Glad to hear how the “old” May stacks up to newer gear. Usually, after the initial hype, we tend not to hear of gear that was great 2-3 years ago. Thanks for bringing the ‘ol May out against it’s newer little brother.
I can't wait for Ron to get his hands on that Daniel Hertz gear. I love how he explains the audio he hears. Hes been spot on with most gear I have in common with him hearing.
You were not kidding; I've had the Cyan 2 in house for over 6 weeks now and it's a stunning DAC sonically. I really don't like the implementation of the "automatic source selection" that doesn't select anything automatically until all the other sources are actually shut down, but musically WOW. Resolution, dynamics and timbral accuracy I've never heard at that price and honestly, not even in DACs costing a lot more. This is a little gem.
Great review and the sound clips really express the differencies in air and "S-emphasis" in the Cyan 2. To me the Cyan sounds a bit cleaner but at the cost of lost texture and body in the midrange. But at 1/4 of the price it's a steal!
This is really your best demonstration. I could clearly discern the subtle differences between the dacs and honestly preferred the May on all the clips. How would I describe it. The sound was slightly veiled through the Cyan, the May lifted this mist. Sometimes when we have a cold and our ears get blocked, listening to the May was like your ears suddenly popped and glorious sound just opens up😂. No honestly, I am beginning to understand the subtle differences between the dacs. Just saddens me that I can never possess a May dac as the cost involved is too high for me and life’s priorities will not permit it. Having said that, the same clarity is available in some of the older cd players so that’s some consolation as my Pioneer PD91 provides a similar listening experience. Thanks Ron. Can you compare the May to sub 500 dollar dac, I’d like to know what differences show up. Cheers ❤
Great video. I don't have the best gear, but when you mentioned the more "relaxed" presentation of the May Dac in the final thoughts portion of the video I immediately knew what you were talking about. I also agree with one of the other commenters that the CYAN2 didn't separate the drums as well in the last track, though that is less obvious to me and I doubt I would've been able to pick up on it had it not been pointed out. I'm looking forward to the next review!
I prefer the Cyan 2 based on what I could hear from the clips using good headphones. It felt more dynamic, airy, and I preferred the note decay. However, this is definitely very subjective, and factors such as knowing which DAC was used and the fact that one was played after the other can significantly influence perception.
Ron, I would pay to have the blessed opportunity to have an extended listening session in the shed. I would venture to guess that I'm not the only one. I'm sure that it would result in dedicated listening space envy. Thank you for all you do. We are the beneficiaries.
Love the Cyan 2! All in all, great sounding dac and after a couple of weeks your brain get used to the sound. Compared to the May it's financially logical to go for the Cyan, anyway in my opinion. Keep up the good work!
WOW, very nice recordings. With my OPPO dac and Shure SE846 ie the music came wonderfully beautiful through. I have a clear preference for the May. I hear more low end bass and the music is clearly more integrated top to bottom. But I am really impressed by the DIY speakers. They are close to my B&W 800D3 at more than 10 times the price WOW.
@@Rob-Davidson - still breaking in the Cyan 2 but so far I am loving it. It takes a little adjustment to using it in terms of which input is used. Defaults to USB. I use a Bluesound Node 2021 connected via USB and with a Mac Mini M1 via Ethernet to the Bluesound for my Roon connection. I use a glass Toslink cable from my Audiolab 6000cdt CD transport to the Cyan 2. Therefore, I plugged in the Bluesound Node to a separate power strip so I can turn off the Bluesound when I want to use the CD transport. It’s a warm sounding DAC compared to my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+. When using Roon via the Bluesound I have my ripped FLAC files and Tidal & Qobuz bumped up to 192k. I now use the Mytek as a headphone amp for both balanced & unbalanced. I can play CDs and SACDs via my Oppo BDP-105 Blue-ray player.
@@morespinach9832 - the Mytek is a tad brighter than the Cyan 2. I really like the soundstage detail of the Cyan 2. For the money the Cyan 2 was a great purchase for me! The Mytek has so many other capabilities(preamp, MM & MC phono stage, headphone amp/balanced & unbalanced, MQA and filters) that I will never part with it. Like in another post, I use it as a headphone amp with an Oppo 105 CD/SACD player and using Tidal.
I'm liking it myself. Still doing burn in but Im at 50 or 60 hours maybe. I'm using a Bliss KTE and I have a Holo Red on the way.@VintageLuxmanStereoCollector
The Cyan 2 was a very smart move from Holo. I had never heard of them before hearing of the Cyan 2. So I ordered one. Then I ordered a Holo Red. Then I ordered a Holo Bliss KTE. All within less than a month. So, their entry-level DAC turned into a $5,784 sale simply because they provided a quality item at a good price. Now im deep into the Holo Audio ecosystem when I was moments away from buying a Burson Voyager.
Tried all of these. An RME ADI2 Pro with an MCRU LPS has all the imaging and clarity (with a tight low end).. and the breadth and depth. Smooth and silky analog sound comes from my dynaudio speakers.
Wow! What a great recording! Thank you for this! I can hear the differences between the two DACs... from a TH-cam video! >.< I loved both DACs recordings but the May is of course much more engaging, alive, instrument placement and resolution kicks up a notch. The differences are subtle but for the ears that can get this differences, might be well worth the upgrade to the May. I wonder how the Cyan 2 compares to other DACs like the new Ferrum Wandla.
I have to agree. I was expecting the differences to be more subtle, especially since they're going through my own stuff as well. But, not one word mentioned of the Spring. That's the real question.
Very nice comparison, thanks! About the clips... the MAY sounded like it was distorting on the first clip, some problems with the recording setup maybe there? On the second clip I liked the CYAN better. However, on the rest of the clips the dynamics of the MAY were unbeatable! I can't believe that the differences are so pronounced on a recording of music being played back from a system, good job recording this!
With your reference Kitsune May DAC, I heard more space without losing focus and even faster transients and decay. The Cyan 2's sound felt a bit congealed by comparison. That said, the 4:1 May/Cyan price ratio proves that Kitsune offers excellent value.
I agree, the Cyan 2 has more sizzle on the top end. I can definitely easily hear the difference. What we can't hear, and this is no fault to you, is the soundstage imaging and presentation of a real "in-the-room" experience in how the music develops in the listening environment. The only way to experience it is to buy it and experience it yourself. Thank you for the honest review. I will definitely look into this DAC.
I'm normally of the mindset that DACs make only subtle differences but the difference in dynamics between the DACs was quite noticeable with headphones on. The Cyan sounded almost hazy by comparison.
Do you think the Cyan 2 would benefit by using a DDC to convert USB input to to I2S? I've been using the very inexpensive Douk Audio U2 PRO XMOS XU208 Digital Interface to convert USB output from DAP to I2S input to my DAC and it seems to enhance the tone and timbre.
In the last comparison the CYAN2 couldn't keep the drums separated. They were all muddled together. All in all the May wins out,definitely. There were other differences but that's the one that stood out as the video comparison closed out
@@beslemeto fair enough but he is comparing two different things at two different price points and saying they're "almost" as good as each other..... and remember I also said the May wins out.....ccaallmm ddoowwnn
@@00penguin Price difference will not justify the performance difference in my opinion!After few days it wont even matter,because you will get used to the sound and eventually you will want to hear something else again.
close? go to the shop and listen for yourself. its night and day differene. cyan2 sounds as much as $1000 dollar chinese dac. may sounds like european $10000 dac.
@@noob9103This is the best-sounding DAC under $2,500. It's a fantastic-sounding DAC that offers incredible value, considering the sound fidelity you get for your money.
Love my Ares2 & Ares12th in different systems. I'll get to the firmware upgrade to the A2 at some point. Thanks Alvin at Denafrips! Nice to have the option right now. The differences in soundstage presentation aren't subtle. Would be a cool feature to be able to toggle between 🎵🎶😊🎶🎵
What's funny is that the clips seemed very different at low volume through headphones while looking at the pictures... but then I increased the volume, put my phone aside and closed my eyes, and the differences were far more subtle! I wonder if the pictures somehow contribute to bias while listening to the clips.
To me the differences were imidiatly apparent, the female vocals right on the first clips are delivered in quite the different way. I get what you said about more airy with the Cyan, it feels like one is further apart from the singer and there is more empty space around the voice. Which means not so intimate with her voice. This is was apparent in almost all the other clips, there's something more present and involving with the May, the Cyan is nice but lacks the extra % that makes magic. How was the burn in on the Cyan? These things take ages to burn in and they change quite a bit. Also wonder how it would be on a stack with the Holo Red as a DDC, that could bring it closer to the May. It's actually an upgrade I'm considering,
Hi Ron. May Dac might be slightly more in a analogue sense of hearing, less edgy and softer… and yeah it gives us a sound impression of refinement. Thanks for the review
Seing it doesn't have a remote or any buttons on the front, it could at least have trigger in/out. I don't think it would be difficult or expensive to implement. A LOT of units from different brands need this.
That it can even be compared to the May says a lot about it. Personally, I think this makes the jump from DS to R2R a lot easier for people in the $1k market.
The May top end is a simply amazing and very transparent. The cyan is a bit less so, but most listeners who are not muscians are unlikely to pick up on that without listening 3 or more times. No question the Cyan is very very good. The only other DAC in that price range to compare with it is the Gustard A26. I am not sure if one or the other is better without a side by side. Great kit and review. Great great recorded examples too.
I recently purchased a Gustard Audalytics AH90 because I wanted a headphone amp, and streamer as well as a DAC for 600. If the LaiV defines the under 3000 market, I am wondering if you believe this Cyan 2 or the Gustard A26 is the better of the two. I think it is all going to come down to that.
Hello ron! your video review always helps me a lot when i choose new gears. Always thankful about it. I only use headphones, dont have any speakers. I have , Austrain Audio the composer, zmf atrium, erzetich charibdis. Maybe buy tungsten in near future. My current DAC is schiit audio gumby(a2). I am now considering to get one of holo audio DAC but never tried holo DAC before so its hard for me to choose one. IMHO, it is more difficult to detect the difference between decent dac(cyan2) and super high-end dac(like may) in the head-fi only system when they are compared with speaker system. So i am hesitating to spend over 4k usd for just one DAC. I'd like to ask how much can cyan2 perform well when compared to its bigger brothers(spring3, may) at the headphone-ONLY listening environment. Thank you for reading my long concern hope you could help me.
Thanks for your Review, I don's have the money for a may dac but I found what i was looking for in the Cyan 2. I have connected the Cyan 2 with a valve pre amp and the NAD class D eigentakt Purify. The sound in my setup was much more convincing compared to the eversolo dmp A8 which I decided to return because of the different I2s layout. If you connect the eversolo to the cyan 2 the backin vocals change L/R direction in the soundstage. But even then, the high glass instruments for example were more natural and ''living' on the R2R compared to the AKM. I've changed my setup frequently and ultimately found what i was looking for in the Matrix Element S streamer over I2S. The matrix has galvanic isolated I2s with quality femto clocks. For the first time I had a complete silent 'no noise' connection between the pre amp and the NAD. I have started to believe resolution / freq is beautiful for the ears, but in the end it is the 'timing' that goes to the brain and what brings the emotion back to the body.
@@Newrecordday - Have watched some of your efforts but was able to hear this one on my big rig. Yes, I cheated, playing right through my floor standing speakers and yes, it's close under these conditions.
Ron you should totally do a follow up comparison between the cyan 2 and the bifrost 2/64. As they both are R2R and closer in price it would be a comparison many would like to hear.
Hi. Just wondering how they differed in separation of different instruments in busy tracks. I don't think you described how they worked in that aspect.
Good recording, the May DAC clearly sounds better in my system, 15" Tannoy's, wider sound stage, more vibrato in the stand up bass ,you can actually hear the inside of the bass body we're the Cyan DAC sounds more thin and not as deep of a sound stage. The Cyan sounds good but the May DAC sounds much better, easy to tell them apart. With thinner sounding headphones it may not be as noticeable of a difference but I did not use headphones I played it over my larger system. Good job on the recording.
Usually I'm unable to hear differences in A/B sound clips over TH-cam. This time I could easily spot the difference. Maybe your productions values are the reason. Anyhow... Should have thrown a well reviewed sub $1000 DAC in there to see if the Cyan was closer to the May or closer to the sub $1000 one. That would give me a better idea if I'm willing to sell my $720 DAC and order the Cyan.
Wait, what now? If you wanted to display the differences between two dacs, why not simply feed them directly into your recording device??? Incredible. Unbelievable. 🙄
Would love to see a comparison between Holo Audio Cyan 2 vs Denafrips Ares 2 12th/ Denafrips Pontus II. I own Bliss use a Denafrips Pontus as my desk system and I have been seeing if the characteristics of Holo DAC will want me to make a change. Great Review though Thank you!
I agree now. Forget about the Ares. The Cyan 2 is of value in this price range. Now what about the cheaper FX Glass dac or as more expensive a Teac NT505 which has volume and streamer 🤔
I made the jump from a Pontus to this Cyan 2. I can honestly say that they are truly special. Don't know what Holo Audio is doing but it must be some kind of magic.
Hi Ron. Need an advise. I use Hifiman He1000Unveiled with a Violectric v380 mkII. I guess the DAC inside the Vio is not the best (but I dont know..) I would like to upgrade my sound, mostly in 3D effect, layering I mean. Do you think the Cyan 2 could do that? I fond the Vio DAC to be very good but... I am talking about headphones listening only. Not sure DACs make a big difference with headphones. Thanks!
I'm using the iBasso D16 Taipan with iFi ICAN Pro and ZMF Caldera Closed headphones I'd like to replace the iBasso D16 Taipan. Would the Cyan 2 be a good choice?
Agree. Sound tracks are great ……felt like I was at Axpona hearing demos. I have the May Dac and before that a Spring 3 KTE. These Holo Audio dacs have a fantastic price to performance quotient. May Dac sounds fuller and more resolved ……but your assessment is correct. They have another winner.
Hardware will always have it's limits. Live live does not equate studio recording. Please continue to highlight artists and performances that you find to be leaders in acoustic presentation. The artistic and creatives are our water we drink to survive.. I have found many of your subtly referenced artists to produce outstanding recordings and live performances. Set yourself apart form HW reviewers.
Listening with gear (Bluetooth DAC and single dynamic driver earphones) that costs about as much as the volume knob on the May... I could hear a lot of difference! The Cyan was lacking in lower mids/upper bass, making voices and strings sound thinner. I also felt like the Cyan was just dropping the transients, while the May emphasized them more. Many of the examples played were driving and exciting... And the Cyan failed to excite me, I found it lacked the urgency of the May. What's my conclusion then... I'm gutted, honestly! The May is way out of my league and I don't aspire to ever own one. But the Cyan was supposed to be their "Ares", if you will.... 😭
After reading through a few other comments, I have discovered that a lot of people have broadly similar thoughts on this comparison. Now I'm really curious how this would compare with the Ares 12th! In fact I'm off on a fact finding mission...🧐
Just ordered the cyan 2 . Had a gustard r26 which I love for pcm but falls down slightly for dsd. Listening to you clips both have the same sound signature but the cyan slightly more rolled off highs. I think ill be happy. No way could I afford the may anyway. Thanks for the video.
This is going to drive me nuts lol I have a cyan 1 dac and I’ve been thinking of getting a May in the future but I keep hearing this sentiment about the Cyan 2 being scary close to the higher end models. But do I buy the cyan 2 for $1200 or this PS Audio Directstream for sale at my local used dealer for $1800 🤔🙃
I'm listening to the sound clips with headphones and am surprised how much better the May sounds (and that I'm even able to tell a difference with my setup in the first place). The C2 almost sounds flat in comparison. Is the difference that apparent in real life?
I hear the Cyan as having a more vivid lead instrument, but at the expense of the remainder being slightly obscured, causing slight listening fatigue. It may not bother some people, but for me, I would have to go with the more pleasurable DAC with the least listening fatigue.
@@Newrecordday 😂 Thanks Bud. Seriously, the May is amazing, the imaging can be astonishing. I definitely think it’s a piece that benefited from break in as those ‘wow’ moments took a little while. But you never know how much of that is the listener. Cheers
I understand that the Cyan has no oversampling built in, therefore it much more depends on what you feed it with. I think this was a clever idea from Holo to strip the DAC down to its essentials and leave some digital processing to modern sources (Roon, hqplayer), which can do it as well or even better. For systems with a pre-amp, a sophisticated volume control is also pointless.
Getting close to pulling the trigger on this one - I know it's been a while since you reviewed the Merason Frerot (this is what I'm running currently), but any thoughts on it compared with the Cyan 2?
i am also interested in the Cyan vs Frerot comparison. I had the Spring 2 L2 for a while and while it sounded very smooth and analogue, it felt somehow boring. As if it was slow. Trade it for the Frerot with the matching power supply and have been super happy with it. In fact I will consider the Merason Dac 1 at some point:-)
Talking about Frerot.... If you have not tried the Pow1 (sep power supply) you have not heard the Frerot as its fullest potential, not even close.... The overall sound takes a huge leap much, much bigger than Ron said in his review, IMO...
@@martinlindberg1983 I have not yet tried the Pow1 as I've heard very mixed reports as to its significance (my past experiences lead me to anticipate I will find the difference to be towards the less significant side but that's just a guess). The thing about the Cyan 2 that has me looking at it vs investing further into the Frerot is the Cyan's capabilities with HQPlayer. Something the Frerot does not really do a great deal with (whether that difference is worthwhile or not I'll have to sort out when I get a chance to compare the two)
Arggg... no ARC input. That's the one thing that's preventing me from upgrading my DAC. I really want to get rid of my toslink connection from my TV. Shouldn't it be standard by now?
You should do video on Apple transport I know you know !! 🤣 Thanks Ron had a ruff week buddy ' getting old ' thanks for the video ' Food for thought theirs no best only the best for you 😊 Bet those bruts get busy !!
What did I hear and/or notice. I heard my ears telling me that I absolutely must own this DAC. Okay, so no over-sampling. Well, that's not a problem because the CD transport I also "will" own is the Shanling ET3 and it has OS. And, about that slight inconvenience regarding multiple source inputs and the lack of ability to select one while two or more are powered (on)?... not a problem because I can get off my ass and learn the art of "turning things off". Great review Ron and it seems that other reviewers are with you regarding this DAC>
turning things off can be a bit of an issue since many audio components have switches hidden on the back as they're meant to be left on, like the Cyan2 itself
@@mat.b. I have a Schiit Ragnarok and Modius - both with power switches at the back. Other stuff as well - solved that by plugging everything into a decent power/filter bar. One switch for on and off and within easy reach.
Audio Mirror Tubadour V is said to rival Lampizator, maybe better. I don’t know about all of that, but I can say the AM T V is my last DAC. It’s flat out amazing.
Talk about the rest of your system in the review, please. Cable selection matters and has huge outcomes on the results. But, I do love this DAC.. With AQ Diamond USB and AQ Colorado XLR's... better than any Delta-Sigma DAC, less the $10k+ converters, imo. DSD & PCM highest bit rates around!
This is the best-sounding DAC under $2,500. It's a fantastic-sounding DAC that offers incredible value, considering the sound fidelity you get for your money.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Start
01:29 Covering Basics
02:56 Prepare for Battle
04:04 Listening Impressions
09:36 Sound Clips
12:48 Final Thoughts
hello Ron, may i ask what speakers are behind you in this video?
First time I ever ear a good, clear distinction with a comparison on TH-cam.. keep this recording setup, it’s a great one! Bravo 👍🏻
Glad to hear how the “old” May stacks up to newer gear. Usually, after the initial hype, we tend not to hear of gear that was great 2-3 years ago. Thanks for bringing the ‘ol May out against it’s newer little brother.
I can't wait for Ron to get his hands on that Daniel Hertz gear. I love how he explains the audio he hears. Hes been spot on with most gear I have in common with him hearing.
You were not kidding; I've had the Cyan 2 in house for over 6 weeks now and it's a stunning DAC sonically. I really don't like the implementation of the "automatic source selection" that doesn't select anything automatically until all the other sources are actually shut down, but musically WOW. Resolution, dynamics and timbral accuracy I've never heard at that price and honestly, not even in DACs costing a lot more. This is a little gem.
It's also eligible to work with HQPlayer 5. You can try that and heard good things about upping its performance.
i love that "automatic source selection"; that's less buttons to use...
is it good with 24/96 material?
Great review and the sound clips really express the differencies in air and "S-emphasis" in the Cyan 2. To me the Cyan sounds a bit cleaner but at the cost of lost texture and body in the midrange. But at 1/4 of the price it's a steal!
Totally agree
This is really your best demonstration. I could clearly discern the subtle differences between the dacs and honestly preferred the May on all the clips. How would I describe it.
The sound was slightly veiled through the Cyan, the May lifted this mist.
Sometimes when we have a cold and our ears get blocked, listening to the May was like your ears suddenly popped and glorious sound just opens up😂. No honestly, I am beginning to understand the subtle differences between the dacs. Just saddens me that I can never possess a May dac as the cost involved is too high for me and life’s priorities will not permit it. Having said that, the same clarity is available in some of the older cd players so that’s some consolation as my Pioneer PD91 provides a similar listening experience.
Thanks Ron. Can you compare the May to sub 500 dollar dac, I’d like to know what differences show up.
Cheers ❤
Great video. I don't have the best gear, but when you mentioned the more "relaxed" presentation of the May Dac in the final thoughts portion of the video I immediately knew what you were talking about. I also agree with one of the other commenters that the CYAN2 didn't separate the drums as well in the last track, though that is less obvious to me and I doubt I would've been able to pick up on it had it not been pointed out. I'm looking forward to the next review!
How would you compare it to bifrost or denafrips dacs?
Excellent review (as always)! Thanks for posting!
My pleasure!
Any chance for Gustard R26 review? Would be great fight R26 vs Cyan 2.
This. This and this again.
This!
This?
This!
This?
I prefer the Cyan 2 based on what I could hear from the clips using good headphones. It felt more dynamic, airy, and I preferred the note decay. However, this is definitely very subjective, and factors such as knowing which DAC was used and the fact that one was played after the other can significantly influence perception.
Ron, I would pay to have the blessed opportunity to have an extended listening session in the shed. I would venture to guess that I'm not the only one. I'm sure that it would result in dedicated listening space envy. Thank you for all you do. We are the beneficiaries.
Come on down. I’ll cook up some ribs.
Love the Cyan 2! All in all, great sounding dac and after a couple of weeks your brain get used to the sound. Compared to the May it's financially logical to go for the Cyan, anyway in my opinion. Keep up the good work!
Kinda why i went with the Spring 3 Kitsune version. Left room for future improvements
I got my Cyan 2 hooked up to a Innuos Pulse and it's phenomenal.
Awesome!
Thanks for the video, Ron. I must have read your mind. Ordered mine a month ago, March 22
received mine the other day, well worth the wait. music just sounds way more natural than my aries II, which isn't a slouch in that department 🙂
when i listen from another room, the music still sounds real ... very addictive so, yeah, 2 thumbs up
WOW, very nice recordings. With my OPPO dac and Shure SE846 ie the music came wonderfully beautiful through. I have a clear preference for the May. I hear more low end bass and the music is clearly more integrated top to bottom. But I am really impressed by the DIY speakers. They are close to my B&W 800D3 at more than 10 times the price WOW.
Thanks, now I need to save up the money for the May Dac - I wish you had compared it to another DAC :D
Ron,
Excellent review as always. Ordered the Cyan 2 today to replace my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+
How do you like it?
Any thoughts on how the two compare?
@@Rob-Davidson - still breaking in the Cyan 2 but so far I am loving it. It takes a little adjustment to using it in terms of which input is used. Defaults to USB. I use a Bluesound Node 2021 connected via USB and with a Mac Mini M1 via Ethernet to the Bluesound for my Roon connection.
I use a glass Toslink cable from my Audiolab 6000cdt CD transport to the Cyan 2. Therefore, I plugged in the Bluesound Node to a separate power strip so I can turn off the Bluesound when I want to use the CD transport. It’s a warm sounding DAC compared to my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+.
When using Roon via the Bluesound I have my ripped FLAC files and Tidal & Qobuz bumped up to 192k.
I now use the Mytek as a headphone amp for both balanced & unbalanced. I can play CDs and SACDs via my Oppo BDP-105 Blue-ray player.
@@morespinach9832 - the Mytek is a tad brighter than the Cyan 2. I really like the soundstage detail of the Cyan 2. For the money the Cyan 2 was a great purchase for me! The Mytek has so many other capabilities(preamp, MM & MC phono stage, headphone amp/balanced & unbalanced, MQA and filters) that I will never part with it. Like in another post, I use it as a headphone amp with an Oppo 105 CD/SACD player and using Tidal.
I'm liking it myself. Still doing burn in but Im at 50 or 60 hours maybe. I'm using a Bliss KTE and I have a Holo Red on the way.@VintageLuxmanStereoCollector
The Cyan 2 was a very smart move from Holo. I had never heard of them before hearing of the Cyan 2. So I ordered one. Then I ordered a Holo Red. Then I ordered a Holo Bliss KTE. All within less than a month. So, their entry-level DAC turned into a $5,784 sale simply because they provided a quality item at a good price. Now im deep into the Holo Audio ecosystem when I was moments away from buying a Burson Voyager.
Tried all of these. An RME ADI2 Pro with an MCRU LPS has all the imaging and clarity (with a tight low end).. and the breadth and depth. Smooth and silky analog sound comes from my dynaudio speakers.
@@morespinach9832 - Well try out HQPlayer 5 or Audirvana with DSD 128 or 256. You'll be smiling.
How do you find the red and cyan 2 combo? Are you using Roon with the Red? Looking at that combo. Cheers
@bruunm1975 I love the Cyan 2. I don't have the Red yet. I've been waiting for about 6 weeks so far. So I expect it to ship any day now.
@@Rob-Davidson cool let me know? I’d be very interested to know. Not much online.
Wow! What a great recording! Thank you for this! I can hear the differences between the two DACs... from a TH-cam video! >.< I loved both DACs recordings but the May is of course much more engaging, alive, instrument placement and resolution kicks up a notch. The differences are subtle but for the ears that can get this differences, might be well worth the upgrade to the May. I wonder how the Cyan 2 compares to other DACs like the new Ferrum Wandla.
May was incredible, I loved it
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have to agree. I was expecting the differences to be more subtle, especially since they're going through my own stuff as well.
But, not one word mentioned of the Spring. That's the real question.
May all the way ! Just has that haunting analog sound that i adore ...
Very nice comparison, thanks!
About the clips... the MAY sounded like it was distorting on the first clip, some problems with the recording setup maybe there? On the second clip I liked the CYAN better. However, on the rest of the clips the dynamics of the MAY were unbeatable! I can't believe that the differences are so pronounced on a recording of music being played back from a system, good job recording this!
With your reference Kitsune May DAC, I heard more space without losing focus and even faster transients and decay. The Cyan 2's sound felt a bit congealed by comparison. That said, the 4:1 May/Cyan price ratio proves that Kitsune offers excellent value.
Thanks for the excellent presentation and your valued opinion. Lately I was in a dilemma, which one DAC to buy for EUR 1,200 - and now I'm not.
I agree, the Cyan 2 has more sizzle on the top end. I can definitely easily hear the difference. What we can't hear, and this is no fault to you, is the soundstage imaging and presentation of a real "in-the-room" experience in how the music develops in the listening environment. The only way to experience it is to buy it and experience it yourself. Thank you for the honest review. I will definitely look into this DAC.
Have mercy. But Ron, compare that to the BiFrost 2/64 or the Yggy.
I'm normally of the mindset that DACs make only subtle differences but the difference in dynamics between the DACs was quite noticeable with headphones on. The Cyan sounded almost hazy by comparison.
Still one of my favorite reviewers!
Thanks Ron!
Awe thanks! Appreciate that!
Do you think the Cyan 2 would benefit by using a DDC to convert USB input to to I2S? I've been using the very inexpensive Douk Audio U2 PRO XMOS XU208 Digital Interface to convert USB output from DAP to I2S input to my DAC and it seems to enhance the tone and timbre.
Ive heard a DDC is very much appreciated with it, versus things like the May which had more money dedicated to that input
In the last comparison the CYAN2 couldn't keep the drums separated. They were all muddled together. All in all the May wins out,definitely. There were other differences but that's the one that stood out as the video comparison closed out
Of course! 4k price difference!
@@beslemeto fair enough but he is comparing two different things at two different price points and saying they're "almost" as good as each other..... and remember I also said the May wins out.....ccaallmm ddoowwnn
@@00penguin Price difference will not justify the performance difference in my opinion!After few days it wont even matter,because you will get used to the sound and eventually you will want to hear something else again.
....Ok
....Ok
Sorry, so if this is relatively close to the May, where does that leave the Spring level 3?
According to some other comments here, the Cyan 2 has a very similar if not identical PCM ladder, but lacks the large DSD ladder of the Spring
close? go to the shop and listen for yourself. its night and day differene. cyan2 sounds as much as $1000 dollar chinese dac. may sounds like european $10000 dac.
@@noob9103This is the best-sounding DAC under $2,500. It's a fantastic-sounding DAC that offers incredible value, considering the sound fidelity you get for your money.
@@PerfectlyNormalHumanBeing DSD is the same, PCM is smaller.
I went with the new Denafrips Ares 12-1 ..and Daum 😮
Ares is very nice also.
Thanks …it does give me a glimpse into a wider universe.
Love my Ares2 & Ares12th in different systems.
I'll get to the firmware upgrade to the A2 at some point. Thanks Alvin at Denafrips!
Nice to have the option right now.
The differences in soundstage presentation aren't subtle.
Would be a cool feature to be able to toggle between
🎵🎶😊🎶🎵
What's funny is that the clips seemed very different at low volume through headphones while looking at the pictures... but then I increased the volume, put my phone aside and closed my eyes, and the differences were far more subtle! I wonder if the pictures somehow contribute to bias while listening to the clips.
I closed my eyes and tried it, and they sounded much more similar without watching the screen. You're right.
Ron you have been doing some amazing presentations lately. Hats off
Ah! So kind! Thank you!
Love This guy haven't missed one video in 6 years !! Thanks Ron ' R@R 😆
Love ya buddy
To me the differences were imidiatly apparent, the female vocals right on the first clips are delivered in quite the different way. I get what you said about more airy with the Cyan, it feels like one is further apart from the singer and there is more empty space around the voice. Which means not so intimate with her voice. This is was apparent in almost all the other clips, there's something more present and involving with the May, the Cyan is nice but lacks the extra % that makes magic. How was the burn in on the Cyan? These things take ages to burn in and they change quite a bit. Also wonder how it would be on a stack with the Holo Red as a DDC, that could bring it closer to the May. It's actually an upgrade I'm considering,
Been waiting like 2/3 months for this review since you mentioned it on the Live.. TY brother! Very astute as usual
Sounds like a very good dac!! Thanks Ron!
Thanks man!
Hello Ron. Thanks for review! Do you plan review RED DDC/streamer too? I'd love to know your opinion...
Eventually
Thanks for another great video.
Would like to listen to some of your test tracks in full. What were they?
Hi Ron. May Dac might be slightly more in a analogue sense of hearing, less edgy and softer… and yeah it gives us a sound impression of refinement. Thanks for the review
Hi. How does the Merason Frerot + POW1 compare to Holo Audio Cyan 2? Many thanks.
How does it compare to the Spring 3 ?
Seing it doesn't have a remote or any buttons on the front, it could at least have trigger in/out. I don't think it would be difficult or expensive to implement. A LOT of units from different brands need this.
That it can even be compared to the May says a lot about it. Personally, I think this makes the jump from DS to R2R a lot easier for people in the $1k market.
Absolutely agree
Yep for sure. I assume it’s NOS is “correct” as the Spring and May?
The audio comparison needed more blinding and alternating which played first to eliminate the placebo premium visual of the may.
Exactly, knowing which one is played brings in a significant bias on perception
The May top end is a simply amazing and very transparent. The cyan is a bit less so, but most listeners who are not muscians are unlikely to pick up on that without listening 3 or more times. No question the Cyan is very very good. The only other DAC in that price range to compare with it is the Gustard A26. I am not sure if one or the other is better without a side by side. Great kit and review. Great great recorded examples too.
I wonder how close the Cyan 2 can get to the May with HQPlayer
I recently purchased a Gustard Audalytics AH90 because I wanted a headphone amp, and streamer as well as a DAC for 600. If the LaiV defines the under 3000 market, I am wondering if you believe this Cyan 2 or the Gustard A26 is the better of the two. I think it is all going to come down to that.
Hello ron! your video review always helps me a lot when i choose new gears. Always thankful about it.
I only use headphones, dont have any speakers.
I have , Austrain Audio the composer, zmf atrium, erzetich charibdis. Maybe buy tungsten in near future.
My current DAC is schiit audio gumby(a2). I am now considering to get one of holo audio DAC but never tried holo DAC before so its hard for me to choose one.
IMHO, it is more difficult to detect the difference between decent dac(cyan2) and super high-end dac(like may) in the head-fi only system when they are compared with speaker system. So i am hesitating to spend over 4k usd for just one DAC.
I'd like to ask how much can cyan2 perform well when compared to its bigger brothers(spring3, may) at the headphone-ONLY listening environment.
Thank you for reading my long concern hope you could help me.
Thanks for your Review, I don's have the money for a may dac but I found what i was looking for in the Cyan 2.
I have connected the Cyan 2 with a valve pre amp and the NAD class D eigentakt Purify. The sound in my setup was much more convincing compared to the eversolo dmp A8 which I decided to return because of the different I2s layout. If you connect the eversolo to the cyan 2 the backin vocals change L/R direction in the soundstage. But even then, the high glass instruments for example were more natural and ''living' on the R2R compared to the AKM.
I've changed my setup frequently and ultimately found what i was looking for in the Matrix Element S streamer over I2S. The matrix has galvanic isolated I2s with quality femto clocks. For the first time I had a complete silent 'no noise' connection between the pre amp and the NAD. I have started to believe resolution / freq is beautiful for the ears, but in the end it is the 'timing' that goes to the brain and what brings the emotion back to the body.
just ordered the holo cyan2 dac and cancelled schiit dac, saved 500 usd
Best sound clips on TH-cam. Fantastic.
Wow, thanks!
@@Newrecordday - Have watched some of your efforts but was able to hear this one on my big rig. Yes, I cheated, playing right through my floor standing speakers and yes, it's close under these conditions.
As you sayd the MAY is more bombastic. But this tighter, weaker bass & low low mids give the CYAN2 the possibility to show super refined mids
Ron you should totally do a follow up comparison between the cyan 2 and the bifrost 2/64. As they both are R2R and closer in price it would be a comparison many would like to hear.
Thanks, you said the s word. Most are scared to address it :) - Compare with RME Pro?
I wish the Cyan 2 kept the headphone input like its predecessor. Seems weird to remove features vs adding them on the next gen. Cyan 3 perhaps?
Definitely heard the difference in dynamics.
As the owner of the original Cyan DAC, I'm wondering how they compare 🤔. And while I'm at it to the Spring 3 ?
ordered mine a month ago, cant wait to get it!
Hi. Just wondering how they differed in separation of different instruments in busy tracks. I don't think you described how they worked in that aspect.
Good recording, the May DAC clearly sounds better in my system, 15" Tannoy's, wider sound stage, more vibrato in the stand up bass ,you can actually hear the inside of the bass body we're the Cyan DAC sounds more thin and not as deep of a sound stage. The Cyan sounds good but the May DAC sounds much better, easy to tell them apart.
With thinner sounding headphones it may not be as noticeable of a difference but I did not use headphones I played it over my larger system.
Good job on the recording.
Usually I'm unable to hear differences in A/B sound clips over TH-cam. This time I could easily spot the difference. Maybe your productions values are the reason. Anyhow...
Should have thrown a well reviewed sub $1000 DAC in there to see if the Cyan was closer to the May or closer to the sub $1000 one. That would give me a better idea if I'm willing to sell my $720 DAC and order the Cyan.
Wait, what now?
If you wanted to display the differences between two dacs, why not simply feed them directly into your recording device???
Incredible.
Unbelievable.
🙄
I wish you could pair the cyan with the bliss amp and give us a headphone review
Would love to see a comparison between Holo Audio Cyan 2 vs Denafrips Ares 2 12th/ Denafrips Pontus II. I own Bliss use a Denafrips Pontus as my desk system and I have been seeing if the characteristics of Holo DAC will want me to make a change. Great Review though Thank you!
I agree now. Forget about the Ares. The Cyan 2 is of value in this price range. Now what about the cheaper FX Glass dac or as more expensive a Teac NT505 which has volume and streamer 🤔
I made the jump from a Pontus to this Cyan 2. I can honestly say that they are truly special. Don't know what Holo Audio is doing but it must be some kind of magic.
@@wesselkampen2644 What is the difference in sound?
I think the Cyan 2 is a great DAC for the money but I'll keep my May. 😉
Hi Ron. Need an advise. I use Hifiman He1000Unveiled with a Violectric v380 mkII. I guess the DAC inside the Vio is not the best (but I dont know..) I would like to upgrade my sound, mostly in 3D effect, layering I mean. Do you think the Cyan 2 could do that? I fond the Vio DAC to be very good but... I am talking about headphones listening only. Not sure DACs make a big difference with headphones. Thanks!
The big takeaway that most people don’t understand is that you will have to have a very resolving system to hear a difference.
Great job recording dac audio battle! Let the r2r dac WAR BEGIN 🎼🥋🥋
Nice! I've been waiting for your review. Been enjoying my personal Cyan 2. I suggest giving HQPlayer DSD256 with the Sinc-MGa filter a try!
Tim told me it’s essentially a Spring 3 on the inside.
part of that is true but the spring 3 has more DSD ladder resistors. However the PCM ladder is the same as the Cyan 2
sounds like i need to sell my spring 3
Cyan vs Frerot?
I'm using the iBasso D16 Taipan with iFi ICAN Pro and ZMF Caldera Closed headphones
I'd like to replace the iBasso D16 Taipan. Would the Cyan 2 be a good choice?
Agree. Sound tracks are great ……felt like I was at Axpona hearing demos. I have the May Dac and before that a Spring 3 KTE. These Holo Audio dacs have a fantastic price to performance quotient. May Dac sounds fuller and more resolved ……but your assessment is correct. They have another winner.
Hardware will always have it's limits. Live live does not equate studio recording.
Please continue to highlight artists and performances that you find to be leaders in acoustic presentation. The artistic and creatives are our water we drink to survive..
I have found many of your subtly referenced artists to produce outstanding recordings and live performances.
Set yourself apart form HW reviewers.
I thought there was a Big difference in both Dac's, I can't really see how you say that they are close.
Listening with gear (Bluetooth DAC and single dynamic driver earphones) that costs about as much as the volume knob on the May... I could hear a lot of difference! The Cyan was lacking in lower mids/upper bass, making voices and strings sound thinner. I also felt like the Cyan was just dropping the transients, while the May emphasized them more. Many of the examples played were driving and exciting... And the Cyan failed to excite me, I found it lacked the urgency of the May.
What's my conclusion then... I'm gutted, honestly! The May is way out of my league and I don't aspire to ever own one. But the Cyan was supposed to be their "Ares", if you will.... 😭
After reading through a few other comments, I have discovered that a lot of people have broadly similar thoughts on this comparison.
Now I'm really curious how this would compare with the Ares 12th! In fact I'm off on a fact finding mission...🧐
Nice discovery! Didn‘ know about Holos cheaper line. What do you guys think for my new hifi Setup: Eversolo A6 + May Cyan 2 or Eversolo -A08 Dac?
how about the DSD part, I plan to buy a dac mainly works with DSD upsampled by HQPlayer. Thanks.
Just ordered the cyan 2 . Had a gustard r26 which I love for pcm but falls down slightly for dsd. Listening to you clips both have the same sound signature but the cyan slightly more rolled off highs. I think ill be happy. No way could I afford the may anyway. Thanks for the video.
This is going to drive me nuts lol I have a cyan 1 dac and I’ve been thinking of getting a May in the future but I keep hearing this sentiment about the Cyan 2 being scary close to the higher end models. But do I buy the cyan 2 for $1200 or this PS Audio Directstream for sale at my local used dealer for $1800 🤔🙃
I'm listening to the sound clips with headphones and am surprised how much better the May sounds (and that I'm even able to tell a difference with my setup in the first place). The C2 almost sounds flat in comparison. Is the difference that apparent in real life?
Weird, I thought the first clip was a clear win for the May but couldn't even hear a difference in the rest. The inside is gorgeous!
I hear the Cyan as having a more vivid lead instrument, but at the expense of the remainder being slightly obscured, causing slight listening fatigue. It may not bother some people, but for me, I would have to go with the more pleasurable DAC with the least listening fatigue.
Would it be a good idea to pair this with my Onkyo receiver? Thanks
Ron you’re on thin ground. I have the May and from here on in all I require is confirmation bias. Thank You
You got it!
@@Newrecordday 😂 Thanks Bud.
Seriously, the May is amazing, the imaging can be astonishing. I definitely think it’s a piece that benefited from break in as those ‘wow’ moments took a little while. But you never know how much of that is the listener. Cheers
No comparison May is an obvious choice! Maybe try a fair fight like the Aries two or Gustard 26! Still the cyan represents great value! Thanks!
I understand that the Cyan has no oversampling built in, therefore it much more depends on what you feed it with. I think this was a clever idea from Holo to strip the DAC down to its essentials and leave some digital processing to modern sources (Roon, hqplayer), which can do it as well or even better. For systems with a pre-amp, a sophisticated volume control is also pointless.
Getting close to pulling the trigger on this one - I know it's been a while since you reviewed the Merason Frerot (this is what I'm running currently), but any thoughts on it compared with the Cyan 2?
The Frerot is warmer and smoother. The Cyan 2 is more revealing and exciting. Pick your poison.
@@Newrecordday appreciate it - hope to compare them soon myself, figure out which one stays
i am also interested in the Cyan vs Frerot comparison. I had the Spring 2 L2 for a while and while it sounded very smooth and analogue, it felt somehow boring. As if it was slow. Trade it for the Frerot with the matching power supply and have been super happy with it. In fact I will consider the Merason Dac 1 at some point:-)
Talking about Frerot.... If you have not tried the Pow1 (sep power supply) you have not heard the Frerot as its fullest potential, not even close.... The overall sound takes a huge leap much, much bigger than Ron said in his review, IMO...
@@martinlindberg1983 I have not yet tried the Pow1 as I've heard very mixed reports as to its significance (my past experiences lead me to anticipate I will find the difference to be towards the less significant side but that's just a guess).
The thing about the Cyan 2 that has me looking at it vs investing further into the Frerot is the Cyan's capabilities with HQPlayer. Something the Frerot does not really do a great deal with (whether that difference is worthwhile or not I'll have to sort out when I get a chance to compare the two)
Arggg... no ARC input. That's the one thing that's preventing me from upgrading my DAC. I really want to get rid of my toslink connection from my TV. Shouldn't it be standard by now?
You should do video on Apple transport I know you know !! 🤣 Thanks Ron had a ruff week buddy ' getting old ' thanks for the video ' Food for thought theirs no best only the best for you 😊 Bet those bruts get busy !!
For your taste does the CYAN 2 is a better choice than Ares 2 Dac ? I'm looking to choose one of the two.
Ares is a hype to me. Also try the FX Glass dac Teac NT505 and NewOntech dac before you buy 🤔
@@dennis3779 I love the Ares 2 , it sound well, but we always must pay and risk our money to try new think, so we must trust a little reviewer.
What did I hear and/or notice. I heard my ears telling me that I absolutely
must own this DAC. Okay, so no over-sampling. Well, that's not a problem
because the CD transport I also "will" own is the Shanling ET3 and it has OS.
And, about that slight inconvenience regarding multiple source inputs
and the lack of ability to select one while two or more are powered (on)?...
not a problem because I can get off my ass and learn the art of "turning
things off". Great review Ron and it seems that other reviewers are with you
regarding this DAC>
turning things off can be a bit of an issue since many audio components have switches hidden on the back as they're meant to be left on, like the Cyan2 itself
@@mat.b. I have a Schiit Ragnarok and Modius - both with power switches
at the back. Other stuff as well - solved that by plugging everything into a
decent power/filter bar. One switch for on and off and within easy reach.
Audio Mirror Tubadour V is said to rival Lampizator, maybe better. I don’t know about all of that, but I can say the AM T V is my last DAC. It’s flat out amazing.
Are we going to see a ZA3 review from you?
Great DAC but they really need to fix the source selection method. I won't buy it as is, but I bet an upgrade is coming with a proper input selector.
New Record Day and Hifi Huff are just the best reviewers out there 😊
Talk about the rest of your system in the review, please. Cable selection matters and has huge outcomes on the results. But, I do love this DAC.. With AQ Diamond USB and AQ Colorado XLR's... better than any Delta-Sigma DAC, less the $10k+ converters, imo. DSD & PCM highest bit rates around!
This is the best-sounding DAC under $2,500. It's a fantastic-sounding DAC that offers incredible value, considering the sound fidelity you get for your money.
Then a Weiss 204, next, above $2500?
Try Audial S5b