That’s what they state, but they are cagey in not explaining what they actually are doing. Regardless, it may sound good.
I wonder if Jeff Zhu hangs out on forums and shares like Ted? With the translators built in to the browser now I should explore a few sites. Perhaps with a machine booted with a portable image just to be safe.
The business model in the US seems to be just keeping up with demand too and likely losing customers because of the lack of response or delayed, or icy reply.
Time will tell if the distributor retains Holo but I can say the exterior is exceedingly well executed and I have no doubt will last the test of time.
It consumes 40W and the entire case is a heat sink of copper and aluminum. On top with IR probe ~99F in my environment. Summer months I may mount a 140mm low RPM fan just above to just help with the heat load but I’m sure the parts are spec’d well above 37C.
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Well I must have been lucky when I sold mine. But let’s go with 2800 USD even then he is talking 2200 USD for a new Holo May.
If people are only getting 2800 for the DSD that over 50% off without the bridge card. That is a major hit on resale.
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505 to 60% off of MSRP is pretty standard depreciation for used audio.
I guess I am living right. I have sold tons of gear over the years and 60% off is pretty steep. So people are selling a DSD for $2400 - $2700? There are a few for sale on usaudiomart and none are in this range. If people are happy selling around 60% off good for them. I sure would be happy buying at this discount.
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It is just a range for all types of used audio. Specific prices depend on the equipment, age, condition, etc.
Or get the Spring 2 for ~$2k. The Spring 3 is coming out soon and will be the May ‘equivalent’ in a single chassis, non-mono design.
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I paid $3k with CA tax and shipping included new 3 years ago. Sold it for $2450 net to me (20% hit). I was happy with the exchange. I don’t expect many of us are playing with 3k-6K DACs and really worrying about a few hundred are we?
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Thanks for the info on the Spring 3. I’m sure the separate power supply on the May makes a big difference but I like the idea of a single box. I’ll be ordering one as soon as they are released. This also means I can also pick up a used DSD because as Al would say, you can never have too many DACs!
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Oddly enough I finally found myself having one too many.
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I suppose my primary point is that with a 350 to 6 million ratio, the future never looked brighter for DSD. Got 'em right where we want 'em (rhetorical sarcasm emoji) 
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A one-step ladder has no advantage over a single resistor – the “ladder” part of it is completely superfluous for DSD playback.
And likewise, the output impedance of the DS DAC also doesn’t depend on any number of bits.
I’ve praised Holo’s R2R implementation before and will do so again. Their linear compensation network is a stroke of genius. It’s just that none of that matters when playing back DSD, which is the point of my earlier comment.
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Brett can you give an example of were you hear the great decay characteristics on the May?
Name of the track with a time stamp.
thanks
magicknow
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Yes.
And this is where I remain confused as to how the May DAC can be using a resistor ladder (R-2R or not) while claiming it is playing DSD “natively”–without converting a DSD input to a multi-bit signal, PCM or not.
A ladder DAC requires converting a multi-bit signal. Ladder DACs have an input for each bit of audio bit depth. Each digital input adds its weighted contribution to the analog output. There is no “ladder” if there is only a one bit signal.
DSD has a bit depth of one.
Chip based DACs typically convert native DSD to a DSD-like signal of 3 to 5 bits at 10’s of MHz. It is not PCM so they can accurately claim their chip does not convert DSD to PCM, but it is converted.
Holo Audio sates "it uses a very specific architecture which is optimized to perform DSD data to analog. So to be entirely accurate the DSD part of May Dac is using resistor ladders, not R2R… ”
My suspicion is the May DAC does not truly play DSD natively, but similarly converts DSD to a multi-bit DSD-like signal and then sends it to a ladder DAC.
Good suggestion. A great idea for this most valuable of resources.
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We seem to be talking past each other. I have very little to no DSD nor interest in converting PCM to DSD. The dac shines with PCM and in particular very, very high rate PCM.
All 44.1kHz PCM upsampled to 1.411/1.536MHz 20-bit sinc-M lns15
Decay:
Applewood Road - The album. Feel the wood in the recording space.
London Grammar - Hey Now - somewhat artificial but I get it more with the May
Kasey Musgraves - Slow burn
Shawn Colvin - Killing the blues
Hannah Connolly - The right words
Emily Scott Robinson - Overalls
Belle & Sebastian - The State I am in
Juanita Stein - Forgiver - shows off attack
edit: I thought of another album that shows the ambience and space really well. Leonard Cohen - Various Positions. I feel like I’m in the space while it was recorded. Everyone has a place in the ‘stage’; in time perhaps describes it more fully.
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I do not have a stake in the DS Sr. v. Holo May debate, but I want to take a moment to compliment PS Audio for allowing open discussion of competitors’ products on its forum, including in situations where – as in the case of this thread – some forum members are lauding a competitor.
In the same vein, I think it is very generous of PS Audio to allow people to sell used PS Audio gear on this forum – and at no cost. I sold my DS Sr. to another forum member via a post in the Marketplace section of this forum. There was no charge for the ad and no fee for the sale. If I had listed and sold the same product on Audiogon, it would have cost me approximately $117 in transaction fees.
This forum is a great community thanks to the members and thanks to PS Audio for allowing the free flow of information, opinions and ideas.
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Ditto on not having a stake in, or in my case, an informed opinion on the May. Though I would suggest those with itchy credit card fingers hold off on buying a new DAC (R2R or not) until two things happen. One is (assuming you have a DS) checking out Sunlight. It’s free and coming soon. The other would be checking out the DS2, which as Ted has mentioned is inheriting tech from the TSS. Well, I suppose there’s number three: The TSS, if it is in your budget. But the May and DS are in the same ballpark money-wise.
I’ve been going through similar struggles with choosing a new camera for work, and there are lots of new and fab things happening in that arena. It is very easy to get confused (as I have been) as to what is important.
Use case can be a big deal - as exemplified by Brett’s desire to process in software before the DAC, something I currently have no desire to do. I’m expressing no opinion whatsoever about what sounds better, as I don’t know. Much as I was attracted to recent Sony cameras that can shoot in near darkness with little noise - you watch some of the footage online and it is an exciting development. But then I realized I pretty much have no need to shoot in the dark, and there are other aspects of the cameras that are dealbreakers for me, despite having been a Sony guy most of my career.
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Hard to beat Fujifilm ergonomics. I ditched full frame Canon about 7 years ago and am very happy I did. I like to feel the controls not hunt though menus. Sony has great tech but lacks in feel/touch for me.
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