[sresener]

I have been researching a new dac and I read positive things about gustard dacs. I was wandering if anyone has any personal experience with the x26 and what they think of it.

[simoon]

I own a Gustard DAC-X20 I bought a few years ago.

At the time it was about $900. It is an absolute giant killer!

My good friend was not happy about spending 2.5 times as much on his Mytek, after hearing my Gustard.

[sresener]

I own a Gustard DAC-X20 I bought a few years ago.

At the time it was about $900. It is an absolute giant killer!

My good friend was not happy about spending 2.5 times as much on his Mytek, after hearing my Gustard.

Thats good to hear, how do you have yours connected and what other componets are you using.

[mresseguie]

Hi, sresener.

I, too, own an X20u. I've got a buddy who owns the next model up with dual 9028 chips. I have not heard the new Gustard.

I've posted my impressions of both my model and my friend's model here on AC. My X20u was a big step up from my previous DAC - a Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus. I bought the X20u because (at that time) I thought I wanted a DSD capable DAC. It turns out that's not what I wanted. The Gustard models are really convenient and easy to use. Their having a volume control is a great feature. However, I discovered that a separate preamp was needed to get the 'right' sound. In my case, it was a tube preamp, but I'm not saying it had to be a tube pre.

Soon after my friend bought his X20 Pro model, I took my X20u to his house for a several-hour comparison. The Pro sounded better, but not by so much that I felt a need to replace mine. My friend agrees that both our DACs need a preamp to sound best.

Questions for you:
What do you want in a new DAC?
Do you want DSD capability?
What's your price point?
Have you considered a NOS DAC?

Michael

 

[sresener]

Hi, sresener.

I, too, own an X20u. I've got a buddy who owns the next model up with dual 9028 chips. I have not heard the new Gustard.

I've posted my impressions of both my model and my friend's model here on AC. My X20u was a big step up from my previous DAC - a Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus. I bought the X20u because (at that time) I thought I wanted a DSD capable DAC. It turns out that's not what I wanted. The Gustard models are really convenient and easy to use. Their having a volume control is a great feature. However, I discovered that a separate preamp was needed to get the 'right' sound. In my case, it was a tube preamp, but I'm not saying it had to be a tube pre.

Soon after my friend bought his X20 Pro model, I took my X20u to his house for a several-hour comparison. The Pro sounded better, but not by so much that I felt a need to replace mine. My friend agrees that both our DACs need a preamp to sound best.

Questions for you:
What do you want in a new DAC?
Do you want DSD capability?
What's your price point?
Have you considered a NOS DAC?

Michael

Hi Michael


 This past fall I built a dedicated room and properly treated it. I am going to do a componet upgrade this year and now im researching my source first.

I have always loved htpc's so I  recently sourced a passively cooled pc placed a large ssd into it and powered it with some clean power, then to give me somthing to tinker with until I decide on what dac I want I picked up a version 2 smsl su-8. So right now I am listening to all my flac files (tons of 24-96 and 24-192), some dsd files (not many) and streaming tidal masters.
My wife likes to watch the videos on tidal also.

I have the smsl connected to my onkyo txrz1100 via rca, so atm I am using the onkyo as a pre-amp, mch-k38 bridged (amp)

This absolutly blew away my nvidia shield (source) plugged into my onkyo txrz1100 (dac and preamp) mch-k38 bridged (amp)

I will also connect my uhd player to this dac via coax so I can watch some blu-ray and uhd concerts.


I will eventually move my onkyo upstairs but I have treated my room so well that my two sealed subs (sunfire hrs 12) integrate so well with my mains (kef r900s for now) that my next preamp will need bass managment so at times I can have the mains and subs going.


So I kinda need my new dac for everything except movies. and my budget is in the 750.00 to 3500.00 range

I am strongly considering the new Nuprime evo dac/pre but that would be at the top end of my range. But besides some very good reviews on audio circle there is not enough info to make me think thats the right choice and there is no try and return if not happy.


hope that makes sense.

[Early B.]

Just buy it.

I have the Gustard Dac-x22 and love it. 

[simoon]

Thats good to hear, how do you have yours connected and what other components are you using.

I am feeding it from a Opera Consonance 2.2 used as a CD transport. I am also feeding it from Microrendu connected to an external HD with hi-res PCM and DSD files.

DSD really sounds incredible on it.

[sresener]

Does the Microrendu decode mqa?