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  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
pengun
79 posts
 
This guy has good measuring equipment: He like the May a lot and shows you around inside. There is this one and a second.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa3sOSRa-U0&t=703s&ab_channel=GoldenSound
redwoodaudio
413 posts
 
@cudfoo - if your usb cable does not have the standard 5v line going through it, the may dac will not see it. I had to pass up a fancy usb cable that was designed without it (because it does not help sound quality).
redwoodaudio
413 posts
 
Hi all, 
I posted in this thread a while ago after purchasing my level 2 may.  It was a good step up from the qutest and I enjoyed it for awhile.  But it really is not the greatest dac out there, even at its price.  I went to a wells audio cipher tube dac (much more realistic sounding - you could say analog or natural too).  $5k retail, made in California.  Now I’m running a lampizator Atlantic trp, also a tube dac, about $8k with volume control made in Poland.  Takes everything up several notches.  Holo May is a great and flexible dac, but it can’t match a well designed tube output stage.  R2R is not the most important spec for a dac, I have found out.
luisma31
516 posts
 
R2R is not the most important spec for a dac, I have found out.
Agree, SD DACs can be very good as well

but it can’t match a well designed tube output stage
This could be if you don’t have any other tube equipment in your chain, I personally think a tube has no business whatsoever within a DAC but that’s just my personal non professional opinion (tubes are a source of incoming RFI / EMI something you would like to avoid if possible inside a DAC)
My specific chain has a tube preamp and tube amps, I don’t really need a tube DAC but a good well implemented DAC
Many designers I respect have build these tube DACs, I know if fulfills a need but I don’t personally like it.
but I totally respect your opinion @redwoodaudio

EDIT: R2R's can be good as well and even tube DACs, it is all about the implementation



redwoodaudio
413 posts
 
@luisma - I personally think that’s a misconception about tubes, that’s it’s just for ‘tube flavor’ and electrically inferior to transistors in all important ways.  Plenty of designers use tube output stages these days and some only tubes.  MHDT, lampizator, wells audio, wavlength audio, audio research, line magnetic, primaluna, totaldac, line magnetic, jolida, nagra, audio note…
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