Nice mate, should sound great.
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Nice mate, should sound great.
Whn you next back in the "Old Country" Ali?Quote:
Originally Posted by Ali Tait
Old country? What, Bournemouth? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Gazjam
Dont make me bring out the Horse Brasses Steve...Quote:
Originally Posted by Pigmy Pony
:lol: Love the looks of your incoming dac, especially that black/copper combination. I know looks shouldn't really matter, but they do :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazjam
Hi Gaz, I have the Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE edition so have a flavour of what you are going to hear.
The Spring 3 has supposedly trickle down tech of the May but yours is definately going to be better, 2 box an' all.
I had a big uptick when I went with I2S with a quality lead. Enjoy my son!
Currently working at Hunsterston mate, travelling daily from Fife. Off to Rhodes at the weekend for a much needed break. :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazjam
Fife to Hunterston is a lengthy commuteQuote:
Originally Posted by Ali Tait
Aye, doing around 200 miles a day. I get away early enough to miss the evening rush hour though, so it's not too bad.
Plus you've got that rocket ship of a car :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Ali Tait
LOL no, decided I didn't want to put a thousand miles a week on it, so I picked up a 2014 Hyundai I20 last weekend for £1500. Couple of rust spots which I'll fix, but generally in good nick and drives fine. Has a full service history on 109k. Bit of a bargain I think, plus it does 50mpg. The Stinger can sit on the drive looking good. :-)
Makes sense. Thousand a week is insane mileage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ali Tait
I like to be at home if I can. Been used to doing the mileage over the years as I've always worked on site, but if I wasn't getting away early I'd most likely stay over these days, but I'm normally back in the house by 5. Be too long a day if I wasn't, keep getting my nose rubbed in the fact I'm not 20 any more. :-)
You must have retirement before much longer? I was out the house at 0730 and not back until gone 1800, in bed and asleep by 2230. Not much time in between to do anything or even just to chill out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ali Tait
Few years yet I think. I do often think about it but I know I'd get bored. My Dad worked until he was 72, could have retired at 50 if he'd wanted.
Posties been...
https://i.imgur.com/GLr3wYv.jpeg
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https://i.imgur.com/mbPrh5R.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/wEzaf3W.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/2cxI6nd.jpeg
This thing is a Beast!
Good looking unit.
Getting the Pre 90 remote to function takes a little bit of time, as you have to find the correct angle.
Wow Gary KTE Version - Very impressive!
The Holo Audio Cyan 2 stopped me playing vinyl!!! :eek: Had it for a few months now and in NOS it sounds unlike any other DAC I have heard and has at last converted me to digital. Build quality and SQ on another level and I would put the Cyan 2 up against anything else out there but I expect its only true competition is now sitting in your system!:)
Give me a call if you can sometime Gary and we can have a yabba about Holo audio.
Thanks everyone.
Been fitting out my kitchen, haven’t even heard it yet!
Plugged the May and the Pre90 in late last night before going to bed to get some heat in them, will have time to day to hook it all up and have a listen.
Running it all fully balanced and using i2s, and in NOS, so hopefully take full advantage of what the May can do.
From reading about I know the May Dac needs a lot of hours on it before it really starts strutting its stuff.
That’s fine I’m in no rush, know what to expect.
The version I’ve got has a lot of silver in it and from experience that can take an age.
Will enjoy the journey. :)
Also,
Had a think about the best way to position the May Dac, it being a two box’er?
You get an umbilical cable about 1m long so have the option of separating the two, but I like the two of them together as a unit.
Various folks around the web run it that way, but that said the Dac box runs really quite warm, so I don’t want to stack directly on top of each other.
Checked temps this morning,
the May power supply gets only slightly warm, but the Dac box heats up like a power amp. Must be all those ladder resistors packed in so tight.
So I’ve used my tried ‘n trusted IsoAcoustics feet to separate the two boxes.
From an isolation point of view, the Dac is sitting on a glass shelf, so I’ve used another set of Iso feet under the power supply to get it off the glass shelf.
It keeps the look, but gives the Dac box a bit more air around it.
Anyone had a Topping Pre90?
Aside the bad remote control anthing else worth keeping an eye open for?
Read that some folks had issues with gain from their power amp, would be a pisser if that’s the case here.
The big Meridian should be ok, but you never know.
Find out today.
James,Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbo
your able to post again, nice one.
Been meaning to call you for a while mate, Brian gave me your number.
You have PM.
Bit of a shocker you coming away from your vinyl setup, know you loved the way that made music. :eek:
Got me more intrigued now about Holo Audio Dacs.
Lots to talk about, give you a bell mate.
Yes I was shocked to get back on AOS - tried an old password and bingo!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazjam
As you know my dedication to vinyl has been absolute - until now! The truth is I never heard a DAC or any digital set up that convinced me it could better my vinyl set up but the Cyan 2 has been a surprise if not a left field choice. It is an interesting story and the surprise was when I used it in NOS, that was the killer deal.
Will be great to have a chat Gary.
PS didn't get PM but if you have my number just call anytime.
Got distracted and forgot to send it! :lol:
Sent now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbo
Just received it !:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazjam
I have a Pre-90.
It has a nice safety feature regarding the volume level. Read the manual, and set it up.
I have no complaints with mine feeding the 686.
Kevin,
Does the sound get better for you with some time on it?
Read conflicting reports from folks, what do you think?
Thanks.
Its Alive!
https://i.imgur.com/5Y5OiYA.jpeg
Let the fun begin.
New dac and new preamp from cold, going to take a fair bit of time to get full performance.
Happily no issues with gain with my poweramp, happy about that. Was worried about that.
A great match in fact.
Very impressed so far, first impressions after half an hour of bloated mid bass from cold is its definitely improving.
The Holo Dac gets very warm, so separating it from the power supply with IsoAcoustic feet, get some fresh air circulating about it.
Sitting on a glass shelf, so another set under the power supply.
Keeps the look of the two box Dac, but eliminates any potential heat issues.
Hit a snag though?
With the PLL engaged (the Dacs jitter buster) it can't lock onto the i2s output from my Oppo 203.
Fitted a custom output card for that to the Oppo, worked fine with the PS Audio Dac, but the May's not having it.
Can switch off the PLL and it would work, but easier to keep that on and use 'normal' digital out on the Oppo to the Dac.
Only have an optical cable lying about, and it sounds great for YouTube, AppleMusic, Netflix and the like.
A long way to go, but that's cool.
Say one thing though,
Already this doesn't sound like any digital I've heard before.
Its... different.
What is your power amp? Is it PS Audio?
Great to see the May up and running in your system. Indeed there will inevitably be a lot of fiddling and running in until you can get a handle on it but feed it some good material and I am sure it will sound epic.
I am listening to the Cyan2 at the moment and it delivers a stunning visceral performance.:)
Meridian. 557 I think?Quote:
Originally Posted by Macca
That's right I remember now. Nothing odd about Meridian amps, so it should be fine.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ali Tait
Yeah
Meridian 557.
Enough torque to pull a tank.
Just read that some folks had issues with Pre90's gain in their system.
Happily Im ok.
More I read of this wee preamp I like it.
Can confirm though the remote is the work of Satan.
Its terrible, even tried reprogramming the AppleTV remote with it as a workaround, even that didn't work.
It's just a shame they didn't keep the orange display from the E and D series DACs.
I might have got one otherwise.
Really nice gear that.
I did not notice it, as I bought my Pre 90 second hand, so the “burn in” was already done.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazjam
Gaz, if the May is similar to the Spring 3 then it is best to leave the PLL off.
Might sound like you about to throw something away but extensive testing by Oli and myself showed that the soundstage was affected badly.
It was as if the performers were 8 feet wide rather than focussed where and how you would expect them.
Be ineresting to hear if you get the same result.
Thanks for that Alan... interesting.
Yeah,
Had thought the PLL was one of the "killer features" and best to leave well alone?
Most comments online seem to be about the delay in playback with it on, just assumed it was a pain worth enduring for the inprovement in sound.
Once my May has some time on it and beds in (Its all over the place atm) I'll try that and report back.
As a Holo Dac owner,
Keen to get others experience with it, you alright for a call at the weekend Alan?
Yes no problem Gaz. Will be travelling on Saturday morning so best avoid.
Incoming...
Been enjoying Roon quite a bit recently,
decided to get a dedicated Streamer.
Posties been.
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This things small, but VERY heavy.
Solid metal construction, could take a burglar out with it.
About the size of a Beresford Dac.
Its very VERY Red.
Wish it was black but hey-ho… guess it’s called Red for a reason.
Plug it in and let it warm up a bit before putting some music through it.
Video Review:
https://youtu.be/vGOBMVkLFtc?si=_Nsih8h1h67HhKqF
Be using this review HERE:
https://twitteringmachines.com/revie...work-streamer/
to help with setting it up.
I'll use it mainly as a Roon endpoint into the Dac over i2s, will be replacing the Oppo 203 for that.
Reckon the right tool for the right job will apply in this case?
Its built to go with Holo Audio dacs, was a good call this over other options.
Lots to research with this thing, do that when it's bedding in.
Exciting times Gary, these boxes are coming thick and fast!
Looks like a piece of hifi jewelry and I am sure it will be an interesting piece of kit. Hope it moves the system up another notch.
Look forward to your thoughts soon.
Nice! Have you won the lottery? :lol:
You just never know...Quote:
Originally Posted by Ali Tait
Should be a great sounding digital source mate.
Cant wait to hear it Ali.
By all measured and A/B Blind tested accounts, its not half bad!
Designed to work well with Holo Audio dacs, (with their mega high upsampling rates) it should be great.
Almost pulled the plug on a HifiRose RS130, great bit of gear, but like the Topping Pre90 I bought instead of the Holo Audio Serene Preamp ... I wanted to be sensible and see if this got me there first.
Been a tight paypoke this month, so need to be kinda sensible.
Thats what happens when you go "bull in a chinashop" with hifi.
I'm ok with ny decisions, suits me at this point in time.
If the new Pre or the Streamer sound offensive, its back to Plan A, will get the first ones I thought of.
But as with all things Hifi, best to hear them first if you can.
SPOILER: Initially they both sound outstanding, lets see what the next few weeks brings…
Don't think you'll be disappointed mate, that's some nice kit.
Don't think you'll be disappointed mate, that's some nice kit.
I keep looking at replacing the Pre90 in my system, but the problem is that it works well, and what do you replace it with for sensible money?Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazjam
I know… right?Quote:
Originally Posted by CageyH
It’s as close to transparent as possible, and if it works well with your power amp then where to go?
Had some more time with the Holo Red replacing the Oppo 203 as a Roon Endpoint now.
From the start it’s WAY better sounding playing from Roon than the Oppo, the difference is obvious.
The Oppo was limited to it what it could output, particularly unable to play native DSd from Roon, the Holo Red can play everything at insane upsampled bitrates.
https://i.imgur.com/185Esw9.jpeg
Hooked it up with both USB and i2s, to let me flip between them, see which one sounds best to me?
Opinion seems to be divided, so hearing for myself.
Way too early to tell, that’ll come with time.
The USB implementation bypasses the May Dacs PLL, allows higher bitrates and uses the Dac as the master clock.
The i2s goes through the PLL and uses the Streamers clock.
Its a case of seeing which one works the best.
With everything still new I’m a long time away from drilling down that deep, just letting music play for a while get some time on both the Dac and Streamer.
No display on the Holo Red, only a status LED.
All settings accessed from its WebUI, just punch in its IP address and you access the SD card preinstalled control software.
Its Linux based, so you can install whatever flavour you prefer, but I’m sticking with the stock RedOS software.
Lets you toggle on and off the different services the box can do:
Roon Endpoint
HQPlayer NAA
UPnP
Airplay 2
Squeezelite
Scream
Spotify Connect
Tidal Connect
https://i.imgur.com/b6TMQUA.png
Nice to have the options,
but I’ll be using the box mainly a Roon Endpoint, playing local music and streamed through Qobuz.
The Holo Red shows up as an endpoint in Roon no problem, cool.
https://i.imgur.com/hhhDoU2.png
In the settings,
There’s a “Perfomance Mode” setting you can toggle on and off, which limits you to only having one option available.
As I’m just using Roon I’ll switch that on at a later point, just want to get a feel for how it sounds once it properly starts doing its thing.