Gustard X16 Balanced MQA DAC Review

[MkgandKembaFan]

A like-for-like unit would be the Soncoz SGD1, identical measurements with no ESS-hump and has the same feature set.
Its actually cheaper than the X16 right now.

Do you think it would be an overall better purchase then?

 

[bigjacko]

If you are like me always waiting for the next best thing to hit...... D30 pro should have around -120dB SINAD, i guess around $300. Not better performance but lower price.

 

[A Surfer]

Ultimately, I am pretty sure that in terms of audible differences, the last number of DACs are all going to be transparent. So for somebody like me, even the SMSL M200 that I am currently using is as far as I can tell transparent. Saying that, in the coming months I may look into something else more because it is fun (and now affordable) as opposed to needing to spend to get an appreciable difference. Seriously, can anybody possibly expect to hear a difference between any of the last number of RME, SMSL, Topping and now Gustard DACs?

 

[MkgandKembaFan]

If you are like me always waiting for the next best thing to hit...... D30 pro should have around -120dB SINAD, i guess around $300. Not better performance but lower price.

Is it rumored to have bluetooth and XLR?

 

[Deleted member 19195]

Same thoughts. The leave it clear: if I went to purchase a DAC now I'd consider only -for different reasons- the Oktoresearch, RME-ADI and this Gustard X16. However, this idea of neglecting great DACs because the new ones measure better, when human hearing is unable to distinguish them makes no sense. Wish to change DACs with measurements that show performance above the human capabilities is like what happens in headfi or CA: people wishing to get rid of their current gear because a new fantastic subjective review. We are getting caught by the same psicological bias.

Someone above mentioned that probable is better now to focus on system integration. I strongly agree with that. This dirty thing of impedance mistmatches probably has much more effect than any change of DAC, and probably deserves deeper attention.

Thank you. I don't know why, but we continually get carried away with excitement and need to be reminded of this.

 

[Deleted member 19195]

But, really, can you genuinely hear a difference from another 100+ dB SINAD DAC?

I do recall a site with a post that said "How do you deal with people thinking a DAC has a SOUND SIGNATURE?" with lots of discussion about the double-blind audible differences of DACs.

I also recall this chart showing the threshold of audibility:

I do think we are seeing price/measured performance barriers being smashed regularly, but I also wonder what is the point of it all if we have a hard time hearing a difference.

You are right, and it's been that way for years.

 

[mcasti61]

Recién lo adquirí, cuando llegue y lo pruebe haré comentarios

 

[bigjacko]

Is it rumored to have bluetooth and XLR?

You can ask johnyang1997, he works for topping. As far as i know it has xlr output, dont know about bluetooth.

 

[Veri]

IMO, it's not Topping who is sweating right now, rather, it would be those who overprice like PS Audio, dCS, etc. and to a certain extent, Benchmark and Schiit, who offer better value, but can't beat China's lower manufacturing costs. There are also the likes of Denafrips, who don't seem to care much about measurements.

Honestly, schiit is doing very well, they have $100 products like modi and heresy that are simply excellent for the buck. Denafrips and Holo audio are actually some of the few "boutique" brands that come to mind who make products that seem to measure pretty well.. just really pricy considering they're custom made. Agree with the rest...

 

[Koeitje]

Is that an HDMI input? How does that perform?

 

[Veri]

Is that an HDMI input? How does that perform?

Definitely not, it does not accept HDMI audio/video standard at all. It is an I2S input, made for connection w/ niche transports like audiophile streamer, singxer DDC or Pi2Aes, ...
Relevant: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...face-better-for-dacs-than-s-pdif-or-usb.7105/

 

[MkgandKembaFan]

You can ask johnyang1997, he works for topping. As far as i know it has xlr output, dont know about bluetooth.

@JohnYang1997 Will the A30 Pro have XLR and Bluetooth?

Also, any idea on release date/price?

 

[Koeitje]

Definitely not, it does not accept HDMI audio/video standard at all. It is an I2S input, made for connection w/ niche transports like audiophile streamer, singxer DDC or Pi2Aes, ...
Relevant: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/study-is-i²s-interface-better-for-dacs-than-s-pdif-or-usb.7105/

Ah yes, super useless then

Honestly, schiit is doing very well, they have $100 products like modi and heresy that are simply excellent for the buck. Denafrips and Holo audio are actually some of the few "boutique" brands that come to mind who make products that seem to measure pretty well.. just really pricy considering they're custom made. Agree with the rest...

Chord generally also performs well, at least in terms of DACs (that phono stage though...).

 

[A Surfer]

Every time I post about how far affordable DACs from China have come over at head-fi I always get a negative, protective response ranging from mild to very reactive whereby those who still think that there is some need to spend thousands versus hundreds defend Chord and other boutique vendors as possessing some secret to conversion that only big money can buy. Very sad, my days there are getting numbered I feel although there really are quite a few reasonable members there.

 

[kkeretic]

Any recommendations for purchasing an x16 inside the EU? I would purchase from Shenzhenaudio but am worried I might get a daft old customs bill. I'm based in the UK.

Audiophonics

 

[renaudrenaud]

Every time I post about how far affordable DACs from China have come over at head-fi I always get a negative, protective response ranging from mild to very reactive whereby those who still think that there is some need to spend thousands versus hundreds defend Chord and other boutique vendors as possessing some secret to conversion that only big money can buy. Very sad, my days there are getting numbered I feel although there really are quite a few reasonable members there.

A cognitive bias is a systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment. Individuals create their own "subjective reality" from their perception of the input. An individual's construction of reality, not the objective input, may dictate their behavior in the world. Wikipedia

They imagine correlation between price and quality.

 

[m8o]

So next... how does one use the IIS [I2S] input?

There is the U12? (Currently unavailable, but inexpensive) But what is the point of bringing that into the equation? Source to the U12 is just USB. ; then it's USB in to IIS out to the X16. Can't be as good as USB straight in to the X16.

So what affordable streamers are there with IIS out that can run RoonBridge or Volumio or other solutions on it?

Is there a way to use a Raspberry Pi or NanoPi?

 

[Veri]

Can't be as good as USB straight in to the X16.

No, there's your answer. There's really little point.

Is there a way to use a Raspberry Pi or NanoPi?

You can purchase a Pi2Aes to bridge it. That one can output to many formats (including I2S).

 

[m8o]

You can purchase a Pi2Aes to bridge it. That one can output to many formats (including I2S).

That looks ideal. Much thanx!

Would love to see an instrumentation test of that here.

 

[kopczas]

EU

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-...bluetooth-50-32bit-768khz-dsd512-p-14893.html