Ive also tried it the Audeze LCD-5, Kennerton Rognir (planar) and Erzetich Phobos V2021. Gustard unveils with its DAC-R26 an absolutely exceptional digital to analog converter. -135dB at higher frequencies rising to -120dB in the bass. Please, FOR SALE: Tributaries 8P IEC 15 amp 6ft power cord, FOR SALE: Wyred 4 Sound mono blocks shipped, Lumin D1 R2R dac/streamer w/ SBooster linear power supply. Gustard ditched them in X26 PRO and they did the same with R26 that freed up the sound, leaving it roam in all directions, never to be stopped. About the same in terms of mid, stagenot as punchy as X26 (5 to 10%) but more musical and transient (as compensation)adding DDC could be a game changer, not worth shifting from X26 to R26 unless you do not have it, else.worth the thought for that investment. Connecting two Benchmark AHB2 power amplifiers directly to it didnt increase the noise floornot in the slightest. In the first room, you can spot two shielded & encapsulated 50W linear transformers, these are quite big and very heavy and you can certainly feel their weight on that part of the case. Theres a voltage regulation stage before and after those caps, that will further clean up the power delivery. This one uses an R2R architecture using discrete components of very high quality and perfectly optimized to offer exceptional sound performances. There werent hisses, nor hums, with or without music playing in the background and if youre searching for the darkest background that wouldnt increase the noise floor with sensitive speakers or headphones, then I cant recommend you enough the Gustard R26 Discrete. As expected, Gustard puts up too high a price tag of $ 1,500. I was running with it to my office and back to my stereo, searching for something that would make me exclaim and furiously write about an overlooked feature. The A26 is more likely to charge $1500-2000. Postings are free for hobbyists. We listened to it together while I was still writing and musicis music, regardless of genre, status or quality. Free shipping, Denafrips Pontus R2R DAC original version. In fact, it performed so well in both of my setups, that any other chip-based oversampling DACs felt muddy, dull, small sounding, but most importantlydead with little to no dynamics left to excite me. PCM Filter, 3 positions: Fast (default), Mid or Slow. Too many DACs> Too many amps> Too many headphones, Not a fan of aesthetics. Guitar plucks were stronger too, the backing voices were deeper buried into the mix, traveling a longer sound tunnel, creating a deeper and more holographic experience. Im spotting technicalities easier in an end-game headphone setup, bypassing room acoustics, meaning that its detail-retrieval / transparency, transient and frequency response will be tested on a Hifiman Susvara planar headphone driven by a Trafomatic Primavera headphone amplifier. Shipping and handling fees are nonrefundable. I swearthose dynamic swings are cursed, as other DACs that have been reviewed in the latest months around here, werent doing this to me. It resolved like no other and imaging was pinpoint and more precise that anything I've ever heard. R26 also acts as a streamer with uPnP and Roon services. Gustard R26 R2R DAC with roon - Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum SOLD - FOR SALE: Gustard R26 R2R DAC Like new condition This is a very well-spread track, like all Wardruna masterpieces are. Looks really fancy Whatever Gustard or Audiophonics is saying in their product descriptions, this isn't a Roon Ready or Roon Tested device: Was thinking of selling most of my Schiit gear along with my Bluesound. I have a feeling that a few manufacturers will start tinkering with higher-performance & affordable R-2R DACs soon enough. My X26 PRO review hit a home run, as believe it or not, its still the most read and discussed article around here and I thank you all for stopping by and leaving a comment, Im greatly appreciating that! When Gates of Istanbul by Loreena McKennitt (Qobuz / Tidal) started playingI was surprised that R26 felt airier, dwelling deeper compared to the already exceptional sounding Gold Note DS10 Plus Streamer/DAC/Preamp. When you use these links we may receive commission from ensuing purchases. Switching to R26, theres an immediate bump in naturalness and weightit was so obvious, that Im already questioning myself if we should continue this blind test. Im taking my hat off; it was masterfully done! Gustard representative states that . You are choosing either its internal clocking system - which is already a very high-performance one, or an external 10 MHz clock generator (like their C16 or C18 units). When Hey Eugene! Unit arrived to the USA from China in 6 days! Im rarely hailing R-2R DACs in here, with just a few exceptions as Rockna Wavelight and Denafrips Terminator Plus, but it seems that R26 tries to be as impactful and hard slamming without costing you an arm and a leg. If oversampling DACs can sound amazing below two grand, why ladder DACs cant do it too? If you are dissatisfied with your purchase for any reason, you may return it to SHENZHENAUDIO within 30 days of the received date, subject to the conditions and exclusions below. The voices, the guitars, the drums, everything felt revitalized and fuller sounding than ever before. The sound had no boundaries and I was somehow sitting in a bigger room, completely surround by music and not by mere soulless sounds. Having an oversimplified user manual in English would be nice, as it took a while enabling its wired streamer via Roon. This thing rocked my world with hard rock and metal tunes, it was simply made for genres like these. Sold by Aoshida HiFi-US Returns Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. A few minutes later Invisible Sun by The Prodigy (Qobuz / Tidal) entered the arena and sure enough, Hifiman Susvara started rattling my head with powerful sub-bass notes. Make it in the top 5 best units I tried and that should tell you how I honestly feel about it. Watch Report This Ad. U18 made a big enough difference by switching to IIS as the input for R26. The One to Beat: Gustard X26 PRO DAC Review - Soundnews I wont describe their inner workings and everything that makes them tick, as you already have a dedicated article for the X26 PRO right here. Please take note, that volume will be bypassed and maxed out once you engage it! $1,649.99 USD 100% Authentic Guarantee Lowest Price Guarantee Members who purchase earn 8245 Rewards Points, And Two-year Warranty. The output and character of most devices can be improved. R26 Discrete, as X26 PRO before it can reach 5V via XLR and 2.5V via RCA which in remote cases can have beneficial effects not only in a stereo setup, but also in a headphone setup, squeezing more power from the amplifier that follows. While R26 Discrete and X26 PRO are different when rendering the timbre of the music, I am quite shocked by howtechnical, clean, resolute and fast sounding R26 Discrete really is! R26 is obviously built at much higher standards and at this size and weight, I would be surprised if it wouldnt block all types of noise, regardless if their inception points. There was some other stuff Ive read about using uconnect or something to stream Tidal through it. Sugar on Twitter: "RT @freestyle_fe: GUSTARD DAC-R26 Amazon.com: Gustard R26 Discrete R2R MQA DAC R2R+1Bit XMOS DSD512 Given the amount of shipping partners we work with and the vast coverage area we serve, there are likely regions with much longer transit times than others. This unit knows how to make a show, especially with impactful tunes like this one. It may not display this or other websites correctly. For that, youll need to disable its PCM NOS and DSD Direct options, after which the volume control will be unlocked. On its front panel youll find a standby button to the left, a large monochrome OLED screen in the middle and on the right theres volume wheel with a button in the middle, that will change digital inputs once short pressed or access its user menu once long pressed. Increasing the pace and trying a few electronica tunes, X26 PRO felt by a hair tighter and more defined, especially the leading edges felt clearer and sharper, exactly how I would describe a good sounding chip-based converter. Neutral tuned setups like mine will be getting a much-needed presence and soul, changing their tonality upside down, adding richness into your listening space and dopamine into your blood stream. If there is already a thread please go ahead and delete this one. Truth to be told, I wasnt impressed by the entry level Gustard units, their X16 and A18 were lacking nerves in the bass and I didnt find them having a good tonal balance, lacking midrange presence and a natural treble delivery. Affordable R-2R ladder DACs arent usually technical sounding, due to lower quality resistors and to their errors that are adding up in the ladder, outclassed by cheap Delta-Sigma Oversampling DACs from the likes of Topping, SMSL, Gustard, Matrix and many other brands. Used GUSTARD for Sale | HifiShark.com Sandu on youtube likes R26 more than Terminator Plus. It is clear to me than R26 Discrete is not only an amazing goose-bump machine, but a very technical sounding unit as well, merging everything I want a high-end DAC to be. Support LVDS level differential IS reception (using HDMI interface), it can accept the lowest jitter digital audio! FOR SALE: Gustard R26 DAC + Gustard U18 DDC combo $2250 shipped R26 is a little more advanced and feature packed, immediately transforming it into the most feature-packed R-2R ladder DAC I tried so far. I tried comparing them with other ladders previously seen on Rockna, Audio-GD, Denafrips, Musician and on many other brandsbut these arent looking familiar to me, suggesting a custom design built from the ground up. By Pink Martini (Qobuz / Tidal) started playing, Ive immediately felt that the system brought voices and instruments back to life. Discrete 8 Channels Hybrid I/VPower Conversion Circuitfor R2R, Excellent Linearity with S/N Ratio is exceeding >122dB, 1x USB-B1x I2S via HDMI LVDS1x Coaxial1x Bluetooth 5.01x AES/EBU1xOptical1x BNC. Please read conditions below. Killing In the Name (Qobuz / Tidal) started playingI literally jumped from my chair, as theres no way I could get similar bass riffs from the usual DACs that are sitting on my table. Gustards latest creation slams and pounds like a gorilla and this is what I like about it. JavaScript is disabled. If an item weighs more than 9 pounds, we wont be able to ship to these addresses because of our current courier agreements. The way everything was circling around me, putting a blanket of sounds all over my body will be hardly forgotten anytime soon. Please allow 3-5 business days for mail-in exchanges to be processed. DSD Direct, 2 positions: OFF (default) or ON. Property for sale in Munich, buy real estate - Realty-Germany Please contact sales to inquire about Enterprise Dealer opportunities. It will feel like a different animal if youre coming from chip-based converters, even its twin brother X26 PRO felt different, especially in here, in the midrange. Everything felt harder and more expressive, like the band wanted to capture a rawer and a more authentic version of this tune. R26 added a little bit of weight down low and made the bass heavier sounding little by little. Audio Gear Talk Lawrence_Galeza (Lawrence Galeza) October 10, 2022, 12:56pm #1 I needed a replacement for my TEAC NT0505 that lost its network card and came across the Gustard DAC-R26. Gustard R26 R2R + 1Bit DSD DAC - AfterDark Raspberry Pi-4B with Volumio upsampling to 32 bit/352.8 kHz ->USB out -> Uptone USPCB A>B filtering adapter -> USB in -> Topping D70s mqa / R2R NOS Tube DAC -> Topping Pre90 - > Triode 845 monoblocks (20W class A) -> my design DIY speakers (93 dB). From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates. You are using an out of date browser. Gustard R26 R2R DAC (Silver) - Like New/Mint For Sale - US Audio Mart The following days, I succumbed and accepted the fact that X26 PRO was the very best Delta-Sigma oversampling DAC that Ive tried at my place, that wont break the bank, forever changing my preconceptions about chip-based converters, especially about their limitations. The BNC input is 50ohm same input specification with Esoteric gears. Visit a matching product below to connect. Gustard A26 is up now! - SHENZHENAUDIO Home Music Servers, Computers and Streamers. From the ones that Ive tested lately, only several SMSL devices were increasing the noise floor. Dont bother enabling it, as it will lower the volume by around 10 dB. Non-oversampling, native 1-Bit DACs are all sounding like thisadding so much flow and effortlessness, like gently pouring music into my eardrums, instead of forcibly pushing it. It sounded what it was reviewed exactly (natural, fuller, staging, etc. Buy Gustard R26 Discrete R2R MQA DAC K2 Clock Dual Native DSD Decoder XMOS Balanced LDAC DAC with Remote Control (Silver): Home Theater - Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases Amazon.com: Gustard R26 Discrete R2R MQA DAC K2 Clock Dual Native DSD Decoder XMOS Balanced LDAC DAC with Remote Control (Silver) : Electronics by C G on Dec 09, 2022. Gustard R26 DAC - Black For Sale - Canuck Audio Mart GUSTARD R26 Discrete R2R Decoder 1Bit DAC With Streamer/Renderer PCM768 This Gustard R26 R2R Flagship DACis very attractive in price,costing 1/4 when compared to others R2R DAC in the market. Build quality wise, both are carved on CNC machines with very tight tolerance numbers, they both look and feel like expensive units. Please note: we can only refund the original purchase price. I know what youre feeling, I feel it in my gut too, but I assure you that everything I wrote came from my mind and heart alone. Gustard bypassed the stock ESS filters and developed their own with the help of a hardware DSP by Analog Devices. Hello all Had a conversation last week with a fellow Cammer, Compost, about DACs (again!) Acoustic guitars sounded juicy, heavy and powerful, as if somebody connected them to an amplifier and turned it all the way to eleven. There was more emotion pouring from my loudspeakers and that percussion work was purring like a cat, so smoothly and gently without raising the treble output to dangerous levels. This track hit the G-spot, it put me into a Nirvana state, somehow talking directly to my subconscious. Gustard made it easy to operate, as there arent hidden menus and you wont even need its user manual checking all and everything. Such is the life of the DACMan and since I couldnt stay and do nothing, the next day I started shooting emails left and right and it didnt take me a long to see a reply from none other than Aoshida Audio that once again obliged and sent me a review unit. Its (much) cooler looking now, it has a better heat dissipation, there arent rough edges and pointy corners and it has a bigger display as well. Denafrips Terminator Plus 12th R2R DAC. Jun 24, 2022 #1 If there is already a thread please go ahead and delete this one. The worse performance the better sound in R2R camp? The unit itself was cuddled with soft foam on both sides and theres an accessory box put on top. Sale. More importantly if the output voltage has little or no effect on the multitone, and that multitone from the A26 is verified, it is even more insanely good than I first realised ! Considering its custom nature and everything that makes it tick, it shouldnt come as a surprise that Ive got a natural and a life-like presentation, bringing forth a feeling of ease and rightfulness. No one influences these reviews, nobody pays for them, these arent sponsored show pieces, these are honest and objective impressions after trying tens of D/A converters of all sorts. Ive assembled it back and let it play for about two weeks before writing a single word. Looks really fancy. Looks like a tv top box from the 90s. Everything was built in a dual mono configuration, like having a mirrored symmetry of two DACs sitting in a single chassis. R26 seems super well received and I think this is right up there with it. Im glad that this product exists and I hope it will leave a mark on this industry. It has mqa, that's a hard pass for most of us on ASR. If your product is not shown, then please, Gustard dac x16 bluetooth 768 khz przetwornik, Gustard DAC-X10 - ES9018/XMOS Asynchronous USB Support DSD XLR Balanced Output. It wasnt just natural, smooth or sweet sounding, it was just right. Gustard R26 Head-fi $1,299 4% Apr 22, 2023 Head-fi Gustard A26 Head-fi $1,099 Apr 26, 2023 Head-fi . There are several exceptions from this rule, but only if entry level devices are used with oversimplified power supplies, that usually carry switching mode power supplies. It goes without saying that R26 is an exceptional converter when it comes to layering, width and depth, exactly as the biggest majority of well-made R-2R converters are performing. Gustard DAC-R26 Discreet R2R Streamer/Renderer Something NEW is Coming, Stay up to date! For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. (86 pages) Boat Bavaria Cruiser 33 Owner's Manual. Once we receive and inspect your item(s), we will credit your account. SHENZHENAUDIOcan only refund the original purchase price. Last, but not least, the transient response guy felt on top of the mountain with the R26 Discrete, which felt mean sounding, delivering painful uppercuts in the lowest octaves. Still for an R-2R DAC getting a lightning-fast speed and decay? This is why we constantly negotiate with existing shipping partners for lower rates and actively test new couriers for potential opportunities. Il Gustard x26pro mi stuzzicava da tempo, leggendo i pareri online sembrava finalmente il dac "grosso e costoso" che performa effettivamente come tale, ma quando ero l l per compiere il passo, vengo a sapere che Gustard stava per lanciare il modello R26, in pratica un x26pro con sezione dac r2r. K2 Technology ULTRA LOW NOISE CLOCK Synthesizer : USB, I2S, AES, Optical, Coaxial and Lan port inputs can improve with 10M Master Clock Input, AfterDark. My experience with the Gustard R26 - What's Best Forum SHENZHENAUDIO.COM 2012 - 2023 All Rights Reserved. Gustard DAC-R26 Discrete R2R MQA DAC With Streamer Renderer Roon XMOS USB DSD512 PCM768K IIS DSD1024 Bluetooth k2 Clock Lan 1Bit DAC $ 1649.99. The very first track that Ive used was U Plavu Zoru by Pink Martini (Qobuz / Tidal) where I felt that everything is exactly where it should be located via X26 PRO, with a single caveat that music wasnt popping so vividly. Add to wishlist Quick view Add to wishlist . Enterprise Dealer accounts are reserved for Banner Advertisers. If a Trafomatic Primavera or Enleum AMP-23R follows, regardless of the headphone that would be used, youll be getting punchy bass lines even with old smoky jazz or blues. GUSTARD R26 Discrete R2R Decoder 1Bit DAC With Streamer/Renderer PCM768&DSD512 XMOS XU216 High Performance Audio Decoder (Black): Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo Hi-Fi & Home Audio Receivers & Separates Amplifiers 1,64999 FREE delivery 18 - 24 July. Followed by a Trafomatic Primaverasometimes I am getting too much bass definition and impact and mind you, Im staying with a pair of Hifiman Susvara on my head, which arent known to be incredibly alive and impactful. The R26 is the first DAC of the company to use an R2R architecture with discrete components of very high quality and perfectly optimized to offer exceptional sound performance. I also like that R26 never shouts trying to get my full attention with a metallic treble delivery. I didnt transit to Roon entirely, but I didnt have a problem connecting it and discovering it via Roon on my PC. It is a native 1 Bit DAC that supports pure DSD signal decoding without DSD to PCM conversion. As X26 PRO before it, R26 Discrete knows how to juggle that Mjolnir hammer and deliver the full might of the low-end when its called for. https://aoshida-audio.com/products/gustard-dac-r26, https://www.head-fi.org/threads/gustard 0/page-196. Sale price $649.99 USD Regular price. While this unit completely discards over-sharpness and remaining traces of listening fatigue, it never discards bits of information, as Im still being bombarded every second with sounds that shouldnt be there in the first place. A few minutes later, Hanuman by Rodrigo y Gabriela (Qobuz / Tidal) started wildly playing and I again jumped from my listening chair. Neither were sharp or rolled-off, but there was less bite and more texture on the R26. You may receive a partial or no refund on used, damaged or materially different returns. My jaw hit the floor as a powerful rumble touched the lowest octaves, pressurizing the room to excess and filling every single corner with weighty notes. Last, but certainly not least, you can spot a fully discrete output (LPF) stage consisting of hundreds of discrete devices that are making me warmer inside, knowing their unlimited potential. Sure enough, everythings more colorful, theres a punchier bass and a meatier midrange delivery, but the frequency response is still fairly neutral and nicely balanced. In a loudspeaker setup, it worked as a DAC and Preamp combo, followed by two Benchmark AHB2 power amplifiers used in mono mode, driving a pair on KEF Reference 3 standfloor or Sound Of Eden Crescendo UNO bookshelves. Rocks an all-discrete analog output stage, Theres an overkill power supply, filtering and regulation stage as well, The nicest clocking system Ive seen thus far, Noise and distortion free unit, its dead-silent unit it any situation, Considerably clearer and more detailed sounding to R-2R ladder DACs of the same price bracket and the difference wasnt small, Massive, huge and holographic sounding at all time, layered and well-spread around the listener, Incredibly transparent sounding, focusing on things playing in the background felt as a childs play. Quick View. Gustard R26 Discrete R-2R Ladder DAC Review - Soundnews Gustard R26 Streamer Ready R2R DAC Review - YouTube R-2R ladder DACs arent usually the best option for electronica tunesbut R26 seems a different beast. How to get a residence permit in Germany. Since my dedicated wireless streamer is still flying somewhere across Asia, I decided replacing the Gold Note DS10 Plus thats usually used as my digital front end with a Shanling EM7 that will be helping with the streaming part, passing the signal to the R26 Discrete via Optical that will be working as DAC and Preamp, followed by two Benchmark AHB2 used in mono mode, driving a pair of KEF Reference 3 standfloors. Obviously, it uses a machined case, carved from aluminum, you can have it in matte-black or in matte-silver, Ive played with both finishes and I find them resistant to scratches and you should pick the one that suits your needs. It had such a profound impact on me and for no particular reason, memories started passing through as I was again listening to that magic-making Studder tape player. All original Packaging, Free shipping Lower 48. Please dont take my words for granted and if you have an opportunity, go and give it a tryyou wont be disappointed. There are strengths and tradeoffs at every angle even at the top of the high-end tree. The R26 is a great investment if you love listening to music which sounds natural, big, authoritative, highly detailed and most enjoyable. Youll find everything in the latest chapters that should trigger your curiosity. In two weeks time, I tried finding some cons and I tried it hard. It didnt only bring the thunder and a higher pressure in the bass, but it added more air in between those low-intensity sounds, as oversimplified bass notes became complex renditions, playing on so many levels, improving bass quality in the process. When R26 Discrete started doing its thing, I felt a darker entity entering the room. Learn more. Was kinda hoping that they might do that. GUSTARD DAC-R26 Balanced Decoder R2R+1Bit Dual Native Decoding Music If all conditions are not met, SHENZHENAUDIOreserves the right to refuse the return. If there is no proper clock synchronisation following the isolator, let DDC and DAC work as a tandem on the same ground level. X26 PRO outperformed even the Matrix Audio Element X - which was more than double its price, but more feature packed which saved its day. if your pre can use the higher output then it's useful but otherwise its of no benefit and just a numbers game. The Buyer's Guide. Expect a world-first review for the Rockna Wavedream ULTRA somewhere next yearbut until that happens, lets focus on down to earth units like the one that I will be testing today. All design and rights reserved by AfterDark. It was never gritty, it never made me dizzy, browsing through less than perfect recordings with a much brighter face. Not sure if that ridiculously low multitone floor means anything at this point. I am thinking about replacing my Naim box with the Gustard R26 to simplify my system some. While Im not a huge fan of such music, you really cant dislike a performance like this. Sale price Regular price. Description Specifications Reviews Q&A Shipping Warranty Gustard R26 is a discrete R2R ladder DAC that promises exceptional performance with precisely designed R2R ladder architecture. Gustard unveils with its DAC-R26 an absolutely exceptional digital to analog converter. Amazon.com: Gustard R26 Discrete R2R DAC - R2R+1Bit XMOS DSD512 PCM768kHz LDAC Balanced K2 Clock Decoder with Remote Control (Sliver) : Industrial & Scientific Electronics Home Audio Home Audio Accessories Digital-Analog Converters and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery $1,64999 FREE Returns FREE delivery Wednesday, July 5 Gustard X18 Dac - Digital To Analogue Converter. This is a very emotional sounding unit as the track was so touching and soul-grabbing. Their mid-level units like A22 and X18 were considerably better in all regards, but those were still far from impressive sounding. After trying every single DAC released by Gustard and sharing my experiences with you, I didnt know what to expect when their massive X26 PRO landed on my table about a year ago. It doesnt roll-off treble information, not in the slightest, as Im constantly hearing low-intensity bells and brush sticks hitting the drums and crawling under my skin. I'd bought the Gustard R26 during the Black Friday sale on Amazon.com. Saturday at 6:31 PM. Lost-in-transit requests must be submitted to. Yeah. I want more discussions about this upcoming dac. Gustard R26 DAC - Sources - Digital - Canuck Audio Mart Save any hifi search on your hifishark.com profile to easily repeat it and even have an optional mail This one uses an R2R architecture using discrete components of very high quality and perfectly optimized to offer exceptional sound performances. Digital: Rockna Wavedream Net streamer, Holo Audio May KTE. If there is already a thread please go ahead and delete this one. Gustard R26 R2R DAC, Mint Condition For Sale - US Audio Mart Although in terms of looks, Ill give an edge to the R26 Discrete which looks sleeker and more elegant. Months passed by and I tried the very best units of Singxer, Topping and SMSL and yet, X26 PRO was still sitting on a pedestal as the true ruler of delta-sigma DACs coming from China, that wouldnt cost you a small fortune. International customers can expect longer shipping times, depending on the country in which they live: Canada: 1 to 3 weeks from the date of shipping, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, and the UK: 2 to 4 weeks from the date of shipping, Other countries not listed above: 3 to 6 weeks from the date of shipping.