Holo Audio May DAC

I just placed my order for the KTE. As per the website, only 2 KTE’s are available for order. Now the wait begins.

I’ll be feeding the May with an Auralic Aries G2.1 connected by a Shunyata Sigma USB cable. I’m currently using a Yggy which will end up going to my bedroom system.

The remainder of the chain is as follows:
KTE May -> VAC Signature MkIIa SE (Cryoed Telefunken 6922’s) -> Pass Labs XVR-1 crossover -> Pass Labs X250.8 (mid’s and high’s) and Bryston 7B SST’s (low’s below 250Hz) to Maggie 3.6R’s. Subs for two channel include a REL 212/SE (Left) and a pair of S/5 SHO’s (Right). Interconnects are Wireworld Platinum Eclipse 7 XLR’s. Most of the above are powered by a Shunyata Everest 8000 while subs are direct to the wall.

Congrats @kmmd. Hope you love it. I'm on the first few hours of mine. So far so good. Always good if you're not immediately missing your old unit while the new one is still warming up and breaking-in. A promising start. 

This is a very interesting review of the May KTE.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXKr_HNorg0

At 26:52 he says that if you turn OS on with the May DAC, it then uses a chip inside, and at that point you are not going to be using the ladder DAC.  I wondered if he meant the digital to analog conversion was done with a chip in that case, so I sent Tim Connor an email with some questions. 

He quickly replied and clarified by saying the ak4137 chip in the May is an SRC which is not a DAC. It does not do anything other than convert sample rates from digital to digital.  He explained the discrete DAC module has two completely dedicated discrete resistor networks for both pcm and dsd.
He said the pcm network is highly advanced r2r architecture but far advanced beyond the typical.  If you send the DAC a dsd file it has a completely separate discrete resistor network for 1bit content and requires high speed switching components to process dsd.
So a resistor ladder is used for both pcm and dsd.

I'm seriously thinking of buying the KTE May.  My last separate DAC was a PS Audio DirectStream.  Currently I'm using a one box setup that has a streamer, DAC and Purify amp modules inside.  I use Roon and it's 64 bit volume control.  I'm buying a Don Sachs Valhalla integrated tube amp, and need a DAC to use with it.

This is a great discussion, glad I found it!

@jeff_ss I sincerely believe you will not regret the decision to buy the May KTE DAC.  It's amazing!

How do the XLR and RCA outputs compare on the KTE?