Bricasti M3 vs. Holo Audio May vs. PS Audio DS

I’ve owned my Bricasti M1 Limited Gold for 5 years and enjoy it immensely. When I was looking (at that time) I also listened to MSB and Weiss and went with the Bricasti. My previous DAC was a BMC DAC/Pre. I’ve also recently replaced my solid state BMC amps with a Bricasti M25. My source over this time has been Laufer Teknik's Memory Player through three series of upgraded models.

Bricasti's customer service is excellent, as noted in earlier posts.

A major factor for consideration is the rest of your system components. It truly is a synergy thing, and this factors into the DAC’s performance and sound in your particular system.

Auditioning in your system, or a similar system, is definitely recommended; e.g., how does it sound with amps similar to yours (tube or solid state), with similar speakers (horn, sealed or bass-reflex), fed from a similar source (dedicated Roon server, or other mechanism).

Worth taking your time, and using your own ears to make the decision.

Thanks for all the thoughtful responses.  About a month ago, I came to pretty much the same conclusions as @verdantaudio:  far fewer compromises at about the $10,000 level.  So I now have an MSB Discrete, driven by a Mac MA 8900 into Vandersteen Treo CT’s and a six pack of Rel S 510’s.  Streamer is a BluOS Node 2i believe it or not.  I listen to streaming only;  typical 60’s and 70’s rock n roll & blues:  Dead, Allman Bros, Richard Thompson, The Band, Van Morrison, Clapton, Beatles, MuddyWaters,BB Kung, Otis Spann, Coko Taylor—lots of live recordings—you know.  For this type of music,  the MSB is phenomenal:  sound stage has a physical aspect; clarity is live-performance like, especially vocals and acoustic strings, and low frequencies are clean and solid. Overall, the MSB brings a sense of weight to everything, but without any loss of crispness and bloom.  If you close your eyes on Joni Mitchell’s “Blue”, she is in the room.  I also considered the Bricasti M1, but had no practical ability to audition either.  Ultimately went with the MSB’s entry level, on the theory that maybe some of their top of line design and build trickles down. I don’t know.  I lucked out, but Idon’t think it was possible to make a
mistake between these two.  I could say more, but you get the idea.

Congratulations. Nice system...sounds like a great match. Enjoy!

I just ran across this thread as I'm currently comparing several of the DACs mentioned thus far in the discussion.  Where does customer service fit into the equation.  I am certain that Bricasti, Ayre, Weiss, PS Audio have exemplary customer service because I was able to reach with a single phone call a live body who was competent in answering alley questions.

HOLO / KITSUNE AUDIO IS THE EXCEPTION.  No phone number is posted anywhere.  And contacting KITSUNE  by email is a joke since emails apparently are not taken seriously and are generally not answered.  Why would I deal with a company that fails to have an adequate customer support system in place?  I CONCLUDE THAT KITSUNE, WHO IS THE USA DISTRIBUTOR FOR HOLO, IS A COMPANY BLOATED WITH PROFITS THROUGH SELLING A WELL DESIGNED PRODUCT BY JEFF ZHU.  However, Jeff should know how poorly his excellent product is being represented by KITSUNE - selling the product is only one half of the story.  I have huge doubts about spending $6k on a product with inadequate customer service.

For me I was not overly concerned about customer service. Kitsune answered 

my email in a timely fashioned. I love the sound of my holo may. Anyway I don’t listen to phones and customer service, I listen to music and my May delivers it just the way I like it.