Bricasti M3 vs. Holo Audio May vs. PS Audio DS

@hgeifman Yes, thanks, quite a bit of useful information.  Still researching, but leaning toward Bricasti.  As @mike_in_nc points out, the Holo Audio May does seem to be the latest reviewer’s darling—although it could well be the real deal. I do like that phrase and have been around long enough to know it’s a real phenomenon.  I also like that Bricasti is a well established company.  More work to do!

@hgeifman I’m thinking about increasing my DAC budget.   I see you looked at the MSB Discrete.  I don’t think I would need any of the  add-ons, which means it would be  priced pretty close to the Bricasti M1.  Have you compared those two by any chance?  Thanks!

@hgeifman Got it, thanks!

Thanks for all the thoughtful responses.  About a month ago, I came to pretty much the same conclusions as @verdantaudio:  far fewer compromises at about the $10,000 level.  So I now have an MSB Discrete, driven by a Mac MA 8900 into Vandersteen Treo CT’s and a six pack of Rel S 510’s.  Streamer is a BluOS Node 2i believe it or not.  I listen to streaming only;  typical 60’s and 70’s rock n roll & blues:  Dead, Allman Bros, Richard Thompson, The Band, Van Morrison, Clapton, Beatles, MuddyWaters,BB Kung, Otis Spann, Coko Taylor—lots of live recordings—you know.  For this type of music,  the MSB is phenomenal:  sound stage has a physical aspect; clarity is live-performance like, especially vocals and acoustic strings, and low frequencies are clean and solid. Overall, the MSB brings a sense of weight to everything, but without any loss of crispness and bloom.  If you close your eyes on Joni Mitchell’s “Blue”, she is in the room.  I also considered the Bricasti M1, but had no practical ability to audition either.  Ultimately went with the MSB’s entry level, on the theory that maybe some of their top of line design and build trickles down. I don’t know.  I lucked out, but Idon’t think it was possible to make a
mistake between these two.  I could say more, but you get the idea.