Gustard X26Pro Review (Balanced High-end DAC)

[taner]

@Yama If I use a DSP like DEQ2496, I would probably use the highest sampling rate available (96 kHz ?) and put the DAC in NOS mode.

 

[mikelangeloz]

The DSD 24.5+ noise problem should be caused by the Volumio. By default, Volumio will put XMOS in a wrong mode.

Could you explain a little bit more precisely what do you mean (XMOS in wrong mode does not make lot of sense to me) and if you think there are solutions that can be implemented Volumio's side?

 

[Yama]

@Yama If I use a DSP like DEQ2496, I would probably use the highest sampling rate available (96 kHz ?) and put the DAC in NOS mode.

@taner. Yaaaaaa! Of, course, I would. As soon as I confirm the refund from Gustard to my bank account, I' ll order X26pro26 again.
I'm grateful to you for your kind advice!

 

[IronPyrite]

For those concerned about heat and longevity... My non-airconditioned condo is currently 91 F (yeah, I know). My Gustard X26 Pro just arrived today, and after being plugged in for 3 hours, case temperatures have stabilized with a range of 110-116 F around the case. Oddly the hottest side is above the DAC chips rather than the linear power supplies.

For comparison...my Asus Xonar Essence One (also with a linear power supply) is running at 118-119 F. I've been using the Xonar Essence One for just over 9 years now, and it uses the Nichicon "Audio KT" vs the Nichicon Gold Tone "Audio KG" capacitors used in the Gustard.

For those tempted to scoff at using a DAC made by Asus, its much better than you'd expect, and I was able to achieve a very good sound profile using dual single-channeled AD797B opamps (surface-mount soldered to riser adapters). The Gustard isn't connected to speakers yet, let's hope I'm not disappointed after the swap.

 

[linger63]

For those concerned about heat and longevity... My non-airconditioned condo is currently 91 F (yeah, I know). My Gustard X26 Pro just arrived today, and after being plugged in for 3 hours, case temperatures have stabilized with a range of 110-116 F around the case. Oddly the hottest side is above the DAC chips rather than the linear power supplies.

For comparison...my Asus Xonar Essence One (also with a linear power supply) is running at 118-119 F. I've been using the Xonar Essence One for just over 9 years now, and it uses the Nichicon "Audio KT" vs the Nichicon Gold Tone "Audio KG" capacitors used in the Gustard.

For those tempted to scoff at using a DAC made by Asus, its much better than you'd expect, and I was able to achieve a very good sound profile using dual single-channeled AD797B opamps (surface-mount soldered to riser adapters). The Gustard isn't connected to speakers yet, let's hope I'm not disappointed after the swap.

As a fellow X26Pro owner I personally consider any disappointment on your behalf to be extremely doubtful......

 

[Cut-Throat]

For those concerned about heat and longevity... My non-airconditioned condo is currently 91 F

Can I ask what you have against Air Conditioning?

 

[IronPyrite]

Can I ask what you have against Air Conditioning?

Nothing, they weren't normally needed in the Pacific Northwest, but this year has been persistently hot. Typically, you'd want one about 5 days of the year, and it was a matter of where you'd store the floor standing unit the other 360 days of the year. The drywall acts as a temperature buffer, and if the warm days are only 1-2 at a time, you'd be fine in past years.

 

[Cut-Throat]

Nothing, they weren't normally needed in the Pacific Northwest, but this year has been persistently hot. Typically, you'd want one about 5 days of the year, and it was a matter of where you'd store the floor standing unit the other 360 days of the year. The drywall acts as a temperature buffer, and if the warm days are only 1-2 at a time, you'd be fine in past years.

Got it ! - Makes sense !

 

[taner]

@taner. Yaaaaaa! Of, course, I would. As soon as I confirm the refund from Gustard to my bank account, I' ll order X26pro26 again.
I'm grateful to you for your kind advice!

I suggest you to wait for @gustard comes up with a firmware solution for noise problem on Linux. If they couldn't fix the noise problem with firmware, there is a high chance for a hardware related problem that I hope not. If you are happy with SPDIF input and don't have a plan about using USB, you can get one again as you wish.

 

[Cut-Throat]

USB works just fine, if you are using the X26 Pro as a DAC.... If you are using it as a Pre-Amp also, you may run into problems.

 

[taner]

USB works just fine, if you are using the X26 Pro as a DAC.... If you are using it as a Pre-Amp also, you may run into problems.

Sorry but I really don't count this opinion seriously. X26 Pro has already above line level signal and 100 ohms output impedance which makes a preamp not so much desirable in such conditions. A preamp will add its own noise and possibly masquerade the problems that lies beneath.

 

[Cut-Throat]

Sorry but I really don't count this opinion seriously. X26 Pro has already above line level signal and 100 ohms output impedance which makes a preamp not so much desirable in such conditions. A preamp will add its own noise and possibly masquerade the problems that lies beneath.

Likewise, I don't take your response seriously either. Pre-Amp users aren't complaining.... You are... It's a DAC !!

 

[taner]

It's a DAC !!

Of course it is, but it has a wide dynamic range and a quality digital volume control which wasn't common on conventional DACs and other digital sources. New generation DACs provide very good possibility of giving away for preamps. You can use it as you wish but it is not a mandatory thing anymore.

 

[IronPyrite]

Of course it is, but it has a wide dynamic range and a quality digital volume control which wasn't common on conventional DACs and other digital sources. New generation DACs provide very good possibility of giving away for preamps. You can use it as you wish but it is not a mandatory thing anymore.

Agreed, there's more than enough signal coming from the X26 to be used without a preamp. I've connected the outputs of my Gustard directly to monitors (XLR) and a subwoofer (RCA). The X26 is set to -20db, Windows volume is set at 66/100, and the subwoofer is at 3/11.

 

[Cut-Throat]

Agreed, there's more than enough signal coming from the X26 to be used without a preamp. I've connected the outputs of my Gustard directly to monitors (XLR) and a subwoofer (RCA). The X26 is set to -20db, Windows volume is set at 66/100, and the subwoofer is at 3/11.

There is no question that it will work. The main reason I Use a tube preamp is the superb sound quality.

 

[IronPyrite]

There is no question that it will work. The main reason I Use a tube preamp is the superb sound quality.

I see, you're tuning the sound. Some combinations have a greater sum than their parts, like Arcam amps with forward sounding speakers.

 

[Cut-Throat]

I see, you're tuning the sound. Some combinations have a greater sum than their parts, like Arcam amps with forward sounding speakers.

Just not having Solid Scrape ruin the tunes.

 

[Raindog123]

…and some like wasabi with their truffles.

 

[taner]

The main reason I Use a tube preamp is the superb sound quality.

If you think that your preamp has an effect on sound quality, you just reveal that your preamp actually alters the original signal. Such a situation that a preamp should avoid in first place. I'm assuming that your signal chain doesn't suffer from severe impedance mismatch problem because X26 Pro has already low impedance outputs.

Windows volume is set at 66/100...

May I ask that why you are introducing software volume control in chain? I'm not a Windose user but as far as I know that system volume control will alter the signal if it is not on %100.

 

[IronPyrite]

If you think that your preamp has an effect on sound quality, you just reveal that your preamp actually alters the original signal. Such a situation that a preamp should avoid in first place. I'm assuming that your signal chain doesn't suffer from severe impedance mismatch problem because X26 Pro has already low impedance outputs.


May I ask that why you are introducing software volume control in chain? I'm not a Windose user but as far as I know that system volume control will alter the signal if it is not on %100.

Attenuating volume in software has the potential to degrade the sound, its more of a matter of convenience because not every app produces an acceptable volume level, and its good to have some gas in reserve, so to speak. Both Windows and the ES9038PRO (as does Foobar) do 32-bit calculations, I wouldn't expect attenuating volume to vary in sound quality between Windows and the X26. I'll try at some point, but using the remote is not convenient.

Using Foobar and WASAPI for music, the Windows driver stack (and volume) are bypassed, i.e. changing the volume in Windows will not affect Foobar +WASAPI volume.

Windows is set to 24-bit 96 kHz (again, Foobar + WASAPI will bypass and remain bit-perfect with the source), I can't hear a difference between 24-bit 96 kHz and 32-bit 176400 kHz.