I bought a DAC3 back in 2018 and have been very satisfied with the sound over the years.
Last October I got the itch to try something different and bought a Holo May L2, a highly regarded (pricey) discrete R2R dac that also showed excellent technical measurements.
The May L2 sounded really good, with a very attractive way of reproducing instrumental timbre. I kept the DAC3, but after initial comparisons I listened almost exclusively to the May for the following 5 months.
Anyway a month or so ago I decided to rationalise my setup and dedicate some funds for something non audio related. Since the May was still pretty new and its functionality was duplicated, I sold it and reverted to the DAC3.
The surprising part of this story is that I realised the DAC3 does some things better that I was missing with the May. The DAC3 has a more direct and neutral sound that better differentiates qualities (or otherwise) of recordings. The DAC3 also had a better sense of pace, which I think is related to its transient clarity. Bottom line is that I don't miss the May and mostly prefer the DAC3 for what I perceive as more truth to source.
The May did have a certain alluring quality, but ultimately I think it imposed a personality onto recordings rather than uncovering their distinctive qualities.
Last October I got the itch to try something different and bought a Holo May L2, a highly regarded (pricey) discrete R2R dac that also showed excellent technical measurements.
The May L2 sounded really good, with a very attractive way of reproducing instrumental timbre. I kept the DAC3, but after initial comparisons I listened almost exclusively to the May for the following 5 months.
Anyway a month or so ago I decided to rationalise my setup and dedicate some funds for something non audio related. Since the May was still pretty new and its functionality was duplicated, I sold it and reverted to the DAC3.
The surprising part of this story is that I realised the DAC3 does some things better that I was missing with the May. The DAC3 has a more direct and neutral sound that better differentiates qualities (or otherwise) of recordings. The DAC3 also had a better sense of pace, which I think is related to its transient clarity. Bottom line is that I don't miss the May and mostly prefer the DAC3 for what I perceive as more truth to source.
The May did have a certain alluring quality, but ultimately I think it imposed a personality onto recordings rather than uncovering their distinctive qualities.