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Old 10-07-2021, 02:26 AM
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Puma Cat Puma Cat is offline
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Default Holo May DAC in da house

A buddy lent me his Holo Audio May DAC to listen to and burn in for him. It's been here about 10 days now and is sounding better every day. This is the Kitsune Tuned Edition model, with dual mono power supplies in the external power supply chassis.



It's sounding pretty nice, clean, quiet, and neutral, but it's changing from time to time as it burns in. I've heard it needs approx. 500-600 hours to fully burn-in.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components.
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  #2  
Old 10-07-2021, 04:03 AM
Joe Appierto Joe Appierto is offline
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There has been a lively thread with over 800 posts on the Holo May KTE DAC over at the PS Audio forum. I've been impressed by how much of it is positive and I'm looking forward to your thoughts as it burns in.

Its basic signature is set pretty much from the beginning but there is an extended period (they've discussed 500-1,000 hours) before it fully comes into its own.
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  #3  
Old 10-07-2021, 02:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Appierto View Post
There has been a lively thread with over 800 posts on the Holo May KTE DAC over at the PS Audio forum. I've been impressed by how much of it is positive and I'm looking forward to your thoughts as it burns in.

Its basic signature is set pretty much from the beginning but there is an extended period (they've discussed 500-1,000 hours) before it fully comes into its own.
Hi Joe,
Yes, I've heard it need something like 600 hours or so to burn in. It's clear that it's going through some changes as it burns in. It started out kinda "sharp and zingy" right out of the box, then got warm and wooly for a while, and now it's settling down a bit. It still reminds me more of my Schiit Gungnir MB than it does my Lampizator Baltic-3.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components.
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Old 10-09-2021, 07:03 AM
LarsT LarsT is offline
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This DAC has interested me for a while now. The reviews I have read have been very positive. Startlingly good is the impression I get. Outstanding measurements.
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  #5  
Old 10-10-2021, 02:23 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LarsT View Post
This DAC has interested me for a while now. The reviews I have read have been very positive. Startlingly good is the impression I get. Outstanding measurements.
It's getting there, Lars. I'm listening to it right now, and it's becoming more fleshed-out and natural-sounding. I've heard some other owners say it needs 1000 hours of burn-in, so there still may be a lot to come.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components.
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  #6  
Old 10-10-2021, 02:24 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LarsT View Post
This DAC has interested me for a while now. The reviews I have read have been very positive. Startlingly good is the impression I get. Outstanding measurements.
It's getting there, Lars. I'm listening to it right now, and it's becoming more fleshed-out and natural-sounding. At present, I woudn't refer to it as "startingly good". I've heard some other owners say it needs 1000 hours of burn-in, so there still may be a lot to come.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components.
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Old 10-15-2021, 08:13 PM
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Hi Puma Cat, any updates on the May? I have a Spring and am thinking about moving from Spring into May to take full advantage of my Heritage Specials (although the Spring definitely is no slouch!)
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  #8  
Old 10-16-2021, 06:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robfine View Post
Hi Puma Cat, any updates on the May? I have a Spring and am thinking about moving from Spring into May to take full advantage of my Heritage Specials (although the Spring definitely is no slouch!)
Hi Rob,
The May is still running in...I'm running it even when the system is off just to get hours on it.

However, I had an audio buddy come over today and we listened to the Holo May for most of the time, and it sounded nice and all, and then we listened to the Lampizator Baltic 3. Both of us concluded ...get the Lampizator.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components.
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  #9  
Old 10-16-2021, 10:44 PM
JMD JMD is offline
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Rob

I've owned the May KTE since April so mine is well over 1000 hours. If you like the Holo sound then the May KTE will be a big improvement over an earlier Spring and according to reports even over the current Spring 3. I also own a fully tubed DAC like the Lampizator and it is just different from the May in it's basic presentation. So it comes down to the presentation type you prefer and if the tube aspects of a Lampizotor type of DAC are acceptable to you or not something you want to deal with. I can switch back and forth between the two as I haven't found a reason to sell the tubed DAC. You just have to decide which direction you want to go in. I chose the May KTE and Puma chose the Lampi as a primary. Neither choice is wrong.
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Old 10-16-2021, 11:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JMD View Post
Rob

I've owned the May KTE since April so mine is well over 1000 hours. If you like the Holo sound then the May KTE will be a big improvement over an earlier Spring and according to reports even over the current Spring 3. I also own a fully tubed DAC like the Lampizator and it is just different from the May in it's basic presentation. So it comes down to the presentation type you prefer and if the tube aspects of a Lampizotor type of DAC are acceptable to you or not something you want to deal with. I can switch back and forth between the two as I haven't found a reason to sell the tubed DAC. You just have to decide which direction you want to go in. I chose the May KTE and Puma chose the Lampi as a primary. Neither choice is wrong.
Good points.

To be clear, I don't own the Holo May DAC, so in my case, it's not a matter of choice; it's simply on loan from a friend to listen to and get some hours on it. I'm listening to it a lot and enjoy it and fully understand that it may change (improve) considerably as it gets more hours on it.

I do own the Lampizator.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components.
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