Holo Audio May KTE Dac

[Bluedog]

For anyone who has a KTE May DAC:

What streamer are you using with it?

How does it perform sonically when converting Qobuz to analog?

Innuos Zenith 2

 

[curbfeeler]

Innuos Zenith 2

I have only had the May DAC in the system for a couple of days.

An Innuos Zen 3 is being used as the Roon core, supported on Stillpoints Ultra SS on the middle shelf of a Stillpoints ESS rack. Light Harmonic split USB cable from there to the DAC. Power cord to the May’s power supply is a Nordost Vishnu 1.2m.

Out of the box the May is sounding fine. Qobuz selections with which I’m familiar have displayed a better sense of the venue generally, and holographic images of instruments where the recording allows.

 

[wh01sjongalt]

Thanks for your impressiions wh01sjongalt.12244. May I ask about the way you use your May? Do you feed it with PCM or DSD maybe from HQPlayer? Also maybe you would like to share with us some names of your other best measuring DACs before getting the May?

Sorry for the delay, I didn't get notified or missed the notification. I use a powerful 10 core Intel based dedicated custom fanless Sigao media pc based solution from the UK at www.atlastsolutions.com along with a 300w linear power supply from HDPLEX. I'm using Roon software along with HQplayer. Over USB I've tried DSD512 and PCM 1.536mhz or 1.4112mhz depending on what the native bitrate/bitdepth. DSD512 is very good, but to my ears I prefer the PCM upsampling over DSD512 slightly due to a very slight increase in overall detail while DSD512 comes off a tad smoother, but still very good.

Prior DACS have all been Sabre delta sigma based and include the Benchmark DAC 1, DAC1USB, DAC2 HGC, Aurelic Vega, Ayon Audio Stealth tube/preamp dac, and the very best sounding Sabre and my previous dac, the Matrix Audio XSabre Pro MQA DAC.

 

[wh01sjongalt]

For anyone who has a KTE May DAC:

What streamer are you using with it?

How does it perform sonically when converting Qobuz to analog?

I use a custom fanless powerful media server solution from the UK (~$2K)

Sigao High Performance i7 i9 Fanless PC - Industrial Grade Silent Computer

www.atlastsolutions.com

Sigao Model B Fanless PC, 10th Gen 10-Core i9 10900T, 32GB, 512gb Samsung NVME SSD, 4TB Samsung MUSIC LIBRARY SSD. I power it with a dedicated HDPLEX 300W Linear Power Supply $650.​

( https://hdplex.com/hdplex-fanless-300w-linear-power-supply-for-pc-audio-and-ce-device.html )

This solution is dead quiet, can be located next to your DAC in your rack, and has plenty of power to act as your Roon Server and handles the heavy processing that Hqplayer requires for DSD512/1024 and PCM 1.536MHZ upsampling. It supports 4k/60hz over hdmi to displayport cable to your display and uses Intel graphics or the new optional nvidia quadro graphics which 'may' offer Cuda-core off-loading for hqplayer for DSD processing.

This kind of open solution allows you to also enjoy YouTube or other media based applications along with Roon (et al) and hqplayer in one solution that's not proprietary. It's very stable and extremely zippy and sounds phenomenal with the HDPLEX 300 LPS.

 

[wh01sjongalt]

Innuos Zenith 2

Hi Bluedog Happy NEW YEAR buddy.

Sincerely,
Jonathan aka Shill

 

[DetroitVinylRob]

Hi guys, Have not posted much in some time, but think this Dac is worth posting about.

I've had the May in my system for almost 4 weeks now. I traded in my Holo Spring 2 KTE Dac for the May KTE version. Had the Spring 2 for about a year. I have about 400 hrs on the May so far.

I'm using a I-9 SonicTransporter for a music server with Hqplayer as the player. Usb cable is an Intona Ultimate. Still using Innersound Kaya loudspeakers, but now use custom made active crossover with copper chassis, z-foil resistors, and various highend caps. Innersound amps still in use. Added two Rel G1 mk2 subs, and ELAC 4Pi Plus.2 super tweeters roughly a year ago.

The May is a very quiet Dac. Not just for an R2R, but for any kind of Dac period. Had a Mola Mola Tambaqui Dac before I got the Spring 2 and the May is right up there with the Tambaqui in the SNR department. The Tambaqui was very good, but was ultimately too fatiging in my system. The Holo dacs on the other hand are not fatiging at all. Which is very hard to do without sounding boring.

The differnces I hear between the Spring 2 and May are these. The May is quite a bit quieter. The May also does the frequency extremes better and is more resolving of detail. Stereo separation is noticably beter as well. The May is dual mono construction with a separate power supply, so that makes sense. As far as tonality between the two it is very similar.

Other dacs I've had in my system lately are the Yggy 1, and the Emm Labs DA2. Had the Yggy for a couple of years. I liked it and it compared favorably with the Spring 2. Only had the Emm Labs DA2 for a couple of days. Sounded lovely with PCM, but DSD was behind the Spring DAC by far. Decided to stick with the Spring at that time. Wonder how the mk 2 version of the DA2 sounds?

Anyway that is my 2 cents so far.

Nice to hear your experience with the Holo Spring May KTE. After listening to a lengthy demo of the MSB Select several years ago, I was hopelessly floored. Then after hearing the Spring KTE it became clear that possibly I actually might be able to afford a competent R2R. And now the May, most intriguing...

 

[divertiti]

Anyone has experience comparing the Holo May KTE with the Rockna Wavelight?

 

[Ron Resnick]

Does anyone have any experience comparing the Holo May KTE DAC to the PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream DAC?

 

[wh01sjongalt]

Too bad that the USB input on the May was not tested (and compared to the one in the Tambaqui). Also the use of HQPlayer can have stunning benefits as I have experienced yesterday for the first time with my little Chord Mojo connected to an OpticalRendu. With HQPlayer upsampling of redbook CD files to DSD256 fed to the Mojo, this little DAC delivered amazing sound quality. Hard to believe without experiencing it first hand. Thus, I keep wondering how much closer the May would get to the Tambaquis physicality and 3-dimensionality with HQPlayer at work ... then OTOH the Stereophile measurements of frequency response of the May when fed with native DSD show a somewhat fast roll off so that the Tambaqui will most likely stay to be the more open sounding DAC.

TLDR: I've never heard a more natural, holographic, and realistic sounding DAC, ever!

I went back and forth using HQplayer at PCM 1.536mhz (Didn't prefer DSD over PCM, tad too smooth sounding and slightly less resolute, IMHO), and just NOS on my May, but honestly I prefer pure NOS 99% of the time with the May. I bought HQplayer anyway just because seeing DSD1024 or PCM 1.536mhz light up on the display is entertaining to me, lol.

The May is simply spellbinding on its own merits. It's so natural, holographic, revealing, dynamic, fast, and most importantly, it's the epitome of realism. The instrumental and vocal delineation and microdynamics are on another level and this is running stock USB with a KTE version. Finest sounding DAC I've heard and I seriously considered MSB and DCS. I think the May is a giant killer . The added bonus of superior measured performance for a R2R DAC or chip based DAC is both functionally superior and engineering mastery. If I wanted a distorted DAC I would just buy "Fill in blank with any R2R DAC" or better yet (...and have in the past), a tube DAC, Preamp, or SET tube amplifier. I want my source pure, and I never run a preamp as I prefer source direct (Using Roon or HQplayer wth Roon allows me this despite the lack of a volume control on the May). Finally the output stage of the May deserves a standing ovation in its own right for being sublime.

(fin)

 

[Mikem53]

Too bad that the USB input on the May was not tested (and compared to the one in the Tambaqui). Also the use of HQPlayer can have stunning benefits as I have experienced yesterday for the first time with my little Chord Mojo connected to an OpticalRendu. With HQPlayer upsampling of redbook CD files to DSD256 fed to the Mojo, this little DAC delivered amazing sound quality. Hard to believe without experiencing it first hand. Thus, I keep wondering how much closer the May would get to the Tambaquis physicality and 3-dimensionality with HQPlayer at work ... then OTOH the Stereophile measurements of frequency response of the May when fed with native DSD show a somewhat fast roll off so that the Tambaqui will most likely stay to be the more open sounding DAC.

the Yggy also has had the analog 2 upgrade, firmware and the unison USB upgrade, the latter which I found to be better than the AES input.

 

[wh01sjongalt]

Ron New Record Day Holo May KTE DAC - Review - His new reference DAC!

Twittering Things - Review Holo May KTE DAC

Stereo Time Review - Dave Abramson - Holo May KTE DAC

Stereophile - Herb Reichart - Holo May KTE DAC Review

Stereophile - Atkinson - Measurements - Holo May KTE DAC

Audiogon Forums - Holo May DAC Thread

Audio Science Review - Measurements By Wolf - Holo May KTE DAC

Audiophile Style - Forum Thread - Holo May DAC

PS Audio Forum - Holo May KTE DAC vs DirectStream DAC

Super Best Audio Friends Forum - Holo May KTE DAC - Measurements

Roon Labs Forums - Holo May KTE DAC VS Terminator

 

[Bluedog]

Hi Bluedog Happy NEW YEAR buddy.

Sincerely,
Jonathan aka Shill

Sorry Shill, I missed your New Years post

 

[wh01sjongalt]

Nobody is perfect. Least of all, moi!

 

[OneTwoThree456]

I've got a May L3 on the way. Has anyone found any reason to separate the PS from the DAC vs. stacking them?

I have wall mounted shelves for all by my amp and can easily add one more to separate them by a few inches. It seems that some space would certainly not hurt but may not help either.

 

[wh01sjongalt]

I've got a May L3 on the way. Has anyone found any reason to separate the PS from the DAC vs. stacking them?

I have wall mounted shelves for all by my amp and can easily add one more to separate them by a few inches. It seems that some space would certainly not hurt but may not help either.

Congrats! I keep mine vertically separated between two shelves just because I can and it couldn't hurt and may prevent accidental scratches or what not, but not for any audible reason. It measures perfectly well stacked and the benefits of isolating the dual mono lps in the separate chassis from the ladder dac section is more than adequate in achieving this goal. It's 40lbs total weight so maybe separate shelves is safer though. If you can do it than I wouldn't hesitate to separate them, but not for sonic reasons per se.

 

[Bluedog]

I've got a May L3 on the way. Has anyone found any reason to separate the PS from the DAC vs. stacking them?

I have wall mounted shelves for all by my amp and can easily add one more to separate them by a few inches. It seems that some space would certainly not hurt but may not help either.

I've listened closely to the May KTE stacked and unstacked, and have not noticed any difference.

 

[OneTwoThree456]

Thanks all. I have built another shelf and will place them with the hotter unit on top. I presume the DAC runs hotter than the power supply?

 

[wh01sjongalt]

Correct

 

[aangen]

I was curious as to what all the fuss was about so I ordered one. I have had it for nearly two weeks now. May Kitsune Edition. I feed it from a Signature Rendu Optical streamer via a Stealth Audio USB-T Select V3 USB cable. Interconnects are Stealth Sakra V16 XLR.
Out of the box it was a little raw which isn't a surprise. I would listen for an hour but would feel stressed compared to how I feel when I listen to my Gryphon Kalliope DAC. I was actually worried that the May might embarrass the Kalliope. Not so far. With about 80 hours of play time on the May I still strongly prefer the Kalliope. I have been streaming to it for three days and nights now while I have been away. I think that will help. Or perhaps I just want to believe it. But for now while I am listening to the May I am missing the Kalliope. When I remove the cables from the May and plug them into the Kalliope it does not disappoint me. I hear a more well defined sound, effortless and musical with more substance. I am hoping more time will improve the May. I also have a PS Audio DSD which I took out of the system when the Kalliope arrived. I may give that another shot just to see how it compares to the May.

The May certainly is a fine DAC. I have a preference for NOS mode. I haven't tried DSD with it yet. It's a beautiful product, very well built.
(Yes I know the Gryphon is five times the price. Believe me, I know)

 

[Ron Resnick]

Thank you very much for this interesting report!

Yes, please compare the Holo May to the PS Audio DSD for us!