Review and Measurements of Gustard DAC-X26

[Veri]

I'm now interested in how well one of Gustards headphone amps measure, say the H20.

Wouldn't its performance be similar if not identical to the internal amp of the previous review of the A20H?
Summary there was single ended, ehh~~, balanced, very powerful.

 

[HououinKyoma]

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=586482347218
I found some interesting screenshots on the Gustard X26 Taobao page, which seems to be the measurement results using the AP 2722.

 

[Veri]

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=586482347218
I found some interesting screenshots on the Gustard X26 Taobao page, which seems to be the measurement results using the AP 2722.

That's weird. Looking at the square waves, look like amir tested with the Gentle filter?

 

[Music1969]

Hi @amirm

There’s been a couple of comments about power suppy noise.

What are your thoughts?

 

[amirm]

That's weird. Looking at the square waves, look like amir tested with the Gentle filter?

Gentle was my term, not theirs. I was testing whatever is the default.

 

[amirm]

Hi @amirm

There’s been a couple of comments about power suppy noise.

What are your thoughts?

I see them in the FFT. They are the power supply rectifier noise. THeir levels is near -140 dB. That is exceptionally low. They show up because the noise floor is so low.

 

[HououinKyoma]

That's weird. Looking at the square waves, look like amir tested with the Gentle filter?

I think so.
I hope that Amir can test the result of setting the X26 GPLL mode to High and the digital filter type to Vivid.
This should be the most recommended setting status given by Gustard.

 

[Music1969]

excellent. I hope they have a very good QA and small variations from one unit to the next. I can’t help but think they sent you @amirm a hand-picked unit just for the sake of this review.

My thoughts exactly as I was reading this review.

But at least we know they have very competent design engineering over at Gustard.

I’m sure some other DACs amir has measured have been hand picked also but not measured as well as this Gustard.

 

[Music1969]

The output from the DAC-X26 was a bit high so I lowered it by 2 dB using the front panel control to get 4 volt in balanced and 2 volts in unbalanced. Here is what I got:

Hi @amirm

Is the exact same thing achieved by leaving the DAC at full volume (0dB) and applying -2dB headroom in software?

 

[deafenears]

Wouldn't its performance be similar if not identical to the internal amp of the previous review of the A20H?
Summary there was single ended, ehh~~, balanced, very powerful.

Not sure.

A20 Load power:

32Ω   2400mW
64Ω   1230mW
150Ω  530 mW
300Ω  264 mW
600Ω  132 mW

vs. H20:

64Ω   5360mW
150Ω  2680mW
300Ω  1340mW
600Ω  670mW

Also found their measurements.

H20 - https://world.taobao.com/item/553344102668.htm:


A20H - https://world.taobao.com/item/538446561794.htm

 

[Feyire]

It is was kindly sent to me by Shenzhen Audio for testing ... Note that I have no relationship with either Shenzhen Audio or Gustard. And nothing was communicated other than wanting to send the unit in for testing.

I'm happy to see such exceptional performance, but I can't get the thought out of my mind that we should approach manufacturers sending in their own samples (free of charge, or otherwise) with a healthy dose of scepticism and suspicion.

For example, what if this is a secretly modded version of the consumer hardware with better components, that was sent in purely to get a good review and that the actual unit sent to retail customers is of a "lesser quality"? Therefore, I'd recommend that every device that gets sent in directly from a manufacturer, should have its internals photographed and ready for our inspection. Another idea would be to not make a review "final", until a consumer bought and sent in device confirms the readings of the manufacturer sent in device.

Otherwise, thanks for the detailed review Amir!

 

[esm]

I'm now interested in how well one of Gustards headphone amps measure, say the H20.

I have an H20 that I use almost daily that I'd love to have Amir measure, but it's just too heavy to make the shipping worth it, especially given the results from the combo DAC/Amp unit he tested previously (which is likely to be a similar amp stage to the H20).

Maybe Shenzen Audio would be willing to ship him an H20 for testing?

 

[amirm]

I'm happy to see such exceptional performance, but I can't get the thought out of my mind that we should approach manufacturers sending in their own samples (free of charge, or otherwise) with a healthy dose of scepticism and suspicion.

For example, what if this is a secretly modded version of the consumer hardware with better components, that was sent in purely to get a good review and that the actual unit sent to retail customers is of a "lesser quality"? Therefore, I'd recommend that every device that gets sent in directly from a manufacturer, should have its internals photographed and ready for our inspection.

Otherwise, thanks for the detailed review Amir!

Since this is a company selling audio products and not the manufacturer, I think the risks of what you say is low. They are risking a lot by playing such games. FYI the same company has sent me another product that in preliminary testing is not doing as well.

 

[JohnYang1997]

I'm happy to see such exceptional performance, but I can't get the thought out of my mind that we should approach manufacturers sending in their own samples (free of charge, or otherwise) with a healthy dose of scepticism and suspicion.

For example, what if this is a secretly modded version of the consumer hardware with better components, that was sent in purely to get a good review and that the actual unit sent to retail customers is of a "lesser quality"? Therefore, I'd recommend that every device that gets sent in directly from a manufacturer, should have its internals photographed and ready for our inspection. Another idea would be to not make a review "final", until a consumer bought and sent in device confirms the readings of the manufacturer sent in device.

Otherwise, thanks for the detailed review Amir!

Question is, can you really do that? In most cases, you beg to give the best performance. The reality is, you just can't just slightly mod a product and make it better by the ones who designed them. If they know something can make it better they would do it already.
On the other hand, manually selection is possible. But the variety should be minimal because this is electronics.

 

[Hemi-Demon]

I'm happy to see such exceptional performance, but I can't get the thought out of my mind that we should approach manufacturers sending in their own samples (free of charge, or otherwise) with a healthy dose of scepticism and suspicion.

For example, what if this is a secretly modded version of the consumer hardware with better components, that was sent in purely to get a good review and that the actual unit sent to retail customers is of a "lesser quality"? Therefore, I'd recommend that every device that gets sent in directly from a manufacturer, should have its internals photographed and ready for our inspection. Another idea would be to not make a review "final", until a consumer bought and sent in device confirms the readings of the manufacturer sent in device.

Otherwise, thanks for the detailed review Amir!

Let's make a forum fund to purchase equipment then. The members that have supplied gear are AWESOME, but not everyone can do that. Especially for $1,200 equipment.

The "special" equipment direct from the manufacturer, is possible though. As I still don't "understand " how the TWO Schiit Yggy dacs, that amirm tested looks NOTHING like the ones tested over at Head-Fi and SBAF. I have read those reviews over and over, and I just don't get how the actual data and graphical representation can be so different with the same AP machine.

Thanks to amirm for the testing, talk about impressive. I'd love to hear this back to back with my SMSL D1, to see if I can "hear" the difference without the ESS hump.

 

[Killingbeans]

Let's make a forum fund to purchase equipment then. The members that have supplied gear are AWESOME, but not everyone can do that. Especially for $1,200 equipment.

Here ya go:
https://www.patreon.com/audiosciencereview

 

[suttondesign]

I'm super impressed, and very happy to see international competition -- a whole world full of engineers competing to produce the best can only benefit consumers. Now where are the Pakistani, Indian, Indonesian, Argentine, and Congolese engineers? Step on up!

Regarding the RME, it's a very different package in that it is so compact and in essence a digital preamp with high-quality headphone amp. I'm glad we have such excellent choices given that Amir's work over the past year shows how many products are not up to snuff. I view the price of both the Gustard and the RME as quite reasonable if they turn out to be long-lasting and reliable. I'm actually surprised that the RME is priced as low as it is -- German wages are quite high, and its exports typically concomitantly so. Benchmark Media's products are pricier yet similar.

 

[amirm]

The "special" equipment direct from the manufacturer, is possible though. As I still don't "understand " how the TWO Schiit Yggy dacs, that amirm tested looks NOTHING like the ones tested over at Head-Fi and SBAF. I have read those reviews over and over, and I just don't get how the actual data and graphical representation can be so different with the same AP machine.

That, was the kind of shenanigans we are talking about. Those two other people were absolutely given products different than what was shipped in the field. Both of them refused to measure the unit I had measured from another owner. That owner sent it to Schiit which updated the firmware with no indication of what they had fixed.

If you really want to go down this rabbit hole, they could have very well hand picked the Modi 3 I ordered from them.

 

[Killingbeans]

Now where are the Pakistani, Indian, Indonesian, Argentine, and Congolese engineers? Step on up!

Shenzhen wasn't built in a day

 

[Hemi-Demon]

That, was the kind of shenanigans we are talking about. Those two other people were absolutely given products different than what was shipped in the field. Both of the refused to measure the unit I had measured from another owner. That owner sent it to Schiit which updated the firmware with know indication of what they had fixed.

If you really want to go down this rabbit hole, they could have very well hand picked the Modi 3 I ordered from them.

Yeah the differences, sure seemed "odd". I wish that Schiit could offer up a single device, fly you three out, PLUS a rep from AP and have everyone test the EXACT same unit, one after the other.

Now that would be awesome. Doubt it would happen, but it would help kill some of the anti measurement noise, and anti ASR at other forums. None of the banter is helpful to the consumer and the hobby in general. Science should be repeatable, and built on agreed, repeatable truth. Only in audio science does there seem to be so much opinionated variances. Chord measures well, Benchmark and RME measure well, I just don't get the Schiit gear.

Back to reading. Thanks for the forum.

Shenzhen wasn't built in a day

Very clever