I have a Jay’s CDT MK3 and a Holo May KTE DAC and it is indeed a great combo! I’ve connected it via Snake River Audio Boomslang coax (even though it’s not a COAX cable) Spdif cable and the SRA Spdif → ifi Spdif → lifatec Toslink → MAY both sound great!
It sounded so much better than my streaming setup (Roon + HQPlayer fiber via media converter to MicroRendu.) that I ended up ordering a Innuos ZENith MK3, in hopes to close the gap.
Thank you @groovysauce. This is very helpful and appreciated. After my unfortunate experience over the last couple of months with my PS Audio DAC problems, I think for my own sanity and well-being it is time to move on. I so appreciate your feedback. It helps me a lot to make a decision.
How have you found the Jay’s? I think it is good value for money at its price point. What stands out for me is how my soundstage has opened up, with a bigger more dynamic and detailed sound especially on I2S; those nuances are so impressive 
But again, as I have said before, the PST may be better, but of course more than double the price.
So, one appreciates what one can purchase within one’s budget.
I’m not so sure whether the PST would necessarily “trounce” the Jay’s. That is maybe too strong a word. The PST may be better given its significantly higher price point, but if it is better I’m pretty confident that the Jay’s would come in at a very close second. I think both brands are to be respected. The Jay’s is a very decent transport, just like the PST is too. The Jay’s is good value for money. And the question must be asked whether it is worth paying a lot of Mula Mula $$$$ for a transport in 2021, unless of course your budget falls within that price bracket? I personally would rather focus my finances more on a DAC which is the epicentre of a digital audiophile’s system, without of course sacrificing quality on a transport.
I’m not really that serious about the “trounce” because I don’t really know. I was using the term loosely. I’m sure both transport is very respectable. So is my DMP.
Right now, along with all the other improvements I have made in my system, I don’t think there’s another transport that can better it. But I will see.
Of course there’s much more expensive transports and perhaps better sounding transports as well. I’ve considered the Esoteric Grandioso, but it just too much to be paying for a transport no matter how good it sounds and whether I can afford it or not.
It may not matter to many people to get the Jay like my friend because he doesn’t have but a few SACDs, but I have many SACDs that I replaced my CD collection with simply because the SACDs sounded better, so the Jay will not work for me. Actually my friend may not even get the Jay because he’s breaking in his Lumin Mini right now along with his May and is planning on copying all his CDs to files.
Tomorrow the PST will arrive, so I’m curious how it compares with my DMP and my Esoteric streamer.
Prepare to be impressed 
Thanks @waymanchen11. If you can afford it and you have many SACDs, the PST may be the better option as it is more versatile. Enjoy the PST.
One day perhaps I’ll get a PST but I have to say I was listening to a cd yesterday on the DMP and thinking “this sounds so damned good could you justify spending the extra dollars if you could?” I didn’t have an easy answer to that. Although I trust all these ears that say how wonderful the PST sounds. My dilemna is that I don’t want to part with my DMP as it plays Blu-ray Audio and DVD audio discs that I have collected since I have had it and they sound fantastic. That makes the cost of a PST even higher as the trade in value won’t be subtracted. And an even longer period of time before I can afford one if I eventually can. My component tastes clearly outstrip my retirement budget.
I think the Jay’s Audio sounds like a fantastic player and deal if one doesn’t have SACDs or want to go SACD, and I bet there are many out there fitting that profile. . . .
Thank you. While I do have a few SACDs, most of my CD collection is Redbook, and I fit your profile, as quoted. All my SACDs are in any event hybrid CDs.
Even with coax on my Chord Qutest, whilst I wait for my PS Audio to be repaired, the Jay’s sounds truly fantastic.
My situation is that I don’t have any SACD’s but want to start collecting them. I’ve been eyeing transports for a while and a PST sounds great but the cost will most likely always be out of reach. That leaves a Marantz SA-10 which doesn’t need an external DAC and will upsample (if that is the correct term) to DSD, same as Directsteam DAC. Of course, if I don’t scratch the SACD bug the Jays CD2-MK3 and a DAC via i2s looks to be key.
The SA-10 isn’t exactly the affordable alternative to the PST. Its price is now up to $7500 USD. I don’t know if the KI Ruby has had a similar increase or not. Even the SACD 30n has bumped up to $3k from when I bought it at $2600 in May.
Depending on your budget, a gently used PST or DMP could be an option.
The DMP is no slouch and gets you in the I2S/SACD game for an arguably reasonable cost.
I really enjoy my second-hand DMP and it has been trouble free since the day I bought it.
FWIW,
SEE
Well my thinking with the SA-10 is that I wouldn’t have to spend any money on a DAC. That would save some money at least.
The DMP plays SACD’s?
Yep. But, you have to pair it with a compatible DAC.
Works great with my DS Sr. via the I2S connection.
FYI.
“The Pro-Ject CD RS2 T Stream Unlimited Pro 8 transport is newer than Jay’s and outperforms it. Top loader like a TT.”
This is a post from the Audiogon forum. Anyone heard of this Pro-ject?https://pro-jectusa.com/product/cd-box-rs2t/
Is the Jay’s CDT2 MK3 compatible with the Holo Audio May on I2S? Thanks.
Here’s what Jay’s said when I asked the same question you are:
Good day.
Certainly, the CDT is compatible with Holo May DAC.
If you like, you may place an order here
https://www.jays-audio.com/product-page/cdt2-mk3
Look forward to hearing from you!
Many thanks.
Yours sincerely,
Ken @ Singapore
On Sun, 15 Aug 2021, 06:42 ALLEMAN, <twablt@optonline.net> wrote:
Hi,
Using the HDMI i2S output of your CDT2 - MK3 Transport going into the HDMI input of a Holo Audio May KTE Dac be compatible ??
Thank you.
My Grimm MU1 is maybe two weeks away and I can feed it the signal from my Jay’s MKIII and I have been lead to believe this will sound considerably better than feeding it directly to the DAC. Can’t wait. I could also feed my Pink Faun into it which I may do for giggles.
Looks like it’s been answered already. The Holo May has a few different I2S settings so if it doesn’t work right away might need to change the I2S settings.