
great - thanks for the info
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,953 posts
 
That video on the Holo May was great. The best example of objective and subjective evaluation I've seen. It's was troubling to see on his part 2 video that he mentions that the Denafrips Ares II does not do real NOS but "linear interpolation" instead (if I remember it correctly). Makes me wonder if all of Denafrips line up do that instead of actual NOS. 

All the best,
Nonoise


dvdboulet
78 posts
 
I'm still months away from a new DAC, and now the May has moved into my sights which were previously fixed on the Wavelight. In my system I have no preamp (just feed my current dac with volume control direct to my Hegel amp) so one thing that attracted me to the Wavelight, besides the organic/analog sound-quality accolades, was the fully analog volume control that was also well-praised. If it had the May I'd need to get a preamp (and another set of XLR cables).

So with that in mind... is there an affordable preamp or "analog volume attenuator" that is affordable? It would seem that in its most pure sense all I'm really after is a way to attenuate the sound without degrading the quality (i.e. what's basically happening with the volume control of the wavelight)... any such device? Or is an audiophile stuck having to buy a $$ preamp to basically serve that purpose? Any input appreciated :)
More to discover