Holo Audio May KTE & Spring 3 KTE - Best DACs on the market?
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- Опубликовано: 5 авг 2024
- A review of the #HoloAudio May KTE and Spring 3 KTE #R2R DACs including comparisons with the @schiitaudio3138 #Yggdrasil OG and @ChordElectronicsLtd #TT2 & TT2 with #MScaler
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Model train crash video sample from here: • HO Scale Train Crash
00:00 Introduction
03:13 Glamour video
04:02 Design & features
06:39 Spring & May Levels
07:48 Inputs & outputs
10:57 Interface
13:10 Oversampling
14:59 XLR vs RCA
16:00 Playing upsampled files
17:14 Sound quality
17:41 Spring 3 KTE vs Schiit Yggdrasil OG
21:23 Output voltage issue (Spring & May)
22:25 Spring 3 KTE vs May KTE
24:08 May KTE vs Schiit Yggy OG
26:31 May KTE vs Chord TT2
28:55 May vs TT2 context
32:01 May KTE vs TT2 w M-Scaler
34:51 Final conclusions
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Channel patron, Snow Rang3r, has pointed out that my database of pricing is out-of-date. The TT2 is now $5,995 instead of $5,500 as quoted in this video. The Yggy OG is also $2,595 rather than the $2,199 I had in the database which is the Less Is More version price. Apologies for two errors in a single video!! The good news is that my conclusions remain consistent despite these updated prices. The Yggy is still better value financially and sonically than the Spring and the TT2's amplifier is still way ahead of what's possible with the May KTE and a $500 amplifier.
I would like to hear your opinion and comparsion of mola dac.
I'm keen to try the mola mola too!
I have the Yggy and TT2, Yggy cannot compare to TT2, sorry for saying that…
It's all a matter of personal preference so no apologies needed 🙂 and I do agree. Yggy is great, but TT2 is on a different level
There's definitely some truth to that and it depends on what people expect and value from headphones/speakers. I find that I consistently like the same DACs on my speaker setup that I like with my headphones
Great review. Detailed and straight forward!! One of the best review I watched on Spring 3 and May.
So glad you liked it!
Thank you, I have been waiting for the review on these DACs. Great job.
Thank you! Glad you liked it
Nice review. Appreciate the no bull approach and that you clearly define differences that you observe between products. Having options that suit ones' taste and preference is a good thing and it's nice to kinow that even at this level, there are choices avaibable to suit a variety of tastes and budgets.
That's really well stated. There's rarely a right or wrong / good or bad in this hobby. It's all preferential and also depends on the other pieces in the system.
@@PassionforSound Yep, it is about synergy and if that can be achieved then it;s an OMG, HC, WTFJH experience.
Really like your ability and willingness to learn. Your honesty is also much appreciated.
Always have to keep an open mind 🙂
It's times like these I am reminded that I'm very much a novice in this hobby. Very thorough review as always, good job 👍
No sweat and my pleasure 🙂🙂
Great review! All the best for the New Year.
Thanks Monty. You too!
Lachlan, your honesty is incredibly refreshing, another outstanding review! Happy Holidays from your friends in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Thank you, Chris! Happy holidays to you too! 🎅🤶
Passion, you have just saved me a lot of money. I almost bought the Spring 3 KTE until I saw your fantastic review. Thank you.
So glad I could help. To be clear, I think May is brilliant, but Spring is vastly overrated IMO.
@@PassionforSound Thank you.
As usual. A lot of wonderful information to allow amazing buying power for the audiophile. :)
So glad you found it useful 🙂
@@PassionforSound I did and I also wanted to say that I love the room you have for filming your videos. The lighting and setup is quite awesome. :)
Thank you for letting me know. It's taken a long time to get it where it is now and I'm happy with the results 🙂
I actually just added a print of one of my photos in that blank section of wall on the left so you'll see that in the videos coming soon too
@@PassionforSound. Of course. You’ve done a great job and I look forward to your extensive review of the DCA STEALTH once you get it of course to test. :)
Another great and professional review. I am awaiting my Denafrips Pontus II and stepping up from the Ares, and looking forward to your reviews on these products.
I'm very keen to try the Pontus and Terminator too. Enjoy your Pontus II!
Thank you for another great and thoughtful review. After reading / watching a number of excellent reviews about the Spring Dac I was ready to pull the trigger. However, after watching your review, your clear descriptions and your reasoning I decided to go with the Hugo TT2. While I obviously do not have the benefit of being able to compare the Spring to the TT2, I can say that I am extremely happy with my decision. The TT2 really is a marvel. It is versatile and can drive anything. I even enjoy the DCA Stealth with it, which I usually have connected to my tube amp. Thank you for your guidance with your excellent reviews.
So glad I could help. I think you've made a fantastic choice that can be your centre-piece in your audio chain for years to come
And for 10 grand more one can hear the thoughts of a singer :))) Great review, thank you very very much! Yggy is back on my shopping list all of a sudden, hmmm...
Haha. Now that would be interesting - a digital to analog and psychic converter.
This channel is really good. What would make it even better is adding reviews and discussions of integrated amps, power amps, pre amps, cables, speakers etc etc.
Glad you like the channel. Unfortunately, I have limited space and a small child. Neither is conducive to having large amps and speakers around. Maybe in the future...
Nice review mate.. subscribed -
Got the spring3 kte
Glad you liked the review! Thanks for the sub!
Congrats on 20K!
Thank you! It kind of snuck up on me after all that! 🙂
I've got a celebratory giveaway coming in the next video though...
OHH Shit!! Finally! Waited so long for this review!
Hope you like it then 🤞
Interesting review!
Excellent review. Great analytical description. I would love to hear your views on the Chord Dave DAC. Subscribed. You deserve a high following.
Thanks Karl! I'll see if I can get a Dave across my desk in 2022. I appreciate the support - thank you!
Another Excellent review. Based on your recommendation I got the Chord Hugo TT2, and I’m smitten with it, but based on all the reviewers, I was just about to trade it in for the hollow audio combo, but after listening to this review, I decided to just save for the M Scaler. So, thank you so much!!
I'm glad I could help and I think you've made the right decision! Enjoy! 🙂
Are you allready using the signalist hq player?
It has upsampling that mimics the m-scaler.
Maybe just untill you saved enough?😅
@@tdfmike3915 I’m ripping the M scaler benefits already he he he he
Great review Lachlan! I own the spring KTE and love it paired it with soloist 3XP sparkos and supercharger. The “smoothness” from Holo and sparkos is a great synergy with the 1266 phi tc. I bought my spring used so got a good price for it.
If you're looking for future Dac suggestions from the Holo/Chord path here is a short list you may see as steps above:
Berkeley Alpha Ref2
Lampizator Golden Gate 2
Totaldac d-1
Nagra HD
Mola Mola Tambaqui
Rockna Wavedream
Waversa WVDac
Aries Cerat Kassandra II
Audio Note Dac 5
Aqua Formula hd rev 2
If you're looking for something in a similar tier as the May/Chord here is a short list:
Berkeley Alpha Ref (OG)
Lampizator Amber 3
Nagra Classic
Waversa Dac3 mk2
Rockna Wavelight
Aqua La Voce S3
Concert Fidelity Dac
Sonnet Morpheus
Thanks Ace! I think the Spring would make good sense at secondhand prices or with more energetic headphones and I understand the 1266s to be a bit that way, but haven't heard them yet.
@@PassionforSound yet at a certain point system synergy becomes as important as the component’s technical ability.
System synergy is definitely important when playing with multiple products at the same general level of performance for sure
Hi Lachlan, I'm Khiem, your audiophile friend from Head-fi and Facebook. I have not heard the Spring KTE or the May, but I am currently using the Spring Lv2. One thing I noticed that was not covered in your review is that my Spring sounds SIGNIFICANTLY better when using the I2S input compared with other inputs.
I'm not saying the I2S will transform the Spring into total different beast. Just a thing that I found out after 2 years living with my Spring and have tried it with various inputs/systems.
Nevertheless, superb and informative review as always! Your feedback is spot on!
Hi Khiem, thanks for commenting and letting me know it's you! That's great info for others using / trying the Spring. Thanks for sharing that experience!
You need to get the very latest USB module. That makes a huge difference in how the USB input sounds.
Very good review!
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it
Looking forward to some model train reviews!
Haha. That's Passion for Steam 🤣
great comparison 👍
Thank you 🙂
Can’t wait to view your Yggdrasil review. Hope you can compare it to the Gungnir.
I can't compare it to a Gungnir unfortunately, but I will compare to Bifrost 2 which Jason Stoddard considers a mini Yggy (and with good reason it turns out)
The Fat Controller grew cross with Lachlan...thank you for a rose-lens-free review!
Haha. Yes, luckily no real trains were harmed in the making of this review.
Glad you appreciated the honest opinion. No doubt some will perceive it differently to me, but I definitely expected a lot more after hearing the rave reviews.
Lachlan I have read a lot about the May needing a LOT of running in. Any idea how much running in (ie burn in) the unit has had?
I'm not certain, but it is a demo unit that had been with another reviewer before me and likely had also been used by Hugo from Indie HiFi before he sent it out. I doubt it has any more significant improvement to show and it sounded excellent at it was.
Interesting review! I think at this level it really come down to personal preference... I'm owning TT2 and Spring 3 KTE at the moment, and I feel I enjoy Spring more than TT2, for that smoother sound :) I'm using Spring with Soloist 3xp / Feliks Euforia as headphone amp
That's really interesting, Alex. Do you find the TT2 too aggressive or something? Which headphones do you have?
@@PassionforSound I think I just feel TT2 a little bit dry, especially with the build in amp, I'm using ZMF Verite Closed or Arya Stealth version, which headphones you used in your review?
@@PassionforSound I think my feeling is really subjective, because as you know Spring is really huge in size, I can't put them side by side on my desk to do a AB test, I just use them in different room for different occasions... I will find some time to do a comparison again with the tracks you used in your review
I definitely agree that the TT2 can sound a bit drier. I did my testing with a mixture of the Elites, Susvaras and Verite Open (and maybe others). I can definitely understand people preferring the smoother tonality of the Spring, but I like the extra energy and detail from the TT2. Some of it could depend on musical tastes too.
@@PassionforSound Agree, I find myself enjoy Spring more on some old Chinese pop vocals, which mostly were not quite good recorded, and Spring is more forgiving for those tracks, but if I'm listening to classic music, I prefer TT2 for more detail
sorry, could you share what was your suggestion to serve as a balanced output for the Spring 3 instead of its pre-amp option please? I couldn't catch it. thank you.
I don't recall, David, but it was likely a Singxer SA-1, Burson Soloist 3XP or similar
Nice review. I did order a KTE Spring 3 a few weeks back during Black Friday sales and still currently waiting for it to arrive. I was looking for something different and not a Delta Sigma based DAC. I currently run a Chord Hugo 2 as my DAC through to various amps such as JDS Labs El Amp, Gustard H16, WA7 Fireflies and Sennheiser HDV820. Before making my decision I was testing between the Spring 3 KTE and the Chord TT2. Ended up with the Spring 3. Smooth and pleasing yet still spacious and impactful when needed. It was different which is what I was after. TT2 still had the Chord house sound just taken up to the next level. Next week I am hoping to try both the Soloist GT and GSX Mini. There is only a $100 difference between them here in NZ. Soloist does have extra features and probably a better volume control for the high output voltage of the Spring 3.
I have the Spring KTE for 3 months now, and after testing many high end dacs recently in my system, I can definitively say is the best dac I've heard so far including the May as well. I'm guessing this reviewer may have received a defective unit, because, is super resolving, the separation is simply amazing, and the sound balance is fantastic.
I'm very comfortable that it wasn't a defective product. It's more likely a question of the products used with the DACs and also whether you're using speakers or headphones. There are a number of R2R DACs which are incredibly popular with speaker users, but which I haven't particularly liked in my dedicated headphone system.
Ultimately, if you're happy with what you've got, that's great and we might just have different tastes.
To your point, Recce, it's great that you could try a few different DACs and choose the one that suited you most.
As you clearly stated, it must be the products used with the dac. Because I've tried many hi-end dacs lately and one of the strengths of the Spring 3 dac is separation and depth, as well as a very well balance natural sound.
Were you using speakers or headphones, Nicolas? I believe the speaker experience might be very different
I use to think the Hugo TT2 and the M-Scaler were outrageously expensive!! Thanks to you, I came to the realization that I could have easily afforded to buy the TT2 and the M-Scaler when I consider all the $ I spent/wasted riding hype trains over the years. For now I will have to be content with my HeadAmp GSX-Mini headphone amp and the Gustard X26 Pro DAC setup.
I have a Gustard X26 Pro as well. I'm very happy with the DAC. I was looking at Spring 3 because of all the talks about it. but had an eerie feeling which was addressed by Lachlan's video today. Great job Lachlan! Love your reviews, always!
Sounds like you've still got a great setup and part of this hobby is the journey to work out what we really love. 🙂
Apparently the X26 beifits from a good DDC. I understand your frustration with jumping on too many hype trains, it's all valuable experience though.
I'll be reviewing the SU-6 DDC in the coming months of that's of interest 🙂
@@SubjectE57 I'm tempted to jump on another possible hype train after watching Joshua Valour's recent review praising the new Abyss Diana TC. The Diana TC checks all my boxes. For now though I'm going to hold off until I watch/read more reviews.
Good honest review as always ! Thank god.
I haven’t heard the Holo May but I did have the denafrips Venus II on loan for two months and didn’t like it. Very wide soundstage but much too polite. Didn’t care too much for the timbre either.
Cheers
Glad you liked the review 🙂
I'm hoping to try more Denafrips gear soon. Hopefully some of them can impress me more than the Ares 2
How would you compare the above to the Bricasti M3h? (which I have and think is fantastic; so I am curious how it compares)
I haven't heard the Bricasti to comment - sorry!
Great Review! I have owned the Spring 3 Level 3 KTE for 3 months now, bought from Indie HiFi in Brisbane. Love it! If not for affordability
(on my part) at the time I would not have hesitated in buying the MAY KTE.
Glad you're enjoying your Spring!
I would’ve bought the May except for the price…so the spring is the next best thing….
Hi, Lachlan: First of all, thank you for your most enjoyable, insightful (and fair) review, and I'm mighty relieved that you picked the MODEL train over the full-sized one to wreck to dramatize your opinion of a poor money-for-value choice! The real one is a beauty.
A really crazy price-versus-quality-of-sound comparison test you COULD run (if you are able to and dared to) would be the Holo Audio MAY KTE DAC mated to the Holo Audio SERENE KTE preamplifier VERSUS the Chord DAVE + M-SCALER combination. The Chord DAVE is far more expensive than the Chord Hugo TT-2 - and is supposed to sound really great, ESPECIALLY when combined with the M-SCALER - but then you're talking a U.S.$15,000.00 price tag for those two CHORD products. The combined price of the Holo Audio MAY and SERENE KTE versions is a robust U.S.$10,000.00, yet it's still $5k less than the top-of-the-line CHORD pair.
We are beginning to enter the stratospheric pricing level of audio components at this point.
Hi Jos, glad you liked the review and the train footage I found.
As for the other comparison, I'm not sure there's much point comparing the two setups because, to me, the TT2 is already better than the May so the Dave should be even better again (and if not, I'd just be recommending the TT2 again). The addition of the Serene might change things a bit of it's adding its own character to the sound, but I'd probably be better off reviewing the Serene on its own then so as not to confuse matters as to which component is parting which qualities.
I appreciate the suggestion and hope this doesn't come across as dismissive. Just sharing my thoughts so it makes sense why I might not do that, but suggestions are always welcome and considered. 🙂🙂
@@PassionforSound There are SO many variables which can (and do) come into play when trying valiantly, as you, Lachlan, are doing with all your reviews, to fairly and honestly evaluate audio equipment, and clear away as much as possible the B.S. surrounding it.
Your biggest contribution to us readers and viewers seems to me to be that you are wiping away as much as humanly possible all the hype that can, like heavy smoke from a fire obscuring our view, make it impossible to honestly, with a clear head and open mind, appraise equipment such as the Holo Audio MAY KTE.
It's as if we audiophiles, with respect to our susceptibility to over-blown hype, are trying to safely drive our cars in a very heavy downpour whilst handicapped by a pair of broken windshield wipers. It becomes impossible to see the road ahead or to either side. Hype can have that much of a blinding effect on our ability to make truly rational buying decisions.
You are putting a new pair of WORKING windshield wipers (plus a fresh coat of Rain-X) on our blinded windshields, allowing us once again to see the audiophile road ahead far more clearly, DESPITE our having to navigate our way through an enormous deluge of HYPE! We stand a far better chance of reaching our destinations safely.
Great video and thanks for explaining the difference between the stereo circuit of the Spring versus the twin mono circuit of the May. As my own ears prefer the smooth large soundstage of the May even at the sacrifice of the last ounce of detail, I will head for that one rather than the Spring (or any other Dac at this point).
The May is wonderful - good choice!
@@PassionforSound Btw, an interesting claim by British reviewer GoldenSound (ruclips.net/user/GoldenSound) is that the May's + HQ Player upsampler beats Chord Dave + MScaler, whilst still respecting the Chord Dave as a very capable Dac. Of course that does require a PC acting as a front end, although the May's PLL circuit appears to protect it from computer jitter.
The May's PLL isn't a unique technology from them. PLLs are in every DAC around AFAIK including basic, ESS chip DACs.
I don't think I would agree with Golden given that the TT2 without M-Scaler is already better than the May (IMO) although they are close.
Also, as you said, HQ Player requires a PC so you can't get the benefits from a CD transport or standalone streamer, plus the HQ Player interface is overcomplicatsled for many people - there are SO many settings to consider and play with.
I'm not saying it's a bad setup, but I think there's a heavy dose of personal preference and perhaps bias (I don't know so I'm just speculating) in that conclusion. The May is great without doubt, but I don't see it being better than the Dave or TT2 so much as equal but different at best.
@@PassionforSound My impression is folk who rate resolution and dynamics highest tend to prefer Chord and folk who prefer tonality and soundstage (i.e. "British sound") tend to prefer Holo Audio. The May's PLL is of unusually high quality in that many reviewers cannot hear the difference between feeding it I2S or USB which is not true of most other PLL circuits. Agree HQPlayer is more of a hassle, although GoldenSound has published his recommended settings for it for the May. GoldenSound himself established his reputation when he famously debunked MQA sound quality some time back in a way that no one has convincingly contested his analysis since. As for Holo Spring 3 I have watched five positive reviews of it on youtube even though all admit the May is clearly better. They all say Holo Spring 2 was rather soft on transients but Spring 3 was significantly updated with May trickle down tech (esp, improved PLL circuit). Spring 3 also plays DSD which Schitt can't, has a less cantankerous warm up time, better PLL circuit, better build quality and along with the optional active preamp trickled down from the highly rated Serene is appealing to me in it's budget range for those practical reasons.
The best thing about this hobby of ours is that there's room for all different opinions and preferences and products to suit too. I definitely like the May a lot, but I do feel that the Spring 3 KTE was disappointing for its price.
Great review as always! I'm keenly following the DAC reviews now as I bought a Gustard X16 as a stop gap to match with my soloist until I can afford something better. Spring was on my potential list but hadn't thought about the Schiit DAC's so food for though there. Also interested why you didn't run the m scaler in front of the May to round out the view at the end? are they not compatible?
The Yggy is definitely worth considering. I'll be reviewing it early in 2022.
As for the M-Scaler question, it can't output its maximum sample rate to non-Chord DACs so I wouldn't recommend the pairing and therefore didn't bother to test it. Also, the results from the M-Scaler are fairly predictable so it's less about the quality of the DAC being maximised in any way and more just about the M-Scaler providing the same benefits on any DAC
What headphone did you use the most for your testing? Was it the Meze Elites?
Elites and Susvara mostly, but also Meze Liric, Verite Open, Verite Closed and probably some others too that I've forgotten.
I was curious about R2R Dacs after trying out different mid level Dacs in my system such as Chord 2qute, Simaudio moon 380 dsd and Hegel HD25, I decided to buy the spring 3 Kte WO ever listening to it.
The first 2 weeks with it were disapointing, but it does change quite a bit over time.
I had to reposition my speakers and my acoustical settings.
After 1 month of use I would say that it's the best Dac that I ever had in my system, it's detail retrieval is better than all of my previous Dacs, but Without it being in your face.
The only Dac that I tried briefly in my system that was better is Metronome "le Dac", but it costs double and I'm not sure which is more enjoyable to listen to.
Over all a great buy, but not my last Dac.
Glad you're enjoying the Spring! Thanks for sharing your experiences
Thanks for the informative review! Considering either Denfarips or Holo DAC now from Musician Draco.
Just curious if the review was done with speakers or headphones as I saw one comment here saying this review was done via headphones?
This review was with headphones, but having tested with both, I've found that headphones and speakers reveal the same things about the products in the source chain and headphones actually provide greater insight about things like resolution and detail retrieval because they're not working to overcome the room acoustics.
This review is excellent and also an honest effort put into making a fair comparisons but it is clearly a good example of personal preference. Contrast this review of the Holo May compared to the Chord Hugo TT2 to the review of the Holo May by Golden Sound who compared it against the Chord Dave a yet higher end DAC from Chord Audio and Golden Sound found the Holo May far more to his own personal taste all around. Both reviews well presented by two of who I consider some of the best and fairer audio equipment reviewers in RUclips channels and they continue to be top reviewers in my own personal opinion….
But as they themselves often state on their reviews, it all comes down to personal preference…. so for anyone interested on selecting and purchasing from any of these DACS, we must take the conclusions of all these reviews with a grain of salt and just judge them as good and honest opinions. And is good to listen to a variety of opinions to help us arrive at the best possible solution for our own personal use specially if listening in person to the various equipment options is not possible.
100%! We can only ever discuss what we like and why (hopefully with comparisons for context). It's so important to get to know a reviewer's preferences and how they align with your own.
For the record, I do think the May is a brilliant DAC.
@Passion for Sound, please add your setup to the video description. What headphones did you use? First, thank you for your review! That said, I think it's a bit odd to pair a $5500 DAC with a $1000 amp. It would be interesting to hear what you think of the May with something like the LTA MZ3 or a DNA Stratus, or other amp in that class.
Hi Henrik, I don't test with just one setup which is why I don't list a setup - it would be too long and complex. Also, I tested these DACs with the Soloist GT (not the basic Soloist) and Sparkos Labs Aries so $2.5k and $3k amps as well as the Bottlehead Mainline and Elekit TU-8200R.
@@PassionforSound Thanks for the clarification.
Were you able to consider the various levels for the May (:1, 2, or L3), and which were you reviewing? Sorry, if you mentioned it - it's a long video to try and find
No
I only tried the Level 3 KTE in both cases. I might be able to arrange another look at the May levels at some point.
@@PassionforSound KTE is the TOTL Build for all of the Holo Audio Dac's and based on my experience with them the upcharge is worth the money.
@@PassionforSound Thank you for the info
I own the same model Yggy you used in this review, paired with a Burson Soloist 3xp amp. I listen to my music almost exclusively through headphones, primarily LCD-4 and Arya.
Its really hard to imagine better sonic performance and charaxteristics.
I would like you to review a few USB Bridge/DDC devices and see if that perceptibly improves the performance of any of the DACs in this review, or maybe some mid tier DACs, like a Topping D90 or 70 series, RME ADI2DAC FS, Denafrips Aries, etc. TIA. Keep up the great work!
The Yggy OG is great and the gains in spending more are definitely diminishing!
As for DDCs, I hope to review the SU-6 DDC in 2022 so stay tuned and I'll try it across multiple DACs like the DO200, D90SE, Yggy and TT2
This really helped reassure me that the gumbi mb or Yggy are the way to go. Thank you!
My pleasure. The May is a brilliant DAC, but the Yggy OG is still my preference over the Spring and therefore at the price point it's one of my top recommendations
@@PassionforSound have you tried a decent ddc with the yggy to see if it can come close to the may? Would be interesting
I only had the May for a short time so didn't compare directly, but I have a DDC with the Yggy now and it still doesn't match the TT2 so it also wouldn't match the May. I love the Yggy, but it's not on the level of that next tier of performance
@@PassionforSound that’s fair, you get what you pay for! Happy listening!
You too 🙂🙂
I know this is a dac review, but since you compared it to your tt2, did you have any plans on getting a chord anni? Would really like to know how it would sound with the chord qutest compared to a tt2. Great review by the way.
I'd actually really like to try the Anni too so I'll see what I can tee up...
Great review!! What about the May plus the M-Scaler? How does that sound?
Thanks Carlos! I didn't bother trying it because the M-Scaler provides predictable benefits regardless of the DAC you feed it into. I.e. better spatial details, more depth in the soundstage and a smoother but still detailed and textured sound.
This review is super interesting to me. I'm in the process of replacing a Naim NDS and have so far auditioned the full Aurelic stack and the Chord Dave and mscaler. I can't try the dCS Bartok or Halo May so you eliminating the May and GoldenSound eliminating the Bartok is really helpful.
Glad I could help! That Bartok review was interesting, wasn't it? I'm hoping to audition one for myself at some point to see if I agree with GS.
But GoldenSound clearly prefers the May KTE over Chord DACs, so what did you really learn? You have to listen yourself and make up your own opinion.
Yes, auditioning for yourself is always best. Alternatively, find reviewers you consistently align with (either agreeing or disagreeing) and use that as a reference
I subscribed. Why?
You review with music I can relate to instead of with only techno genre I’ve never heard of or want to listen to.
Thanks for the sub! Glad you find my music references relatable 🙂
I’ve heard that the Spring requires a long burn in period like up to 400-500 hours!
How long did it burn in before you did your review?
These were demo units that had been reviewed by at least one prior reviewer and likely listened to by Hugo from Indie HiFi as well. Which is to say that I don't know for certain, but there would have been plenty of time to get through the major changes of burn-in (if needed) because the majority of change happens early in the process.
@Robert M: I read from one commenter's post on another RUclips audiophile review of the Holo Audio MAY that HIS experience with his MAY KTE DAC was such that it took him the better part of 900 (yes, NINE-HUNDRED) hours' worth of break-in-time before his MAY finally cleared the break-in goal posts and began sounding, to his ears, remarkably and sublimely MUSICAL, to the point where listening to music moved him to tears. His MAY had THAT much of an emotional impact on his listening experience. He very clearly stated that, when getting a MAY, we "have to GRIND OUR WAY through the lengthy break-in process" before we can truly begin to appreciate what the MAY can do. Here, copied/pasted, are his own words:
Jeff Trimm9 months ago (edited) - in response to "THE KING IS CROWNED - HOLO AUDIO MAY DAC REVIEW" - on RUclips by NEW RECORD DAY (Ron)
"Fantastic review! I'm a new Holo May KTE owner, and I think you nailed it. One comment to current and prospective owners on burn-in: I bought a Holo May KTE and got it a few days before Christmas, 2020. It has been my personal experience that 500 hours is not sufficient for burn-in. At least in my experience, it took 900-1000 hours before the MAY's sound-stage, imaging and tone quality really opened up & started sounding truly beautiful and startlingly lifelike. Up until this point, I would get a day or two where it would seem to make a big improvement, only to regress in sound-stage, tonal and sound quality. There were a lot of ups and downs for me, and then starting around 900 hours or so, everything really started to gel in an incredible way. The transformation at this point has not been subtle. I can only say that whatever sound you hear and impressions you have of the Holo May KTE when listening to it when it has undergone fewer than 900-1000 hours of burn-in, is only a facsimile of what it will sound like after it has truly and finally broken in. You have to grind through the hours to get the payoff though. In my case, 39 days of 24x7 play. It seems insane to require that much break-in time, and YHMV (Your Hourage May Vary), but this has been my experience with my KTE edition with all of its upgraded caps and fuses inside it. When fully burned in, it is a truly magical and beautiful-sounding source with a realism that is startling, coupled with a lovely natural tone. Also, don’t skimp on the USB cable if USB is going to be your source. I’m running a Shunyata Sigma USB cable, and it is worth every penny. Also, per the review, the quality of the streamer, Ethernet cables, and even the network switch all have non-trivial impacts on the sound. I have a SotM switch/cabling running into an Auralic Aries G2. The resolution of the Holo May KTE is such as to make audible the positive impact of all of these up-stream upgrades. Anyway in summary, when getting this device brand-new from the factory, be sure you grind through the burn-in hours, potentially 1000 of them, to unlock the ultimate sound-capability of this beguiling DAC, at least in its KTE form. Don't pass judgment until after you have done the leg-work, and then be prepared to be gob-smacked. The transformation in those last 100 hours is magical." End of copied/pasted report.
Honest review.dont get that every day.well done.😅
My pleasure! It was possibly an over-correction of the hype at the time, but I still feel the same about them: May is excellent as a standalone DAC and Spring is still overpriced IMO.
Thank you for the detailed review, it was quite enjoyable.
I compared my DAVE + Hugo M Scaler with my friend’s Holo Audio May KTE and had a very similar experience. The May KTE is a wonderful DAC(second best DAC I’ve listened to) but the DAVE with the M Scaler edges it in detail retrieval without sounding harsh, while also providing a more holographic soundstage. We were listening to the STAX SR-009S powered by the Kevin Gilmore Grounded Grid electrostatic amplifier to compare the two DACs. The DAVE also provided slightly more bass response as well.
Sounds like a wonderful setup you tried. Thanks for sharing your experiences and confirming what I heard. It's always nice to know I'm not making this stuff up 🙂
Thanks for this. I was afraid I was missing out by not having the May. TT2 seems like a good option.
You could still be missing out. He used the Burson Grand Tourer as the headphone amp to pair with the May. A different amp could noticeably change the way it sounds.
That's true that amps can change the way it sounds, but I also tried the DACs with the Sparkos Labs Aries, Bottlehead Mainline and Elekit TU-8200R with no change tou preferences on any of them. If anything it reaffirmed my views because none of those amps are as transparent as the GT and therefore make the Spring sound more muted and the May was largely unaffected so the gap between the May and TT2 remained.
I think the TT2 is still the best choice for both sound quality and value for money (DAC, preamp and headphone amp)
@@PassionforSound Hey, thanks for the response. What headphone would you say you used the most in this comparison? Was it the Meze Elites?
@@PassionforSound And I did purchase the GT after watching your review, and I must say, it is an amazing sounding amp. I absolutely love the amp.
Glad you're enjoying the amp! I used the Elites and Susvaras about equally I'd say. I also had the Lirics, Verite Closed and Verite Open during the time I was auditioning the Holo DACs
Do we know where the Holo Audio units are built?
Thanks for this review! Your mention of the Yggdrasil OG reminded me that there are 3 versions of the Yggdrasil - the Less is More, the More is Less, and the OG. Is there any chance you can compare these different versions?
I'm pretty sure they're made entirely in China, Neil.
I had hoped to compare the multiple Yggy flavours but shipping costs and the challenges of the pandemic made that impossible so I worked with Schiit on just getting the model I was personally most interested in which is the OG
@@PassionforSound Thanks! For some reason, I thought Holo Audio was a US company. I like the Ares II, and I like the Bifrost 2 - I am a multibit DAC fan.
Yes, this pandemic is making things complicated in many ways. I am pretty sure I would want one of the 20bit versions - but this is a hope/dream at this point.
Thank you for the great review. Very timely and thorough. Any plans on testing the new Esoteric N05xD? That should be really interesting! I consider it not only a top-level dac, but also an awesome balanced headphone amplifier, balanced pre-amp, and integrated streamer. I just decided to sell all my separate components for this esoteric, and I was a true believer that separates would almost always be better…
I've had no experience with Esoteric yet and don't know if I have access to loan/demo gear, but I'll gladly look into it.
which do you find the better dac between the Holo May KTE Level 3 or Denafrips Terminator 2?
I haven't tried the Terminator 2 - sorry!
For someone who wants the best dac and amp for listening to purely EDM what would you recommend? Still the tt2? Or burson x3 gt with dac?
I still think the TT2 is the best source chain I've found, but the Holo May and a Soloist GT or Sparkos Aries would also be fantastic
@@PassionforSound Ok a update from this question. 10 Months a go I bought a TT2 and Holo Spring 3 KTE together with a Ferrum Oor+Hypsos.
After spending most of this year listening to the TT2 , Spring 3, Oor etc to diferent music genres with diferent headphones and comparing every day it was clear "to me" the TT2 is no match as a DAC to the Holo Spring 3 KTE.
What is even worse is the amp stage of the TT2. I personally thought was miles away in technical performance to the Spring 3+Oor combo.
I am "NOT" claiming your review is a lie or false. But I do think the way you tested may be affecting the sound negativily.
I used my pc USB straight to the DACS with no DDC feeding the DACS.
Both DACs were using XLR to the Ferrum Oor for comparison. I fitted a switch box so I could instantly switch from one dac to another. Both were volume matched and was using ROON for all my testing.
Also I frequently used HQplayer with both DACs as this is superior to MScaler. For me there is a clear winner as a DAC and that was the Spring 3 and a clear winner as a Amp and that was the Oor.
It was not even close, the diferences were apparent the more time I spend a/bing.
The short story is the TT2 sounds like a wall of sound with less detail and less tamber information. The Spring 3 Soundstage is so natural and realistic compared to the TT2.
Again the TT2 sound like a wall of sound infront on you in comparison. Being a reviewer I am not sure how you came to this comclusion as this is very clear to my 40 year old ears.
I also have got a Gustard 26x pro that I use as a DAC to feed the Oor sometimes and this was more close to the TT2 dac performance.
But I still would recommend the Gustard X26pro for raw detail over the TT2 as a DAC.
I like how the Holo Audio Spring 3 sound so much I am selling the TT2 and replacing it with the Holo Audio Bliss headphone amp.
Personally I think the TT2 is trully overhyped and would not recommend it especially for the price.
Hope this will help anyone deciding in the next purchase.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with the Spring, etc. Here are a few thoughts/comments and a question.
Firstly, which headphones were you using for the tests?
I didn't test the Spring with HQ Player because I like to review products without additional add-ons that won't suit every user so that will definitely change performance compared to what I experienced.
Something else worth mentioning is that we all have different priorities and preferences. I don't disagree that the Spring probably creates a deeper, larger stage than the TT2, but it came at the cost of articulation and energy in the sound and on the leading edges of notes and that's not a trade-off I like to make. It's why, for me, the Schiit Yggy OG was a better DAC than the Spring.
None of this makes anyone wrong or right and hopefully your comments and mine will help potential buyers to decide what will suit them best.
I'm curious what settings do you use.. also curious to know how spring3 KTE is going on when HQ player used or properly high quality source used.
I tried OS and NOS (as I think I discussed in the video). I provided very high quality sources to all devices tested and, keep in mind, that the benefits gained by one DAC when fed a higher quality signal will also translate to other DACs receiving the same high quality signals. I didn't test with HQ Player partly for the reason above (same benefits apply to all devices so the differences remain), but also because that immediately limits the options for people using the DAC to being fed only from a computer.
@@PassionforSound I 'm happy to see if you make a vid about comparing yggy vs spring3 KTE(w/ HQplayer).
Because it is on different league when you using it.
Thank you for your response :)
I don't own the Spring so I can't do that - sorry
Hey brother. Is the May and spring a bit less dynamic than the Yggy? That is are the May and spring a bit soft in attack?
I think R2R discreet DACs are being a bit overhyped as the flavor of the last year or so.
Some say the May and Spring are a bit of ‘ pipe and slippers’. Too soft and not energetic enough.
I feel like the Spring definitely fits this description in relation to the Yggy OG. The May has a better sense of energy to me and is a DAC that I really like. If not for the TT2, the May is what I would own. I definitely think the Spring was overhyped.
Not sure if you mentioned it in your review but how will the Burson Soloist 3X GT pair with the Schiit Yggdrasil OG? I currently have the Audeze LCD-5 and Soloist 3X GT being fed by the Topping D90se.. While the D90se sounds really good, I think I can get more out of a higher end DAC.. I was looking at the Schiit Yggdrasil, Holo Spring 3 KTE, Matrix X Sabre 3(not sure this is much of an upgrade to D90se both being ESS/delta sigma), or maybe a Denafrips offering... ugh so many options to consider!
I think the Yggy / GT combo is brilliant. It would definitely be my choice based on the options you've listed! Most of my testing (not all) was done using the GT as my reference amp.
@@PassionforSound Apparently the Yggy has 3 versions now.. the LIM, MIL and OG.. have you tried the other 2 variants? I've been reading that the LIM seems to be the one people are preferring. Any thoughts on this?
I haven't tried the others. COVID, shipping costs, parts shortages, etc. killed that idea. I'd love to compare them though
@@PassionforSound I went ahead and purchased the Yggy OG. Can't wait to give it a go! Cheers!
I hope you love it! I certainly do
Great review, i recently bought a Spring 3 KTE, it sounds quite natrual to my ears. Few points i want to lay out: 1、Total production costs of a "ture discrete resistor ladder dac" is pretty high,higher than the chip based Schiit products;2、A true "NOS R2R" dac is hard to find at this price level, even Rockna uses its internal OS;3、I once heard the TT2, the sound is kind of "digital" to me. Anyway very honest review, keep fighting towards 20K subs!
Just need to mention one more point, about Spring 3 is lacking detail compare to schiit ygg, that is impossible to my understanding. The "more detail" you heard from YGG could be its harmonic distortion since the measurement of ygg show that(schiit does their own honest maesurement report), but lower THD doesn't mean it sounds bad.
Hi Max, they're very good points about the R2R being more expensive to produce. For me it is all about the sound quality produced and not the technology used which is why I favour the Yggy OG.
There will also always be personal tastes and system synergy to consider so if you're enjoying the sound and you're happy, that's all that matters. 🙂
@@maxjiang9663 THD is not a 100% related to what information you hear. There are a lot more variables at play than a simple number.
I wonder if anyone's tried the M Scaler with Holo Audio Spring or May DACs.
If so, what were your impressions? thx...
I haven't, but I also probably wouldn't because the M-Scaler is limited on its output to non-Chord DACs. It needs the dual BNC setup to hit the highest sample rates so you're hobbling it somewhat when using with other DACs. Of course, for those with Chord DACs and others, that could.make sense, but not to use the M-Scaler only with a non-Chord DAC.
Better to go for HQ Player with the Holo gear and that should reap excellent rewards.
I bought a Holo May KTE .. has 230 hrs on it .. it’s in a system with Aries G2.1 , Hugo2 , Modright KWH225i Integrated Hybrid Amp,Boenicke W8se+ speakers . Less Loss Filters and cabling .. Lush ^3 USB and Intona Profesional USB cables
And it is an awesome DAC ..soundstage is awesome
Sounds like a great setup. The May KTE is a brilliant DAC.
@@PassionforSound it is .. but i agree with you that my Hugo2 .. on some tracks i prefer .. so i will be looking for a Used TT .. or maybe a Dave .. but i have yet to hear a Mola Mola .. would love a direct comparison video .. of a chip based DAC .. for a system with a May .. to be a super detailed DAC
I'd love to try a Mola Mola too. Maybe on 2022...
@@PassionforSound hi have you ever tried the Lush ^2 or ^3 USB cables .. i have had the ^ 2 in a past set up .. sold it to a friend when i no longer needed it .. have had the ^3 running since i got the May .. The Intona Professional version USB just showed up .. and while it cost double in price .. they are both going to be kept .. they are very different Lush is well Lush .. and Intona is really kinda freaking me out .. i have been going back and forth between the 2 for hours .. it needs some hours on it .. but this is a detail oriented cable top to bottom .. never heard anything this revealing
Thanks for letting me know about them..I haven't heard of those before so I will check them out if I get the chance
R2R technology, including the May, apparently gives you a more realistic rendition of music with things like resonances, air around instruments and spatial placement being more life-like than Delta-Sigma. It could possibly be due to the high amount of digital processing involved in D/S DACs. In your opinion, is the Hugo TT2 able to compete with the May when it comes to these nuances or does it, in comparison, sound "flatter", more digital/processed and more synthetic?
I absolutely think the TT2 competes on those factors. "Traditional" DS designs using ESS, AKM, Cirrus Logic chips, etc. definitely fall short in those areas, but the TT2 (and all Chord DACs) are designed very differently despite technically being DS. I feel like the May produces a little more space perhaps, but the tonality, resonance and texture of the sounds are a little better from the TT2 so both are excellent and on par with (for me) the TT2 being slightly better due to having just that touch more accuracy on the tonality and texture/micro details
@@PassionforSound Thank you very much for your reply. I have been considering saving for a May but my issue with it would be that I wouldn't want to spend any more money on my set-up (that would be a huge expense on its own) and as you've rightly pointed out in your video, the May would require an amp alongside it that would be good enough not to hold it back... All of a sudden the TT2 looks like a better option, I just wasn't sure about how close these two products are to each other, i.e. if the May offers something that the Hugo's digital processing simply cannot match (some people claim the May is uncannily life-like). Also, there are people who claim that the May is even better than the Dave which would imply that the TT2 is not in the same league.
Having spent the time I did with the May and TT2 side-by-side, I really don't get the assertions that the May is somehow superior to the Dave when it only just matched the TT2 to my ears.
It's possible that people aren't taking into account factors like system synergies (how well the DAC and amp suit each other sonically, which headphones are used, and even the interconnects used) so it's absolutely possible that an optimised May is better than a TT2 or Dave, but the reverse would also be true that an optimised TT2 will be better than a non-optimised May.
Something else to consider is whether they are using headphones or speakers for their listening. I haven't tried the May with speakers so it's possible that alters things.
Finally, as for the processing side of things, remember that it's ALL digital audio so both DACs are processing the data (and heavily). The May is often cited as sounding best with upsampled audio from HQ Player while the TT2 is doing much the same thing internally (although HQ Player is theoretically more powerful). Rob Watts' design of the Chord DACs is all about maximising the accuracy of the analog waveform - i.e. ensuring precise reconstruction from the samples to the sound. I think we sometimes feel like R2R DACs are somehow keeping things more analog, but the reality is that it all comes from a set of samples so the more precision and processing that goes into the reconstruction process, the better. I don't say this to suggest that the TT2 is automatically better in that regard so much as to say that when we're talking digital audio, more processing might actually be preferableand shouldn't be seen as a negative.
@@PassionforSoundIt's always a pleasure listening to and reading your opinions, but I must say it is doubly so now that I've spent a while on the Head-Fi forum where there are at least a few individuals who seem hell-bent on defending their preconceived notions of what's right and wrong in the audio world :)
You're right about the consensus being that the May truly spreads its wings when used with the HQ Player.
My understanding was that a truly NOS DAC like the May has less digital processing involved as it doesn't oversample by default and as such doesn't need to deal with as many issues as a D/S DAC (noise etc.). On top of that, because it has a natural high-frequency roll-off it inevitably produces a slightly different sound which is liked by some and perhaps for one reason or another sounds more realistic to some people (well, there's nothing particularly interesting about the roll-off but if the smaller amount of digital processing results in more life-like sound then I thought that this could be a game-changer).
Following from that, I would think that an ideal situation would be a NOS DAC with oversampling via software such as HQ Player, because: 1. It gives you the option to experience NOS whenever you feel like it (unavailable on other types of DAC); 2. You get a more pure base sound which you then oversample with highly customisable software).
As I've said, I've not experienced any of this so I have no idea how this theory translates into reality and whether all this hassle is worth it.
Because of my limited budget, I am considering getting a TT2. My headphones are also easy to drive and this combo takes care of any potential questions like "Is my amp good enough?", "What if I used different interconnects?" :)
I thought that I would first check with you, however, to see how big or small a potential gap is between these devices. To be fair, it would need to be pretty big for me to want to save so much more money to get a May AND an amplifier. Especially since it's possible to get a TT2 second-hand at a decent price.
I have a D90 now and an Ares II - the Ares II makes me miss the D90's resolution and precision while the D90 lacks the "time domain" of the Ares and sounds a bit lifeless/soulless. Instead of being happy with both devices they have made it almost impossible for me to enjoy either of them, hehe, which just means that I've learnt somehing new and it's time for a vertical, as opposed to a horizontal, change. I hope that I won't be disappointed with what the TT2 brings to the table. :)
If you want a balance point between the D90 and Ares II (that's better than both), it's very hard to go wrong with the TT2. As you say, avoiding the issue of interconnects and DAC/amp synergy is a huge bonus too.
Keep in mind that you can get the same HQ Player benefits with the TT2 as you can with the May (even though they process the incoming signal differently).
The May has a slightly fuller, slower (not in a bad way) sound, but I can't imagine anyone being unhappy with either so I think you're making a great choice.
Was waiting for this one, thank you! Seems like there's a gap between the TT2 and the Schiit Bifrost. What is your go to Dac around 2k? Too bad the Yggdrasil does not have i2. Even if it's just a trend, it becomes a standard for lesser Dacs. The Denafrips Pontus ii to is getting quite positive reviews. As always, great content, great delivery.
There is a bit of a gap - I agree. The Qutest is one obvious option, but is limited for inputs and outputs. I think Yggy would be my other choice, but if I2S is important, you'd have to look elsewhere. I'm hoping to be impressed by either the Pontus II or the Musician DACs at this level...
Great review , have you heard merason frerot Dac? What are your thoughts? Looking for Dac in 1500-2000 range
Glad you liked the review. I haven't heard the Merason Frerot - sorry.
Hi Lachlan.
Nice review.
Have you tried running your headphones out of the balanced outputs on the TT2?
If you haven’t I suggest it.
Just my 2cents about the May is that there’s people running it into Benchmark THX amps that are very flat and the warmth added by the May might be just benefiting them.
Totally agree the TT2 is a fabulous dac and hope Chord make the Mojo2 a killer product.
Keep up the great work.
Hi Glen, glad you're liking the channel! I tested the XLR outputs of the TT2 for the Susvara review and found no significant difference if using the same cable. You might actually find that the wire used for the twin XLR connections might be imparting the favourable qualities because (if I recall correctly) Rob Watts actually runs everything (including speakers) from the 6.3mm outputs because they're a more direct, simple signal path and therefore preferable. Personally I heard no noticeable difference when the same wire type was used for XLR and 6.3mm.
@@PassionforSoundhmm... I believe I read somewhere that chord doesnt believe in balanced designs.
If you need balanced anything you dont have enough power for your (perfectly clean) single ended signal😂
Yep. Chord are among a number of companies who favour a good single ended amp design over balanced because it can create a simpler and more transparent signal path. For the record, I think it all comes down to each individual circuit as I've heard fantastic balanced designs too.
Solid train B roll
Thanks Randy! I thought it illustrated the point nicely 😉
Interesting! Based off of your awesome reviews and recommendations I picked up the Meze Elite w/ silver upgrade cable and Burson Soloist GT w/ 5a super charger. Loving them so far! Currently switching between the Bifrost 2 and the VMV D1se to see which one I prefer. Open to investing in a new dac if it is a better match for my amp and HPs. Is there a dac that would get me close to the TT2 quality? Should I try the Chord Qutest? Will it be a upgrade or a side grade to the Bifrost 2?
What gave me confidence in my amp purchase was when you compared the GT to the TT2 and said it was pretty much equal with the deference coming down to preference.
After watching this review, this doesn’t seem to be the case. Seem like the TT2 is easily better than the GT? Especially if there is no reasonably priced dac to pair with the GT to compete with the TT2.
Now I am wondering if I should have gone with the TT2? Wish I had a easy way to compare these expensive products before purchasing them. Anyway, thanks for the advice!
That's an interesting (and probably fair) conclusion you've drawn about the TT2 and the GT, but I do think it's very close to the TT2 rather than your understandable conclusion from this video.
There are soany variables to consider when reviewing or listening to multiple devices at once and the May + GT combo is a bit different than the TT2 + GT combo. The GT is a slightly punchier sounding amp than the TT2 amp so it is still different, but I do rate them on par and use the GT quite a lot still even though I have the TT2 so that's a good indicator of the quality.
As to your question, the Qutest will be a nice upgrade over the Bifrost 2. I can't speak to the D1se as I haven't yet been able to try it. The TT2 is still the best DAC I've tried for the price, but it might be redundant getting a DAC and amp when you have the GT. The Holo Audio May KTE would definitely be another recommendation. If it wasn't clear from this review, I think it's a great DAC for those who already have an amp.
@@PassionforSound thanks for the clarification. I really do appreciate you taking the time to respond to my questions. I know you must be FLOODED with them. Your commitment to your community is not lost on me! This is one one of the reasons I went with your recommendations. Your passion (no pun intended) really shines through!
I think I am going to grab the Qutest next week, test it out, settle on the DAC that pairs the best with the Meze / GT, and then enjoy the setup for many years to come.
The upgrade from the A90 to the GT was not subtle! It was an improvement on every level. Much more than any DAC I added.
To think… this upgrade path was sparked by your Elden Ring HP video! 😁
So glad I've been able to help and especially through a video that nearly didn't get made! 🙂🙂
Great review! Any chance you could do a quick setup reveal before the review, i.e what source, cables, headphones. I can only assume you're using quality components but everything before and after the DAC can greatly affect the overall sound impressions in my opinion.
I'll see if can do something in the future. The challenge with it is that I don't only use one setup for testing. I'll generally use 2-3 headphones at a minimum and 2-3 amps for a DAC review like this one. I do use just one setup for my note taking part where I describe the comparisons, but that's just to illustrate what I've heard across multiple setups.
Hi, great review as always! Any plans on doing a review on the Holo Bliss headphone amplifier?
Unfortunately, it seems the fact that I didn't rave about their DACs made Holo Audio a bit grumpy so I'm not sure if I'll be able to get a Bliss demo unit from the local distributor ☹️
I really like your reviews and hope you could review the enleum amp-23r one day.
Thanks Leigh! I've never reached out to them so I might do that and see what we can arrange.
Ideally I'd have liked to know your impression of feeding the MAY KTE an upsampled feed when comparing to TT2 w mscaler .. Either feed MAY from m mscaler or via software (eg Audirvana, HQplayer etc). Late comment on this upload lol!, ... sorry as clearly too late to check. Just thought I'd share this comment as I did acquire a MAY KTE and do via Audirvana feed and upsampled feed and do notice a difference to detail retrieve and no loss in the richness of the sound. I do however use primarily for speaker vs headphones listening.
Thx and love your videos!
Based on many people's suggestions, the May might sound a bit better with upsampler inputs, but the M-Scaler isn't the ideal source for this because it's severely limited when used with non-Chord DACs.
The May is definitely an outstanding DAC whether you're using it with upsampled content or not so I think you can buy with confidence and then decide later if you prefer upsampling via Audirvana or just the bit-perfect output
Great review, the Spring 3 KTE is about 2700 USD brand new in Hong Kong here from local dealer. At that price does your recommendation change? thanks
No, I'd still buy the Schiit Yggy OG if you can get it for the same money or less. The Spring really didn't impress me. (The May did)
@@PassionforSound thanks! Hugo tt2 is 10% cheaper than May KTE here and takes up way less space. Would you recommend getting Hugo Tt2 instead?
100%. The May is great, but the TT2 is a sightly better DAC IMO and is also a top notch headphone amp and pre-amp
I'm due to receive my level 2 May dac, from Hugo in about a week so my decision is made. One of the reasons I chose the May was due to its excellent USB implementation that helps in almost eliminating jitter and interference. It also had a few tricks to sort out timing issues. I think that the way you connected the May, over - rode many of the technologies that make a May work at its optimum. From what I could gather from all the reviews on line, you have to use USB to enjoy it at its full capacity.
You've chosen a great DAC. Despite preferring the TT2, I do very much like the May. I did most of my testing with USB and always seek to maximise the potential of each device I review (without resorting to applying modifications or major external tweaks)
@@PassionforSound My Bad, I ass - umed that at 26:45 when you said that you compared both units with BNC cables, I thought that the May might have sounded better had you done the comparison with USB. I do have a different use case than you and as you stated, different features are useful depending on the application. I already have a headphones amp, a Oppo HA1 paired with PM1 phones. (used for only late night duties) This also served as my first DAC (and a gateway drug into hifi). I have to use USB as my server/streamed (Aurender ACS10) only provides USB out. This is fed into a Oppo UDP205 Bluray which I'm using as a DAC until the May arrives, which is the final piece of the puzzle. The May will then feed a Luxman c700u/m700u pre and power amp driving a pair of Magnepan 1.7's and a pair of REL T5x's. I guess I'm expecting a "next level" of performance out of my system when the Oppo goes back to showing movies and the May takes over. Looking forward to finding out.
Hope you experience the leap you're looking for!
@@PassionforSound Just got the May this morning. What a coincidence that I was feeling too sick to go to work all of a sudden. I have to say that I'm truly happy with it. It totally fixed the sibilance problem my system had and unexpectedly gave a great boost to the bass of my Magnepans. This came just in time as I was about to buy a pair of REL t5x's as I was never satisfied with the bass side of things. I wouldn't say I now have ALL the bass I want but I'm getting quality bass over quantity. The thing that I relate most to the reviews I have seen is that it's not fatiguing. This is thankfully true. It is said that it needs a few hundred hours burn in time, WHAT? It gets better than this?
So glad you're enjoying the May! They're a brilliant DAC.
I can't comment on burn-in because my demo units were already used. It'll be interesting to see how much change you actually notice. Burn-in is real, but I think the impact of it is often wildly overstated and most changes will occur quite early in the burn-in process IME
Great review! I'm looking to upgrade from the Chord Qutest and very much appreciate your comparison of Holo's DACs to the Yggy. I actually came from the Bifrost2 to the Qutest and that was a significant upgrade on my system. I love the Qutest and I think it's a fantastic DAC and I know you're taste appeal to the Chord sound which is why I trust your ears. Before this review I actually was contemplating on the Spring 3 as from other review's sounded like it was the next step up from the Qutest. The May and the TT2 is just a bit out of my comfort level budget wise. I look forward to your review of the Denafrips Pontus II or the Venus II to hopefully help with my decision. For now I'm curious on your thoughts on how much better is a Yggy from a Qutest? Is it twice better overall? Cheers!
Glad the review was helpful! I wish I had a Qutest here to compare to the Yggy because it's very hard to know if either is better or if they're just comparable. I wish I could help more, but I honestly don't know - the Yggy is probably not doubling the performance of the Qutest given that it's a fair way behind the TT2 still (as you'd expect at the price).
I'm looking forward to trying the other Denafrips models too - 2022 should see at least one of those models on the channel
@@PassionforSound Thank you!
I wish the TT2 alone would do it for me, but after trying other dedicated class a amps, it’s clear it’s not beefy enough to make the Susvaras really sing. Have you ever tried the XLR outs from the TT2 into the Susvara? Supposedly that provides it more power but not sure if it helps at all in reality.
I did try the XLR outputs and felt that it made no noticeable difference. I agree that the Susvaras need a warmer/richer amp to be their best. TT2 is just too dry/neutral for the Susvaras IMO
Fair review I thought . I’ve got the kte May atm, and I slightly prefer it over the tt2 but it is close as to preference, as you rightly said. I do think the spring dac in a hifi makes lots of sense and disagree on your point on that dac, but I know you don’t deal with speakers, since in the U.K. at least one version of it - spring 3 level 2 sounds better than the Denafrips Pontus 2 for similar money imo.
There's definitely nothing wrong with the Spring. I just think the Yggy OG offers better value for money performance because they're on par or perhaps the Yggy is a bit better (this will be somewhat preferential) and it's cheaper
@@PassionforSound thanks Lachlan, I never got to try that one. One things for sure never discount Chinese at this quality, as some American and British people do.
Absolutely! Making judgements about products based on their origin is a mistake IMO. China have invested a huge amount in their manufacturing capabilities and often have better capabilities than other countries. Likewise, countries like the USA and UK have their fair share of crappy products too
Another excellent objective review! As much as I've been enjoying the Bifrost 2, I've been wondering if moving to a higher end dac would be worthwhile. The Yiggy is the natural inclination since I love the BF2. I was interested in the Denafrips Pontus II, and was also looking at the Holo Spring 3. Your comments about the Spring 3 vs the Yiggy have really helped clear the muddy waters. Now I wonder which version of Yiggy is best......!
Glad you found it helpful! I'd have loved to compare all three Yggy flavours, but shipping costs, parts costs and COVID in general got in the way. In the upcoming Yggy OG review, I have compared the Bifrost 2 and Yggy in detail. Hopefully that's some help 🙂
@@PassionforSound Yes, very helpful, thanks! Looking forward to your comparison of the BF2 and Yiggy. When will you be releasing that review?
It's up on RUclips, currently available to patrons only, but not long until it is released into the wild (about 1-2 weeks away IIRC)
@@PassionforSound The waiting is the hardest part! In a nutshell, would you say the difference in cost to go with the Yggy is well worth it?
Yes and no (not trying to be obtuse). The BF2 is incredibly good for the money. The Yggy is definitely better, but it's also huge. For me, if you have the space and the budget and you're looking for a DAC that can easily be endgame then go for the Yggy. It's not the best DAC I've heard, but it's really good enough that you could stop seeking more IMO
Another excellent review.
I agree with the hype train analogy, it's funny how people develop polarising views and strong language regarding the performance of certain products. When you get the chance to listen to the product yourself and compare the SQ to your own experiences the hyped expectation is never met. Great DACs sound great, that's it. The actual audio differences between good hifi DACs, streamers etc is so subtle most of us would fail blind testing, yet the price differences are ridiculous. Anyone who uses language like 'night and day' and 'leaves it for dead' when comparing expensive DACs/streamers is someone you should not be listening to.
There's a lot of truth in this! There are some notable exceptions, but they're just that - exceptions.
I think it's quite telling how quickly a lot of these "best DAC ever" type devices don't get talked about within 5-6 months of the initial hype.
@@PassionforSound True, and its funny how people talk up DACs they've never heard.
I have a simple Eversolo A6, I use it for transport only into a Michi P5 preamp.
The background is black ink, the vocals sublime and the instruments are 99.9% as good as I've heard on any system at any show (I have ATC's). Yet people say the A6 is 'night and day' to the master or the new wider model. Without even bothering to sample the other models I can tell you the difference would not be night and day and It would be very hard to tell the difference. A nice, neat data transfer with low jitter is what you want and all you need and the A6 achieves that very well.
People lose their heads, you can't make it sound better with fancier equipment, it's just data.
Yes, hyperbole is all too common in this hobby 🙂
Awesome review; detailed and clearly unbiased - thanks!
FWIW, I own the May and Serene Pre both KTE (speaker system). IMO the May is a really good deal for the money but it is no giant killer as it has been hyped to be.
It offers detail retrieval, imaging and separation like i have never experienced before (and that's the reason it's starting in my main system). However, overall it sounds ever so slightly shouty, with a some tendency towards unnatural sibilance. Furthermore, soundstage depth is unacceptably lacking for the price. Thankfully, these shortcomings were almost completely remedied by pairing it with a tube Pre. (Don't care much for the May - Serene combination!)
Overall, I find the May to be very system dependant. I can think o several rigs that I have had in the past for which the May would not have worked at all.
Thanks again for one of your finest reviews. Your content is Reference level!!!
Thank you, Juan!
That's really interesting about your experiences with the May. I was very impressed with it on my system so it's great to see some other experiences that people can consider before making any purchases
Great review, nice insights!
The ‘chain dependence’ though is spot on: in my system the Spring 3 - level 2 outperforms the Yggi LIM for sure in terms of overall balance and flow.. at my neighbor’s system it is a different experience: the Spring sounds dull and boring where the Yggdrasil opens up the music. That’s way you can never totally rely on reviews. Trust your ears 👍🏻
@@vincentvdvelde Thanks Vincent! Very interesting comment regarding the Spring and Yggi in different settings - and useful for those like me who live in places where auditioning is impossible and all sales are final.
I am keeping the May because it's the best I have had, by far!, but ONLY after changing my preamp and rolling some good old tubes (and geting lucky, I guess).
I will keep the Serene cooking in the rack for a few more months and give it another try. What a wonderful hobby or ours, isn't it...
I definitely agree that one review is never enough to make a good decision because system synergy and personal taste can definitely play a part when the differences are only minor. Glad you're enjoying the Spring!
@@BrentLeVasseurYou are absolutely right Brent. After lots of hours (lost count, just kept them going for weeks while at work ) all undesirable aspects went away, completely! At the same time, all good traits got even better. I cannot be happier with the May and the Serene now. In my experience as a bit of a gear head, I think they are an incredible value. M.y good old (and expensive) tube pre is now boxed up and stashed away for good. Thanks for your comment.
Is there any better power supply choices for TT2 or just leave it be?
The TT2 doesn't change regardless of the power supply because the super capacitors within the DAC provide all the power. The external power supply is only charging the capacitors
@@PassionforSound Sounds great. May's been my goal for a very long time. But now is TT2 after watching this video. My question is if I'm using TT2 with M-Scaler and plan to use the built-in amp. Should I just get Dave instead? I heard Dave is a awesome DAC but TT2 has better built-in Amp?
I haven't compared the TT2 and Dave yet. My understanding is the same as you that the TT2 has the better amp so it depends what you're looking for. My understanding is that the TT2 has a bit more weight and punch while the Dave is even more transparent apparently
Great timing on this review (well, at least for me selfishly). As an owner of a HugoTT2 and M Scaler on my main 2 channel system, I am looking to upgrade my Chord Qutest on my smaller near field 2 channel system located in another room. I recently added a Jay's Audio CDT2-MK3 to the smaller near field system and would like to replace the Qutest with a DAC which uses the i^2s connection and is compatible with the Jay's CD Transport. Why? Well, I believe the hype train on i^2s is the real deal. I have a Pro-Ject DAC Box RS2 and Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 in my headphone stack. After going between a similar quality coax to a similar quality HDMI (AQ Carbon), I much preferred the sound of the i^2s termination. I look forward to a potential Denefrips review in the future as the Terminator II is on my short list. Cheers!
Glad it was helpful. The May would still be an excellent choice even though I think the TT2 is slightly better. If you're only looking for a pure DAC, the May sounds wonderful.
I do hope to get to the Terminator 2, but don't know exactly when I'll get there.
How do you like the Jay's CDT. I love the looks, but £2.5K is a lot. Worth it?
@@johnratcliffe6438 It's built as well as it looks and the playback quality adds better transparency with transients, imaging, and timing. I love it.
@@rdoogie71 Did you compare it to any other CDTs? I have mailed Willow Audio, who distribute in the UK, to see if a home demo can be arranged.
@@johnratcliffe6438 I was able to compare it to a Cambridge CXC V2 , a Pioneer Elite universal player, and a Marantz Ruby. I preferred the Jay's.
Great video and review... as usual 🎉👍👏!! Viewing this Mar. 05, 2024 for first time. You got me thinking about the Yggi OG 🤔. Looking to upgrade from Gen 1 Topping D90. I have DDC Singer SU-2 using I2S... which I've enjoyed for many years! Yggi OG doesn't have I2S. Would it still be worth using my DDC with AES interface on Yggi OG?? Thanks much for any input / advice!!
The Yggy OG is great and responds really well via the AES input from a DDC (I use the SU-6)
Good comprehensive review. 👍. Thank you. The May KTE is Holo Audio’s flagship DAC. The Chord Dave is the their flagship. Then how good do you find the Dave. It would be interesting how you find the Denafrips Terminator plus😎👍
I'm keen to try the Dave properly (I've only used it at shows) and the Terminator too. Hopefully in 2022 I'll get the chance
I have the May KTE and use i2s which really opens it up
It's a shame I didn't have a good I2S source to try at the time
Good review and even for me the May did not made me fall off the chair when I listened to it first. Having said that, when comparing TT2 + external upsampler Mscaler, please consider this combo of Holo May + external upsampler HQplayer ($250) .. and only then being a fair comparison, the game is on :-) I found this combo did lost a bit of timber but was on steroids in terms of dynamics, impact, layering, resolution, clarity. Kindly let us know if you are able to compare. Cheers
Hi Ganesh, I can't make that comparison because the May was only on loan. However, I also didn't choose to explore the HQPlayer route because the TT2 was better to my ears without any upsampling so you could equally buy a TT2 and use HQPlayer to get even better results. I still think the May is a wonderful DAC and for those who don't need the pre-amp or headphone amp capability of the TT2, I'd always recommend the May as a great choice.
Got it, thanks. Also if you can get hold of Rockna wavelight DAC which is comparably priced then please share your thoughts on them as well, looking forward to that. According to the HQPlayer team, HQp works well only with certain DACs i.e. many Holo & TotalDAC models and few other DACs. I didn't ask the technicalities on why only certain DACs are recommended to be paired but this is a confirmed positioning from HQp team. I know it might sound bit unintuitive :-) but it seems to be the case. May out of the gate is good but does not live up to the hype considering my preference but when HQp adds to the mix then this completely extracts every bit of May's and the song's potential. Sorry, didn't mean to talk about an up-sampler in this DAC section but thought it is relevant to share it
No problems at all! All conversation is welcome anywhere 🙂🙂
I own both TT2 and M-Scaler and May L2.
I have a different perception from you: I find the May to be more airy and spacious, more grainy, more "analogue" and the TT2 combo to be more punchy, detailed, but with a narrower soundstage and element separation.
As you said though, at this level it's just a matter of personal preference...
Sometimes the terms we use to describe things can mean different things for different people (and there's no right or wrong). Glad you shared your impressions though because it might help others.
For the record, I do think the May is an outstanding DAC!
This leads into the whole oversampling discussion. Obviously, he doesn't perfer NOS sound. Spring 3 has none, May is limited. I wonder why he didn't run either through the Mscaler in his review? Or perhaps why he didn't use hqplayer. This is why the holo products can go up to 1.5m taps as an input because quite frankly, oversampling should be done externally with a product desinged for it. The May only does it because of the AKM chips inside had that functionality, but it is marginal at best.
Also realize, that the amps he is using aren't in the same category as these products so it's ability to highlight the diffrerences should be taken into account. I have questions about the Burson (love them) chain being. Perhaps trying it on other amps may show something else. He has AAS, forgot which one, looks like a Pendant(?) behind him. What is interesting is he is the first reviewer to really call out a huge difference between the Spring and the May. This is surprising, even to Kitsune which makes me think that there may be something else going on. Not to take anything away from the Yaggy. It is a good device, but like the Chord it has better oversampling built in than either of the Holo products and without taking that into consideration or adjusting for it, I understand his views, but depending on your setup your milage will varry. Personally, I would rather spend $250 for hqplayer than $5k for an mscaller, but that is just me.
Hi Roger, you're making a bunch of incorrect assumptions here. I tested the DACs using the Burson Soloist GT and Sparkos Labs Aries - both top tier headphone amps. The amp behind me is a Bottlehead Mainline, not an AAS amp - it's excellent, but not as good as the other two I mentioned.
The reason I didn't test the Holo DACs with the M-Scaler is because it completely changes the cost of the system. As I showed on screen and discussed, due to the need to invest in an amp for the Holo DACs (not needed with the TT2), the cost of adding an M-Scaler takes it into a different category. It's also a non-ideal setup due to the limited output from the M-Scaler to non-Chord DACs.
Finally, the same upsampling that will improve the Holo DACs will improve other DACs too like the TT2 for example. Suggesting that a DAC needs extreme upsampling to sound it's best basically means that people are forced to spend more than the list price to get the performance they're expecting. That's a drawback to me, particularly if the other options at the same price sound great with no added fuss or expense.
Hi Marco, I tried both. Which would you say do you prefer?
@@simonprice2923 the tt2 is gaaaaawn 😜 that says it all.
Great review as always Lauchlan. You basically answered my question of whether or not I should sell my TT2 and M scaler to buy the May KTE. I think I'd prefer the detail over the slight bass bump and warmth of the May. Just curious, which filters did you try when listening with the TT2, was it mostly incisive? Wondering if filters 3 or 4 got similar results to the warmth of the May. Cheers.
Glad you liked the review! I only really use filter 1 for TT2 on its own or filter 2 when using the M-Scaler (both incisive). Filters 3 & 4 might provide a hint of smoothness, but they don't change the presentation of the sound enough to match the fullness of the May. I personally think you're making the right choice by keeping the TT2 (I really wanted to prefer the May just for something different) and I'd recommend getting the extra warmth/fullness further down the source chain with your amp or transducers because you can never regain that extra detail that the May loses compared to the TT2, but adding some richness is easy to do.
@@PassionforSound awesome thanks. Were you using the stock BNC cables? I'm thinking of trying out Moon Audios black dragon BNC cables
I was using the Wave High Fidelity BNC cables. I haven't tried the Moon Audio Cables.
@@PassionforSound serious stuff. Worthy upgrade to stock bnc would you say? Or would it be better to invest in a LPSU
Both are worthy upgrades, but I'd probably go for the BNC cables first
Interesting review. I’ve been following reviews and forums for the Spring and the May for a few months and it seems that those who have committed to a May and own TT2 eventually move away from using the TT2 as their main after a few months.
Another common theme in the forums is burn in. Most people love the sound of the Spring and May out of the box but after some burn in time ( or running time) they found that it opens up more and exposes more detail. It could be subjective but at least with my mid-fi gear burn in does help with some negative qualities I remember from initial impressions.
A few people have suggested 1000 hrs for the May to open up (which assuming reasonable listening patterns) is 6-12 months, but the most common number I’ve seen is 200 hours. I’m not advocating that you can only review things that are fully burned in, and I know you do spend a fair amount of time reviewing a product so that you do let the electronics settle, but its something worth doing a follow up with older units.
I think the main reason why people would prefer the Spring or May aside from that 3d space is the timbre from NOS. Most people say that it sounds very “natural”, like “real music”, like “analogue”.
There are better DACs I’ve read about, the WaveDream, the Tambaqui. But they’re far more expensive . The Terminator II is probably on equal footing.
Anyway, great review and I hope to see more high end DAC reviews.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments. I believe both of these DACs had already been fairly well used by the time they reached me. Probably not 1000 hours, but I'd also highly doubt the validity of those claims. Burn-in is definitely real, but in my experience the vast majority of any impact from burn-in will happen quite early with only subtle differences evolving after that.
I agree that R2R and NOS are all about tonality which is why I do prefer these over most delta sigma DACs I've heard. They just don't stack up (to me at least) when compared to Schiit's Multibit approach or Chord's WTA filtering and high tap approach.
I hope to review the Pontus and Terminator in the future 🤞🤞
@@PassionforSound Disclaimer: I ordered a May which will come in January, so I did quite a bit of research before the purchase. Also this is just an opinion based on the opinion of others.
Some believe that the choice of amp can make a difference in the details of the May and Spring, using the Burson may not have the best synergy. That being said, some people on forums recommended even more expensive amps.
There's no doubt that system synergy is real and important, but I used multiple amps including the Soloist GT, Sparkos Labs Aries, Bottlehead Mainline and Elekit TU-8200R (modified).
The reality is that it's often about personal tastes and preferences. A system synergy that I think is perfect may still not appeal to others and that's totally fine. If people say review X is wrong because they didn't use amp Y it's a bit misleading because it all comes back to personal preference which are inevitably variable from one person to the next
@@PassionforSound The burn-in in May is difference. It sounded great out of the box but the first 100 hours or so the sound change all over the place. Sometime its better sometime its worst. After about 200-300 hours it start to get stable and then continually improves. Now the more I listen to it the better its get. This is the only gear I have that do this to me and needed this much burn in. Even my tube amplifier burn in quicker than the May.
If you look inside the May then its kind of make sense why it needed a lot of burn in. There seems to be a lot of power filtering and large capacitors inside. Holo May is also the only DAC I can think of that has 4 transformers. We do know that these can change the sound characteristics quite a bit as electricity is being passed through them.
All fair points, but I believe these units were well used before arriving with me.
How these dacs compare with HoloAudio Cyan 2 ?
I haven't tried the Cyan 2 - sorry
how much better is the May than the Spring in terms of percentages in your opinion?
I find it impossible to work in percentages with audio gear, particularly when the differences are as intangible as they are here. There's a realism and liveliness to the sound of the May that's not there in the Spring for me. It's a significant jump in the sense that I wouldn't buy a Spring, but it's absolutely buy a May.
I recently picked up a holo spring 3 level 1 in the second hand market. The only dacs I have to compare it too are the bifrost 2/64 and the Burson composer. The Holo ( 2nd hand) at 2 x the price of the bifrost 2/64 is a steal in my opinion. It beats the 2/64 thoroughly imo in all areas except the bass where the 2/64 is just a touch tighter. It is definitely! worth 2 x the price but not 3.5 times ( normal retail price). If you can pick up one of these at a good price in the 2nd hand market I would definitely consider it. You have next to no chance picking up a good second hand yiggy in Australia.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with the Spring, Joel! So glad you're enjoying it and that you got it at a great price.
Excellent review as always. I have a pair of Acoustic Energy active speakers and I need a dac, a preamp and a headphone amp. Price notwithstanding what would you choose between an all in one solution like the hugo tt2 and a burson soloist 3X preamp/hp amp + qutest dac combo? On SQ alone… I will be listening mainly to speakers and quite rarely through hp so the dac and pre sections are more important than the hp amp one.Thanks
The TT2 is still the easy winner here because the DAC and preamp stages are outstanding even without the HP amp.
@@PassionforSound Thank you👍
Hi Lachlan. A couple of days ago I eventually bought the TT2 in part also thanks to you. I'm very, very happy so far😊One more question if you don't mind. If you had the chance to compare, did you find the XLR outputs better sounding than the RCA ones on the TT2? My active speakers have both XLR and RCA inputs, I presently use a pair of RCA's from the TT2 in to the speakers since I don't have a pair of XLR yet. Any thoughts on this? Thank you very much
Another thing, do you think that a LPSU added to the TT2 will improve sound quality over the stock one? Sorry and thanks
So glad you're enjoying the TT2. I haven't found any difference between the RCA and XLR outputs. I believe Rob Watts actually favours the single ended outputs (6.3mm and RCA)
Thanks for the great work!
Wondering how the May benefits paired with Holo Audio's Bliss amp rather than the Soloist
The May is a top tier DAC so it will definitely scale along with better amps (and the Bliss might best the Soloist GT - I'm not sure).
That said, other DACs like the TT2 will also scale with better amps so adding a different amp won't change things in any absolute ways.
In short, May is definitely excellent and deserves to be considered alongside the other great DACs on the market, but I don't see it as definitively better than the equivalent competition regardless of the amp used.
@@PassionforSound Thanks for the thoughtful response! Makes sense
How does the Chord Qutest compare?
The Qutest is around about the same level as the Schiit Yggy, although I've never directly compared - this is based on other comparisons I've done (like Qutest vs Gungnir Multibit).
The BIG question I dare to ask (only now) is, what power cords were used with these DACs? I strongly suspect that the Spring was the one most affected by this important aspect...
I was using the stock power cords with all of these. I didn't have any high end power cables at that time. It's also worth noting that I would always match cables (power, interconnects, USB) when comparing devices. I have 2-3 of all my main cables for this reason
Maybe one more thing... Owners of those Holo DACs report that they need at least 500-600 hours of burn-in, before they fully reveal their sound. Some even mention 800-1000 hours without turning them off, so esentially more than a month of uninterrupted playing. Do you know, how old these ladies were before you got them?
I don't know exactly. All I know is that they were demo units that had been with at least one other reviewer before me
You definitely have very different opinions from someone like GoldenSound. He really liked the Spring 3 and thought that the main differences in Sound is the May is just slightly faster. He definitely thought the Spring was better that the Schiit Yggdrasil
It's not uncommon for my opinions to differ from GS. It's a good idea to check out some other reviews of ours on products you're familiar with to decide which of us has similar tastes to you.
great review as always, i'm wondering what amp you think is good with yggdrasil?
It depends more on what you're driving with it and what sound you're after. Pairing DACs and amps is less about the synergy between the two and more about the resultant sound you want from your system.
Thank you for answering one more question is there a difference between Yggdrasil+ and Yggdrasil og? @@PassionforSound
The Yggy+ is the new version with the more modular chassis. You can buy the OG, LIM and MIB versions within the Plus platform.
thank you so much I really appreciate your time and effort you put on this channel keep it up mate@@PassionforSound
My pleasure. Happy listening!