Any holo audio dac users around

[Yelamanchili manohar]

I think you've crossed that. Ess chipset with tube output stage won't be enough for your requirements coming from AMR.
Why not go for the coveted one?
Lampizator directly, Bit on the expensive side but a definitive upgrade. Even the entry level ones in Lampizator sound great and flagship ones may not be such a huge upgrade considering the cost difference.

Anyways Audition and Decide.

Oops yeah... Didn't know it was ess driven. Thanks for pointing that out . I've only heard lavish praise for the lampizator, but also read that it is not a classic tube sound. Especially the new sound engine they are implementing now. So probably one of those that I have to audition if I can find one. It is definitely on the list for now. But don't want to spend so much blind

The Weiss DAC 501 seems to have come in for a lot of praise. Swiss made and pricey. Worth a try to ask around if any Hyderabad based FM owns one that you could audition?

The weiss is expensive, and I read that it can come across as a little bright sometimes, because of its studio transparency.

 

[heliumflight]

@Yelamanchili manohar, I would describe the MHDT Havanas tone as coloured, somewhat warm with beautifully rolled of highs, plenty of detail but not sibilant - just the way I like it. The mid range is full with voices clear and natural sounding and the lows have weight and presence (maybe not as tight as the Chord offerings) but membranes or skin stretched over large drums or lower registers of wind or string instruments are not always tight sounding I feel. So realistic low bass. In formulating this opinion I was comparing the MHDT (fed through a Bluesound node 2i) with the Auralic Altair G1 (DAC and Streamer) and a Lindeman Limetree Network (DAC and streamer). The Auralic is now gone from the scene.
Previously I had the PS audio Direct stream jr, Mytek Liberty and a few other DACs. I found them boring or uninteresting after a while. The Havana is something I am consistently pleased with (in my chain) every time I listen. It makes the experience all about the music and forget the analysis part.

I also find the MHDT Havana great for longish listening sessions without fatigue. This is a DAC that shattered my belief that more expensive is always better. But I have not heard the DCS or Lumin DACs ever.

You should know Amir or someone from ASR tested the MHDT Pagoda and declared it as the worst measuring DAC among the 400 or so DACs they had tested. I want to get this but can really find no excuse to dump the Havana. I have mentioned this before and will do so again- my thanks to @prem for suggesting the MHDT to me.

As always you should not forget these impressions are based on my taste in music, SQ, in my room and set up.
I suggest you audition a MHDT DAC if possible before deciding. If you visit Bangalore you are welcome to come for a listen.

Is MHDT Havana a tube based dac?

 

[Analogous]

Is MHDT Havana a tube based dac?

Hi, It has a tube buffer. I really don’t know what a tube buffer does.
I recall reading that the term “tube DAC” is misleading. But this DAC apparently has a R2R circuit inside as well as Chips doing different things (about which I have hazy understanding).
Others with specific knowledge of this kind of circuit design may be able to explain
My suggestion was based on how good it sounds to me with the SS, a Hybrid and a SET tube amplifier that I have..
It’s very likely there are better DACs that would be a better fit with different amplifiers as also sound preferences different from mine.