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Gramophone Dreams #39: HoloAudio May D/A processor & Intona USB isolator

In contrast to phono cartridges and analog tape recorders, digital audio converters distinguish themselves by the fact that they can be fashioned in an almost infinite number of ways. Therefore, the odds against two manufacturers' DACs or ADCs sounding exactly the same are extremely large.

Nevertheless, I've heard countless audiophiles say that "bits are bits" and that today's digital-to-analog converters sound mostly the same. Some go as far as to declare today's DACs blameless—neutral—when debating issues of audio-system sound quality.

In my view, such opinions deny the…

Gramophone Dreams #39: HoloAudio May D/A processor & Intona USB isolator Page 2

Tim Connor's USB care package also included a 0.2m length of Intona Professional Impedance Controlled USB cable ($450), which I inserted between my Mac mini and the Intona isolator. Between the isolator and the May DAC, I used a 5m Cardas Clear Serial Bus USB cable. Alternately, with my portable MacBook Air as the source, I connected the May DAC to the Intona isolator with a 1m AudioQuest Diamond USB cable.

Out of respect for Tim's opinion, I carefully examined the effects of these Intona products; however, except where noted, all critical observations about the HoloAudio May DAC made…

Gold Note DS-10 D/A processor

I felt like I'd just been offered a choice of 31 flavors of Baskin-Robbins ice cream topped with up to 57 varieties of Heinz ketchup, 57 condiments, and 47 brands of coddled cream. My head began to spin, my stomach churned, and my mouth grew very dry as I read that Gold Note's DS-10 ($2995) was a "chameleon DAC" with 192 setup options that enable it to "completely blend in with different music genres, giving the listener the opportunity to adapt the behavior of the unit to the music playing, to one's stereo system and, most of all, to the listener's taste."

My brain was rattled by…

Gold Note DS-10 D/A processor Page 2

When I saw a notification to update firmware, I did so. Unfortunately, the new firmware refused to shake hands with Roon. During the first of several WhatsApp sessions with Lenzi, we enlisted my MacBook Pro to first receive, by email, and then install, via the DS-10's mini-USB port, an older firmware version that worked fine with Roon, although it did not display MQA correctly. I was assured that I was hearing MQA, that the MQA logo would be displayed when new Roon-friendly software was released, and that the sound was exactly the same as with the current firmware (footnote 1).

Another…

Gold Note DS-10 D/A processor Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description (DS-10): Streaming digital-to-analog converter with headphone amplifier, volume control, and optional outboard PSU-10 EVO power supply. Supported sample rates: PCM up to 24 bits/192kHz, MQA, and DSD64; higher rates are downsampled. Formats: AIFF, ALAC, WAV, FLAC, MPE, Apple Lossless, DSD (DSF, DFF), OGG, Monkey's. Digital inputs: 1 Ethernet LAN & Wi-Fi (accepts up to PCM 24/192 and DSD64); 1 AES/EBU (XLR), 1 S/ PDIF (RCA), and 2 optical (TosLink) (all three accept PCM asynchronous up to 24/192); 1 USB-B (accepts up to PCM 32/384 and DSD512); 1 USB…

Gold Note DS-10 D/A processor Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Digital sources: dCS Rossini SACD/CD transport & Rossini DAC & Rossini Clock & Network Bridge; PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream D/A processor, Mytek Brooklyn DAC+; Apple 2017 MacBook Pro computer; Roon Nucleus+ music server with HDPlex 200 linear power supply; Uptone Audio EtherRegen, Small Green Computer Sonore optical Module, TP-Link Gigabit Ethernet media converters plus multimode duplex fiberoptic cable (2), Linksys routers (2); Small Green Computer linear power supply & Small Green Computer/HDPlex four-component 200W linear power…

Gold Note DS-10 D/A processor Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

I measured the Gold Note DS-10 with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It"). I powered the DS-10 from the PSU-10 EVO supply, which, following the instructions in the latter's manual, I placed to the D/A processor's left, separated by a few inches. I performed a complete set of measurements from the balanced outputs, repeating some tests from the unbalanced and headphone outputs. As well as using the Audio Precision as a source of data, I used Roon and mconnect Control to send data to the DS-10 over my network via Ethernet.

I…

Humidity, Concert Hall Sound & Spectral Tilt

I want to talk about the acoustics of live music and recordings. As I write this I'm back in Boston for a week, re-calibrating my ears with (excuse the expression) the "absolute sound" of live music in various concert halls. On Friday the Boston Symphony played symphonies by Mozart and Shostakovich, producing (as always) magnificent sound with the aid of Symphony Hall's near-legendary acoustics. On Saturday and Sunday the Boston Philharmonic played music of Kodály, Bartók, and Dvorák in two mid-size concert halls, Jordan Hall in Boston and Sanders Theater in Cambridge. (The latter is part of…

Analog Corner #299: Haniwa HCVC01, CAD Ground Control, DS Audio Vinyl Ionizer-001

Lately, current amplification–based moving-coil phono preamplifiers have gotten a great deal of well-deserved press. For years, Haniwa's Dr. Kubo has been designing and selling super–low-internal-impedance cartridges because such cartridges work best with such devices. He has also been designing and selling his own current-amplification phono preamplifier; I recently reviewed one of each as part of Haniwa's Vinyl Playback System, which consists of The Player—a modified Transrotor supplied turntable—the HTAM01 tonearm, a modified ViV Lab Rigid Float tonearm; the HTCR-CO phono cartridge; and…

Analog Corner #299: Haniwa HCVC01, CAD Ground Control, DS Audio Vinyl Ionizer-001 Page 2

Amplifier hum was banished when I banished that amplifier, but the front end of my system sometimes does have ground-related hum issues, probably in part due to the several turntables, cartridges, and phono preamps I typically have in the system at one time. It's way more than most audiophiles have to deal with.

Recently, I've run into a turntable-grounding issue related to the Continuum Caliburn's outboard motor controller, which produces an occasional "pop" through the CH Precision P1/ X1. I was unable to get rid of it, but it was easy to ignore until it got to where it would shut…