Gustard X18 Review (Stereo DAC)

[Ron Texas]

Certainly, it measures like a champ, way in excess of transparent, but it seems to lack any special features to justify its price to me. Thank you @amirm

 

[gustard]

X18 is a strong candidate for me. But there are some concerns.

About terrible multitone
In summary, L7audiolab wrote, "I measured a commercial product that my friend bought."
In summary, Gustard wrote, "There is no problem with commercial products."
Either one is untrue.

For the second X18, L7audiolab received it from Gustard.
The output amplitude has dropped. It was also changed to a different output amplitude depending on the filter.
Certainly multitone is within acceptable limits.
Exaggeratedly, I felt deceived as a result of their top priority on time and effort.

The X18 itself is promising, but what makes it hesitant to buy is the suspicious reaction and behavior of Gustard.

Not 'commercial products' but 'products received out of China'. Most of users on ASR are not in China who will only receive the batches after bug fixed (the first batch shipment started from today). The first batch in China already got fixed solution. It is only a logistics difference but not deception. We will be responsible for each unit of our products.


Just like @xema mentioned, -0.4dB of attenuation will only be noticed by AP555, but not in real listening. You can find that @amirm is using -2dB in mesurement.

this bug is no big deal. it caused by the minor clip of some DF's ripple, and it only happens when signals stay at 0dbfs, real musics are very not likely to trigger this bug.

 

[Veri]

Very nice DAC, though obviously it doesn't advance the state of the art.

I don't believe there is much room for advancement with the current audio precision analyser, though..

 

[kopczas]

@amirm said in his first sentence : I like the high resolution display with larger volume indicator.

Whhhhattt ?

Gustard makes a larger volume display ?

Noooo, you mean that they DO listent to the Voice of the Customer ??


Bravo !!!

Measurements of Gustard X26 Pro Dual 9038 Pro By L7Audiolab

Blankets do this... not DAC's. JSmith I’m not so sure that is strictly true ...I’ve heard varying DACs over the years with varying differing sonic signatures (and I’m not talking about the pen to paper variety) ;-)

www.audiosciencereview.com

is it really bigger or size of fonts are different with different organisation??

 

[kopczas]

@gustard
Is it possible to customize X16 display to the kind that X18 has? Firmware wise ?IF it is would you be so kind to release firmware update that will make this small display readable?

 

[Dennis_FL]

On the cheap? You can look at this: Hemudu 2 Pack Computer Monitor Riser with Height Adjustable Multi Media Desktop Stand for Flat Screen LCD LED TV, Laptop/Notebook/Xbox One >> ~$30USD
View attachment 172376
Stack'em Dano? You can look at this: Douk Audio Amplifier/ Preamp/ DAC Acrylic Rack Mount Stand Bracket for HiFi Desktop Audio System >> ~$60USD
View attachment 172377
Money Grows on Trees? You can look at this: ...HIFI Audio Speaker Subwoofer CD Player Amplifier Amp Decoder Frame Rack Equipment Shock Absorber Tripod Shelf Foot >> $25 to $1,425USD
View attachment 172378
Worth searching to fit your needs.

 

[Dennis_FL]

On the cheap? You can look at this: Hemudu 2 Pack Computer Monitor Riser with Height Adjustable Multi Media Desktop Stand for Flat Screen LCD LED TV, Laptop/Notebook/Xbox One >> ~$30USD

Stack'em Dano? You can look at this: Douk Audio Amplifier/ Preamp/ DAC Acrylic Rack Mount Stand Bracket for HiFi Desktop Audio System >> ~$60USD

Money Grows on Trees? You can look at this: ...HIFI Audio Speaker Subwoofer CD Player Amplifier Amp Decoder Frame Rack Equipment Shock Absorber Tripod Shelf Foot >> $25 to $1,425USD

Worth searching to fit your needs.

Wow...thanks. I have the Gustard DAC which is approx 8"W x 10" D so the middle one is too small but exactly what I'm looking for. The rack in the picture I was referring to in the original post had a Gustard logo.....but I couldn't find it for sale anywhere.

I suppose a 1 x 1 foot is ideal for Gustard.

 

[F1308]

Do you have mobile device ready?

Not yet, as it seems 2022-2023 is going to be the time to upgrade everything: smartphones, headphones, speakers, DACs, laptops, tablets, smartwatches...
I am sure I am forgetting something else.
Cars, boats and airplanes will just be retrofitted...no need to upgrade !!!!
I am leaving my boomerang for a later stage, since it won't come back.

 

[sarumbear]

Not yet, as it seems 2022-2023 is going to be the time to upgrade everything: smartphones, headphones, speakers, DACs, laptops, tablets, smartwatches...
I am sure I am forgetting something else.
Cars, boats and airplanes will just be retrofitted...no need to upgrade !!!!
I am leaving my boomerang for a later stage, since it won't come back.

So you want a DAC (with a lossless BT codec) that you cannot use?

 

[F1308]

So you want a DAC (with a lossless BT codec) that you cannot use?

Yes, I do. Much, much more than those IIS and AES jacks. Anyone using any of them?
As I said, time for me to wait and update everything but boats, airplanes and the boomerang.
Remember those offers granting they are future proof ?

 

[Azathoth]

I think they will, soon.

Wonder how much would that entire stack cost..

 

[kopczas]

Wonder how much would that entire stack cost..

I wonder then this player and streamer will be available.

 

[Reynaldo]

They will not, all Shenzhen Audio will receive the first batch of products this week where the bugs were fixed last week. The stock in China is in our own factory which is easy for us to fix.

On Aliexpress, stores are already selling the X18 to other countries.
If you have a bug like X16, whoever bought it will have the same problem.
Not being able to update the device without having to open it is a serious flaw.
I won't risk it.

 

[doug2761]

Just like @xema mentioned, -0.4dB of attenuation will only be noticed by AP555, but not in real listening. You can find that @amirm is using -2dB in mesurement.

These kind of engineering flaws really irritate me. Why should you get a hall pass for this? Is it because it's not an audible issue? Seems like it could have and should have been addressed in the design. Just give up a tiny, tiny bit of inaudible DR to make sure your customers never have an overload problem.

Gustard allows this engineering defect, Topping has ripple in their D10S because of their filter selection. It just doesn't inspire trust in me. Yeah, I get that both of those are audibly not a problem. Both are examples of unnecessary and untidy engineering flaws. What other flaws are there, "that aren't a big deal"? Maybe none but it shakes my confidence a bit.

 

[sarumbear]

These kind of engineering flaws really irritate me. Why should you get a hall pass for this? Is it because it's not an audible issue? Seems like it could have and should have been addressed in the design. Just give up a tiny, tiny bit of inaudible DR to make sure your customers never have an overload problem.

Gustard allows this engineering defect, Topping has ripple in their D10S because of their filter selection. It just doesn't inspire trust in me. Yeah, I get that both of those are audibly not a problem. Both are examples of unnecessary and untidy engineering flaws. What other flaws are there, "that aren't a big deal"? Maybe none but it shakes my confidence a bit.

Little knowledge is dangerous and sometimes even irritating

 

[Billy Budapest]

These kind of engineering flaws really irritate me. Why should you get a hall pass for this? Is it because it's not an audible issue? Seems like it could have and should have been addressed in the design. Just give up a tiny, tiny bit of inaudible DR to make sure your customers never have an overload problem.

Gustard allows this engineering defect, Topping has ripple in their D10S because of their filter selection. It just doesn't inspire trust in me. Yeah, I get that both of those are audibly not a problem. Both are examples of unnecessary and untidy engineering flaws. What other flaws are there, "that aren't a big deal"? Maybe none but it shakes my confidence a bit.

Most DACs have problems dealing with intersample overs. So much so that it wasn’t recognized as a problem until Benchmark brought it to attention. I don’t think it’s an example of faulty engineering, but rather engineering priorities.

 

[sq225917]

It was the m2tech Young dac that first really suffered with this, rendering it unlistenable on some brickwalled tracks.

 

[kiyu]

Two levels of analog attenuators reduced loss of traditional digital volume. However, if you want a better sound, a good preamplifier will be a choice.

I am a bit confusing I thought that amir used -02db in order to normalize and get 4 volts, but now are you saying something different, so it will be better to leave the dac as -2db instead of 00? could you please clarify that thanks!

 

[dsnyder0cnn]

but it seems to lack any special features to justify its price to me.

I think the larger display is pretty significant. The option of using 5V output is interesting also. Support for MQA Full Decoding on all inputs instead of only USB may be of interest to some folks. The X16 can only do MQA Rendering on S/PDIF and I2S inputs.

I'm happy with my X16, but if I was in the market for a new DAC today, the extra $250 for the X18 would not be difficult to justify.

 

[kopczas]

The X16 can only do MQA Rendering on S/PDIF and I2S inputs.

Not entirely true. My X16 manages to decode MQA from ripped MQA-CDs from USB input.