Gustard X18 Review (Stereo DAC)

[Reynaldo]

Is Gustard in trouble? They released the well-measuring X18 and there's very little web presence about it.

There is only one amazon.com review about it, and two amazon.ca reviews. The in-stock indicator on amazon is barely showing any sales movement.

Shenzenaudio.com who is selling the darn thing does not even have 1 user review about it.

A thread on Headfi.org started a week ago about this DAC does not even have one response.

What's going on here? The buying market has unpredictably changed somehow. How can this be fixed? Dropping the price $300 perhaps, to get people to buy it? I don't know.

Soon a new DAC will be on the scene and make waves, and then the X18 will fade into antiquity like all those before it. even though it is apparently an excellent DAC (and still on my list to get).

I've written this before, Gustard was wrong to launch X18, it's stalled and doesn't sell.
They took into account the initial success of the Topping D90SE and wanted to launch a similar device at a slightly cheaper price.
It would have been much better to release an X16 V2, fixing some issues.
Today the biggest competitor of the X18 is the X16. There will be practically no difference in quality and it costs half the price.

 

[Gradius]

I've written this before, Gustard was wrong to launch X18, it's stalled and doesn't sell.
They took into account the initial success of the Topping D90SE and wanted to launch a similar device at a slightly cheaper price.
It would have been much better to release an X16 V2, fixing some issues.
Today the biggest competitor of the X18 is the X16. There will be practically no difference in quality and it costs half the price.

It won't sell well, because is too expensive, specially compared to X16.

Btw, not everyone does reviews per sale. I have buy a lot things over the years and made very few reviews to date.

So, no reviews doesn't means no sales. They can be few, but not none (or near that).

In total, I can guess they sold around 40~50 units. Only they know for sure.

 

[Reynaldo]

It won't sell well, because is too expensive, specially compared to X16.

Btw, not everyone does reviews per sale. I have buy a lot things over the years and made very few reviews to date.

So, no reviews doesn't means no sales. They can be few, but not none (or near that).

In total, I can guess they sold around 40~50 units. Only they know for sure.

If you look at AliExpress, Shenzhenaudio sold two devices, and two other stores sold one device each.
I don't know where you found this number of 50 devices sold.
Even if they had sold 50 devices, this is next to nothing for a manufacturer.

Really the price of this X18 is expensive, at most U$500.00.
And to help sales, the war and covid in China.

 

[Gradius]

If you look at AliExpress, Shenzhenaudio sold two devices, and two other stores sold one device each.
I don't know where you found this number of 50 devices sold.
Even if they had sold 50 devices, this is next to nothing for a manufacturer.

Really the price of this X18 is expensive, at most U$500.00.
And to help sales, the war and covid in China.

No. You are wrong.

Ali doesn't works like that. The stuff there gets relisted once a month, and if the seller sold the stock (let's just say 10 units), he will decides to republish or not. Many not, as they gain a % over sales, so the more they sell, the better... not the case with X18.

I know, because I checked those sales right from very beginning. Trust me, they sold at least 40 units to date.

Of course, still "nothing".

 

[flz]

I've written this before, Gustard was wrong to launch X18, it's stalled and doesn't sell.
They took into account the initial success of the Topping D90SE and wanted to launch a similar device at a slightly cheaper price.
It would have been much better to release an X16 V2, fixing some issues.
Today the biggest competitor of the X18 is the X16. There will be practically no difference in quality and it costs half the price.

I seriously considered both X16 & X18 and skipped on both. With X18, I don't think price to performance is justified. With the X16, I probably would have gotten it if there was a front panel power/standby button and the volume number display was bigger. Minor issues but there are alternatives at the same price or less that offer those things.

 

[Reynaldo]

I seriously considered both X16 & X18 and skipped on both. With X18, I don't think price to performance is justified. With the X16, I probably would have gotten it if there was a front panel power/standby button and the volume number display was bigger. Minor issues but there are alternatives at the same price or less that offer those things.

I solved this problem by plugging the X16 into a Wi-Fi socket.
I turn the X16 on and off from the cell phone.
It Works very well

 

[Reynaldo]

Here side by side the X18 and X16 board.
Is it worth paying double the price?

 

[raif71]

I've written this before, Gustard was wrong to launch X18, it's stalled and doesn't sell.
They took into account the initial success of the Topping D90SE and wanted to launch a similar device at a slightly cheaper price.
It would have been much better to release an X16 V2, fixing some issues.
Today the biggest competitor of the X18 is the X16. There will be practically no difference in quality and it costs half the price.

The Smsl m500 it is basically the same dac chip with the X18 at half the price and m500 even has an amp too.

 

[Roland68]

Here side by side the X18 and X16 board.
Is it worth paying double the price?

499 to 749 = double price?

The Smsl m500 it is basically the same dac chip with the X18 at half the price and m500 even has an amp too.

But then we're back to the point where it's all about the component price and no longer about the development.
Then you only need to look at the pure component value and whether it measures well on the APX555B. Everything that would be more expensive is then superfluous.
Even an X16 then loses its right to exist because the Sabaj D5 comes with a better DAC chip, a headphone amplifier and is 25% cheaper (at least in the EU, Amazon € 500/369). There is no longer any need to talk about a D90SE.

 

[dsnyder0cnn]

Is it worth paying double the price?

Why do people keep saying that the X18 is double the price of the X16? Where do you see this? $750 is not double of $500. The X18 is 50% more than the X16. Said another way, the X16 is 2/3rds the price of the X18.

 

[raif71]

499 to 749 = double price?

But then we're back to the point where it's all about the component price and no longer about the development.
Then you only need to look at the pure component value and whether it measures well on the APX555B. Everything that would be more expensive is then superfluous.
Even an X16 then loses its right to exist because the Sabaj D5 comes with a better DAC chip, a headphone amplifier and is 25% cheaper (at least in the EU, Amazon € 500/369). There is no longer any need to talk about a D90SE.

Don't mind me... I just can't afford the X18. I have the X16 and bought the smsl m500 2nd hand. Yes, I do see your point

 

[Reynaldo]

499 to 749 = double price?

This was a form of expression that is used here when a product costs more than it is actually worth.
I have to be careful when writing.
Correcting the error is 2/3 value.
The concept doesn't change anything, in my opinion it's not worth the price.

 

[dsnyder0cnn]

The concept doesn't change anything, in my opinion it's not worth the price.

Fair. If you don't think it's worth the price, don't buy it. Personally, I think it's a great alternative to the Topping D90SE. If I didn't already have the X16, I would totally buy the X18.

 

[Reynaldo]

Fair. If you don't think it's worth the price, don't buy it. Personally, I think it's a great alternative to the Topping D90SE. If I didn't already have the X16, I would totally buy the X18.

You can sell the X16 and buy the X18, and the problem is solved.
I never wrote that the X18 is bad, just that it's not worth what it costs over the X16

 

[kiyu]

looks like it will be a discount soon march 28th may help someone

(that's from Ali express)

 

[Gradius]

looks like it will be a discount soon march 28th may help someone

View attachment 194923
(that's from Ali express)

Should be at least $100 off.

Btw, I'll pass. Can wait for even better promo.

 

[TimF]

Oh yes, the D90. I have one of those and today I had troubles. I had hit the wrong button and didn't know it. Everything lit up but no sound. I said to myself "Oh this damned piece of equipment from (USA, Britain, China, Japan....take your pick); now it is gone bad." It hadn't gone bad. I found out my error and got everything humming just swell. It turns out that these equipment from just about everywhere is very reliable and certainly much more reliable than me. I am the weak link in the chain.

 

[MalinYamato]

Also nice that they hid the MQA logo around the back where you can ignore it.

MQAphobia?

 

[MalinYamato]

I think they will, soon.

can we have this clock generator tested by the snake oil buster Amir?

 

[MalinYamato]

X18 or D1SE ... I like the look of the Gustard much more but what else would make me get that beauty over the SMSL allrounder -- Remember guys, I AM the wife-factor that judges stuff by their look.