GUSTARD DAC-X16 Dual ES9068AS DAC Full Decoding Balanced Decoder

Milito

Anyone know anything about this DAC?

It was written about in Copper Magazine issue 150 and got a great review.

msg

I don't know anything about that model, but I had/have a Gustard U12 USB to SPDIF converter that I used in various rigs.

I was surprised at how nice it sounded with the B&K AVR507 I had running in my home office setup for a while. I think I used it with another non-USB DAC with surprisingly pleasing results, just can't remember which one. I think it might have been something Peachtree. This would have been back in 2018/19.

Anyway, point is, I don't know this model, but Gustard is one we don't see discussed often, so I just wanted to throw out there that I had pleasing result with at least one component.

Milito

Yea, I just saw the article about it and was curious if anybody had tried one.

GlennDog

Gustard X26 Pro looks interesting

https://soundnews.net/sources/dacs/gustard-x26-pro-dac-review/

Exerp from the above

"Please let me put down the weight I am carrying on my shoulders for a few days now, telling you directly that this is one of the best sounding delta-sigma pulse modulation DACs I’ve heard at my place. Easily at the same level with my own $3000 Matrix Audio Element X, easily surpassing the performance on their A22 DAC, of Benchmark DAC3, of Mytek Brooklyn DAC+, of Aune S8, of Topping D90 MQA, of Burson Conductor 3, of Soncoz SGD1, of pretty much any delta-sigma DAC based on any commercial DAC chip I’ve heard up to this point. The hype is real, music can’t lie and the hair raising on my spine and hands can’t lie either."


https://shenzhenaudio.com/collections/gustard/products/gustard-x26-pro-full-decoding-es9038pro-2-chip-dsd512-bluetooth-5-0-xoms-xu216-high-performance-audio-decoder

txcoastal1

I'll bite here and 1st look and combover I'm going to give this idea X26 2 thumbs up!! First off based on affordability.

Going back 5-6 years ago I spent a lot of time digging into dac/streamers to up my game pairing with $24k Dyn C4 platinum and Matt Polk's refurb'd Threshold Stasis SA/12e amps...marriage made in heaven

In comes the DAC/Streamer ie after research I chose the Simaudio 780D totl at the time. $15k

A little back talk, prior to the 9000 series ESS Sabre dac chips IMHO, the chips were not all that great. I was more impressed with the old school Burr Brown DAC chips, and the Chord designed DAC chips (may Chord RIP, great company)

Back to the Simaudio, I chose it for the capabilities of a DAC streamer in one, with a UI. Ran dual ESS sabres, and the POWER SUPPLY, and FEMENTO clock. I had downloaded all my music to a NAS and I could also stream the early days of Tidal. Great when I was still showing at LSAF.

So looking at the design of the of the X26 they have addressed power correctly for the cost. Plus it can do NATIVE DSD, which is important if you have downloads in native vs dPOP PCM conversion. I have native recorded DSD on my NAS...don't want some PCM conversion...which even the 780D did, but missed the cusp of the newer native technology.

Conclusion is with reading the X26 with dual mono power specs, (nothing better than getting your ears on one....Drew??) and purchasing new at $1.5K is worth the gamble.

Clipdat

Chord is still very much in business: https://chordelectronics.co.uk

Re: review, maybe, but have other stuff in the pipeline first.

txcoastal1

Clipdat wrote: »

Chord is still very much in business: https://chordelectronics.co.uk

Re: review, maybe, but have other stuff in the pipeline first.

Very cool and interesting as I received this several months ago

txcoastal1

April fools joke???

Clipdat

lol, yep!

txcoastal1

Just noticed the date when I found the text nad posted