Gustard X26Pro Review (Balanced High-end DAC)

[PeteL]

This is an example of a product that takes audiophile marketing to the extreme. Some audiophiles believe they need features used in professional environments such as external clocking, so Gustard brings these features into a DAC that will never be used by any professional, and then names the DAC “Pro” knowing full well this is not a professional product, but also knowing the name and features perceived as professional will appeal to non-professional audiophiles. It makes the head spIn.

Of course, this is just another day at the office in the audio(phile) industry.

Could be, but the cost and effort of developing something like that is enormous, and at least the performance is there and the price is right. Having too many features is to me a lesser evil than selling a DAC 10K$ with poor measurements, and those are out there. I could be tempted to give the benefit of the doubt, It is indeed over engineered, but the marketing value of willing to do stuff your own way in the end is slim compared to the cost of doing so. Sometimes I think the people that goes to these lengths are motivated by the challenge and genuinely believe that on some metrics what they try to solve is worth it, I get that, putting a reference design in a box gets boring over time when it's your 20th DAC you design, It's not worth it for the customer, but I don't think one would go that route just for marketing value.

 

[Vini darko]

Thanks Amir for so many reviews so fast
Good to see @gustard addressing issues promptly and publicly. I respect that.

 

[F1308]

I saw a WiFi-Bluetooth module with the latest numbers (6 for WiFi and 5 for Bluetooth) that was anouncing no external antennas were required. Hope they arrive soon to those SOTA music devices.

 

[tomchris]

Here are some suggestions to product classification:

Equipment segmentation:
DA - DAC
HA - Heaphone Amp
PA - Power Amp
CA - Preamp
BT - Bluetooth
WM - Portable
EX - Extenders

Three digit naming convention ###:
First = Series
Second = Model within a series
Third = Revision model

Possible suffixes:
LE/SE - Limited/Special/Signature Edition
Pro - Stripped of the unnecessary frills, no-nonsense, workhorse, no bells and whistles version (e.g. no MQA, black anodised, cheaper enclosure)


Product segmentation:
Unfortunately, both "Pro" and "High-End" designations have been bastardized.
In my humble opinion, there is a clear difference between pro equipment and home appliances.
"High-End" means "most expensive" segment, but not necessarily flagship qualities or better measuring than above standard.

Simplified, think of product segmentation within the following scale: low-end, budget, lower than standard, standard, higher than standard, high-end, flagship

 

[PeteL]

I saw a WiFi-Bluetooth module with the latest numbers (6 for WiFi and 5 for Bluetooth) that was anouncing no external antennas were required. Hope they arrive soon to those SOTA music devices.

In a metal box? That'd be surprising.

 

[Katji]

[...]
Possible suffixes:
LE/SE - Limited/Special/Signature Edition
[...]

So the D90SE is Special Edition or Signature Edition? ...That gives me an idea. I suppose we can't buy direct from Topping?

 

[latias]

Are measurements all about sound quality? There is no need to purchase an expensive DAC to install.

Measurements are for reference only

In reality we have to listen with our ears

 

[Red@]

Are measurements all about sound quality? There is no need to purchase an expensive DAC to install.

Measurements are for reference only

In reality we have to listen with our ears

How do you listen with your ears to electrical signal.
Your use of "reference only" makes me think you are confusing dacs with headphones where the process of measurements as well as prefered FR are for reference in many cases.
But here it's about bits and electrical signal waves which is perfectly measurable.

 

[tomchris]

So the D90SE is Special Edition or Signature Edition? ...That gives me an idea. I suppose we can't buy direct from Topping?

It depends on the manufacturer's marketing strategy (i.e. how they wish to frame the particular model). I just listed a couple of suggestions.

In the case of Topping D90SE, following my suggestions, we could call it:

Topping DA-900SE ("9" is seen as a series)
Topping DA-D90SE ("D" is seen as a series, "9" is the model within the series)
Topping DA-490SE ("D" is the fourth letter, hence "4" as a series)

What idea did you have?

 

[Peternz]

Agreed. Such a space and money consuming gear that does not really do anything besides being a DAC. Imo that is a totally uninteresting niche of products.

That is kind of like saying that the pick up cartridge of an analogue turntable is a totally uninteresting niche of products. After all, all it does is create the analogue signal that goes through your entire audio chain and ends up being what you actually hear. How could a product that does only that possibly be interesting?

 

[F1308]

In a metal box? That'd be surprising.

If a metal box is not suitable, better going using any other modern material for the box and run well away from Faraday.
So many smartphones out there without any antennas being shown...!!!!
Even mesh routers using internal antennas.

https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/best-mesh-wi-fi-router/

 

[PeteL]

If a metal box is not suitable, better going using any other modern material for the box and run well away from Faraday.
So many smartphones out there without any antennas being shown...!!!!
Even mesh routers using internal antennas.

https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/best-mesh-wi-fi-router/

Fair enough, but it's not news, the only reason we see external antenna is because the manufacturer wanted a metal chassis, nothing prevent them to make them in plastic and enclose the antenna, they chose metal because people associate it with quality, your point is valid but it's not a tech based compromise, it's a choice

 

[RichB]

$1500 with a IIS-LVDS connector and no trigger output.

There is logic behind desktop with headphone amp and no trigger.

I don't understand the logic behind a DAC without headphone amp, that includes volume control (preamp) and a remote that has no trigger out.
This product could be used with a powered speakers or an amp, but most that want an amp find triggers useful.

- Rich

 

[Raindog123]

On the “pro” monicker... One of my past bosses thought that ”a pro from Dover” meant something/someone really good: would constantly say “we need to throw a couple of pros from Dover at the problem”… I had to explain to him that it really means “a con-artist” by pointing at its MASH origins.

 

[Harmonie]

So, is this another product where the sampling rate is in huge letters and the volume in tiny letters (like the photo), or does it default to a large volume indicator when you adjust it? Does it have a remote?

The volume display of Gustard is a nightmare !!
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...dual-9038-pro-by-l7audiolab.19921/post-733574

It deserves it's own thread or poll till they change it at last.
Some are anti BS crusaders; I might be a wrong ergonomic design crusader

 

[wannarock2]

nothing unconventional about achieving lower channel crosstalk creating for superior stereo imaging/soundstage.

Any imaging comes from the content, not from these levels of differentials. The crosstalk tone is at full amplitude. You are not going to see that at 2 to 8 kHz.

i get it, full amplitude, let’s start turning it down.
both crosstalk lines will rise as we get to hearing at ~115dB
my guess is at that level there will still be some ~12dB separation.
call it some cheating the meter secret-sauce dB still left.
soundstage should change
you are one lucky dude, get to A/B it all. (on Salons no less)

 

[ShiZo]

Any imaging comes from the content, not from these levels of differentials. The crosstalk tone is at full amplitude. You are not going to see that at 2 to 8 kHz.

I've always wondered what causes some to hear "larger soundstages". I've noticed most headphones that had better soundstage subjectively had worse tonality overall.

 

[Red@]

https://www.mediafire.com/file/fl0wsavy2bgyn30/GSD_X26P_USB_FW_UPDATA_1A.zip/file

@gustard ,I flashed the firmware but I noticed that it is a downgrade, as I went from F.1C to F.1A
Can you please tell me what are the consequences of this dowgrade on the usb performance when using ipados or android ?

 

[MediumRare]

Examples in the product names?
The market has already accepted Pro as being the better bigger more serious model.

And Porsche has a "Turbo" EV. Words can be used poetically in a commercial environment too.

 

[F1308]

Fair enough, but it's not news, the only reason we see external antenna is because the manufacturer wanted a metal chassis, nothing prevent them to make them in plastic and enclose the antenna, they chose metal because people associate it with quality, your point is valid but it's not a tech based compromise, it's a choice

Sure it is.
I just discovered that kit, since it is relatively new.
Just finding it a strange thing they don't use it for music equipment, only in routers, smartphones, laptops...