I bought the R-26 based upon the reviews and the build quality. I'm coming from a Denafrips Ares ll which is an awesome DAC for the money. The x26 is in a different League though tighter bass refined mid-range and more holographic. I was a little on the fence on whether or not I wanted to upgrade because the Ares ll was so good. The musical presentation of this DAC will have you listening to your whole music collection again and then discovering things you've never heard before. I am very pleased with the R-26 and would highly recommend it to anyone in the market for a new DAC.
The truth is I was interested in the pontus 2. Originally my decision to buy the R26 was based upon the reviews but now that I own it I know I made the right decision. At this point I feel it's an endgame DAC.
@@JstfdbyJesus 👍 I love it when a plan comes together! Ultimately, I always make my own decisions for equipment, but usually, as long as I research it fully, keeping an open mind, and not rushing into anything, I’m usually satisfied with the outcome..unless, of course, something of interest comes out after the fact, which happens that way sometimes.
Ok i received my R26 brand new and fonctionnal. I paired it with the Gustard U18 DDC to connect through IIS. Before the U18 was in, the sound, compared to my Denafrips Pontus II, was wider, punchier and more 3D without being forward. It reminds me of my Chord Mscaler/Qutest combo but with more meat on the bone and a sense of liquidity the Chords lacked. With the U18 in place, the musicians are inside my room, playing for me. This amazing vividness gives music its enjoyment and visceral emotion. I'm quite amazed by this unit after owning severals DACs from Delta Sigma to R2R. Thank you for this review ! Without it, i was about to make a loan to buy a Holo May. I don't know the may but the Gustard is amazing ! Truly !
I'm so glad that people started realizing the Giant Killer than Gustard made at such an affordable price. I have a Chord Dave as well and while that one is better...it is only by a little better, making R26 the biggest bargain I ever experienced from the land of D/A converters.
@@Soundnews And it's on a burn in process so it should get better ! The U18 is a must to retrieve the last bit of greatness from this dac. Dave is probably better but lack fluidity as i recall it... Did you ever try a external clock ?
I took the plunge and purchased the R26. I literally just received it and set it up. Coming from the Schiit Yggdrasil I am thoroughly impressed. The Yggy is excellent and very musical but has a more intimate sound stage and dynamically it is definitely trailing compared to the R26. If burn in really is a thing with this then I expect it to get better as time goes. This is without a DDC though I am looking at the Singxer SU6 but I question if $1000(CAD) is worth it when I don't perceive any noise or jitter.
Thank you Sandu for this review. Your opinion inspires my trust and respect for many years. I bought an R 26 DAC and after listening to it I legally agree with every word of yours. He's great. It's worth every cent. The Gustard R 26 opened up the world of music for me anew. I launched a playlist of my best favorite music and each track gives me new impressions and pleasant emotions. It's such a grand sound, so breathtaking, it's a different world of music. Save me... I can't stop for 3 days now... I don't want to press stop... I want to drown in this vast sea of music.
This is how I feel, man. First impressions are mind boggling... I'm planning on replacing my amp with a Trafomatic Head 2. And this will be another opportunity to get good impressions. There are no boundaries for perfection.
Very good review from you, Thank you! I recently bought a Gustar r26, it has only worked for about 200 hours and the sound is very musical, just amazing for the money it costs.
Sandu thanks for the detailed, honest reviews. I bought Musician Pegasus based on your reviews from way back and I know that it got beat up on in forums, from other reviewers based on rumours or things outside of how the unit performed. Glad you stuck to your guns because the DAC lived up to the hype and your review. Fully trust your opinion and review this time around. Credibility and mad respect brotha! :)
I had the Pegasus and it was surpassed by cheaper digital dacs. I sent it back after I a/b compared it to several other dacs for over a month. I'm going Mini dsp before spending money on another Dac.
@@klepp19 my favorite less expensive DAC has been the Geshelli Labs J2. It works best with brighter equipment like class D amps. For Softer, more laid back equipment, the SMSL 400 does a good job at countering that sound. I believe some of the newer DACS are probably better than either of those like the Gustard x26 pro. I think at this level you are actually buying a Pre amp. Knowing what I know, I would probably buy a minidsp instead of a DAC and buy the DAC absolutely last.. Another point thats never mentioned is that synergy is king. You need to find equipment that match your set up. I typically try to keep it simple such as bright, lean, and clear vs soft and lush (doesn't mean not clear). I still need to listen to the d300 though.
Believe the hype, really!!! Like many, I have had hit and miss results going on reviews but this piece of kit is an absolute bargain no question. Mine just arrived the other day and even on startup it sounded great, but like many have said, it needs about 100 hours running in, although mine is literally improving by the hour shortly after getting it up and running. Even at this stage it is astonishing, finding a way to present incredible musical detail but in a very balanced and natural way. Again, as others have said, it has an incredible sense of "air" and dimensionality with fantastic soundstaging. I came from a great little budget dac, the Geshelli J2, but wanted to try an R to R dac, although I didn't necessarily want to spend the very big bucks for the Holo models or higher Denafrips. Whilst I haven't heard those dacs in person, I can't honestly imagine they will be that much better, if at all, than this Gustard, which is end stage for me in all honesty. And a couple of tips. Assuming you are going in via PCM, I found the sound to improve noticeably if you set the PCM NOS to ON. This bypasses the internal FIR filters sending the signal direct to the ladder array (to my mind, a bit like a tone defeat on an amp). This will disable your variable volume control and also the PCM Filters, but overall I was happy to sacrifice those for the better sound. Btw, the PCM Filer control is useful though if you want to tweak the sound character of the dac, and no doubt users will experiment with the filters and the direct NOS signal to see which they prefer. I imagine setting DSD Direct to ON will have similar results if you use DSD material. Also, I have never really bothered with Bluetooth, but even this functionality is amazing in that the receiver is incredibly stable and the sound is astonishing bearing in mind the limitations of the format. I have yet to try the USB or Ethernet inputs, but no doubt they will be stunning too. And apparently in the coming month or so there will be a firmware update to include Tidal Connect, happy days. I run the unit with a great little Primare DD15 CD transport, but am looking at other options to further improve things as the transport definitely makes a difference if you are using CD. And if it helps, in testing transports I was seriously underwhelmed by the Audiolab, the current mid price favorite. The same goes for the Leek and even the more expensive Cyrus transports. As I say, I may explore more exotic transports but the Primare is great for the money. Finally, Gustard Support are incredibly responsive and helpful, I have raised a number of queries with them via email and they have been great. Anyway, I hope this helps if you are considering this piece of kit, just buy it, you will thank me!
@safaria666 Well I demoed it against some other transports and was somewhat underwhelmed by the Audiolab, Leak and even the much more expensive Cyrus transports. They didn’t seem to offer a lot more over a good quality integrated player. In the end I went for the Primare 15 transport, which is excellent. I am currently looking at the Nuprime 9 transport as a back up as it has some interesting features. I fear for those with thousands of CDs like me, it will be necessary to purchase a couple of transports for the time when they aren’t readily available in the future due to streaming.
As a Tiger I Tank owner I agree with the new elegant design. If musicality and warmth with diffuse substance is your thing this dac is AN AWESOME R2R. From what I heard the X26 pro is stil punchier and more detailed, but everyone has it's own preferences. Very detailed, technical and full of positive vibes review, Sandu, we can all take a little bit of your energy in our lifes. Great honest analysis!
@@vagomaniac I don't know. I have not recieved this DAC yet but it is on order. My understanding from this review is that the R26 is just as articulate and detailed as the X26 with a better sound stage and midrange presents. Maybe I missed something and need to re-read it. I thought you were comenting on having heard the 2 dacs so I wondered what mode you were listening in. Now I am just confused. When I get it I will give it a try and see if it outperforms my currnet DAC. If not it goes back.
@@michaelgrissom6103 I got mine after just 6 days, I never expected shipping faster than CONUS! To my ear, this is the best of both worlds. Denafrips and Kitsume try to get a soft, smooth and warm analog sound. Here, it’s got the speed and clarity of the SABRE chips, but the warmth and linear nature R2R delivers. I had a Pontus II to demo a few days, I much prefer this. Focal Kanta 2’s, BAT amp/pre, Aurender N100, so decent midrange system.
It seems like you need a DDC to get the best of it, like Gustard U18. Personally, i cant go back from R2R tec... can't find the same emotion and naturalness...
Superb review as always brother! Great job, I feel Gustard is doing God's work along with SMSL and Topping in terms of bringing truly great sounding audio products at mostly prices that everyday working Joes can actually afford and enjoy at very high levels! Great channel. :)
Your review, Sandu, triggered me to try out the R26 as a replacement for an SMSL M400. I already tried the X26 following your enthusiastic review about this one but this unit was not doing much for me (maybe my copy was somehow a bad one). So knowing about all your other very kind and glowing reviews I was a little skeptical, if your praise was really justified. Owning the R26 for less than 24 hours I’m totally convinced, that it is. Even without any burn-in time at all the R26 owns the M400 in every aspect. I can totally understand your “being stunned whilst the first listen” part of your review. That was exactly what I felt. And if you still say this given the experience you have, this is truly a testament of the R26 quality. Thanks for your reviews!
@@briansage9388 Hello Brian. I can only speak for my system, but there the answer is definitely yes. I’m using my DAC in pre-amp mode only feed with FLACs by a raspi based DDC via coax. My DAC is conected via XLR into a PS Audio BHK 250 into modified Infinity Omegas. In this setup the R26 was an significant improvement. The sound is cleaner, more spacious, has a better decay and is even a tad more dynamic. The R26 is also a very fun sounding unit having a slightly warmish timbre - like the M400 felt for me. After about 6 weeks of burn in I can state, that the volume decreased a little with still plenty headroom, the sound did not improve significantly and that if you reach the limits of my Infinities the M400 had a slight edge when sub bass is concerned. I'm however still very pleased with the R26 and don't regret switching.
@@josch614 OK. Thanks for info. It was the R2R Nos that got my attention. I heard good things about it and this dac was mentioned and I'm just now hearing about it.
Great review and awesome recommendation. I just received the R26 and it is an incredible DAC. I also have the X26 pro, and the R26 bests the X26 pro by a good margin. R2R DACs present music so much more naturally.
Can you please be a bit more specific..I'm on the fence of selling my X26pro for the R26..I listen jazz and classical mainly through Harbeth SHLs+40th speakers..thanks!
@@quinto34 I liken it to speaker cones and domes. With metal woofer cones and tweeter domes you get that unnatural sound. With paper, polypropyleen, and kevlar cones and silk and other non-metallic tweeters you get a more natural sound. I think the sound is more natural with the R26 vs the X26 pro. I don't hear the Delta-Sigma ringing in the R26. The music is more involving. The PrAT stands out as excellent. I listen to Jazz quite a bit too. The R26 is worth the upgrade IMO. Perfect for Jazz, Rock, Instrumental, Classical, and Hard Rock. I'm listening to Ben Wolfe, The Enforcer right now. Sounds so nuanced and detailed. You can hear the each pluck of the bass. The trumpet is stellar with that ring of the trumpet cone, you can feel it coming off the speaker cone with the correct timbre. Hope this helps.
Just wanted to say that after watching your review I ordered one. I had been looking for an upgrade to my Ares II. I normally don't buy something based on a single review but I have grown to trust Sandu's reviews so I pulled the trigger. Received it two days ago (very fast from Aoshida). All I can say is Thank You Sandu! Your review nailed it and this is exactly what I wanted. I plugged into my Burson Soloist 3XP with the SuperCharger and a smile immediately crossed my lips. Everything sounded punchier and more detailed. Tried with Arya Stealth, Audeze LCD-XC, Sennheiser 660s & 600. Dare I say it? This may be my endgame. Plus I want to spend money on actual musical equipment like hardware synths and drum machines (more fun than just software based music production).
Hi David, that you for your kind words. You won't find a better R2R DAC even at thrice its price. I ordered a Silver unit just a day ago, so I could use it the living room (stereo setup) with the rest of my electronics.
@@Soundnews I also ordered and received a silver unit after watching your review and it is truly excellent. It's a nice upgrade over my Singxer SDA-6 Pro. It pairs well with my Denafrips Artemis headphone amp. Cheers !
@@Soundnews Great review! 👏👏👏Let me ask you a question about the R26 preamp functionality. In your X26Pro review you felt the variable output was lower quality than your Matrix Audio element X. Is the R26 preamp output better performer than the X26Pro? I´m asking cause I´m planning to use the R26 direct to Power Amp to get higher transparency, 3D and purity but I don´t want to get a thinner or lean sound. Thanks!!
Hi,I also have an Ares II and wanted to upgrade,but can't decide between R26 and the Pontus II.So,it's that good in comparison with the Ares II? I'm using my dac with P5 preamp and A21 amp from Parasound!
@@radiofreealbemuth I only used speakers with it but the noise floor is amazing, the unit is definitely worth more than it’s asking price, sounds is phenomenal if you need a bit of r2r action in your system
@@radiofreealbemuth it’s a bit warm sounding because of the r2r but it’s quite neutral and has a big soundstage and lots of nice detail. Audiolab 8300a
Hi! Thank you for the review. What will you choose. The R26 or the new Eversolo dmp-a8. I’m looking for the best sound for my tidal streaming. I have the node x coax through fiio k9 pro ess for my meze empyreans in one room. But I would like streaming in my stereo setup too in another room. Focal aria 948, preamp, amp c73 and m73 from Pioneer. Sources are vinyl, pd-73 pioneer cd player, minidisc and casette too. I know. I’m a nostalgic old school sometimes. Thank you!
Thanks for this detailed review! For the reviewing or anyone who has tried this DAC: How does the R26 do with classical music and in accurately recreating natural/organic instruments? And is it ever sibilant with harsh treble peaks?
Great review thanks! I'm confused by the streamer portion though - I'm using a Bluesound node w/Qobuz subscription for all of my music - would I be able to access that directly with the R26 without needing the node? Would I need a Roon account as well?
Great review sir!!! It is amazing that such stellar gear today is available at near pedestrian prices!!! Only a few years ago 5 figures were needed get inti this performance category 👏
Thank you for this video, very enjoyable and informative. Would you consider doing a review of the P26 preamp from Gustard? I'm very interested in this unit but there are hardly any reviews online.
I would also love a good review of the Gustard P26 preamp. When my Gustard R26 connects directly to my class D purify power ampwith XLR, i need to reduce the digital attenuation down to lower than -30 dB, loosing a lot of sound quality. So a good unity gain preamp would help. I am considering either the gustard p26, or the Denafrips hestia which has good reviews but is a bit costlier. Thoughts?
Soundnews, you've gushed about the SMSL VMV D2 as well as now this R26. I'm about to pull the trigger on one of these two, but I need to know two important points. - I live in Arizona and I CAN'T have components that are going to warm up the room by running very hot like a Class A amp. I'm wondering if this R26 runs hot like the Gustard X26 pro - What do you think sounds better, the SMSL VMV D2 or this R26? - Bonus info.....I've already read from two different sources that this R26 dac doesn't have an audio delay on it like the Denafrips dacs do, so it's good to use for gaming or TV's without the sound being delayed behind the video. That's great.
I've tried both VMV D2 and R26. VMV D2 runs hotter than R26 but D2 is the much smaller unit, sorry I don't have X26 Pro to compare. In terms of sound, there is no comparison between the two. R26 is better in every way possible.
@@audioprom2662 Yeah, I now have the R26 and a Violectric V550 powering HE1000v2 cans. The R26 doesn't even get warm, the V550 does get a little warm but nothing major. It all sounds fantastic
By any chance, do you know how the Gustard R29 compares to a Benchmark DAC3? I am trying to make the switch into R2R and currently own a Benchmark DAC.
Again great video. I'm in the market for a DAC and was wondering how you would compare the Gustard R26 with the new Ladder Schumann? Heard the Ladder is a small step above the Musician Pegasus. What do you think?
Hi mate. The sound difference is minimal at best. Except for the voltage difference and a slightly better channel separation via XLR, they both sound good to me. I used its RCA outputs with the Enleum AMP-23R with outstanding results and I never felt the sound degrading.
@@Soundnews Many thanks Sandu for helpfull info, so I will use both, rca into my Kinki speaker amp which is single ended and xlr into headphone amp, so I dont need to make a special splitter xlr cable, great work from you👍👍👍many thanks..
Thanks for the review. Do you know what kind of resistors gustard use in that DAC? I cannot find that specification in the web. Usually it is 0.01% or 0.005,% for hi quality dac. The precision resistors is an important feature for r2r DAC...
Hi Sandu, Can you comment more on differences with the Musician Aquarius? Another reviewer commented that bass was better than R26? Excellent review, thank you so much
Thank you Sandu for this review that probably in the best on the web, for your experience and compared the other DACs your have listen, do you think this one that produce less fatigue to listen ? or there are are better candidate in this price range ?
Thank you for your unboxing review. I also watched your video on the SMSL M500 MKIII, and I eventually purchased it. I have been using it for three months now and have been completely satisfied with its performance, especially considering its price. However, I have been contemplating an upgrade recently, and I would like to ask if switching from the M500 MKIII to the Gustard R26 would be a significant improvement in sound quality. Thank you.
Hello Sandu, I was impressed with your review of this dac so much so I’ve purchased it. I have a Lumin T3 in my system. Would using this dac with the Lumin be somewhat of an improvement? Thank you for the work you do.
Thank you for the review. I love that you are willing to adjust your outlook as you continue to review evolving technology. Normally you mention burn-in time when reviewing R2R DACs. How long did it take to burn-in the Gustard R26 Discrete DAC?
Hi mate, I think I've mentioned in the video that I had two weeks for burn-in and one week for listening in my stereo/headphone setup. In about ~100 hours it completely settled it
Sandusaid 2 full weeks or 350 hours , and use agood aftermarket Power cord , and fuse these made a Big improvement 20 mm 2.5 amp slow blow synergistc research purple fuse
I recieved this Dac last week. I’m still burning it in but man what a great Dac. The Dac I was using was the smsl m400 and one reviewer said you have to go up to the 3-4k area to get a big jump, nope this Dac for 1649usd is a steal. How long was your burn in period? How many hours for you? Thanks. FYI- Scorpions! Seeing the in a few weeks with Thundermother!
In the first week I was pretty much settled, about ~8 hours a day. The second week there weren't that many changes, only minor ones in the bass. In about 100 hours, it will be putting everything on the table. Please let us know, how it compares to M400.
The R26 wins in all aspects compared to the smsl m400. I use a tube amp and tube pre amp with canton Chrono sl 536.2 and with this combination the R26 is a perfect match. The m400 is a good Dac but this Dac is better in every way. Maybe imagining is about the same but that’s to be expected. Thanks!
@Soundnews did you test with and without a dedicated pre-amp in the chain? My point is to understand is the pre amp section in any good or if it's better to have a pre-amp. Thanks
Hi Sandu, how do you manage to use I2S that is not Ps Audio compatible? I use a streamer with I2S that is PS Audio compatible and I cannot connect it. Thank you for your help.
Very nice and detailed review ! I currently have the Singxer SDA-6 Pro that you reviewed a few months ago. Do you feel the Gustard is a nice upgrade over the Singxer ? Cheers
@@Soundnews I ended getting an R26 and indeed it's a massive upgrade ! I see that Gustard now have an A26 dac with AK4499EX. Looking forward to a review of this new unit and on how it compares against the R26 ! I would like Gustard creating an "H26" flagship headphone amplifier ! Cheers
Hi Sandu I mainly listen to DSD 512 upsampled thru hqplayer via PC using Tidal. I currently use the gustard x26 pro for this. I understand r2r dacs benefit more for pcm. Do you think there will still be an improvement as what you have described i.e less ringing soundstage etc if I switch from x26 pro to r26 if I always upsample only to DSD 512? Appreciate your inputs.Was your test tracks played on pcm or you also noticed the improvement on native dsd? Thanks!!
After your review I was sure I would get the Singxer SDA-6 Pro - As a PURE XLR DAC (I don't need any features) - just PURE XLR SOUND - what dac do you recommend? R26/SDA-6PRO or something else in this price range? THANKS for all you do! Best regards.
I sure appreciate your honesty and you dare to speak your mind comparing and mentioning brand and models. My sincere appreciation to you. I depend on reviews to make decisions before I place an online order. Here in Singapore, there’s no return policy unless it’s faulty on delivery. In fact, even brand new units that fail to operate as it should after receiving, cannot be returned so buyers have to pay more to sent items back to factories and pray that we can trust them to fix it properly before sending back. I’ve read that some Musician Audio’s customers had units sent back but “went missing in mail” which is infuriating. One customer was advised to under declare the value to $20 and yes, that parcel went missing. Beyond the challenge of depending on reviews with no return policy even for faulty units, very few shops offer these units for tests in their shop which is already difficult for someone like me, with Physical disabilities so I only rely on honest, good and straight reviews. Appreciate this sir!
Hi Sandu, There is usually a tradeoff between detailed and tonal richness (meat on the bones). My only experience with R2R was the Denafrips Ares II which I promptly sold for lack tonal richness. I currently own Loxjie D50, while it didn't change my life, it offers enough detail without sounding too thin and clinical. You've established that the R26 is very detailed, is there a tradeoff in the ''meat on bones'' department compared to other high end DACs? Edit: OK I just read your written review which I guess answers my question. What I'm looking for above all else for system synergy is detail yes, but most of all tonal richness. Endless features are at the very bottom of my list. I've found that sometimes the most technically impressive components are the least musically enjoyable when actually listening to real music.
Mike, you are right. There were always tradeoffs with R-2R units, even with end-game units like Denafrips Terminator Plus and Musician Aquarius, but as I've mentioned at least 3 times in the R26 review, I didn't felt a single con with it. To me, this is perfection. I won't change a single thing about it. This is how I would design a DAC at this price point. I fact I want to work with Gustard on at least a single project, after hearing their X26 and R26.
This is a great review. A couple of years ago I decided to go to a one box system, the Naim Uniti Nova with Audio Physic Step 35 speaker, the sound is good but I know it could be better, would adding the GUSTARD DAC-R26 Discrete R2R DAC make an improvemt to the sound quality. I'm nto even sure how I would connect it to the Nova.
Your review helped push me to buying this over the Denafrips and Holo Audio DACs I was considering. Huge shoutout to Aoshida Audio, the R26 *arrived in 6 days!* Ordered Thursday arrived Wednesday. Right out of the box, it's apparent this is a contender. A little raw and a little lean, I don't find it soft at all. The imaging is pinpoint and lots of air around instruments. Wide and deep soundstage. Aurender N100 feeding it, _balanced outputs_ to BAT pre & amp feeding Focal Kanta No2's. I'll just keep it running throughout the day. Nice fit/finish for price. Not nearly Denafrips or Kitsune level, but less than half the price. That let my buy a new phono stage and power supply.
Thank you for what you are doing and I am really grateful to you, but I want to buy a dac and I want what do you think of this compared to the musician aquarius dac I know this is more expensive but in terms of performance I am really waiting for your opinion to buy all the love💓
Honestly, R26 is better. Not only it's exactly as organic and natural sounding, but it's more technical (clearer, faster) and it's a little deeper sounding than the Aquarius. Go with the R26
I noticed on another forum that several buyers experience different hum noises (from transformer to display). When so many people are discussing this topic I find it strange that you and other reviewers are completely silent about this topic. The reviews are 100% raving without any negatives. I'm sure this is a very good DAC but it would be nice to address this topic and offer a solution (together with Gustard). For now it seems a hit or miss with this device. I would like to know if this is now solved with new batches before spending 1600$ and ending up with a hum 🧐
Hi mate, this review unit didn't do that..and another silver unit that I bought separately doesn't have that issue either. In both cases, I didn't have that issue and this is the very First time when I hear about this, otherwise I would clearly state it in the review. There is no reason for me to hide its flaws/imperfections, as I don't work for Gustard, but for my audience.
@@Soundnews I understand and good for you 👍 You can read this on Head-Fi, many users experience this humming issue. I also contacted some sellers and they confirmed knowing about this. It is the first DAC reading about with hum issues, so I lost confidence..
Now I'm even more suspicious about the hum, the answer Gustard gave yesterday: 'Feel free to buy now, the issue is solved now', how do I know if a seller offers new or older units and if the issue is really solved or not??! So I wrote Hifigo and the response was even worse: 'Every buyer does experience this product different' WTF! Very reassuring when spending 1600$ 😅
nice review man , looks like i got to save up again . Any headphone amp reccomendation for this DAC ? . My options here are Audio-GD master 19 or Burson soloist 3xP or maybe Topping A90D for a cheaper option .
Great review and very tempted to pull the trigger on this DAC. Cannyou advise that this will work with the Innuos ZEN server?. I am currently using the ZEN connected to the DAC in my Primare pre 60 preamp. Many thanks
Hi Sandu! I bought one of these and it sounds good! But I don´t know if my unit is healthy. I connected it directly to a Emotiva XPA Gen3 poweramp and I can max the volume without hurting my ears! Best regards Mikael
@@Soundnews At the moment a pair of floorstanding System Audio Aura 50 Impedanse 4 Ohms, sensitivity 90 dB! I have three pair of speakers for variation. I checked the output impedance on the Gustard and it should be 100 ohms. The input impedance of the Emotiva is 33 kOhms (balanced).
Hi. I bought an R26 based upon your review, and I am deeply satisfied. The bass improved significantly after 300h of burning-in, and now R26 exceeds X26 pro in all aspects. I am quite surprised how MQA sounds great when Full-decode mode("MQA passthrough" should be selected on the source device, and "MQA" should be shown on display, not "OFS"). I hope you test it and give me some comments about it!
Indeed it does take a long, long time to burn in. At first it sounded similar to my delta-sigma DAC, a bit more distant with _possibly_ a wider soundstage. After a few days I was worried until I saw people mention give it at least 100 hours. So I basically ran it nonstop for over a week, and noticed a huge difference. Now about a month later, it's better still. The best part of the R26 is it has all the speed, bass and slam of the best delta-sigmas, but has the buttery smoothness and air of the ladder DACs. I find this to be much better than the Venus II (store demo) I had tried in my system a few months back - and found it to be a bit dark and recessed compared to my Topper, just with compelling midrange in comparison.
Thank you for the review, it makes me want to buy it! Is it possible for you to properly explain the streaming functionality? I don’t understand what it actually offers, and I can’t find it anywhere. Cheers
As usual on many reviews, and even on the manufacturers sites, they forget to explaning the functionalities ! Is this unit a "streamer" ....a "pre-amp" ....or just a DAC ? I searched and up to now I am very unsure !
Thx. I have some questions : You are not talking about the quality of restitution of the timbres of acoustic instruments. What can you tell us? Especially for classical and jazz music: do the instruments sound natural? How are the timbres ?
Hello, Your review is superb, it is full of technical and musical details. I own a streamer Eversolo A6 standard version. I will only use the R26 DAC, do you think it will be a good association. Did you use an internet switch during your test or did you directly connect your RJ45 internet box to the R26?
You are definitely the best Dac reviewer on RUclips your words are very easy to understand and a great explanation of the sound would you say this gustard it’s better than the denifraps Pontus dac?
18:50 Gustard R26 doesn't work as a dac, streamer and MQA decoder at the same time? or it doesn't sound as good as being used just as a dac and preamp? I would leave the preamplification job to an integrated amp and I wouldn't need the preamp function
Whats the point in asking this when he said he prefers this over the Terminator+ Well maybe your not familiar with that, it's Denafrips flagship DAC, over 6k if I remember
Could U please make a Review of the the A26 against the R26...(? That would be wondeful...(": Iam still not sure which one to buy..." Both are brilliant but the A26 should be even clearer and more transparent...but the R26 on the other Side should sound more musical and a bit warmer...and not so clinical and pure"... But thats not my Opinion and only the Opinions of some other User... 😀👌👍🙏
I’m confused about the streaming function. Does it stream and can you get Roon. It seems like you were saying you only used it as a Dac. Should I sell my bluesound 2i or should I keep it when I purchase this R2R Dac?
SGD1 is still pretty good and it's one of those ESS-DACs that I can still tolerate. It lacks brightness and it isn't thin sounding. Pretty good unit at that price.
Thank you for your valuable advice. I just bought the discreet Galard 26R. For better clarification, I would like to know if the addition of Gustard U18 DDC brings a significant improvement or in what percentage. To see if I add it to my list. Any other advice is welcome. Merci encore. (Juste en anglais) ;)
If there is any jitter or noise the ddc helps eliminate that. Think of it as a giant input that outputs the data in the dacs language. No computer noise no jitter.
Hello Sandu I want your opinion, I m in the market for a new dac for my headphones setup.. before this review I an ready to pull the trigger for the X26 pro... now I m a little confused... My big problem is that I m listen only MQA from Tidal.. and I don't know If the R26 is for me. Can I listen MQA with the R26. ?,?? Which of two do you believe is best match for me..?? Thanks in advance.!!
Ditch Tidal and get Qobuz, you'll get a ~10% improvement (no kidding). X26 PRO versus R26 depends solely on your upstream equipment and preference. Both are legendary units, but for me...R26 has something that X26 PRO will never have.
thank's for the review, I want to use a gustard r26 or A26 DAC streamer directly connected to a Benchmark AHB2. you're talking about the A26 which needs a preamp to get the best sound, is it the same for the R26? Is there a perfect solution using the volume of one of his DACs? Or do you really need a separate pre-amp?
Yes, you will need a separate pre amp unfortunately. All these units use digital attenuation which reduce dynamics so you lose lots of detail especially on low volume listening. I found this out after I put my old pre amp in between my dac and amp.
I’ve just acquired R26. Generally speaking, all findings on your review match what I’ve found in my listening, however there is one thing which you did not mentioned, maybe it was not the case on your setup, but I noticed that R26 lacks both body and weight in the mid bass. Thus, could you check if this is really the case? Also, do you see any advantage in changing the fuse for a Gustard one or even a HiFi-Tunning? Kind regards
@@michaelwright1602 For my surprise the sound signatured changed a bit from the initial auditions, having now a more pronounced height in bass in the middle region. Maybe my hears got used to it or it really changed?! There are some differences also using NOS filtering ON and OFF, but so difficult to classify and to get a clear conclusion which one is best (sometimes depends on the type of genre and recording). Just for the sake of my peace of mind, to enjoy music and have a more relaxed listening I’ve decided to use NOS mode ON (overall seams the best option to get a more neutral sound, best dynamics and bigger sound stage). I would say that this DAC is so neutral that it reveals a lot about your recording quality, thus when they are not good, they will not sound good. For example, I’ve some collections of music from the same singer/band and sometimes you can really see huge differences from one record to the other.
@@pedrojesusbarata Thank you for replying back... These R2R DACs do require a bit of burn in to start showing their true colors... I think I am going to go with the Venus II 12th... Shoot the wad and be done with it. I like that Denafrips house sound. And Alvin over at Vinshine has always treated me well.
@@michaelwright1602 Not a simple choice between R26 or Venus, but I do prefer the more neutral sound signature of Gustard DACs. Overall Denafrips has bigger reputation and already a good market. In my cased the build in streamer is a very useful feature included at a very competitive price. Works very well with Roon and mcconcet App (paid version), Should work with potentially any app that can stream to UPnP renderes.
@@pedrojesusbarata I went with the Venus, Alvin at Vinshine knocked off some $$$, nice little discount. I picked up that new Pi2 Mercury V2 streamer also, along with a couple linear power supplies. Should see it next week.
Hello Sandu. great review. are you familiar with the PS NUWAVE sound? If so, can you compare it with the R26. what would be the differences if I replace by ps dac with the R26?
R2R DACs are preferred more for their NOS mode which are also their strength against delta sigma DACs. So what is your impression when running on NoS mode vs Denafrips, Holo Audio and other equivalent R2R DACs?
Good man! Always tell it like it is! Honesty and Integrity are the most important standards in life. Be true to yourself and your heart and you will have no regrets in life. Thank you for your Video's I would love you to compare this to Holo Audio - Spring 3 DAC - Spring V3 KTE +Preamp Module. Thank you.
Great review :) As ususal! Will definetley do an audition of the R26 when I will have a chance. No I just have some hope for a big Dac cpomparison, R26, Holo Audio Spring, Denafrips, Smsl D3 to name the least, and maybe even Dogde Tube 7 - that would be epic.
I have my limits you know... I wish I would have all those units on my table. After I'm finishing these reviews, maybe such units are going back to their owners.
@@Soundnews I understand, but maybe some day. Some shop would do a big rent/drop at Your house, From a marketing staind point is always a bouns. Still keep up the good work 😎
How does this compare to the SMSL VMV D2 dac, and you mentioned heatsinks on this. So this thing runs very hot like the X26 pro then? Also, did you hook this DAC up to a PC or a TV and test if there's an audio delay on the inputs? Denafrips dacs suffer from an issue with their FIFO buffer on the inputs. There's enough of a delay on the inputs that if you use them on a PC or with a TV, the sound will be delayed slightly behind the video.
Add a Synergistic research 20 mm- 2.5amp slow blow fuse , fuse is directional ,fuse direction reading L to R facing up . Tweak geek sells AQ fuses the yellow are pretty good purple even better ,and they show fuse orientation. Use a decent aftermarket power cord It truly makes this dac that much meter still , just give it a solid 200 hours , the dac Play it 2 weeks 24-7 to fully run it in , the Isotek runin cd is a great runin cd And track 3 use 3-4x a week as a 5 minute sweep tune up i. Magnetic fields tend to drift , this CDs cleans things up ,listen before ,and after this has won several awards in the past.,Happy 🎶 listening.
You can read/watch the T+ review, may I suggest checking what I've mentioned about it's "detail retrieval" and "transient response". With my gear and my music collection, R26 felt better
I wonder what they do to mitigate the sonic limitations of Bluetooth, because in my mind, I can’t see wasting money on Bluetooth circuitry on a DAC at this price point.
Just ordered one after ur review, saying it’s even on par with the DENAFRIPS terminator plus is a huge statement! I have Iris DDC feeding the Pontus II so we will see. I also have on loan a Auralic Vega DAC which is superior to the Pontus II without a DDC. It’s going to be interesting for sure….
Although I love your reviews I have become a little skeptical. I ordered the vmv D2, returned it it was too too muddy in the mids really unbalanced to the point that you lose information. Then I ordered the singxer pro, after 300 hours or more it was still screaming... not the treble region but the mid highs. I really loved it but when you hear piano or female voices it just hurts. You warned us about these aspects of those devices just not the level. Would you say that R26 is more or less linear than those devices? is there a region it prefers?
I complained about both D2 and SDA-6 PRO and I didn't complain at all about the R26. It's in a higher league. It doesn't scream in the top-octave and it's a very technical R-2R unit, without a single trace of muddiness. With my gear and my ears, R26 is a much better unit.
Hi Sandu! I have been waiting for a R2R DAC with a good pre-stage! As I understand it to connect this DAC directly to a powerstage is a good idea? In menu settings you say if I put it in NOS mode the volume does not work. But is not the NOS mode the best mode? Thanks for the review.
Took a look at the description section for this video. Sando lists his current favorite components in the description section of all his videos. That list is fluid, the list for this video, will be different than his videos from 6 months ago.
I bought the R-26 based upon the reviews and the build quality. I'm coming from a Denafrips Ares ll which is an awesome DAC for the money. The x26 is in a different League though tighter bass refined mid-range and more holographic. I was a little on the fence on whether or not I wanted to upgrade because the Ares ll was so good. The musical presentation of this DAC will have you listening to your whole music collection again and then discovering things you've never heard before. I am very pleased with the R-26 and would highly recommend it to anyone in the market for a new DAC.
Very interesting. You’re the first that I’m hearing this from. Happy listening..🥳
You weren't interested in the Pontus II?
The truth is I was interested in the pontus 2. Originally my decision to buy the R26 was based upon the reviews but now that I own it I know I made the right decision. At this point I feel it's an endgame DAC.
@@JstfdbyJesus 👍
I love it when a plan comes together! Ultimately, I always make my own decisions for equipment, but usually,
as long as I research it fully, keeping an open mind, and not rushing into anything, I’m usually satisfied with the outcome..unless, of course, something of interest comes out after the fact, which happens that way sometimes.
@@JstfdbyJesus fantastic! I just ordered one. I am unclear how the streaming works. I have a blue sound node now. Will I still need it to use Qobuz?
Ok i received my R26 brand new and fonctionnal. I paired it with the Gustard U18 DDC to connect through IIS. Before the U18 was in, the sound, compared to my Denafrips Pontus II, was wider, punchier and more 3D without being forward. It reminds me of my Chord Mscaler/Qutest combo but with more meat on the bone and a sense of liquidity the Chords lacked. With the U18 in place, the musicians are inside my room, playing for me. This amazing vividness gives music its enjoyment and visceral emotion. I'm quite amazed by this unit after owning severals DACs from Delta Sigma to R2R. Thank you for this review ! Without it, i was about to make a loan to buy a Holo May. I don't know the may but the Gustard is amazing ! Truly !
I'm so glad that people started realizing the Giant Killer than Gustard made at such an affordable price. I have a Chord Dave as well and while that one is better...it is only by a little better, making R26 the biggest bargain I ever experienced from the land of D/A converters.
@@Soundnews And it's on a burn in process so it should get better ! The U18 is a must to retrieve the last bit of greatness from this dac. Dave is probably better but lack fluidity as i recall it... Did you ever try a external clock ?
I took the plunge and purchased the R26. I literally just received it and set it up. Coming from the Schiit Yggdrasil I am thoroughly impressed. The Yggy is excellent and very musical but has a more intimate sound stage and dynamically it is definitely trailing compared to the R26. If burn in really is a thing with this then I expect it to get better as time goes. This is without a DDC though I am looking at the Singxer SU6 but I question if $1000(CAD) is worth it when I don't perceive any noise or jitter.
@@elhijueputa8423 i didnt perceived any jitter either but with the Gustard DDC in with I2S, it's simply better
@@laiguilleetlefeu3240 sounds good. I will eventually get the DDC and give it a go!
Thank you Sandu for this review. Your opinion inspires my trust and respect for many years. I bought an R 26 DAC and after listening to it I legally agree with every word of yours. He's great. It's worth every cent. The Gustard R 26 opened up the world of music for me anew. I launched a playlist of my best favorite music and each track gives me new impressions and pleasant emotions. It's such a grand sound, so breathtaking, it's a different world of music. Save me... I can't stop for 3 days now... I don't want to press stop... I want to drown in this vast sea of music.
Ow that was a bit too much..man..
Soon you will get fedup with R26 too.. again earn hard for the next rival to burn the cash...
This is how I feel, man. First impressions are mind boggling... I'm planning on replacing my amp with a Trafomatic Head 2. And this will be another opportunity to get good impressions. There are no boundaries for perfection.
Can I ask what amp you're using with your gustard r26
@@radiofreealbemuth Hi. Traformatic Head 2
Very good review from you, Thank you! I recently bought a Gustar r26, it has only worked for about 200 hours and the sound is very musical, just amazing for the money it costs.
Sandu thanks for the detailed, honest reviews. I bought Musician Pegasus based on your reviews from way back and I know that it got beat up on in forums, from other reviewers based on rumours or things outside of how the unit performed. Glad you stuck to your guns because the DAC lived up to the hype and your review. Fully trust your opinion and review this time around. Credibility and mad respect brotha! :)
I had the Pegasus and it was surpassed by cheaper digital dacs. I sent it back after I a/b compared it to several other dacs for over a month.
I'm going Mini dsp before spending money on another Dac.
@@ufarkingicehole What is your favorite right now? I like smsl d300!
@@klepp19 my favorite less expensive DAC has been the Geshelli Labs J2. It works best with brighter equipment like class D amps. For Softer, more laid back equipment, the SMSL 400 does a good job at countering that sound.
I believe some of the newer DACS are probably better than either of those like the Gustard x26 pro. I think at this level you are actually buying a Pre amp. Knowing what I know, I would probably buy a minidsp instead of a DAC and buy the DAC absolutely last..
Another point thats never mentioned is that synergy is king. You need to find equipment that match your set up. I typically try to keep it simple such as bright, lean, and clear vs soft and lush (doesn't mean not clear). I still need to listen to the d300 though.
@@ufarkingicehole Thanks for sharing your experience! But J2 can't compete with D300. J2 will sound nice but not pushing SOTA for tone and timbre!😊
Believe the hype, really!!!
Like many, I have had hit and miss results going on reviews but this piece of kit is an absolute bargain no question. Mine just arrived the other day and even on startup it sounded great, but like many have said, it needs about 100 hours running in, although mine is literally improving by the hour shortly after getting it up and running. Even at this stage it is astonishing, finding a way to present incredible musical detail but in a very balanced and natural way. Again, as others have said, it has an incredible sense of "air" and dimensionality with fantastic soundstaging. I came from a great little budget dac, the Geshelli J2, but wanted to try an R to R dac, although I didn't necessarily want to spend the very big bucks for the Holo models or higher Denafrips. Whilst I haven't heard those dacs in person, I can't honestly imagine they will be that much better, if at all, than this Gustard, which is end stage for me in all honesty.
And a couple of tips.
Assuming you are going in via PCM, I found the sound to improve noticeably if you set the PCM NOS to ON. This bypasses the internal FIR filters sending the signal direct to the ladder array (to my mind, a bit like a tone defeat on an amp). This will disable your variable volume control and also the PCM Filters, but overall I was happy to sacrifice those for the better sound. Btw, the PCM Filer control is useful though if you want to tweak the sound character of the dac, and no doubt users will experiment with the filters and the direct NOS signal to see which they prefer.
I imagine setting DSD Direct to ON will have similar results if you use DSD material.
Also, I have never really bothered with Bluetooth, but even this functionality is amazing in that the receiver is incredibly stable and the sound is astonishing bearing in mind the limitations of the format. I have yet to try the USB or Ethernet inputs, but no doubt they will be stunning too. And apparently in the coming month or so there will be a firmware update to include Tidal Connect, happy days.
I run the unit with a great little Primare DD15 CD transport, but am looking at other options to further improve things as the transport definitely makes a difference if you are using CD. And if it helps, in testing transports I was seriously underwhelmed by the Audiolab, the current mid price favorite. The same goes for the Leek and even the more expensive Cyrus transports. As I say, I may explore more exotic transports but the Primare is great for the money.
Finally, Gustard Support are incredibly responsive and helpful, I have raised a number of queries with them via email and they have been great.
Anyway, I hope this helps if you are considering this piece of kit, just buy it, you will thank me!
@safaria666 Well I demoed it against some other transports and was somewhat underwhelmed by the Audiolab, Leak and even the much more expensive Cyrus transports. They didn’t seem to offer a lot more over a good quality integrated player. In the end I went for the Primare 15 transport, which is excellent. I am currently looking at the Nuprime 9 transport as a back up as it has some interesting features. I fear for those with thousands of CDs like me, it will be necessary to purchase a couple of transports for the time when they aren’t readily available in the future due to streaming.
As a Tiger I Tank owner I agree with the new elegant design. If musicality and warmth with diffuse substance is your thing this dac is AN AWESOME R2R. From what I heard the X26 pro is stil punchier and more detailed, but everyone has it's own preferences. Very detailed, technical and full of positive vibes review, Sandu, we can all take a little bit of your energy in our lifes. Great honest analysis!
What mode are you listening in? OS Fast?
@@michaelgrissom6103 if os sounds warm and defused thats bad news. I mean what does nos sound like then?
@@vagomaniac I don't know. I have not recieved this DAC yet but it is on order. My understanding from this review is that the R26 is just as articulate and detailed as the X26 with a better sound stage and midrange presents. Maybe I missed something and need to re-read it. I thought you were comenting on having heard the 2 dacs so I wondered what mode you were listening in. Now I am just confused. When I get it I will give it a try and see if it outperforms my currnet DAC. If not it goes back.
@@michaelgrissom6103 I got mine after just 6 days, I never expected shipping faster than CONUS! To my ear, this is the best of both worlds. Denafrips and Kitsume try to get a soft, smooth and warm analog sound. Here, it’s got the speed and clarity of the SABRE chips, but the warmth and linear nature R2R delivers. I had a Pontus II to demo a few days, I much prefer this. Focal Kanta 2’s, BAT amp/pre, Aurender N100, so decent midrange system.
It seems like you need a DDC to get the best of it, like Gustard U18. Personally, i cant go back from R2R tec... can't find the same emotion and naturalness...
Superb review as always brother! Great job, I feel Gustard is doing God's work along with SMSL and Topping in terms of bringing truly great sounding audio products at mostly prices that everyday working Joes can actually afford and enjoy at very high levels! Great channel. :)
Great review dude. I'm really not in the market for another dac right now, but this will be at the top of my list when the time comes.
Your review, Sandu, triggered me to try out the R26 as a replacement for an SMSL M400. I already tried the X26 following your enthusiastic review about this one but this unit was not doing much for me (maybe my copy was somehow a bad one). So knowing about all your other very kind and glowing reviews I was a little skeptical, if your praise was really justified. Owning the R26 for less than 24 hours I’m totally convinced, that it is. Even without any burn-in time at all the R26 owns the M400 in every aspect. I can totally understand your “being stunned whilst the first listen” part of your review. That was exactly what I felt. And if you still say this given the experience you have, this is truly a testament of the R26 quality. Thanks for your reviews!
I have the M400 dac too. Is the Gustard R26 better?
@@briansage9388 Hello Brian. I can only speak for my system, but there the answer is definitely yes. I’m using my DAC in pre-amp mode only feed with FLACs by a raspi based DDC via coax. My DAC is conected via XLR into a PS Audio BHK 250 into modified Infinity Omegas. In this setup the R26 was an significant improvement. The sound is cleaner, more spacious, has a better decay and is even a tad more dynamic. The R26 is also a very fun sounding unit having a slightly warmish timbre - like the M400 felt for me.
After about 6 weeks of burn in I can state, that the volume decreased a little with still plenty headroom, the sound did not improve significantly and that if you reach the limits of my Infinities the M400 had a slight edge when sub bass is concerned. I'm however still very pleased with the R26 and don't regret switching.
@@josch614 OK. Thanks for info. It was the R2R Nos that got my attention. I heard good things about it and this dac was mentioned and I'm just now hearing about it.
Great review and awesome recommendation. I just received the R26 and it is an incredible DAC. I also have the X26 pro, and the R26 bests the X26 pro by a good margin. R2R DACs present music so much more naturally.
Can you please be a bit more specific..I'm on the fence of selling my X26pro for the R26..I listen jazz and classical mainly through Harbeth SHLs+40th speakers..thanks!
@@quinto34 I liken it to speaker cones and domes. With metal woofer cones and tweeter domes you get that unnatural sound. With paper, polypropyleen, and kevlar cones and silk and other non-metallic tweeters you get a more natural sound. I think the sound is more natural with the R26 vs the X26 pro. I don't hear the Delta-Sigma ringing in the R26. The music is more involving. The PrAT stands out as excellent.
I listen to Jazz quite a bit too. The R26 is worth the upgrade IMO. Perfect for Jazz, Rock, Instrumental, Classical, and Hard Rock. I'm listening to Ben Wolfe, The Enforcer right now. Sounds so nuanced and detailed. You can hear the each pluck of the bass. The trumpet is stellar with that ring of the trumpet cone, you can feel it coming off the speaker cone with the correct timbre.
Hope this helps.
@@jerick70ify very helpful, thanks Jeff!
Is the R26 as fast and impactful as the X26pro?
Thank you
@@Nightjar726 It's a different sound. I think yes it is very close.
Just wanted to say that after watching your review I ordered one. I had been looking for an upgrade to my Ares II. I normally don't buy something based on a single review but I have grown to trust Sandu's reviews so I pulled the trigger. Received it two days ago (very fast from Aoshida). All I can say is Thank You Sandu! Your review nailed it and this is exactly what I wanted. I plugged into my Burson Soloist 3XP with the SuperCharger and a smile immediately crossed my lips. Everything sounded punchier and more detailed. Tried with Arya Stealth, Audeze LCD-XC, Sennheiser 660s & 600. Dare I say it? This may be my endgame. Plus I want to spend money on actual musical equipment like hardware synths and drum machines (more fun than just software based music production).
Hi David, that you for your kind words. You won't find a better R2R DAC even at thrice its price. I ordered a Silver unit just a day ago, so I could use it the living room (stereo setup) with the rest of my electronics.
@@Soundnews Hi, which color unit do you like the best, black or silver? Thanks!
@@Soundnews I also ordered and received a silver unit after watching your review and it is truly excellent. It's a nice upgrade over my Singxer SDA-6 Pro. It pairs well with my Denafrips Artemis headphone amp. Cheers !
@@Soundnews Great review! 👏👏👏Let me ask you a question about the R26 preamp functionality. In your X26Pro review you felt the variable output was lower quality than your Matrix Audio element X. Is the R26 preamp output better performer than the X26Pro? I´m asking cause I´m planning to use the R26 direct to Power Amp to get higher transparency, 3D and purity but I don´t want to get a thinner or lean sound.
Thanks!!
Hi,I also have an Ares II and wanted to upgrade,but can't decide between R26 and the Pontus II.So,it's that good in comparison with the Ares II? I'm using my dac with P5 preamp and A21 amp from Parasound!
Just ordered it! Thank you for the suggestion. Black Friday deal makes it a no brainer!
Can I ask for an update on how you like it and how is the noise floor with sensitive iems?
@@radiofreealbemuth I only used speakers with it but the noise floor is amazing, the unit is definitely worth more than it’s asking price, sounds is phenomenal if you need a bit of r2r action in your system
@@robk5745 ah, can I ask how is the sound signature of the r26 and what amplifier you paired it with?
@@radiofreealbemuth it’s a bit warm sounding because of the r2r but it’s quite neutral and has a big soundstage and lots of nice detail. Audiolab 8300a
Hi! Thank you for the review. What will you choose. The R26 or the new Eversolo dmp-a8. I’m looking for the best sound for my tidal streaming. I have the node x coax through fiio k9 pro ess for my meze empyreans in one room. But I would like streaming in my stereo setup too in another room. Focal aria 948, preamp, amp c73 and m73 from Pioneer. Sources are vinyl, pd-73 pioneer cd player, minidisc and casette too. I know. I’m a nostalgic old school sometimes. Thank you!
What an incredible review. Especially the written part!!!
Thank you!
Thanks for this detailed review! For the reviewing or anyone who has tried this DAC: How does the R26 do with classical music and in accurately recreating natural/organic instruments? And is it ever sibilant with harsh treble peaks?
Great review thanks! I'm confused by the streamer portion though - I'm using a Bluesound node w/Qobuz subscription for all of my music - would I be able to access that directly with the R26 without needing the node? Would I need a Roon account as well?
Great review sir!!! It is amazing that such stellar gear today is available at near pedestrian prices!!! Only a few years ago 5 figures were needed get inti this performance category 👏
Golden words
Thank you for this video, very enjoyable and informative. Would you consider doing a review of the P26 preamp from Gustard? I'm very interested in this unit but there are hardly any reviews online.
I would also love a good review of the Gustard P26 preamp. When my Gustard R26 connects directly to my class D purify power ampwith XLR, i need to reduce the digital attenuation down to lower than -30 dB, loosing a lot of sound quality. So a good unity gain preamp would help. I am considering either the gustard p26, or the Denafrips hestia which has good reviews but is a bit costlier. Thoughts?
Soundnews, you've gushed about the SMSL VMV D2 as well as now this R26. I'm about to pull the trigger on one of these two, but I need to know two important points.
- I live in Arizona and I CAN'T have components that are going to warm up the room by running very hot like a Class A amp. I'm wondering if this R26 runs hot like the Gustard X26 pro
- What do you think sounds better, the SMSL VMV D2 or this R26?
- Bonus info.....I've already read from two different sources that this R26 dac doesn't have an audio delay on it like the Denafrips dacs do, so it's good to use for gaming or TV's without the sound being delayed behind the video. That's great.
I've tried both VMV D2 and R26. VMV D2 runs hotter than R26 but D2 is the much smaller unit, sorry I don't have X26 Pro to compare. In terms of sound, there is no comparison between the two. R26 is better in every way possible.
@@audioprom2662 Yeah, I now have the R26 and a Violectric V550 powering HE1000v2 cans. The R26 doesn't even get warm, the V550 does get a little warm but nothing major. It all sounds fantastic
By any chance, do you know how the Gustard R29 compares to a Benchmark DAC3? I am trying to make the switch into R2R and currently own a Benchmark DAC.
Again great video. I'm in the market for a DAC and was wondering how you would compare the Gustard R26 with the new Ladder Schumann? Heard the Ladder is a small step above the Musician Pegasus. What do you think?
Hello Sandu, great review👍👍, thank you, I have one question, is there a difference in SQ rca vs xlr output? many thanks in advance for info..
Hi mate. The sound difference is minimal at best. Except for the voltage difference and a slightly better channel separation via XLR, they both sound good to me. I used its RCA outputs with the Enleum AMP-23R with outstanding results and I never felt the sound degrading.
@@Soundnews Many thanks Sandu for helpfull info, so I will use both, rca into my Kinki speaker amp which is single ended and xlr into headphone amp, so I dont need to make a special splitter xlr cable, great work from you👍👍👍many thanks..
Thanks for the review. Do you know what kind of resistors gustard use in that DAC? I cannot find that specification in the web. Usually it is 0.01% or 0.005,% for hi quality dac. The precision resistors is an important feature for r2r DAC...
Hi Sandu, Can you comment more on differences with the Musician Aquarius? Another reviewer commented that bass was better than R26? Excellent review, thank you so much
Thank you Sandu for this review that probably in the best on the web, for your experience and compared the other DACs your have listen, do you think this one that produce less fatigue to listen ? or there are are better candidate in this price range ?
Thank you for your unboxing review. I also watched your video on the SMSL M500 MKIII, and I eventually purchased it. I have been using it for three months now and have been completely satisfied with its performance, especially considering its price. However, I have been contemplating an upgrade recently, and I would like to ask if switching from the M500 MKIII to the Gustard R26 would be a significant improvement in sound quality. Thank you.
Hello Sandu, I was impressed with your review of this dac so much so I’ve purchased it. I have a Lumin T3 in my system. Would using this dac with the Lumin be somewhat of an improvement? Thank you for the work you do.
Thank you for the review. I love that you are willing to adjust your outlook as you continue to review evolving technology. Normally you mention burn-in time when reviewing R2R DACs. How long did it take to burn-in the Gustard R26 Discrete DAC?
Hi mate, I think I've mentioned in the video that I had two weeks for burn-in and one week for listening in my stereo/headphone setup. In about ~100 hours it completely settled it
Sandusaid 2 full weeks or 350 hours , and use agood aftermarket
Power cord , and fuse these made a Big improvement 20 mm 2.5 amp slow blow synergistc research purple fuse
I recieved this Dac last week. I’m still burning it in but man what a great Dac. The Dac I was using was the smsl m400 and one reviewer said you have to go up to the 3-4k area to get a big jump, nope this Dac for 1649usd is a steal. How long was your burn in period? How many hours for you? Thanks. FYI- Scorpions! Seeing the in a few weeks with Thundermother!
In the first week I was pretty much settled, about ~8 hours a day. The second week there weren't that many changes, only minor ones in the bass. In about 100 hours, it will be putting everything on the table. Please let us know, how it compares to M400.
The R26 wins in all aspects compared to the smsl m400. I use a tube amp and tube pre amp with canton Chrono sl 536.2 and with this combination the R26 is a perfect match. The m400 is a good Dac but this Dac is better in every way. Maybe imagining is about the same but that’s to be expected. Thanks!
@Soundnews did you test with and without a dedicated pre-amp in the chain? My point is to understand is the pre amp section in any good or if it's better to have a pre-amp. Thanks
Hi Sandu, how do you manage to use I2S that is not Ps Audio compatible?
I use a streamer with I2S that is PS Audio compatible and I cannot connect it.
Thank you for your help.
Very nice and detailed review ! I currently have the Singxer SDA-6 Pro that you reviewed a few months ago. Do you feel the Gustard is a nice upgrade over the Singxer ? Cheers
If you need more meat on the bone, a fuller tonality and a (much) better soundstage and depth, then yes, R26 is a massive upgrade.
@@Soundnews Thanks for your feedback !
@@Soundnews I ended getting an R26 and indeed it's a massive upgrade ! I see that Gustard now have an A26 dac with AK4499EX. Looking forward to a review of this new unit and on how it compares against the R26 ! I would like Gustard creating an "H26" flagship headphone amplifier ! Cheers
What A sympathic and fine young man who is able to speak clear and honest what he is listening. 🌹🌹🌹
Hi Sandu I mainly listen to DSD 512 upsampled thru hqplayer via PC using Tidal. I currently use the gustard x26 pro for this. I understand r2r dacs benefit more for pcm. Do you think there will still be an improvement as what you have described i.e less ringing soundstage etc if I switch from x26 pro to r26 if I always upsample only to DSD 512? Appreciate your inputs.Was your test tracks played on pcm or you also noticed the improvement on native dsd? Thanks!!
Thanks Sandu for as always very informative review! I saw the measurements in DSD mode and they are not very good. Did you test the DSD playback?
After your review I was sure I would get the Singxer SDA-6 Pro - As a PURE XLR DAC (I don't need any features) - just PURE XLR SOUND - what dac do you recommend? R26/SDA-6PRO or something else in this price range? THANKS for all you do! Best regards.
I sure appreciate your honesty and you dare to speak your mind comparing and mentioning brand and models. My sincere appreciation to you. I depend on reviews to make decisions before I place an online order. Here in Singapore, there’s no return policy unless it’s faulty on delivery. In fact, even brand new units that fail to operate as it should after receiving, cannot be returned so buyers have to pay more to sent items back to factories and pray that we can trust them to fix it properly before sending back. I’ve read that some Musician Audio’s customers had units sent back but “went missing in mail” which is infuriating. One customer was advised to under declare the value to $20 and yes, that parcel went missing. Beyond the challenge of depending on reviews with no return policy even for faulty units, very few shops offer these units for tests in their shop which is already difficult for someone like me, with Physical disabilities so I only rely on honest, good and straight reviews. Appreciate this sir!
Hi Sandu,
There is usually a tradeoff between detailed and tonal richness (meat on the bones). My only experience with R2R was the Denafrips Ares II which I promptly sold for lack tonal richness. I currently own Loxjie D50, while it didn't change my life, it offers enough detail without sounding too thin and clinical. You've established that the R26 is very detailed, is there a tradeoff in the ''meat on bones'' department compared to other high end DACs?
Edit: OK I just read your written review which I guess answers my question.
What I'm looking for above all else for system synergy is detail yes, but most of all tonal richness. Endless features are at the very bottom of my list. I've found that sometimes the most technically impressive components are the least musically enjoyable when actually listening to real music.
Mike, you are right. There were always tradeoffs with R-2R units, even with end-game units like Denafrips Terminator Plus and Musician Aquarius, but as I've mentioned at least 3 times in the R26 review, I didn't felt a single con with it. To me, this is perfection. I won't change a single thing about it. This is how I would design a DAC at this price point. I fact I want to work with Gustard on at least a single project, after hearing their X26 and R26.
Love your candid review ♥️. Awesome.
This is a great review. A couple of years ago I decided to go to a one box system, the Naim Uniti Nova with Audio Physic Step 35 speaker, the sound is good but I know it could be better, would adding the GUSTARD DAC-R26 Discrete R2R DAC make an improvemt to the sound quality. I'm nto even sure how I would connect it to the Nova.
Your review helped push me to buying this over the Denafrips and Holo Audio DACs I was considering. Huge shoutout to Aoshida Audio, the R26 *arrived in 6 days!* Ordered Thursday arrived Wednesday. Right out of the box, it's apparent this is a contender. A little raw and a little lean, I don't find it soft at all. The imaging is pinpoint and lots of air around instruments. Wide and deep soundstage. Aurender N100 feeding it, _balanced outputs_ to BAT pre & amp feeding Focal Kanta No2's. I'll just keep it running throughout the day. Nice fit/finish for price. Not nearly Denafrips or Kitsune level, but less than half the price. That let my buy a new phono stage and power supply.
Excellent review
Thank you for what you are doing and I am really grateful to you, but I want to buy a dac and I want what do you think of this compared to the musician aquarius dac I know this is more expensive but in terms of performance I am really waiting for your opinion to buy all the love💓
Honestly, R26 is better. Not only it's exactly as organic and natural sounding, but it's more technical (clearer, faster) and it's a little deeper sounding than the Aquarius. Go with the R26
@@Soundnews Thank you really, you deserve all the support
I noticed on another forum that several buyers experience different hum noises (from transformer to display). When so many people are discussing this topic I find it strange that you and other reviewers are completely silent about this topic. The reviews are 100% raving without any negatives. I'm sure this is a very good DAC but it would be nice to address this topic and offer a solution (together with Gustard). For now it seems a hit or miss with this device. I would like to know if this is now solved with new batches before spending 1600$ and ending up with a hum 🧐
Hi mate, this review unit didn't do that..and another silver unit that I bought separately doesn't have that issue either. In both cases, I didn't have that issue and this is the very First time when I hear about this, otherwise I would clearly state it in the review. There is no reason for me to hide its flaws/imperfections, as I don't work for Gustard, but for my audience.
@@Soundnews I understand and good for you 👍 You can read this on Head-Fi, many users experience this humming issue. I also contacted some sellers and they confirmed knowing about this. It is the first DAC reading about with hum issues, so I lost confidence..
Now I'm even more suspicious about the hum, the answer Gustard gave yesterday: 'Feel free to buy now, the issue is solved now', how do I know if a seller offers new or older units and if the issue is really solved or not??! So I wrote Hifigo and the response was even worse: 'Every buyer does experience this product different' WTF! Very reassuring when spending 1600$ 😅
nice review man , looks like i got to save up again . Any headphone amp reccomendation for this DAC ? . My options here are Audio-GD master 19 or Burson soloist 3xP or maybe Topping A90D for a cheaper option .
Great review, Sandu. What headphone amps do you rec to get all this has to offer?
Have you compared it to Ladder Schumann FPGA R2R DAC?
Great review and very tempted to pull the trigger on this DAC. Cannyou advise that this will work with the Innuos ZEN server?. I am currently using the ZEN connected to the DAC in my Primare pre 60 preamp. Many thanks
Hi Sandu! I bought one of these and it sounds good! But I don´t know if my unit is healthy. I connected it directly to a Emotiva XPA Gen3 poweramp and I can max the volume without hurting my ears! Best regards Mikael
Hey Mikael, that is weird indeed. At max volume, XPA Gen3 should blast a hole into your eardrums. What speakers are you driving?
@@Soundnews At the moment a pair of floorstanding System Audio Aura 50 Impedanse 4 Ohms, sensitivity 90 dB! I have three pair of speakers for variation. I checked the output impedance on the Gustard and it should be 100 ohms. The input impedance of the Emotiva is 33 kOhms (balanced).
Hi I have xpa dr2 and I try connect R26 straight to Dr2by xlr.Are you think is good idea to spare together? are you happy about your system? Thanx
@@buekbukiewicz8064 Hi there! Yes I think it is a good idea to connect a dac of this quality directly to a powerstage by xlr!
Hi. I bought an R26 based upon your review, and I am deeply satisfied.
The bass improved significantly after 300h of burning-in, and now R26 exceeds X26 pro in all aspects.
I am quite surprised how MQA sounds great when Full-decode mode("MQA passthrough" should be selected on the source device, and "MQA" should be shown on display, not "OFS"). I hope you test it and give me some comments about it!
Indeed it does take a long, long time to burn in. At first it sounded similar to my delta-sigma DAC, a bit more distant with _possibly_ a wider soundstage. After a few days I was worried until I saw people mention give it at least 100 hours. So I basically ran it nonstop for over a week, and noticed a huge difference. Now about a month later, it's better still. The best part of the R26 is it has all the speed, bass and slam of the best delta-sigmas, but has the buttery smoothness and air of the ladder DACs. I find this to be much better than the Venus II (store demo) I had tried in my system a few months back - and found it to be a bit dark and recessed compared to my Topper, just with compelling midrange in comparison.
Thank you for the review, it makes me want to buy it! Is it possible for you to properly explain the streaming functionality? I don’t understand what it actually offers, and I can’t find it anywhere.
Cheers
As usual on many reviews, and even on the manufacturers sites, they forget to explaning the functionalities ! Is this unit a "streamer" ....a "pre-amp" ....or just a DAC ? I searched and up to now I am very unsure !
Thx. I have some questions : You are not talking about the quality of restitution of the timbres of acoustic instruments. What can you tell us? Especially for classical and jazz music: do the instruments sound natural? How are the timbres ?
Four words: read the written review
@@Soundnews I red your review before posting my comment, and i didn't found the answer i was looking for. ;)
@@regisvoiclair keep searching
Sandu, do recommend using Gustard's U18 digital interface unit this r26 DAC or do you feel this unnecessary? Thanks!
Hey. Great video. Just wondering how this would compare to the Schiit Gungnir Multibit A2 ?
Hello,
Your review is superb, it is full of technical and musical details. I own a streamer Eversolo A6 standard version. I will only use the R26 DAC, do you think it will be a good association. Did you use an internet switch during your test or did you directly connect your RJ45 internet box to the R26?
You are definitely the best Dac reviewer on RUclips your words are very easy to understand and a great explanation of the sound would you say this gustard it’s better than the denifraps Pontus dac?
Thank you Steve!
@@Soundnews I'm interested to hear this also!
Hi Can you expand on the differences between R26 and the Aquarius - I am considering both and wondering that the $1.5K adder gets you
Gustard R26 Discrete (Gold Award) vs SMSL VMV D2 (Gold Award) For headphone use.
Both are basically $1700 bucks. Is the VMV D2 in your Top 5 DACS?
Easy question, easy answer: forget every DAC I've reviewed below $3K, R26 is better than any of those, including VMV D2
@@Soundnews Thanks!! 👍
I'm curious if DACS like the Gustard R26 and the Denafrips DACS are mainly meant for Speaker setups over headphone use?
They're meant for both, but I think you can hear the difference more so on loud speakers than Headphones.
Nope. NO, no, no no. It doesn't really matter. A 4V or 5V analog output works similarly in either setup.
18:50 Gustard R26 doesn't work as a dac, streamer and MQA decoder at the same time? or it doesn't sound as good as being used just as a dac and preamp?
I would leave the preamplification job to an integrated amp and I wouldn't need the preamp function
Hi Sandu , want to know your opinion on how much better that R26 is versus my Musician Pegasus? Would it be a nice upgrade? Thank you, Charles
Thank you for the insightful review! How does this DAC compare to Denafrips Pontus II? Which one would you recommend? I'm at a crossroad 🧐Thanks!
Yes the elephant in the room did not get addressed…
Whats the point in asking this when he said he prefers this over the Terminator+ Well maybe your not familiar with that, it's Denafrips flagship DAC, over 6k if I remember
Could U please make a Review of the the A26 against the R26...(?
That would be wondeful...(": Iam still not sure which one to buy..."
Both are brilliant but the A26 should be even clearer and more
transparent...but the R26 on the other Side should sound more
musical and a bit warmer...and not so clinical and pure"...
But thats not my Opinion and only the Opinions of some
other User... 😀👌👍🙏
3 more days...I'm writing the A26 review since Monday
@@Soundnews Thats perfect my Friend..., U are the best *** Thanks 😀👌👍🙏
I’m confused about the streaming function. Does it stream and can you get Roon. It seems like you were saying you only used it as a Dac. Should I sell my bluesound 2i or should I keep it when I purchase this R2R Dac?
Hi buddy can we connect this dac with our Existing cd players or cd transports your suggestions please🙏
Un review pe cinste, bravo Sandu!
Folosesc un Soncoz SGD1, crezi că diferența e atât de evidentă?
Great review.
Is this dac true NOS?
Gran reseña escrita,muy buen trabajo.Una pena no poder llegar a este Dac.
Que te parece a día de hoy ,el Soncoz Sgd1 ??
O está un poco viejo?
Gracias
SGD1 is still pretty good and it's one of those ESS-DACs that I can still tolerate. It lacks brightness and it isn't thin sounding. Pretty good unit at that price.
Thank you for your valuable advice. I just bought the discreet Galard 26R. For better clarification, I would like to know if the addition of Gustard U18 DDC brings a significant improvement or in what percentage. To see if I add it to my list. Any other advice is welcome. Merci encore. (Juste en anglais) ;)
If there is any jitter or noise the ddc helps eliminate that. Think of it as a giant input that outputs the data in the dacs language. No computer noise no jitter.
Have you tried holo audio spring or holo? Would be a good comparison vs this unit.
Just subscribed. Great video. I’m considering this r26 or a Soekris DAC2541. Have you been able to compare ?
Hello Sandu I want your opinion, I m in the market for a new dac for my headphones setup.. before this review I an ready to pull the trigger for the X26 pro... now I m a little confused...
My big problem is that I m listen only MQA from Tidal.. and I don't know If the R26 is for me.
Can I listen MQA with the R26. ?,??
Which of two do you believe is best match for me..??
Thanks in advance.!!
Ditch Tidal and get Qobuz, you'll get a ~10% improvement (no kidding). X26 PRO versus R26 depends solely on your upstream equipment and preference. Both are legendary units, but for me...R26 has something that X26 PRO will never have.
awesome review. hoping they add tidal connect support soon
Without a wireless chip, it won't do that.. I think it does plenty for $1650 already
@@Soundnews will I still need to use a streamer like the Bluesound Node with the Gustard?
Great video, Any chance of reviewing the dac2541 from soekris? also a r2r dac In the sub 2k USD price range
Not on my radar...but I will ask around. Won't happen anytime soon though
thank's for the review, I want to use a gustard r26 or A26 DAC streamer directly connected to a Benchmark AHB2. you're talking about the A26 which needs a preamp to get the best sound, is it the same for the R26? Is there a perfect solution using the volume of one of his DACs? Or do you really need a separate pre-amp?
Yes, you will need a separate pre amp unfortunately. All these units use digital attenuation which reduce dynamics so you lose lots of detail especially on low volume listening. I found this out after I put my old pre amp in between my dac and amp.
Merci, depuis est sortie l’eversolo dmp-a8 qui inclus un vrai pre-amp, je pense l’acheter 😊
How does this compare to the holo spring 3 and which would you recommend?
I’ve wanted an r2r dac that can do it all, but I couldn’t afford a Terminator. Thank you for the great review
I’ve just acquired R26. Generally speaking, all findings on your review match what I’ve found in my listening, however there is one thing which you did not mentioned, maybe it was not the case on your setup, but I noticed that R26 lacks both body and weight in the mid bass. Thus, could you check if this is really the case? Also, do you see any advantage in changing the fuse for a Gustard one or even a HiFi-Tunning? Kind regards
Are you still experiencing this bass issue? Every sound demo I have heard of the R26, it sure sounds like a chip DAC to me.
@@michaelwright1602 For my surprise the sound signatured changed a bit from the initial auditions, having now a more pronounced height in bass in the middle region. Maybe my hears got used to it or it really changed?! There are some differences also using NOS filtering ON and OFF, but so difficult to classify and to get a clear conclusion which one is best (sometimes depends on the type of genre and recording). Just for the sake of my peace of mind, to enjoy music and have a more relaxed listening I’ve decided to use NOS mode ON (overall seams the best option to get a more neutral sound, best dynamics and bigger sound stage). I would say that this DAC is so neutral that it reveals a lot about your recording quality, thus when they are not good, they will not sound good. For example, I’ve some collections of music from the same singer/band and sometimes you can really see huge differences from one record to the other.
@@pedrojesusbarata Thank you for replying back... These R2R DACs do require a bit of burn in to start showing their true colors... I think I am going to go with the Venus II 12th... Shoot the wad and be done with it. I like that Denafrips house sound. And Alvin over at Vinshine has always treated me well.
@@michaelwright1602 Not a simple choice between R26 or Venus, but I do prefer the more neutral sound signature of Gustard DACs. Overall Denafrips has bigger reputation and already a good market. In my cased the build in streamer is a very useful feature included at a very competitive price. Works very well with Roon and mcconcet App (paid version), Should work with potentially any app that can stream to UPnP renderes.
@@pedrojesusbarata I went with the Venus, Alvin at Vinshine knocked off some $$$, nice little discount. I picked up that new Pi2 Mercury V2 streamer also, along with a couple linear power supplies. Should see it next week.
Has anyone compared R26 to Ladder Schuman side by side?
Sandu thank you for this excellent and very detailed review. 👏🏻
I am between those 2 as well.
Informal user feedback: ruclips.net/video/04CDJx04Zxs/видео.html
Hello Sandu. great review. are you familiar with the PS NUWAVE sound? If so, can you compare it with the R26. what would be the differences if I replace by ps dac with the R26?
R2R DACs are preferred more for their NOS mode which are also their strength against delta sigma DACs. So what is your impression when running on NoS mode vs Denafrips, Holo Audio and other equivalent R2R DACs?
Thanks for your review, have you tried the Musetec LKS 005? If not please do 🙏
Good man! Always tell it like it is! Honesty and Integrity are the most important standards in life. Be true to yourself and your heart and you will have no regrets in life. Thank you for your Video's I would love you to compare this to Holo Audio - Spring 3 DAC - Spring V3 KTE +Preamp Module. Thank you.
>Very smart review & thank you for honesty - goes the longest way!
Great review :) As ususal! Will definetley do an audition of the R26 when I will have a chance. No I just have some hope for a big Dac cpomparison, R26, Holo Audio Spring, Denafrips, Smsl D3 to name the least, and maybe even Dogde Tube 7 - that would be epic.
I have my limits you know... I wish I would have all those units on my table. After I'm finishing these reviews, maybe such units are going back to their owners.
@@Soundnews I understand, but maybe some day. Some shop would do a big rent/drop at Your house, From a marketing staind point is always a bouns. Still keep up the good work 😎
How does this compare to the SMSL VMV D2 dac, and you mentioned heatsinks on this. So this thing runs very hot like the X26 pro then? Also, did you hook this DAC up to a PC or a TV and test if there's an audio delay on the inputs? Denafrips dacs suffer from an issue with their FIFO buffer on the inputs. There's enough of a delay on the inputs that if you use them on a PC or with a TV, the sound will be delayed slightly behind the video.
Add a Synergistic research 20 mm- 2.5amp slow blow fuse , fuse is directional ,fuse direction reading L to R facing up . Tweak geek sells AQ fuses the yellow are pretty good purple even better ,and they show fuse orientation. Use a decent aftermarket power cord
It truly makes this dac that much meter still , just give it a solid 200 hours , the dac
Play it 2 weeks 24-7 to fully run it in , the Isotek runin cd is a great runin cd
And track 3 use 3-4x a week as a 5 minute sweep tune up i.
Magnetic fields tend to drift , this CDs cleans things up ,listen before ,and after this has won several awards in the past.,Happy 🎶 listening.
How do you think this will pair with the GSX mini amp?
C´mon man better than T+? I donˇt know. What about the comparison with the R7he MK2 which is probably better than T+? Thanks for the video...
You can read/watch the T+ review, may I suggest checking what I've mentioned about it's "detail retrieval" and "transient response". With my gear and my music collection, R26 felt better
I wonder what they do to mitigate the sonic limitations of Bluetooth, because in my mind, I can’t see wasting money on Bluetooth circuitry on a DAC at this price point.
Excellent review. Very interesting DAC. Wish it had BNC coax input & I2S that was configurable though.
Will this be better than RME ADI-2 that’s German made and pros use it? It’s half the price. And has a remote.
Any plans on reviewing the Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE or any of the Holo DACs?
Trying to get info on updating the firmware on the R26. Any assistance would be appreciated. Excellent review. It pushed me towards buying the R26
Just ordered one after ur review, saying it’s even on par with the DENAFRIPS terminator plus is a huge statement! I have Iris DDC feeding the Pontus II so we will see. I also have on loan a Auralic Vega DAC which is superior to the Pontus II without a DDC. It’s going to be interesting for sure….
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Did you get it yet?
wanna know the comparison
Although I love your reviews I have become a little skeptical. I ordered the vmv D2, returned it it was too too muddy in the mids
really unbalanced to the point that you lose information. Then I ordered the singxer pro, after 300 hours or more it was still screaming... not the treble region but the mid highs. I really loved it but when you hear piano or female voices it just hurts. You warned us about these aspects of those devices just not the level.
Would you say that R26 is more or less linear than those devices? is there a region it prefers?
I complained about both D2 and SDA-6 PRO and I didn't complain at all about the R26. It's in a higher league. It doesn't scream in the top-octave and it's a very technical R-2R unit, without a single trace of muddiness. With my gear and my ears, R26 is a much better unit.
How much of an improvement the Gustard R26 is over the Musician Pegasus for headphone listening only? Is it worth 40-50% more?
Hi Sandu! I have been waiting for a R2R DAC with a good pre-stage! As I understand it to connect this DAC directly to a powerstage is a good idea? In menu settings you say if I put it in NOS mode the volume does not work. But is not the NOS mode the best mode? Thanks for the review.
You mention this is in your top 5 DACs. Can you share what your other top DACs are please? PS love your reviews
Took a look at the description section for this video. Sando lists his current favorite components in the description section of all his videos. That list is fluid, the list for this video, will be different than his videos from 6 months ago.