My digital journey

[tuga]

@Roby79 your impressions will be interesting, as I suspect you will be the only member of the forum who has the chance for a direct comparison between Spring KTE and May - and indeed May L2 vs KTE. So...

1. What system was used?

2. Spring vs May.......overall, by what % was the May better and in what areas?

3. May L2 vs KTE.....overall, by what % was the KTE better and in what areas?

4. Is the May worth the extra over the Spring?

5. Is the May KTE worth the extra over the L2?

6. Did you compare The May's Internal OS vs NOS?

7. Did you hear what the likes of HQPlayer can do?

8. If going for a Holo DAC, where would you put your money and why?

9. Were you on your own?

Sounds like someone's about to go shopping.

 

[CnoEvil]

Sounds like someone's about to go shopping.

Absolutely.........................................NOT!

 

[Roby79]

@Roby79 your impressions will be interesting, as I suspect you will be the only member of the forum who has the chance for a direct comparison between Spring KTE and May - and indeed May L2 vs KTE. So...

1. What system was used?

2. Spring vs May.......overall, by what % was the May better and in what areas?

3. May L2 vs KTE.....overall, by what % was the KTE better and in what areas?

4. Is the May worth the extra over the Spring?

5. Is the May KTE worth the extra over the L2?

6. Did you compare The May's Internal OS vs NOS?

7. Did you hear what the likes of HQPlayer can do?

8. If going for a Holo DAC, where would you put your money and why?

9. Were you on your own?

Explain more tomorrow het some pictures

 

[Roby79]

I can say already this before writing tomorrow
Didn’t hear everything that I wanted
An the holo preamp is no match for the AMS
Result is that we said I go down ther for an other listening session with the AMS after John did his magic

 

[Roby79]

Like you know took a trip to Magna Hifi Netherlands, the distributor of Holo Hifi for Europe (like Jeff the founder for Asia an Katsuné for America). It was a pretty long drive 235k so I left around 8 am
The owner I met is Rob Really nice an very technical.
He explained a lot, some parts I admit I lost him.

The set was a Spring L2 (no KTE ☹ ) an a May KTE
preamp was the Holo Serene
connected to 2 Audio GD 100w class A Mono blocks (this combo is far from the AMS sound IMO, I explain later why) GD is actually the brand of one of the 2 founders of Krell who started on his own
That @CnoEvil an myself thought those where Sonus Faber speakers is understandable, When Franco Serblin sold SF he started a new project Durob Audio an this is one of his design
Streamer was
Grimm Mu1 (12k streamer supposed to be one on the market, will explain why I say this )
second streamer
Mano Ultra MK3 + Farad Power supply (1.4k The Mano is his personal design)

This is a little about the situation an set
Have to go,
Will talk about the experience a little later an my findings an preferences

 

[Roby79]

So when I Arrived I was a bit surprised the Spring was an L 2
First we had a long chat about what I already tested my findings an why the hell I do a 235km drive to audition the Holo May

When we finally decided to listen to music he explained what he set up
do the reason he use the Serene is that he has 2 xlr inputs so he could switch easely between the Spring an the May

He also switched of the pll of both dac's as that was managed by the Grimm (somthing I would not do, but thought ok we will see)

First impression this is really nice,... I don't hear those basses the same way I did at home??? I was immediately thinking what did he do?? As we talked about it on the phone

At first on Dylan's Man in a black Coat the 2 dac's where so close, I was thinking by my self (an I couldn't stop thinking how would this sound at home ?? I was thinking I have a more transparent an Dynamic system than this, differences would be clearer )

yes You could here a wider stage an somehow a touch more realism in the voice
Everything had a little + the timing between the instrument's was clearer
was this a 2K difference ???

Don't get me wrong I love those little aspect's I just sum, an it's worth a lot to me (even if most of my friends an my GF don't understand)

Don't give up the differences where clearer voice had more tember

but overall I found the presentation al little to bright actually an it sounded good can't deny but personally I was think I miss that inch of dynimic

Than Rob said: Grim do something very that other brands just don't seem to master... They upscale everything to 172k
I was directly thinking that must be it....

Didn't say anything, but just asked : can you connect the Mano?

than we played Birds from Dominique fils aimée I think (that we just played before)

An yas that was more like it
edges where gone, The contra bass was there with more presents, everything seemed to be more in the right place
Voice where even more realistic than before not say warmer but heavier with more presence
Like you could hear theme breath but without be irritating like the d2 could do sometime

as it was harder to switch we listen to more tracks on the may I was really enjoying the moment
Than I asked to put the spring back
There I could hear how close the are, but I also could hear what missed.
that définition the may is just a little better, Bass had just that little more tune an tightness on the last note
The voice of Senead O'conor on Don't cry for me Argentina is just that more open

I put the May again an thought to my self there is a small but clear difference
I could easely life happy for years with the spring KTE
So it's something I need to figure out for my self is that 5 or 10% worth the +- 2k...

Well those are characteristics I really enjoy an value a lot, but 2K is a lot of money
If I would have to save an othe 12moth's I provably say no (but I don't)

Any way after 6h demo I'm undecided, but I admit the May got my preference.

On the other hand, I have the feeling the AMS will do a better job (didn't really had the feeling the set up had a class a sound an I tested a lot of class A amps 10y ago)

So we both agreed I come back to Holland for a Demo with The AMS an maybe my own cables etc ... not the Avalon's that't mad man's work
After John upgrade the AMS, I might be wrong bot I think the difference between the dac's will be clearer

About the Demo of the La Scala ended on a sisser, thay had no internet ISP was down in all the street

 

[Roby79]

Oh yes maybe you ask why I'm not considering the Mano streamer as it sounded so much better than the Grimm

Well I'm, but for the moment he developed it based on LMS using Ipeng or Roon
I like LMS but logitec stopped the support an seem to be virtually incompatible with dsm7 on my Nas
an don't want to us Roon
So it's a no go, still the Pulse in mind

 

[CnoEvil]

@Roby79

- Were you listening to everything Oversampled?
- How did NOS vs OS sound, if you heard that?
- What you heard with May vs Spring, exactly matches what GoldenSound said....everything is "Just a touch better"?
- Did what you heard in your own system with the Spring DAC, sound smoother

When will you get to hear the Aqua DAC?

 

[Roby79]

@Roby79

- Were you listening to everything Oversampled?
- How did NOS vs OS sound, if you heard that?
- What you heard with May vs Spring, exactly matches what GoldenSound said....everything is "Just a touch better"?
- Did what you hear in your own system with the Spring DAC, sound smoother

When will you get to hear the Aqua DAC?

- only oversampled by the Grimm (I didn't like it sounded a bit flat an a little bright fot me)
- didn't try os on the may, didn't have enough time, but I expect the same result as os by the Grimm
-Golden sound is right, only some area's it's like the voice an that last touch on the note when you heur the instrument is really noticeable for me so I would give it a little more than the rest

for me in my system there where more dynamics it was not specially smoother but felt more human even if I missed some controle on some areas

<<<<<for the scala we arraged that I give the dealer a call last week of the month

 

[Roby79]

Just I thought the trip would bring out a clear winner... It did bring out a winner ... but it's not a clear winner

 

[Ceko]

Did the dealer have the same speakers as you? And the same room correction?

 

[antonio66]

I understand dealers cannot replicate your system, but it sounds like he did the best he could. You were able to differentiate between the two dacs which is what you wanted to hear. Shame you could not have taken one of them home to try in your system. You could always go for the Spring KTE, probably the vfm option.

 

[Roby79]

Did the dealer have the same speakers as you? And the same room correction?

No Durob Audio (it's Sonus Faber more less same engeneer)

 

[Roby79]

I understand dealers cannot replicate your system, but it sounds like he did the best he could. You were able to differentiate between the two dacs which is what you wanted to hear. Shame you could not have taken one of them home to try in your system. You could always go for the Spring KTE, probably the vfm option.

VFM option?

 

[CnoEvil]

Just I thought the trip would bring out a clear winner... It did bring out a winner ... but it's not a clear winner

In some ways it's a good thing - as you know that you won't be losing a lot of SQ if you went for the Spring....and the money saved could then be used for acoustic treatment.

Though...I think the Aqua will be the "Dark Horse" and could steal the show (but at a cost).

Can you get the Aqua DAC to demo at home?

Edit. VFM is "Value for Money".

 

[antonio66]

Value for money option. I have read previously this is the case, the May is slightly preferred, but not enough for the extra out lay.

 

[tuga]

So when I Arrived I was a bit surprised the Spring was an L 2
First we had a long chat about what I already tested my findings an why the hell I do a 235km drive to audition the Holo May

When we finally decided to listen to music he explained what he set up
do the reason he use the Serene is that he has 2 xlr inputs so he could switch easely between the Spring an the May

He also switched of the pll of both dac's as that was managed by the Grimm (somthing I would not do, but thought ok we will see)

First impression this is really nice,... I don't hear those basses the same way I did at home??? I was immediately thinking what did he do?? As we talked about it on the phone

At first on Dylan's Man in a black Coat the 2 dac's where so close, I was thinking by my self (an I couldn't stop thinking how would this sound at home ?? I was thinking I have a more transparent an Dynamic system than this, differences would be clearer )

yes You could here a wider stage an somehow a touch more realism in the voice
Everything had a little + the timing between the instrument's was clearer
was this a 2K difference ???

Don't get me wrong I love those little aspect's I just sum, an it's worth a lot to me (even if most of my friends an my GF don't understand)

Don't give up the differences where clearer voice had more tember

but overall I found the presentation al little to bright actually an it sounded good can't deny but personally I was think I miss that inch of dynimic

Than Rob said: Grim do something very that other brands just don't seem to master... They upscale everything to 172k
I was directly thinking that must be it....

Didn't say anything, but just asked : can you connect the Mano?

than we played Birds from Dominique fils aimée I think (that we just played before)

An yas that was more like it
edges where gone, The contra bass was there with more presents, everything seemed to be more in the right place
Voice where even more realistic than before not say warmer but heavier with more presence
Like you could hear theme breath but without be irritating like the d2 could do sometime

as it was harder to switch we listen to more tracks on the may I was really enjoying the moment
Than I asked to put the spring back
There I could hear how close the are, but I also could hear what missed.
that définition the may is just a little better, Bass had just that little more tune an tightness on the last note
The voice of Senead O'conor on Don't cry for me Argentina is just that more open

I put the May again an thought to my self there is a small but clear difference
I could easely life happy for years with the spring KTE
So it's something I need to figure out for my self is that 5 or 10% worth the +- 2k...

Well those are characteristics I really enjoy an value a lot, but 2K is a lot of money
If I would have to save an othe 12moth's I provably say no (but I don't)

Any way after 6h demo I'm undecided, but I admit the May got my preference.

On the other hand, I have the feeling the AMS will do a better job (didn't really had the feeling the set up had a class a sound an I tested a lot of class A amps 10y ago)

So we both agreed I come back to Holland for a Demo with The AMS an maybe my own cables etc ... not the Avalon's that't mad man's work
After John upgrade the AMS, I might be wrong bot I think the difference between the dac's will be clearer

About the Demo of the La Scala ended on a sisser, thay had no internet ISP was down in all the street

I'll cut to the chase: you need to listen at home. Do they not let you have the demo unit at home for a week with a deposit?

 

[CnoEvil]

I'll cut to the chase: you need to listen at home. Do they not let you have the demo unit at home for a week with a deposit?

I suspect you have to buy it....but have 2 weeks (?) in which it can be returned. This is certainly something worth doing once it has become the favourite.....and you have decided on which model.

 

[tuga]

- only oversampled by the Grimm (I didn't like it sounded a bit flat an a little bright fot me)
- didn't try os on the may, didn't have enough time, but I expect the same result as os by the Grimm

This is unexpected.
Next time I think that you should take your DAC with you, the preamp not so much.
It's a different system in a different room, your preamp won't make much of a difference for this particular goal.

 

[CnoEvil]

So the Spring was L2. What level was the May?