Yes indeed! It is attributable to the new firmware accessing circuits in the FPGA, semiconductor chip, that have not been previously used. In a system with sufficient resolving capabilities changes in the DSD DAC’s sound are apparent. Not just my opinion but others on this forum have reported a change in sonic character. The firmware author, Ted Smith, has also attested to changes in sonic character with time or burn in of the FPGA as well.
4 Likes
Does the May DAC come with an odometer? 
Keeping definitive track of 3300 hours is feat unto itself!
My issue with Denafrips and Holo isn’t so much to do with the DACs themselves. It’s the sales model. Direct sale from China with no return window. I’m hesitant to order anything without a trial window, China or not. A 3rd party resale option does not constitute a return policy for me.
3 Likes
Definitely a stumbling block.
Not really, in my case a potential buyer spoke to me privately asking to be first in line to buy mine. It hadn’t even arrived yet.
Selling a fresh one is not going to be an issue at all. A very easy item to sell.
1 Like
Do you know if the warranty is transferable?
I didn’t register mine as I had a hunch I wasn’t going to keep it. They said whomever registers it gets the warranty. So the person who bought mine had the same opportunity as me to pass on it if he chose.
Otherwise the warranty is not transferable.
3 Likes
Al, your avatar looks in need of a hare cut. 
3 Likes
Rotating avatars?
2 Likes
For me, this is yet another cause for pause. China, no return policy, and the warranty can’t be transferred all with a substantial price tag. They’re asking quite a lot from the consumer. Such is the power of the review industrial complex… Hegel has a full global dealer network and their warranties are fully transferable. One would think direct sale small time Chinese companies could do the same.
1 Like
It’s at this point the gear isn’t being broken in but the human is. Nothing wrong with that. Our tastes, preferences, biases, etc. change over time but I do wish people would stop pointing finger at the equipment and just admit they like something different now.
1 Like
A friend of my brother is getting the Holo May. My brother will compare it with his non-transformer DS and then bring it over to my place and compare it to mine with the transformers upgraded. Should be interesting.
10 Likes
I run the output of mine into a BAT VK50-SE which feeds a Jolida 3502p. Thus I get a nice warm, fat, rich sounding output while not at all mushy.
1 Like
Yes. The last DS update uses parts of the FPGA that previously had been unused, and therefore the newly used segments needed to break in.
1 Like
Plus, both the Denafrips and the Holo are user repairable if they think it’s a module (my hands have lost most of their ability to do things like that), and in the case of Holo, anything major has to be sent back to Hong Kong. Unless a company has U.S. based repar available, I will not buy their product.
2 Likes
The Holo can be returned complete with all packing and accessories within ten days, but with a 15% restocking fee.
1 Like
Only on Denafrips
Interesting thread over on Steve Hoffman forums…
Guys bought the Holo dac and comparing it to his Directstream.
1 Like
Just read through this thread and the measurements at ASR and the May looks like a great DAC to replace the DSD. I swore when I looked at this previously it was less than 5k USD. Was there a recent price hike or am I crazy and it’s always been around $5,500?
1 Like
Prices went up on the 18th. And yes it is a great DAC.
1 Like
Have you heard the May in your system or own one to know what the differences between the two are?
1 Like