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Can Someone Explain This? Gustard A18 From Apos
- Thread starter shwncnnlly
- Start date
Yes they are default with both everywhere.
Gradius
Addicted to Fun and Learning
There is no a "maybe".
Is FACT confirmed. FLAC is lossless. mqa is NOT.
The source (where you ripped from) is ANOTHER thing, and I'm not talking about that.
I'm talking about the pure format.
There is NO such thing. If you think mqa is "high quality" you are very wrong again.
mqa cannot even archive 18-bit. In fact is just 17-bit @ 96kHz !
https://www.mqa.co.uk/newsroom/qa/is-mqa-lossless
Honestly, I don't really care if it's lossless or not (from a purist point of view) as long as the quality of sound is great. There may be something seriously wrong with my ears but from my experience so far I get a very good sound experience from Tidal Master/MQA tracks through my HD 6XX - Topping A90 - Zen Dac fully balanced setup. Sound is subjective and I'm pretty new in this hobby anyway. I will probably try the other HD streaming services as well though, Amazon HD, Quoboz and Deezer.
If you have any examples of MQA tracks sounding poorly on Tidal I will listen.
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Gradius
Addicted to Fun and Learning
LOL. You think they aren't lying then?
Of course, after all, you didn't read anything I posted early. If you had, you should know (by now), they are (indeed) lying.
From patent (you can't lie here):
Source:
https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/163302855-is-mqa-doa
This is why so many likes mqa. They have absolutely NO idea what trully is.
So the ear can measure with precision now?! WOW! Just WOW!
I don't find the MQA version on Shenzhenaudio
Actually this mqa or not better shouldn't be a debate at all...theres so many factor affecting the chain to a nice sound or bad. Even you have absolutely same setup with same cables or source, you won't have the same hearing. Even so you do not have the same prefer song. Just got to end this. Sharing experience is enough.LOL. You think they aren't lying then?
Of course, after all, you didn't read anything I posted early. If you had, you should know (by now), they are (indeed) lying.
From patent (you can't lie here):
Source:
https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/163302855-is-mqa-doa
This is why so many likes mqa. They have absolutely NO idea what trully is.
So the ear can measure with precision now?! WOW! Just WOW!
Cool, would be fun trying to order from a Chinese site. ;-) Waiting for your experiences, which amp are you having? I'm curious about the Gustard A18 MQA / optical version, looking like better value comparing to D90. (D90 facing strong competition from Gustard A18 and SMSL SU-9)
I just received the Gustard A18 and it... It has a MQA sticker on the back and an Optical In. Please ignore the Schiit around it
View attachment 87010View attachment 87011View attachment 87012View attachment 87013View attachment 87014View attachment 87015View attachment 87016
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Did I just get bamboozled in a good way or what just happened?
Thanks in Advance for any Info/Help with this Question,
Shawn
How do you like the Gustard A18 (MQA / optical updated version) so far and what's your amp? (Shiit Magnius?)
Im currently running the Cayin IHA6 on my LCD modded 2C. Previously running D90 with it. Sold it to gamble on A18 and also with the extra money got myself a carbon fibre headband. Use the A18 for a day and sold it once tested. So 1st impression :
Please note that the review are based only on my setup.
So far the best sounding DAC I have listen. Very full sounding. In my setup. 6V settings.
A18 seems to have more of quality in sub bass and mid bass. It has very good control and right bass when using 6V. Going 4V drastically lower the quality in these region. 6V also add more Treble extension. In compare of D90 rounded treble. Just my preference I prefer full extensions from both end as pair really well with my current Headphones.
Mid range retain good textured and thickness for vocals. A18 take the cake here too.
Treble are more airy here and better details retrieval. Soundstage definitely wider here.
This AKM dac sound almost like a Sabre 9038pro with fuller sound. Very good implementations. Instrument are well separated like the D90. Comparing 4V D90 and 6V A18 may not be fair though.
Is very transparent and clean.
Otherwise they are similar.
Foobar>A18>IHA6>Modded 2C
If your headphone is warm, harder to drive and can play higher volume A18 is a great great DAC. At the price is even more fantastic. These days, great DACs are easier to obtain with affordable price. No doubt to upgrade from this DAC, you may need to pay 2 to 5 times the price to even get there. Is really a fantastic affordable reference grade DAC.
There you go quoted from my FB post. No bias review here. D90 for me is the test subject for the new AK4499 chip. I find the A18 refined it in a really spectacular way. Also due to the opamps on D90 makes the sound rather too engaging (not sure this is the word or not) so sound quite narrow in depth and width. Where A18 more natural in mids. Hope my review won't offended those D90 user.
Yeah..sold off the day after with the same price I bought . Actually is sold out everywhere that moment of time which is 2 weeks ago.I Ordered again with MQA. Now that they equipped with MQA, optical and latest USB Xu216 is even more worth to buy imo.
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Wonder if hifigo.com has the updated version. Unfortunately they do not seem to respond to my mail ;-/
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Europe. Sorry I should have mentioned that. And hifigo has all inclusive customs shipping. Currently at 440€?
hifigo.com in China? When? The Loxjie P10 is not listed on Hifigo's site right now, in fact Hifigo doesn't list any Loxjie products in search on their site:
"No products for “Loxjie”.
Sorry, we couldn’t find any matches."
Google also didn't turn up any correlation between Loxjie P10 and Hifigo...so there's no historical connection I can find between Hifigo and the Loxjie P10
...but Loxjie has a Storefront on AliExpress, perhaps you are thinking of AliExpress?
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/4470105?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000002.2.493e4c2efhatJs
Perhaps Hifigo had problems with Loxjie that made it difficult for servicing your order and subsequently Hifigo canceled the Loxjie product line?
It just sounds so odd that Hifigo would do what you said you experienced, as even during the 1st pandemic quarantine in China where they were locked down for months Hifigo stayed in contact with me - a new customer, first order placed in Feb 3rd, and as soon as China allowed them back to work they immediately shipped out my order and I received it in 14 days - which has varied since from 3 days to 20 days depending on the shipper.
It it was Hifigo, you should have complain to [email protected] and tell them you are actively putting people off of their service even today (months? / years?) after your single poor experience, and what can they do to restore your confidence in their operation today?
They worked very hard to keep my business during their quarantine and since then they have been very helpful every time I have purchased from them - including my FiiO M15 and Topping A90 / D90 MQA - along with a bunch of IEM's and other accessories - even though my first order was only for $64.97 there were at least 20 emails back and forth answering questions - I ordered a Blon BL-03 and cable along with a BTR5 leather case which Hifigo was the only one at the time that was offering them.
So you can see why I'm surprised at your post, it's just way out of character for Hifigo.com that I've experienced, maybe they've learned much over the time since you purchased from them and are now on track for great customer service.
My humble and sincere apologies to HiFiGo. It was HiFiExpress from which I ordered the Loxjie. I deleted my original post and asked @Morla to delete his which quoted my post. Please either delete yours or remove my quoted post.
Thanks,
Martin
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hmscott
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Cool, memory dropped bit's happens to the best of us
I'll leave it up for a day so those that read your dis of Hifigo.com can see the whole thing worked out, then I'm fine with a mod deleting my response to your post as well as this one. Might as well clean up the thread around those posts too, so it's not confusing.
Reputation for these audio specialized boutique shops is everything, and it doesn't take much for them to lose $K's of orders on a mistake like this, so I think we owe it to Hifigo.com for the confusion to be cleared up completely.
Sorry HiFiExpress...I haven't done business with you so I can't defend you, but maybe you've improved your customer service since @Martin's bad experience
hmscott
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Are you contacting them through [email protected] ? They don't always respond on weekends which are 1 day ahead of us here in the US. I check the date/time of their region before emailing / expecting a quick reply:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Shenzhen+date+time
9:16 AM
Tuesday, October 27, 2020 (GMT+8)
Time in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
Right now it's 6:16pm Monday Oct 26th here in California USA...
So right now would be a good time to email and expect a response from [email protected]
Sometimes Hifigo staff on duty won't immediately know an answer and there may be a delay before they can provide an answer.
Hifigo also have a Discord server, and you can request an invite from [email protected]
Hifigo still has the original A18 specs listed, but it's still worth letting them know you saw the new A18 shipping from APOS as discussed on ASR, and include the URL link to the first post of this thread, and that you are interested in buying the new A18 - but not interested in getting the original A18.
Hifigo is usually on the forefront of new product releases, so it's worth a shot.
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