Review and Measurements of Holo Audio May --- Probably the best discrete R2R DAC

[amirm]

DACs that are traditionally thought of as being R2R use DAC chips which appears to me to be quite different from this current implementation.

Oh, the most trendy thing in R2R DACs is discrete implementation, not using an existing chip. Chord is a great example. As are countless ones. Chip-based ones tend to show more in budget products than high-end.

 

[Killingbeans]

Yes, I thought they used an FPGA implementation of Delta-Sigma?

 

[amirm]

Yes, I thought they used an FPGA implementation of Delta-Sigma?

Ah yes. Temporary brain failure. Sorry.

 

[Killingbeans]

Don't blame ya. You have a lot on your plate

 

[pwjazz]

Time domain response, impulse and step response without pre-ringing. Might be interesting to make serious DBT tests.

These seem like they should be measurable...

 

[restorer-john]

Time domain response, impulse and step response without pre-ringing. Might be interesting to make serious DBT tests.

We'll need some fast Class AB amplifiers, Pavel...

 

[Killingbeans]

Some with PHz bandwidth?

 

[pkane]

How did they get resources to create their own r2r dac chip/fpga chip?! I don’t understand.

It's not a chip. It's a PCB with individual, surface mounted resistors. If May is anything like the original Holo Spring, it should have two resistor ladders, one used in a scheme to compensate for the errors in the other. At least that's how Jeff Zhu, the designer described it.

 

[garbulky]

Oh, the most trendy thing in R2R DACs is discrete implementation, not using an existing chip. Chord is a great example. As are countless ones. Chip-based ones tend to show more in budget products than high-end.

I had no idea, guys. So Chord is an R2R implementation?

 

[solderdude]

I had no idea, guys. So Chord is an R2R implementation?

Chord is an DS implementation but not using standard DS DAC chips but their own constructed one using an FPGA.
They measure quite well but are expensive but so is this one.

 

[scott wurcer]

Time domain response, impulse and step response without pre-ringing.

Pavel you should know better that the DAC architecture has nothing to do with pre-ringing. You can feed an R2R DAC with digitally filtered data having a sinc response just like any other DAC.

 

[restorer-john]

Pavel you should know better that the DAC architecture has nothing to do with pre-ringing. You can feed an R2R DAC with digitally filtered data having a sinc response just like any other DAC.

He wasn't suggesting that. What point are you trying to make by telling him "you should know better"?

It is a waveform, devoid of pre and post filter effects, something rarely (if ever) seen in a domestic digital product. It would be fun (not that listening to square waves is fun) to compare using suitable ancillary gear so as to preserve as much of that as possible, don't you think, for the purposes of a blind test? What about a series of sample impulses?

 

[scott wurcer]

He wasn't suggesting that. What point are you trying to make?

The word without pre-ringing it has nothing to do with R2R vs DS.

 

[restorer-john]

The word without pre-ringing it has nothing to do with R2R vs DS.

And who doesn't know that? Ever since (and prior to) the introduction of the Compact Disc we've had pre-ringing and post ringing (from Philips' o/s chipset) and post ringing from Sony et al, with R2R D/As.

It's the "you should know better" I find disingenuous.

 

[bunkbail]

A petition to promote this post into the front page

 

[scott wurcer]

And who doesn't know that? Ever since (and prior to) the introduction of the Compact Disc we've had pre-ringing and post ringing (from Philips' o/s chipset) and post ringing from Sony et al, with R2R D/As.

It's the "you should know better" I find disingenuous.

Peace my friend we have a one of those chat group misunderstandings here, pma is an old friend I was just tweeking him.

 

[restorer-john]

Peace my friend we have a one of those chat group misunderstandings here, pma is an old friend I was just tweeking him.

Cheers.

 

[Matias]

I am sure MSB R2R DACs would measure well as well, although terribly expensive... I just hope @amirm gets one to review some day.

 

[WolfX-700]

Try this test signal
44.1khz
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J8zC3r_CgMNW46jDd3iXGMLU2ZsBtPme/view?usp=sharing
96khz
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z9JU5KOxcn-jmTh3b4gQwVasu0tF5IKu/view?usp=sharing

 

[MediumRare]

OK, wow, those are spectacular. What are we looking at and what do you learn from it? <need popcorn >