If you need help with your HIFI system or general advice, then send me a mail to: realhifihelp@gmail.com (my name is Larry) For free help, then look at my videos and comments. Then there are several 1000’s of hours put into these videos for the entire community. (circa 450 videos)
A friend forwarded your video to me , thank you for your work and analysis . I have had the May KTE dac for a couple months , I told my friend along with their preamplifier Holo Audio have put their competitors on notice …
Interesting take and opinion… The May DAC takes many hours to break in. I’m pretty confident it will be a significantly better DAC then the 15+ year old Audio Note DAC once it breaks in. Seems like “your friend” has unlimited resources and a perspective very few people that live in the real world can relate to...
I don’t care how they measure, a side by side would be the only way to compare this 5k Dac to the I’m sure 200k audio note. I’m interested in how they sound, would the friend pick the audio note over a 500 dollar Chinese Dac in a blind test?
I actually bought the Holo May KTE and initially fed it with my Sony SACD player. It was ok. Then I made a music server and install HQPlayer. The improvement in sound was just jaw dropping. I would put this up against any DAC and think that it wouldn't be outclassed regardless of price.
I heard Kondo DAC very briefly. And I never heard a comparison on a similar system, so I would not know how they are different from AN. But they seemed very similar and still very different in sound. Like they both were made in a similar way and from similar parts, but they went their own opposite way in terms of signature/structure/matching their own line of products. If Kondo was a lot cheaper, then I would most likely have it on my top 10 DAC recommended list. They generally make awesome gear in the top 10 brands ever category. But sadly I have not heard enough Kondo to truly know the sound inside out like Audio Note. It is one of the most exclusive & expensive brands in the world Kondo. It is close to impossible getting a hold of Kondo gear, and finding a demo room or a friend who can give you a taste of it. (a lot like new Spectral audio gear within the last 20 years) I get the impression that most Kondo gear is in the Asian part of the world, and I have not yet been there.
Thanks for this perspective, which is definitely coming from the 1%, if we can say, of the audiophile world. I do wonder how much it matters if a system is speaker or headphone based in terms of how much you would like this DAC versus another type of signature? Not comparing it to a DAC that is 10x+ in cost but around the same category.
I think it would work great with most speakers and headphones. The holo DAC would still be the second DAC I recommend people trying with a lot of systems.
So if the underlying issues with DACs is because they still sound digital then how does vinyl stack up? Where in your scale would you say audiophile pressed vinyl is? Not everyone can afford to drive exotics so just trying to gauge your thinking as far as how realistically does the Holo May come close to analog?
I suspect that the use of silver material in it makes it a bit more lively/natural/neutral/analog, compared to most R2R dacs. It sounds very much on that level of the Mcintosh mcd1100 DAC, as analog as that. Which a lot of people would really like. But you can hear that it isnt real silver. Real silver puts you in a trance and can make you like a lot of music you normally would not listen to. Still it is better than most DACs. Holo may DAC has a bit more of an ability to change the sound quality, compared to most DACS which are more locked in sound. Again, the use of silver parts helps do that. I feel that most Vinyl setups is not properly analog, it's more of an old daddy dialed back, sitting on the sound analog type of thing. Usually you have to get into the better Dr Feickert rigs and top Avid turntables, Kronos and Audio Note before it starts to get really good, so you get all the really good structure and really good black level/noise control with full grunt. I don't know how close to fully analog the Holo May DAC is. My friend feels that it still has a lot to go, before it gets into the best Nagra DACs and then something like the Audio Note DAC 3.1.
@@RealHIFIHelp So the Audio Note 2.1 Signature your saying bests the May KTE in the price range? Any others besides the Audio Note 2.1 worth checking out?
@@scslite5206 I don't know others in this class. But I think that you can maybe find around 20 others, if you go after the newest and most expensive in the crazy high price category. Stuff like the newest/top Nagra model. But then you also need Nagra gear for it to sound close to as Natural, and then we are in at least 2-3x the price of 2.1 sig. I can imagine that stuff like CH precision and Goldmund DACs if they exist, also on a full system from them come pretty close.
These are my friends words on one of the best systems in the world. Makes it quite relevant, considering that most reviewers have nothing close to his system. I also stated that in the start. Have a nice day.
Hi Larry, as you mention your all-time-favorite Audio Note. I do see people love R2R tube-based to their origin sounding. So I'd some chat with an Audio Note owners and he changed to Lampizator (60€k). I definitely will try a demo of the AN DC 2.1 Signature, because its a good price, as well trying the Lampizator Baltic 3 and comare that with the well engineered Sigma-Dac Weiss 501/502.
Is this 'review' about Audio Note or Holo Audio? I admit that this was a very clever title, that gives food for thought. I have never heard an Audio Note DAC - and I would love to given a chance. On the other hand I am 100% sure that I have heard better quality music than any DAC could ever produce - namely a live acoustic performance. That said, the true value of these awesome DACs/systems is to enable us to get as close as possible to great musicians that are no longer amongst us. Food for thought.
I did in my book review it after I did this video, I recommend you send me a mail to get that. That tells a deeper truth. Plus I also have about 1000 pages of written material that will help with everything else in HiFI
I suggest watching my "best streamer in the world video" All the answers are there. But to give you a shortish answer: using an FMC converter with an improved LPSU, and making the really good streamer, plus removing yourself from using WIFI makes a streaming service much much better. I suggest making this streamer, then using youtube and then later using files of your HDD. Watch this video then it makes more sense.
How long you can listen for is the key. It says it all. Just as you say, impressive sound from a Dac only goes so far. My record player sounds poor from sound stage and dynamics vs my dac. But I can listen to records for a long time and enjoy the music.
Hi there ,I currently own a D90SE n my sysyem(unison research hybrid amp ,dynaudio spl 40,golden ear brx stand mounts ).I am thinking of adding a new dac to this setup so after hearing your words on dacs has put me n a spot.So is it not worth upgrading to Denafrips level ie. a PONTUS 2 or VENUS 2 or a HOLO MAY dac.Mainly which will be the best value for my money .I want this to be my dac endgame.
Thanks for your perspective on the Holo May DAC. I see you have drawn comparison to McIntosh MCD1100 from quite a few years ago. I am actually in the market to replace my much newer McIntosh D1100 DAC (and digital preamp) and seriously thinking about Holo May DAC KTE version. My rig consists of Aurender N20 streamer => McIntosh D1100 DAC => McIntosh C12000 preamp => McIntosh MC611 Mono amps powering B&W 802D3s. Do you think Holo May KTE will bring improvements by replacing the D1100? Thanks!
Hi. The Holo May is highly reviewed except for ZReviews..funny review worth the your time. It would have been nice if you did a side by side review with the Audio Note 2.1. For a real comparison. Otherwise a very detailed and informative review on DAC in general. Cheers
Z-reviews usually reviews gear that is much cheaper. And you can tell that the price/practicality of it really turned him off, so it became a more emotionally biased review. I also think that it was gear that was to good for his system/headphones. Plus he did not test the 16bit vs 24bit vs DSD mode and II2s and other conenctions. Plus I am pretty sure that he does not check to see if stuff is in correct phase and test it with different cables. But generally interesting to hear what he has to say.
It blows my mind that he can't tell the difference between different DACs. Maybe he could if he was listening through the Sennheiser HE-1 or something. I still really like him. He's effortlessly hilarious. I know that he can hear. He knows the best headphones are way better but he just has such a good time listening to most everything. I still check him out to get his take on specific products.
Can DS DACs be considered real sounding when they fail to follow the theory? Maybe we've gotten used to the wrong sound because it was cheaper to manufacture?
I have not heard the newer one yet, only the version or 2 before that. And it was good for the price but not nearly as good as the AN 2.1 signature. Yes I think that in some ways it was around on the level of the top Holo May DAC for around 5-6k USD, just with a very very different style/structure/naturality.
Love your videos. Very helpful always. I have seen many rave about the may. But there is a small group of people on audiogon that have compared and owned the musetec da005 to may and many other high end dacs, and the musetec comes out on top. I was even more surprised that in my country, known for audiphiles that really love the high end stuff also start to let go of their existing high end dacs for the musetec, so much so that there is a local importer now for the niche brand. I hope that you can get a chance to hear it and share your thoughts.
Hi realhifihelp. Thank you for the review. How would you compare the sound quality of tt3+arm3+iq3 to best DACs in this level system? On a level of 1-10. Where would you put it? Is it comparable to dac 5 signature?
I would describe both as perfect and having everything you could imagine at the highest level. The tt3 is very silent and has a lot of black level and grunt/drive. Both are about 10/10 currently and maybe 8.5/10 of what is physically possible to achieve in theory the next 10 years time.
I'm sorry, but this is nonsense. A review without hearing the dac??? The whole tone of this "review" is audiophile snobbery of the worst kind. I hope no one actually buys into this viewpoint.
Dude my friend heard it on the best system, I am paraphrasing him. Other places on the net they test this on some of the worst systems. If you have a problem with that, go and buy a lollipop.
@@RealHIFIHelp ...I don't buy lolipops! I'm sorry my point wasn't about doubting that the Holo May is a great dac (it's actually on my shortlist) it was more that you are painting a picture that you are wasting your time unless you spend $10's of k's on a dac, which is simply not true. Sure some of the Uber DACs in terms of cost, likely have the last few % performance advantage, but the diminishing returns mean that only a rich person (or an idiot) would buy them. Especially as the performance of even entry level DACs is biting on the heals of much more expensive units. A sub $1000 truly reference level dac will probably be available within a few years at the current rate of development.
I don't think that many people understood that I actually recommend this DAC as an alternative DAC to the AN 2.1 signature. And that it is a good value DAC. But that it still is far from the best. It's just a good DAC that should really cost about 2x more which is very rare, and that's just it. But still remember that many circa 12k to maybe 30k USD DACs easily beat it and I am not talking about the local store normal brands, but the more exclusive ones. For those that don't have the patience to go through the entire review and get personal validation for their own purchase. The only mistake I made by making this review was ending it on a low note. That I will have to change in the future, because I can see that people are not used to that. And so far this has been the only review I could find that doesn't either love or hate it, but is somewhere inbetween, and I noticed that a lot of people also don't like that. Later I will make a follow up on this, when I have heard it myself on my own and other systems with my own ears...
Thanks. Not yet. I am maybe not going to do CDP reviews, since that so many of them disappoint me. I made some few videos about the ones I like. I have a hard time wanting to try the newer and cheaper ones. Not much has happened with CDP the last couple of years in my opinion. Maybe in the future I will do some.
I think this post and most of the others on this channel are interesting and good correctives to the hype trains out there about "giant killers" or "unicorns". BUT the posts present ONE point of view of what makes for "analog" sound that results in long listening sessions, as if there is only ONE means to achieve that end, AND that that end is the ONLY worthwhile end of music appreciation through hifi gear. Also, the cost of entrance to this exclusive music appreciation club is beyond the 99%. My setup is $50K and would be considered not good enough given this guy's comments about DACS and (elsewhere) amps/sources etc. I do not mean that he is wrong to prefer the sound and experience he describes, just that he is wrong to arrogantly assume everyone who doesn't agree is an idiot and wasting their time.
I think Larry has spent so much time and effort in his life developing as an audiophile and he's trying to communicate that. It's very difficult because it's so complex. There's one video where he says that if you have unlimited amounts of money to spend but don't know much about audio that you shouldn't just go out and buy an Audio Note Level 5 system because it will hamper your growth as a listener. It's like we have to work our way through the various levels to truly appreciate the higher levels. I suppose this is like coffee or wine connoisseurs (something I'm not) but even more evolved. I'm giving those connoisseurs the benefit of the doubt that when they sit around talking about what they taste, that they aren't making it all up. I suppose it's really difficult to organize this material. It's like it needs a super advanced mind map to follow. I have his books and they're like stream of conciousness going on forever. I got no where near finishing them. I'd had enough of the digressions into diy streamers or MacIntosh gear or whatever. Would be nice if it had an electronic link mechanism so you could jump to areas just about Oyaide or whatever. May I can actually search that myself and never realised it. But I see a lot of negative comments. I'll bet there would be more if people didnt leave and never come back. But if you try to take the position that he isnt just trashing everything that is beneath AN Level 5 and listen closely, he's trying to describe all the things certain gear does that is good and bad as well as the overall ranking. I can go to any hifi channel and hear rave reviews. I've learned the hard way that rave reviews do you no good when you're living with a component. I'm looking for a solid state headphone amp that is top notch and can drive the new Modhouse Tungstens which are even less efficient than the Hifiman HE6. So I go looking for a review of the Nagra Classic INT. A 100 watt per channel integrated. What do I find? The typical raves about how it is among the very best they've ever heard. What am I supposed to do with that? I might as well buy an Audio note Jinro for the same money but I want solid state for easy turn on and off. I don't want 1 to 2 hours before it sounds good. And reviewers often don't tell you some Class A amp only sounds great after warming up for 24 hours. I'm not leaving some space heater on around the clock just so it sounds right. I'm tired. Over and out.
This review is grossly irresponsible!!! It's even offensive. You are influencing sales and products and yet never heard. You can only relay some limited descriptions from your friend and the only qualifications is that he has a system he paid lots of money for and you say he knows how to evaluate sound???? WTF!!! Then you have nerve to rank all these different dacs from 1 through 10. Have you ever even listened to any of them? Which ones? And I don't mean you heard once and your local dealer I mean spend hours and days at a time w various music and maybe swapping out components to see what matches best. Anyone seeking advice here I am warning you please find another reviewer who is responsible and can give you his own honest assessment. This review is no different than reading words on any advertisement page. I mean think about his friend...we know nothing about the guy and his ability to accurately evaluate anything, how do we know his system is even properly setup? What sound signatures does he prefer. We talk about reference equipment but also the same goes for reviewers before you can judge their conclusions we must know their personal taste that is our reference point of how we can know how to interpret their findings. To say Denafrips is not as good a dac you never heard or say can't listen to MAY for long sessions....again grossly irresponsible. This is shameful. Viewers beware.
If you bought my book after I made this review you would notice that I just recently heard it and reviewed it. I stand by this review, it is exactly as my friend said. Also if you had the brains, you would actually realize that I have this DAC on my top 5 recommended DAC list in terms of value in this price category. But I will maybe next time make a pop up book review, and link it especially for you, since you need the extra help understanding a proper review with all the detail that others online did not cover. Have a nice day
Yes I'm willing to go on that journey to do that 😀 Because the other way is more risky. Associating gear at the 100k or a million level is even harder music wise and pocket wise. The only way to really know is threw experience. That's why I like your channel. Every passionate audiophile should know by experience what a capacitor, a resistor or an inductor do in a circuit and sonicly. It helps clear the mind and know what matters to meet your goals. It will even help you know what is special about audio Note. It speaks to you but i have to be honest it doesn't speaks to everyone. Beside everything peter qvortrov says music like edm or hip hop isn't made for tube electronics. People who love that wouldn't feel that audio note is the best gear in the world. I myself love a lot of genra and I'll tend to agree with you a little bit just because I love the fact that they're doing real research and i love It. Thanks again for the yoga mat tips 😀. It's the best tip i got for a moment. It sparks something in me to learn more about coupling, decoupling, dampening and transferring energy. I learned so much and understood more about mechanics and 🎶. 👍🏾
Man, everything is about the power supply, the nature of the parts and the circuit. I've been experimenting for awhile now and i can make a 100euro Chinese dac sound as good as the denafeips Aries. Power supply is everything. And I'm founding more and more that musicality and the thing that keeps people glued to the sound has nothing to do with fidelity and how exact the system can get. That's why I use to love more listening to music back in the day on a 100e headphones. It was simple, not harsh, i was just judging the music. Lately I've improved my system and i know how to go the musical way or the linear way. The last frontier is experimenting with filters but i let that for experts like Mr rob watts.
No disrespect meant, but I don't think you are helping your credibility by commenting on a product YOU never listened to. Why not pick one up a give a listen yourself ?
I will when someone I know gets to own one, in my country some few products are hard to get a hold of and demo. But I am looking forward to it, and will update my latest PDF file with a review, when that happens. (latest video I am referring to)
@@RealHIFIHelp I hope you get one to test. I am seriously wondering if this is as good a DAC as some are saying or are these reviews from shills. Your honest opinion would be appreciated.
Good review. I will just hold on to my schiit ygg and wait for a good deal on used audio note DAC once their R2R comes out. In the meanwhile, I will just enjoy my LP and nagra iv-s as music source. I believe DAC can never compete analogue at the same price level.
And one more thing this power DAC is immune to source .. no need for steamer or high end streamer as the spidif input signal is regenerated in the DAC itself
Still waiting on the Audio Note R2R. My dealer told me that now that they've finished the field coil speaker their next focus is a belt drive transport upgrade for their CD transports. Bloody hell.
I thought about buying Holo stuff, but I think it will suffer resale value big time. The overall design and brand do not resonate with audiophiles I know. Holo is more popular amongst headphone community I think. For 2 channel audio, I much rather stick with more traditional brands.
@@Waitaminutesilly What are you on about, they already did, Rockna wavelight, Bricasti M3, Terminator 2, all came out around this time frame and universally well reviewed. None of them sell close to to MSRP on the used market.
I think you are really missing the point that for most of us normal people we cannot afford to buy even a 5,000 dollar DAC and we just want to enjoy the music to a point we can afford. Get down to earth on your review and move down a few levels. Those people that has the money to buy the 50K DAC don’t even watch TH-cam or your channel. We the people that has the lower quality equipment are the ones watching your channel, so give us better advice than dissing cheap DACs.
I did, I mentioned the DAC 2.1 signature which is better and about the same price and at the same time I praised this DAC for being one of the best up to this price point, plus I also did a review after trying it myself in my book that I sell. I also review a lot of other gear in that book.
Top 100 amps and top 10 DACs are revealed in my books. Send me a mail if you want it. Here is a taste of the site I am working on: realhifihelp.wordpress.com/
If you need help with your HIFI system or general advice, then send me a mail to: realhifihelp@gmail.com (my name is Larry)
For free help, then look at my videos and comments. Then there are several 1000’s of hours put into these videos for the entire community. (circa 450 videos)
A friend forwarded your video to me , thank you for your work and analysis . I have had the May KTE dac for a couple months , I told my friend along with their preamplifier Holo Audio have put their competitors on notice …
Interesting take and opinion… The May DAC takes many hours to break in. I’m pretty confident it will be a significantly better DAC then the 15+ year old Audio Note DAC once it breaks in. Seems like “your friend” has unlimited resources and a perspective very few people that live in the real world can relate to...
I don’t care how they measure, a side by side would be the only way to compare this 5k Dac to the I’m sure 200k audio note. I’m interested in how they sound, would the friend pick the audio note over a 500 dollar Chinese Dac in a blind test?
Spot on....just what I was thinking!
I actually bought the Holo May KTE and initially fed it with my Sony SACD player. It was ok. Then I made a music server and install HQPlayer. The improvement in sound was just jaw dropping. I would put this up against any DAC and think that it wouldn't be outclassed regardless of price.
subbed.....I have bought the AHB2 its on the way... Whats your opinion on that`?
I don't know it.
Have you heard the Kondo DAC - the first pioneers of NOS valve filter-less DACs? How do they compare with Audio Note UK?
I heard Kondo DAC very briefly. And I never heard a comparison on a similar system, so I would not know how they are different from AN.
But they seemed very similar and still very different in sound. Like they both were made in a similar way and from similar parts, but they went their own opposite way in terms of signature/structure/matching their own line of products.
If Kondo was a lot cheaper, then I would most likely have it on my top 10 DAC recommended list.
They generally make awesome gear in the top 10 brands ever category. But sadly I have not heard enough Kondo to truly know the sound inside out like Audio Note. It is one of the most exclusive & expensive brands in the world Kondo. It is close to impossible getting a hold of Kondo gear, and finding a demo room or a friend who can give you a taste of it. (a lot like new Spectral audio gear within the last 20 years)
I get the impression that most Kondo gear is in the Asian part of the world, and I have not yet been there.
Thanks for this perspective, which is definitely coming from the 1%, if we can say, of the audiophile world. I do wonder how much it matters if a system is speaker or headphone based in terms of how much you would like this DAC versus another type of signature? Not comparing it to a DAC that is 10x+ in cost but around the same category.
I think it would work great with most speakers and headphones. The holo DAC would still be the second DAC I recommend people trying with a lot of systems.
So if the underlying issues with DACs is because they still sound digital then how does vinyl stack up? Where in your scale would you say audiophile pressed vinyl is? Not everyone can afford to drive exotics so just trying to gauge your thinking as far as how realistically does the Holo May come close to analog?
I suspect that the use of silver material in it makes it a bit more lively/natural/neutral/analog, compared to most R2R dacs.
It sounds very much on that level of the Mcintosh mcd1100 DAC, as analog as that. Which a lot of people would really like.
But you can hear that it isnt real silver. Real silver puts you in a trance and can make you like a lot of music you normally would not listen to. Still it is better than most DACs.
Holo may DAC has a bit more of an ability to change the sound quality, compared to most DACS which are more locked in sound. Again, the use of silver parts helps do that.
I feel that most Vinyl setups is not properly analog, it's more of an old daddy dialed back, sitting on the sound analog type of thing. Usually you have to get into the better Dr Feickert rigs and top Avid turntables, Kronos and Audio Note before it starts to get really good, so you get all the really good structure and really good black level/noise control with full grunt.
I don't know how close to fully analog the Holo May DAC is. My friend feels that it still has a lot to go, before it gets into the best Nagra DACs and then something like the Audio Note DAC 3.1.
@@RealHIFIHelp So the Audio Note 2.1 Signature your saying bests the May KTE in the price range? Any others besides the Audio Note 2.1 worth checking out?
@@scslite5206 I don't know others in this class. But I think that you can maybe find around 20 others, if you go after the newest and most expensive in the crazy high price category. Stuff like the newest/top Nagra model. But then you also need Nagra gear for it to sound close to as Natural, and then we are in at least 2-3x the price of 2.1 sig.
I can imagine that stuff like CH precision and Goldmund DACs if they exist, also on a full system from them come pretty close.
@@RealHIFIHelp thanks for the feedback. So sounds like the May and AN 2.1 Sig are the only ones in their class/price level.
@@scslite5206 One of the few/rare ones.
what is your opinion of the most recent flagship DAC from Berkeley (the Reference 3)?
So this is a 37 minute review /rant about something you haven't actually heard. Jesus, what a waste of time.
These are my friends words on one of the best systems in the world. Makes it quite relevant, considering that most reviewers have nothing close to his system.
I also stated that in the start.
Have a nice day.
I got friends also told me his horn speakers will wack my face, it's amusing isn't it?? When friends told you something. 😂😂😂
I can't believe hardly anyone else is pointing this out. It's so irresponsible
Hi Larry, as you mention your all-time-favorite Audio Note. I do see people love R2R tube-based to their origin sounding. So I'd some chat with an Audio Note owners and he changed to Lampizator (60€k). I definitely will try a demo of the AN DC 2.1 Signature, because its a good price, as well trying the Lampizator Baltic 3 and comare that with the well engineered Sigma-Dac Weiss 501/502.
Is this 'review' about Audio Note or Holo Audio? I admit that this was a very clever title, that gives food for thought.
I have never heard an Audio Note DAC - and I would love to given a chance. On the other hand I am 100% sure that I have heard better quality music than any DAC could ever produce - namely a live acoustic performance. That said, the true value of these awesome DACs/systems is to enable us to get as close as possible to great musicians that are no longer amongst us. Food for thought.
I did in my book review it after I did this video, I recommend you send me a mail to get that. That tells a deeper truth. Plus I also have about 1000 pages of written material that will help with everything else in HiFI
All well and good but how good can it get when the source for most of us is streaming services? What digital source do you need for a $20k plus dac?
I suggest watching my "best streamer in the world video" All the answers are there. But to give you a shortish answer: using an FMC converter with an improved LPSU, and making the really good streamer, plus removing yourself from using WIFI makes a streaming service much much better. I suggest making this streamer, then using youtube and then later using files of your HDD.
Watch this video then it makes more sense.
How long you can listen for is the key. It says it all. Just as you say, impressive sound from a Dac only goes so far. My record player sounds poor from sound stage and dynamics vs my dac. But I can listen to records for a long time and enjoy the music.
Agreed. When components get fatiguing, what's the point.
Thoughts on lampizator? Thinking golden gate 3
Generally a good brand, but very pricey.
Check out my new site under construction:
realhifihelp.wordpress.com/
Hi there ,I currently own a D90SE n my sysyem(unison research hybrid amp ,dynaudio spl 40,golden ear brx stand mounts ).I am thinking of adding a new dac to this setup so after hearing your words on dacs has put me n a spot.So is it not worth upgrading to Denafrips level ie. a PONTUS 2 or VENUS 2 or a HOLO MAY dac.Mainly which will be the best value for my money .I want this to be my dac endgame.
Just take of these 2 I recommend: Holo may dac top model or even better the an dac 2.1 signature.
Thanks for your perspective on the Holo May DAC. I see you have drawn comparison to McIntosh MCD1100 from quite a few years ago. I am actually in the market to replace my much newer McIntosh D1100 DAC (and digital preamp) and seriously thinking about Holo May DAC KTE version. My rig consists of Aurender N20 streamer => McIntosh D1100 DAC => McIntosh C12000 preamp => McIntosh MC611 Mono amps powering B&W 802D3s. Do you think Holo May KTE will bring improvements by replacing the D1100? Thanks!
Please send me an email then I will look at it...
Hi.
The Holo May is highly reviewed except for ZReviews..funny review worth the your time. It would have been nice if you did a side by side review with the Audio Note 2.1. For a real comparison.
Otherwise a very detailed and informative review on DAC in general.
Cheers
Z-reviews usually reviews gear that is much cheaper. And you can tell that the price/practicality of it really turned him off, so it became a more emotionally biased review.
I also think that it was gear that was to good for his system/headphones. Plus he did not test the 16bit vs 24bit vs DSD mode and II2s and other conenctions. Plus I am pretty sure that he does not check to see if stuff is in correct phase and test it with different cables.
But generally interesting to hear what he has to say.
@@RealHIFIHelp Good rundown on Z's review. I like him, but that wasn't a useful review.
It blows my mind that he can't tell the difference between different DACs. Maybe he could if he was listening through the Sennheiser HE-1 or something. I still really like him. He's effortlessly hilarious. I know that he can hear. He knows the best headphones are way better but he just has such a good time listening to most everything. I still check him out to get his take on specific products.
Can DS DACs be considered real sounding when they fail to follow the theory? Maybe we've gotten used to the wrong sound because it was cheaper to manufacture?
Hi Larry, have you ever heard Audio Note dac 1.1x/II signature? I wonder how that compares with the May KTE or with the Holo Spring 3? Thanks
I have not heard the newer one yet, only the version or 2 before that. And it was good for the price but not nearly as good as the AN 2.1 signature. Yes I think that in some ways it was around on the level of the top Holo May DAC for around 5-6k USD, just with a very very different style/structure/naturality.
@@RealHIFIHelp thank you so much for your nice answer, as always! Really apprecciate your insights
Love your videos. Very helpful always. I have seen many rave about the may. But there is a small group of people on audiogon that have compared and owned the musetec da005 to may and many other high end dacs, and the musetec comes out on top. I was even more surprised that in my country, known for audiphiles that really love the high end stuff also start to let go of their existing high end dacs for the musetec, so much so that there is a local importer now for the niche brand. I hope that you can get a chance to hear it and share your thoughts.
The review is in my book, together with many other. Last 2 videos show what book I am referring to.
Musetec is also a Chinese brand. Seems the Chinese are moving up in the audio industry.
Hi realhifihelp. Thank you for the review. How would you compare the sound quality of tt3+arm3+iq3 to best DACs in this level system? On a level of 1-10. Where would you put it? Is it comparable to dac 5 signature?
I would describe both as perfect and having everything you could imagine at the highest level.
The tt3 is very silent and has a lot of black level and grunt/drive. Both are about 10/10 currently and maybe 8.5/10 of what is physically possible to achieve in theory the next 10 years time.
@@RealHIFIHelp great. tt3 is way cheaper than dac5 sig， i guess it would be a good bang for your buck.
@@zijunai8020 Yes TT3 is actally very cheap in this high class of turntable gear. And TT3 comes in several levels as far as I understand.
hmmm you don't mention totaldac and dcs, have you heard one of those dacs?
I heard DCS but not Totaldac. DCS is a class higher a bit like Nagra and Playback Design and top Emm Labs.
@@RealHIFIHelp if you were in the uk i would lend you my totaldac to review
@@tthedon2471 Cool thought.
@@RealHIFIHelp but not possible sadly :(
Interesting. I thought the distinction about class A, A/B, D was about amps, not DACs?
Yes mostly amps, but also a bit on the DACs.
How do the SW1X DACs stack up to the Audio Notes???
I have not heard it myself. But heard from someone else, that it is some of the better stuff, but not nearly as 3d/natural.
So you're 'reviewing' a dac that you've never heard? Wtf
Yes my friend did, as I stated in the start. And I guessed how it would sound before that.
Have a nice day.
It's amusing isn't it? 😂😂😂
Where do you log your written notes?
So far in a document on my PC that I film.
I'm sorry, but this is nonsense. A review without hearing the dac??? The whole tone of this "review" is audiophile snobbery of the worst kind. I hope no one actually buys into this viewpoint.
Dude my friend heard it on the best system, I am paraphrasing him. Other places on the net they test this on some of the worst systems. If you have a problem with that, go and buy a lollipop.
@@RealHIFIHelp ...I don't buy lolipops! I'm sorry my point wasn't about doubting that the Holo May is a great dac (it's actually on my shortlist) it was more that you are painting a picture that you are wasting your time unless you spend $10's of k's on a dac, which is simply not true. Sure some of the Uber DACs in terms of cost, likely have the last few % performance advantage, but the diminishing returns mean that only a rich person (or an idiot) would buy them. Especially as the performance of even entry level DACs is biting on the heals of much more expensive units. A sub $1000 truly reference level dac will probably be available within a few years at the current rate of development.
I am using Denafrips Ares II. Is Holo May that much better?
Better, but not by a gigantic amount.
@@RealHIFIHelp Thanks! Audio Note will put out a proper R2R. But R2R definitely sounds more continuous compared to Delta Sigma dacs!
@@locmanw1583 actually audio note uses delta sigma chips
@@michalryszawy I'm sure their are NOS TA1543 chips or ladder 18 bit Analog Devices dacs!
@@locmanw1583 yes they are. But theres a lot on delta sigma.
I don't think that many people understood that I actually recommend this DAC as an alternative DAC to the AN 2.1 signature. And that it is a good value DAC. But that it still is far from the best.
It's just a good DAC that should really cost about 2x more which is very rare, and that's just it. But still remember that many circa 12k to maybe 30k USD DACs easily beat it and I am not talking about the local store normal brands, but the more exclusive ones.
For those that don't have the patience to go through the entire review and get personal validation for their own purchase.
The only mistake I made by making this review was ending it on a low note. That I will have to change in the future, because I can see that people are not used to that.
And so far this has been the only review I could find that doesn't either love or hate it, but is somewhere inbetween, and I noticed that a lot of people also don't like that.
Later I will make a follow up on this, when I have heard it myself on my own and other systems with my own ears...
Always like a good dac video, and welcome back! Have you done a video on cd transports?
Thanks. Not yet. I am maybe not going to do CDP reviews, since that so many of them disappoint me. I made some few videos about the ones I like. I have a hard time wanting to try the newer and cheaper ones. Not much has happened with CDP the last couple of years in my opinion.
Maybe in the future I will do some.
You're doing a review of something you've never heard?
Explained in the start. Later I will do a video based 100% on my own experience.
I think this post and most of the others on this channel are interesting and good correctives to the hype trains out there about "giant killers" or "unicorns". BUT the posts present ONE point of view of what makes for "analog" sound that results in long listening sessions, as if there is only ONE means to achieve that end, AND that that end is the ONLY worthwhile end of music appreciation through hifi gear. Also, the cost of entrance to this exclusive music appreciation club is beyond the 99%. My setup is $50K and would be considered not good enough given this guy's comments about DACS and (elsewhere) amps/sources etc. I do not mean that he is wrong to prefer the sound and experience he describes, just that he is wrong to arrogantly assume everyone who doesn't agree is an idiot and wasting their time.
I think Larry has spent so much time and effort in his life developing as an audiophile and he's trying to communicate that. It's very difficult because it's so complex. There's one video where he says that if you have unlimited amounts of money to spend but don't know much about audio that you shouldn't just go out and buy an Audio Note Level 5 system because it will hamper your growth as a listener. It's like we have to work our way through the various levels to truly appreciate the higher levels. I suppose this is like coffee or wine connoisseurs (something I'm not) but even more evolved. I'm giving those connoisseurs the benefit of the doubt that when they sit around talking about what they taste, that they aren't making it all up.
I suppose it's really difficult to organize this material. It's like it needs a super advanced mind map to follow. I have his books and they're like stream of conciousness going on forever. I got no where near finishing them. I'd had enough of the digressions into diy streamers or MacIntosh gear or whatever. Would be nice if it had an electronic link mechanism so you could jump to areas just about Oyaide or whatever. May I can actually search that myself and never realised it.
But I see a lot of negative comments. I'll bet there would be more if people didnt leave and never come back. But if you try to take the position that he isnt just trashing everything that is beneath AN Level 5 and listen closely, he's trying to describe all the things certain gear does that is good and bad as well as the overall ranking.
I can go to any hifi channel and hear rave reviews. I've learned the hard way that rave reviews do you no good when you're living with a component. I'm looking for a solid state headphone amp that is top notch and can drive the new Modhouse Tungstens which are even less efficient than the Hifiman HE6. So I go looking for a review of the Nagra Classic INT. A 100 watt per channel integrated. What do I find? The typical raves about how it is among the very best they've ever heard. What am I supposed to do with that?
I might as well buy an Audio note Jinro for the same money but I want solid state for easy turn on and off. I don't want 1 to 2 hours before it sounds good. And reviewers often don't tell you some Class A amp only sounds great after warming up for 24 hours. I'm not leaving some space heater on around the clock just so it sounds right. I'm tired. Over and out.
This review is grossly irresponsible!!! It's even offensive. You are influencing sales and products and yet never heard. You can only relay some limited descriptions from your friend and the only qualifications is that he has a system he paid lots of money for and you say he knows how to evaluate sound???? WTF!!! Then you have nerve to rank all these different dacs from 1 through 10. Have you ever even listened to any of them? Which ones? And I don't mean you heard once and your local dealer I mean spend hours and days at a time w various music and maybe swapping out components to see what matches best. Anyone seeking advice here I am warning you please find another reviewer who is responsible and can give you his own honest assessment. This review is no different than reading words on any advertisement page. I mean think about his friend...we know nothing about the guy and his ability to accurately evaluate anything, how do we know his system is even properly setup? What sound signatures does he prefer. We talk about reference equipment but also the same goes for reviewers before you can judge their conclusions we must know their personal taste that is our reference point of how we can know how to interpret their findings. To say Denafrips is not as good a dac you never heard or say can't listen to MAY for long sessions....again grossly irresponsible. This is shameful. Viewers beware.
If you bought my book after I made this review you would notice that I just recently heard it and reviewed it.
I stand by this review, it is exactly as my friend said.
Also if you had the brains, you would actually realize that I have this DAC on my top 5 recommended DAC list in terms of value in this price category.
But I will maybe next time make a pop up book review, and link it especially for you, since you need the extra help understanding a proper review with all the detail that others online did not cover.
Have a nice day
"Holo Day Mac(30:24)"....bwahahaha.
Yes I'm willing to go on that journey to do that 😀
Because the other way is more risky. Associating gear at the 100k or a million level is even harder music wise and pocket wise.
The only way to really know is threw experience. That's why I like your channel.
Every passionate audiophile should know by experience what a capacitor, a resistor or an inductor do in a circuit and sonicly. It helps clear the mind and know what matters to meet your goals.
It will even help you know what is special about audio Note.
It speaks to you but i have to be honest it doesn't speaks to everyone. Beside everything peter qvortrov says music like edm or hip hop isn't made for tube electronics. People who love that wouldn't feel that audio note is the best gear in the world.
I myself love a lot of genra and I'll tend to agree with you a little bit just because I love the fact that they're doing real research and i love It.
Thanks again for the yoga mat tips 😀.
It's the best tip i got for a moment.
It sparks something in me to learn more about coupling, decoupling, dampening and transferring energy. I learned so much and understood more about mechanics and 🎶. 👍🏾
My blog page: realhifihelp.wordpress.com/
I have reviewed it on this page. Over 1000 pages of free info.
Man, everything is about the power supply, the nature of the parts and the circuit.
I've been experimenting for awhile now and i can make a 100euro Chinese dac sound as good as the denafeips Aries.
Power supply is everything.
And I'm founding more and more that musicality and the thing that keeps people glued to the sound has nothing to do with fidelity and how exact the system can get.
That's why I use to love more listening to music back in the day on a 100e headphones. It was simple, not harsh, i was just judging the music.
Lately I've improved my system and i know how to go the musical way or the linear way.
The last frontier is experimenting with filters but i let that for experts like Mr rob watts.
Can you let me know what power supplies you would recommend to do such a thing? Thanks!
@@HZZKN DIY, you gotta learn how to do it. or buy expensive like jcat optimo and you're good.
No disrespect meant, but I don't think you are helping your credibility by commenting on a product YOU never listened to. Why not pick one up a give a listen yourself ?
I will when someone I know gets to own one, in my country some few products are hard to get a hold of and demo. But I am looking forward to it, and will update my latest PDF file with a review, when that happens. (latest video I am referring to)
@@RealHIFIHelp I hope you get one to test. I am seriously wondering if this is as good a DAC as some are saying or are these reviews from shills. Your honest opinion would be appreciated.
Good review. I will just hold on to my schiit ygg and wait for a good deal on used audio note DAC once their R2R comes out. In the meanwhile, I will just enjoy my LP and nagra iv-s as music source. I believe DAC can never compete analogue at the same price level.
And one more thing this power DAC is immune to source .. no need for steamer or high end streamer as the spidif input signal is regenerated in the DAC itself
Still waiting on the Audio Note R2R. My dealer told me that now that they've finished the field coil speaker their next focus is a belt drive transport upgrade for their CD transports. Bloody hell.
I thought about buying Holo stuff, but I think it will suffer resale value big time. The overall design and brand do not resonate with audiophiles I know. Holo is more popular amongst headphone community I think. For 2 channel audio, I much rather stick with more traditional brands.
The Holo May KTE sells closer to MSRP than any other dac on the used market
@@divertiti lets see in 2 to 3 yrs...
@@Waitaminutesilly Why, May has been out for 2 years, what other dac sells for nearly retail after being out 2 years?
@@divertiti wait until the next hot stuff come out.
@@Waitaminutesilly What are you on about, they already did, Rockna wavelight, Bricasti M3, Terminator 2, all came out around this time frame and universally well reviewed. None of them sell close to to MSRP on the used market.
I think you are really missing the point that for most of us normal people we cannot afford to buy even a 5,000 dollar DAC and we just want to enjoy the music to a point we can afford. Get down to earth on your review and move down a few levels. Those people that has the money to buy the 50K DAC don’t even watch TH-cam or your channel. We the people that has the lower quality equipment are the ones watching your channel, so give us better advice than dissing cheap DACs.
I did, I mentioned the DAC 2.1 signature which is better and about the same price and at the same time I praised this DAC for being one of the best up to this price point, plus I also did a review after trying it myself in my book that I sell.
I also review a lot of other gear in that book.
What is the best top 10 dacs u reckon?
Top 100 amps and top 10 DACs are revealed in my books. Send me a mail if you want it.
Here is a taste of the site I am working on:
realhifihelp.wordpress.com/