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Thx for this sample sounds. I really want R26 but, after this video I change my plans to A26. Mid range it seems more direct in A26, this is the biggest surprise.
Interestingly different POV from most other reviewers regarding the R26, which I have, and in my $60K system, I prefer it to my Terminator II, which I've since sold. I especially prefer it for soundstage and instrument separation even compared to my Musetec MH-DA005, a dual mono 9038PRO DAC, and my Lumin P1's internal dual mono 9028 DAC. Also prefer its timbral presentation of vocals and acoustic instruments. The only DAC I have that I prefer is a new Lampizator Baltic 4 with NOS tubes - but it's only a slight preference regarding timbre. Goes to show you how subjective this hobby is and how different system synergies affect the outcome of these comparisons. This reviewer has been reliably consistent so I have no reason to doubt his evaluation of these DACs, I can't understand why anyone would be annoyed by the fact he prefers the A26 - it that's you, get a life dude!
I recently ordered a26 and r26 at the same time. Because in China, you can return the product for seven days without any reason. So I can keep one and return the other. I have the same sense of hearing as the author, watching your video is like telling my own sense of hearing. I prefer A26, like the sense of transparency, air, and unfettered feeling. My speakers are b&w 705s3.
A26과 r26을 이곳에 올린 녹음 파일을 받아서 사운드만 분리해서 비교했습니다. R26은 A26에 비해 중역대가 부스팅되어 보컬에서 또는 소편성의 클래식에 유리한것 같습니다. A26은 중음대가 조금 R26에 비해 약하지만 고음역대와 음 분리도는 조금더 좋습니다. 편성이 복잡한 클래식에 좀더 적합합니다. 두대의 dac를 피슷하게 비교하기위해서는 A26의 볼륨을 5프로 정도 높여야 보컬 영역대가 비슷해 집니다. 이경우 사람이 들을때 r26에 비해 정보량이 많게 느껴집니다. 두대의 dac를 비교하면 소리의 분리도는 a26이 약간 높습니다.r26은 약간의 아날로그적 성향(보컬등이 조금 분명함)을 원하시는 분들에게 좋습니다. 다방면으로 쓰기에는 a26이 조금 표현범위가 넓습니다. 물론 이 곳에서 받은 사운드 기준입니다. 둘다 가격대비 성능은 최상입니다.
이제품 처음 보고 소리에 반해, 여기 저기 둘러보고 있는데, 님의 소리분석에 찬사를 보냅니다! 저는 개인적으로 a26은 진공관 앰프에 붙여 사용할것 같구요! r26은 트랜지스트 앰프에 붙여 사용할것 같아요! 소리의 특성이 너무 차이가 나 마음같아선 둘다 가지고 싶은 그리고, 이제품들은 개인적으론 최고의 가성비 DAC 가 아닌가 싶어요! 누나가 제게 오디오를 꾸며 달라고 부탁하고 돌아갔는데 이DAC은 꼭 사서 앰프와 연결해주고 싶어요!
I would like to clarify that, what I’m saying was if you’re very sensitive to hearing particular tone and body of acoustic guitar most realistically and know the feeling of it, since I play acoustic guitar I’m very particular about it although I still enjoy listening them in my system with many different music, it just makes me want more with acoustic guitar. Base on some experiments in my system people would say acoustic guitar sound is very good, so it’s all depends on how sensitive the person is in hearing the music.
Awesome! Thanks. I really hope to hear these DAC's one day. But, that said, you have helped me and I feel more secure that I have the right DAC for me in the Pontus II!
At this price point external clock will do more performance improvement over newer DAC because it’s already hitting the threshold for what it can do, the rest is depending on how they voiced it and programmed the FPGA chips and DSP, thanks
Reviewers say that Gustard R26 sounds the best with the internal streamer/renderer. And with NOS mode off the transients can be closer to A26. I think the choice is between deeper soundstage from R26 and better transient response on A26.
Listening to this several times, it's almost as if the A26's dynamics are almost too abrupt, a little too accelerated. It still sounds fantastic but perhaps not quite as natural as in real life. The R26's dynamics are just as excellent but changes in volume ramp up a bit slower and more natural sounding to me. I'd be glad to have either unit for sure.
From the sound samples i liked more r26 - its more engaging, natural, intimate. But maybe with pop/electronic a26 is better. Thanks for review and your thoughts , peace 🙏
At first when i listened the sound examples i thought A26 is the clear winner, because it sounds bit more cleaner.Usually cleaner sounding DAC's give you the best impression at the beginning!After few listens i came to the conclusion that R26 sounds better.R26 for me sounds more natural.The tones are just right without an exaggeration.Yes A26 could sound more impressive and energetic to the ear for short period, but it is too much for the brain in the long run in my opinion. R26-Thicker more organic and analog sound, A26 Cleaner, leaner and somehow digital sounding in my opinion... Having in mind that R26 shows it's full potential when feeded from the LAN port preserving its naturalness will be just mind blowing performance for the price! I am following Tharbamar for long time now and i thing he likes more energetic sound. Thats his taste nothing bad about it we are all different :))
Yah Different strokes forbsiffetent folks.. Last week after viewing this clip, i went to the dealer for audition of A26 vs R26, intending to tale the A26 and the audtion was just for formality..at least thats what I thought..and upon comparison, the R26 was clearly performing much better than the A26 and musically much more pleasing, at least at that dealer's shop. I checked the equipment rack and theres no trickeries at the back. I am not saying i proved that R26 is better, but as a buyer, i cannot defy what i hear, so ended up ordering the R26 instead. Maybe someone else would prefer A26 in their own setup, who knows...
@@peterlau6000 Aham! R2R DAC's are for people who appreciate the naturalness of the sound. I don't know if i am an audiophile neither i know what that means, but if i am going to listen to instrumental music i prefer my DAC sounding more natural. R2R DAC's are famous for this.A26 is a chip DAC.All right nothing bad about it, but if an expensive DAC can't give me the level of naturalness i need it will be a waste of money for me.Chip DAC's can sound super impressive when you try them at first as i said.But that doesn't mean they will give you the continuous pleasure of the R2R DAC.From the sound demo of that video i can say that if R26 have just a little bit more weight, richness and dimensionality would be the king of the DAC's. I will probably wait for the second version of that DAC :)
@@peterlau6000 Thanks for sharing your experience! I have the R26 and a few AKM based DACs. That has generally been my impression between R2R and AKM which are fairly close to each other compared to ESS (I have the SMSL M500 V1 MKII) based offerings which tend to be all about detail and lacking natural tonality.
I had the R26 with over 200 hours of break in. Its has its high points with imaging, pin point placement in space, and very deep bass. Voices are reproduced quite well too. No exaggerated chestiness. However, the R26 lacks a body and weight in the mid bass. This creates a lean tone. I associate this to Thatbamar's finding that the R26 doesn’t reproduce acoustic guitars well. Gone are the deeper reverberations of the guitar’s wood body. Oddly, really deep bass comes through, but like I said, mid bass seemed attenuated. I'm back to my Denafrips Ares II. It may be a dull knife compared to the R26, but is more fun, less clinical. Might try a Venus II.
in my system, the R26 audio sample have MUCH more punch than the A26. A26 a little bit more detailed, but I prefer the R26 punchiness any day of the week.
@@JTB-- Yes!These super expensive DAC"s are highly capable, but we don't want that when we are enjoying music.When DAC"s are analytical our brain works more, because it needs to calculate those extra details in the sound which after very short time will stress us too much.We need to find the perfect line between details, tones and spaciousness to get that pleasure in our brain. Anything too much will brake the joy...
I have now tested both in my system. I can understand anyone who chooses either the R26 or A26. The R26 is definitely one step ahead when it comes to the sound stage, the depth of everything that happens behind the speakers, the A26 can't keep up. But I didn't like the vocals at all compared to the A26. The vocals and bass performance of the A26 are great. In the end I kept the A26, even if I wished for the sound stage of the R26 for some titles and the TV sound. Edit: SR Purple 2.5A Fuse highly recommended for the A26
@@jsuno23 I tested the Gustard 3.15A black fuse first. It's not good for the A26/R26. The 3.15 is for other Gustard devices. The sound even got a little worse with the fuse compared to the original(Original is 2.5A ). Better test 2.5A fuses. The SR Purple gives a clear improvement
The A26 DAC offers excellent value for money and it sounds absolutely superb in my system. I've been using the X26pro for a year and half now but the A26 just puts in in the shade from every angle in my opinion, I just don't get tired of listening to it. I also agree with your honest appraisal Tharbamar on the A26.
sorry but the translation is not clear to me! I also have x26pro. surely at 26 it sounds superb and less tiring but if you have to give an opinion on who satisfies you the most, who do you prefer? thank you
@@221298ale I prefer the sound quality from the A26 over the X26pro as it reproduces a coherent and enjoyable musical performance in a much more realistic way than the x26 in my opinion. The x26 lacks the soul of the music. Don't get me wrong, the x26 is fabulous DAC but the A26 does it much better in every department.
@@beslemeto yes, the ares sounded somewhat uneasy/chaotic, lacking in flow, diffuse imaging in nos (linear interpolation), tendency towards sharp midrange (more in OS) and lacking in lower midrange body. Obviously not the objective truth, but my experience in my system and room, given my preference. I have not tried many other dacs, but I clearly prefered the Rega to older DAC magic, meridian explorer, audiolab mDAC and the DAC built into the Hegel H190. Works very well with a quality digital source, best over coax. At some point I’ll get a better source, but the Ares deterred me from trying other Denafrips dacs (especially given the no return policy and lack of guidance from seller).
R26 seems to be more rolled off. This gives illusion of depth. The a26 seems flatter, more accurate. This highlights the highs, which accurately portrays the close miked sounds, but also leaves reverb intact giving sense of airiness.
I agreed with @beslemeto, at first A26 sound like a winner, but when I listen to it second time, R26 is clearly better. In the first song it's clearly you can hear the low is much better with A26. In Mona Lisa acoustic guitar - I like the sound of the acoustic with R26 especially at the end of the song where all the strings are strikes, it is night / day. A26 seem to have bigger sound stage. When he switches to Mona Lisa with R26, I can hear like a hissing not sure if that just Mic feedback? I've already own D1se, SU-10 and D2R, thinking getting R26, but that low is deals breaker. 90% of my time listening is acoustic so I may pull the trigger.
Dear Tharbamar, Thank you very much for this comparative review. However, tbh, I think one of the biggest comparison points is massively missing. R2R DACs (like R26) are natively built for PCM music input. Delta Sigma DACs (like A26) are natively built for DSD music input. So, one of the main question on all the audiophile forums everywhere is how good these DACs are for each input type. In particular, as you say your preference goes the A26, does this mean A26 is also better for PCM input than the dedicated input ? Do we have an overall winner, regardless of the input format ? This is the question everywhere. Unfortunately, you presented your cables (interesting), but never said a single word about the input files (PCM or DSD)… When feeding A26 with PCM it will first convert PCM to DSD. When feeding R26 with DSD it will either first convert to PCM (DSD=OFF), or stay in DSD (DSD=ON), but then it completely by-passes the R2R ladder (main asset of the DAC) to a small 1Bit DSD converter (but then you use just “10%” of R26). Since it is well known that DACs are generally not so good at making these file type conversions (compared to HQ Player for example), it is unclear if any weak point you mention for A26 or R26 comes from the need to transcode due to the choice of input file, and consequently from the potential degradation underway. So this review is surprisingly dodging one of the main audiophile’s question. And globally what conclusion can be drawn in this situation ? Maybe… not so much actually This is a bit… frustrating. Would you please consider an add-on video review : The Gustard Battle, part 2. That would be so great. Thank you so much for your work.
Thanks for the advice, as I stated in this video my comments were based on many different quality music with mixed file formats (PCM 44.1-768kHz & (DSD 2.8 - 5.6Mhz) but I will keep in mind for future videos, thank you.
Thank for great comparison! Currently own SMSL D300 and D400ES. When paired to Kef R3, situation is quiet comparable to R26 vs A26. D400ES is more detailed with more precise positioning. And difference is very obvious. But I still prefer D300 for my liking. Also with D400ES Kefs prone to sibilance. So in the end ordered R26 to replace D300 in my speaker setup.
Thanks for the good videos. It's hard to realize some of the subtleties on TH-cam. But it is more obvious when you compare two products in your videos. The more you compare products on TH-cam, if not live in an auditorium, the better we can understand the specifics of the products you are sensing.
I felt the R26 central vocal is a little more spread out in comparison to my Denafrips Terminator Plus. After upgrading the R26 fuse, the R26 has improved in its imaging focus and has more punch. Have you considered in upgrading its fuse? I will definitely get the A26 for a trial.
@@faithhopelove6945 It is because you’re listening to original music vs A26 and R26 is thru my system and re-recording of very same music, also if you read it carefully I did include details like recorded from 10ft or 12ft away etc.,
For me the R26 wins because it doesn't have the harshness on the airy treble / guitar pick notes that the A26 does, but it still has good detail. The harshness is the achilles heel of DS DACs for me.
not only harshness, when you listen to DS DACs the brain is trying to figure out where the sources of sound come from, and the problem is the distance between them is not same thats why the sound is really weird, when you listen to R2R its more linear and distance between instruments is same... so the brain knows exaclty where they are and its more natural ... try to check that with the music....
Interesting samples: 1066 (complex orchestral) sounded better (more instrument separation/detail) on the A26, female voice sounded definitely more natural on the R26. Great comparison, thanks!
Would have been nice if the R26 clip didnt play moving visuals and apply the same static view as the A26 clip for the same track....visuals can interfere with acoustics in our heads
Sound samples show how spectacular both dacs are. I have Harbeth speakers so I don’t agree that the r26 isn’t amazing for acoustic but Harbeths are magic for acoustic music lol
Yes if i play these DAC with JBL L100c75th may be different in experience with acoustic music but with S-1EX every weakness is visible because it doesn’t have the coloration from cabinets.
@@YouSoundButtHurt I use them for chill trance and house and love them, the new xd series is awesome for chill electronic. They are not hard hitting speakers though, bit on the softer side, so the extreme party stuff it’s not ideal. Vocals and spacious electronic is superb however.
With the second piece of music, R26 sounded better. That is to say, with acoustic music and vocals, the R26 is the better unit. With the first piece of music, the A26 had more impact and the drums felt more visceral. So it depends on what you listen to more, if you are a classical / jazz / acoustic guitar kind of person, R26. If you are into electronic music, hip hop, pop, rock , metal, (probably for movies too) I think A26 is the way to go.
I agree 100%. For me, when I go into a more "audiophile mode" if you will, I will usually focus on instrumental jazz such as John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Oscar Peterson, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, etc and female jazz vocals such as Diana Krall, Inger Maria Gundersen, Halie Loren, Chantal Chamberland, Diana Panton, etc. In that sense, the R26 is without doubt the better DAC. You can hear from the 2nd sample, the body of the strings on the acoustic guitar is so much fuller than the A26 and overall it just gives a more organic presentation to the music. Having said that, I also listen to all sorts of other music, more contemporary stuff including EDM, acid jazz, etc. In that domain, there is no doubt the A26 is better with much more drive, punch and stronger transients. In other words, there is no perfect answer to this comparison unless you only listen to a certain type of music, if not you may need both. LOL. But, that is why most people have more than one DAC I suppose.
As I listen mostly to classical music I'd go for the R26 which seems to deliver more guts from the instruments. The A26 appears to be more congenial to lighter vocals... Of course neither TH-cam nor my Beats headphones are doing justice to the performance of your system...😄
Hi, I really like your analyzes concerning the different materials. If you have the possibility, would it be possible for you to listen with an "Atoll in400se (French production amp) with a GUSTARD DAC-R26 / A26 DAC or an SMSL D400EX DAC with the speakers presented in your video? I would be curious about your feedback and your analysis.
I listened to your review between Gustard A 26 and R26. I would like to know where the X26Pro stands compared to the two described models. No one has made it a subject of review.
Hi . Great video. I just got my A26 and have it hooked into a Shanling ET3 CD transport with Shanling I2S cable. It won't do DSD and it gives a feedback sound when i stop the song I'm playing XLR cables Sennheiser AMBEO MAX sound bar. I tried connecting with a Toslink but it says unlock underneath the OPT on the screen and won't do anything. Any ideas?
i2S pins could be very different between two because i2S is not standardize yet, I would try to change i2S setting in the menu. A26 or AMBEO MAX sound bar does not have optical out thats the problem.
@@jkelley2091 there should be option in there for different types of i2S on either components but I’m not sure if I remember that correctly it’s been more than a year since.
@@jkelley2091 There is no secret setting, may be try DSD direct on A26. Also try USB between two, if there is no problem with USB thats i2S connectivity problem between two of them.
Hello My experience is that we need time to acclimate the sound of a dac. Years ago i enjoyed a lot a nos muse mini dac with tube sound buffer after it. At that time i couldn't enjoy delta sigma. I found them slow and lifeless. And the voice had more harmonics and sweetness on r2r nos. Then i tried the dac on my new cd player which is burr brown and with time i found it very nice. It's the kind of sound that the more you listen the more you like it. It makes you feel good. Then i tried back my r2r nos and i cannot stand the sound. It's like something is missing in the trebbles and that isn't pleasant to my ear. Same for the tube buffer i don't like it anymore. I prefer my cd player direct to the amp with just a 10k pot for volume. That is interesting is that in your samples of r2r in nos mode i hear the same kind of sound that i don't enjoy anymore. Nos makes a signature for 44.1khz tracks that i don't like. I think for high res it would be different. But i agree that sounds is more real more natural but also the trebbles are displeasing. The only thing that i miss is that voices were more natural and sweet in nos r2r with tube. I think r2r with good upsampling should be the best but î listen to cds. For the sound of the a26 it seems very enjoyable. But it's hard to tell on short yt video :) i'm not sure it's worth the price. I bought a cheap smsl sd 793 with bb pcm1793 and a linear power supply. The sound is far better with the linear psu than smps. I also experimented op amps but ending preferring the one provided opa2134 to the opa1656 opa1642 opa1612 opa627 opa2209. I made measurements that showed no difference between them but to my ears the differences was very easy to pick. Earing you demos i'm not convinced that new akm will surpass this simple classic pcm1793 with a linear psu. To my experience my ear prefer good linear psu to smps and a fet input op amp in the lpf stage. I ve the feeling that akm are not as fast as burr brown and the drums has different sound for exemple. In my experience Burr brown is good for jazz rock old records new records fast slow and to me has no glare no hardness and a kind of analog pleasing sound. I keep wondering why everyone talk only about akm and ess or r2r. I never listen to hi res Audio so i think new dacs are oversized for cd quality. Maybe for hi res they are better. But i wonder also if too much processing for specs make them sound less good than simpler like in the burr browns that are more close to r2r.
I agree with you ! ! I tried chord tt, audiodg r7mk2,gustard x26pro. And I'm back with burson d160 bb1793 class a! I was hoping to improve and instead I gain bass and authority with x26pro and I lose quality in the treble and it was the best in comparison. With r7mk2 I gain bass, 3d, soul but I lose Too much speed. Chord tt nothing I liked just analytical . Although the Burson's bass is poor and can be improved on various points, it is fast, technical and fun with good air in the treble! I was hoping for Gustard at 26 but from the web it doesn't seem fast or fun! I look forward to hearing it live. Thanks to Tharbamar and all the enthusiasts
Audiophiliac is right, you need at least 2 systems to cover all music genres. If you listen to Daft Punk, Dua Lipa and the like you do not need an R2R. However, if you listen to jazz, acoustic or music with a lot of instruments R2R works best. Cymbals sound more realistic and the instrument separation is much better. Only way to know if to listen to both technologies and compare, like Loic from Hifi Cave says: it is a matter of taste!
You just need correctly recorded, mixed, mastered tracks and the one right system.. badly recorded, mixed or mastered tracks are all over the place meaning you would need a different system for each one to make them sound right.. also tracks mixed for radio are crap by design...
Agree. I have two systems in my rack, they both use the Ares II. The Denafrips Hades and Thallo A?B amps, then when I want to rock the house with the KLH Model 5's, I use the Schiit Freya S preamp, along with the Class D XTZ Edge A2-400. I also have two SVS SB3000 subs. As far as which DAC, and the music I generally listen too, I think the Pontus II 12th will suit me and my system the best. This R26 sounds harsh and bright to me, more like a chip based DAC. Not impressed with any of the sound demos I have heard of the R26.
I have the R26, you may remember. In light of both these dacs with their weaknesses, what would you recommend that is better than these? I don’t want to buy an A26 and then realized, something is missing or that it’s like R26
Watching TH-cam videos or music from computer over USB - produces 3-4 seconds delay. Video and voice are out of sync (video plays first then 3-4 later voice lags behind). Is there anything that can be done to sync video with vocals/sound over usb?
@@Tharbamar I will try soon. Are you saying usb to the dac connection sound/video is sync’d in time on your computer? I do have my windows 10 updated and A26 driver is the latest. PS I am experiencing the same issue for Topping E70 Velvet too - that is on the other computer. It feels like it is dac processing speed but I may be wrong.
Chord Qutest will sound cleaner with more precision notes, R26 is FPGA/R2R Hybrid which has nice sound and texture of the melody but beware of the gain because it is about 6db louder than standards.
@Tharbamar - Which amp would you pair A26 with without spending too much on amp? What is the lowest level of decent amp with you would pair with A26? Thanks.
I had the A6 and R26 the same time. I decided to return the A26. R26 is sweeter sounding. A26, on my gear would get to the edge of too sparkly. Not enough depth and very bright up top. The A26 does not sound like others have implemented the 4499ex chips. A26 definitely is a great Dac. I just I preferred the better bass and the darker sound of the R26.
Hi, Which DAC to chose between R26 and A26 with a Technics SU-G700 m2? The Tecnics is a FDA so the R6 seems to be the best choice... Thanks for your advice 😅
I would like to mention both of them are about 8-10db louder than industry standards. If I have to pick one personally I would choose A26 for accurate sound but R26 should work well in your set up, thanks
In my system as of right now I kept A26, Pontus II for external DAC but my favorite is Sony built in DAC which I can take it above 100db range without killing the sound quality and it is nearly transparent. Thanks
Love your opinions on everything but want to tell you if you want to get less room interaction with all that glass behind the speakers you should look into some thick theater curtains to cover them 🙏🏼love the r26 much more natural and musical 🎶
Thanks for the advice, this room is almost 90% treated and tune with REW if you listen to my sound samples with headphones you will be able to hear how minimal room mode is in sound sample recording (please not I’m playing music from live performance), if I treat those windows with curtains sound will be dead, shutter blinds are better for me because I can play around with the angles, thanks again.
@@Tharbamar I’m a sound engineer for more than 30+ years and am a room acoustic designer for many manufacturers at audio shows and glass in and kind of room that reproduces sound is detrimental to it,believe me you would have to do a lot more than curtains to make a space completely dead,true sound is not sparkly and bright,that’s probably what you confuse getting details from your playback system when you listen you have to retrain your ears 👂
You will have to listen to them if you can because both are high quality DAC, you will have to choose base on your personal preference. Personally I would get A26 over any DAC under $5K for extremely high in price to sound quality ratio, thanks
Didn't like the chord Qutest-sold it...using Gustard R26 and love it...best sound using usb from laptop tidal...however I want to lose the laptop so need a stand alone streamer/usb...ifi zen streamer or new Volumio Rivo...debating🤷🏻♂️ UPDATE: Using Gustard R26, Vincent SV 737 hybrid, Epicon 2 Speakers w/pair of Rel T7X...Streaming through Chromecast...sounds very nice✌️🎶🎶
I will buy the A26...., cause i have a great natural, warm, analogue soundig Audio-GD Preamp..., it should be a fantastic Couple (***** Thanks for your Effort and the great Work" 😀😇👌👍🙏
My friend, thanks for the videos. Between Gustard A26 and Dynafrip Pontus which one you prefer? If you have about $1500, which DAC will you get? Thanks as always
I pretty much listen to rock music. I am looking for a good streamer and dac in one. I play from Spotify. My amplifier is a Ca300 From Classe and Speaker is Ariel Acoustics 10t. Is there a Dasc streamer combo you recommend under $2k? What about the blue sound node X?
I bought the A26 thanks to your awesome review. I love my A26. Can you review the Anthem STR integrated amplifier I heard at an audio show an it was amazing. Thank you for all your amazing video's
I have the original Auralic Altair streamer +DAC (ES9018) (not the G1). I was thinking of buying the a26, do you think it will be a big improvement? My system is a Marantz 8802a preamp, Rotel 1095 Amp and Vandersteen 2ce sig ii speakers, with V2W subwoofers.
@@Tharbamar Thanks, I do listen to a lot of acoustic music - guitar, etc. You seem to think Denafrips is better than the Gustard DACs, but my quandry is then what to do for the streamer - Denafrips doesn't have one - what would you recommend as a streamer that is less than say $1000 that won't limit the performance of the Denafrips Pontus II or Venus II?
Hello and thank you for the review. My question is R26's R2R - smooth, natural sound vs. A26's AK- velvet, smooth, natural sound. Which is more forgiving for lesser recordings. On the A26 how much of the 3-D sound stage / imaging do you lose when going from the monitoring mode vs listening mode?
I would say A26 is best of both worlds especially when you are using it in listening mode which is very similar to R26 in overall sound signature, image is about the same but slightly less precise, thanks
So I think a lot of people are a little bit confused. You used the Gustard DACs with a nutral speaker like you mentioned. So if I have a fairly nutral speaker, which DAC you would recommend to perfectly play jazz and acoustic? Something like Musician/Draco/Schumann and if so, which model you would recommend? Thanks!!
@@Tharbamar thanks! I forgot to mention the Pontus 2 and Ares II :D you would still pick the Schumann over the Denafrips line for jazz and acoustic? Thank you for your quick reply, appreciate that!
@@Tharbamar ok, thank you! So we have the Ares II and the Schumann left of all of them :) both match with my system pricewise. Which to chose when I like 2 things: 1. a DAC that brings the music way in front of the speaker 2/3 meter( I don't like DACS where the music sticks to the box) 2. Which to chose when I like to hear strings and punchy base in jazz/acoustic tracks? Thanks!
The filters act at 21 kHz and up. I seriously doubt sound up there is audible to either one of us. I'm deaf above 13 kHz at my age. Also, there is little to no information in most recordings there.
This review is very strange . Listening to track two the guitar sounds pretty good to me . I’ve found with the centre image with the r26 you need to re position your speakers to lock it in , you can’t use the same position for every dac as there all different .
Nope I’m not going to reposition 150lbs speaker for every DAC and my speakers are placed correctly for best possible stereo image and fine tune with room measurements.
@@redleather100 Ha been there done that, my question is have you tune your room and speakers with REW? I have more than 20 DAC presently ($500 - $10K) never need to move the speakers.
Hi there! Thank you for your videos and the forma you are using with music samples at the end of most of your reviews, which is in my view more complete that the other hifi reviewers where there is a lack of music content. Q: The A26 Ethernet connection will aloud me to paly TH-cam music from my phone using Bluetooth connection? Thank you!
@Tharbamar great comparison ! I have the R26 since one week, and I need to decide if I return it or swap with an A26 ... I also use a DMP-A6 as streamer and DAC. The best results for the R26 IMHO- were obtained using the LAN interface through the Gustard renderer or through HQP/Roon/Gustard renderer (with NOS enabled & fast filter) vs R26 fed by A6/ME through USB Blue Heaven vs A6/ME used as both Streamer & DAC (Voices seem more separated from the rest but soundstage & backround are poor vs R26 in LAN). Just tested an A8 from a friend, it's a step further vs A6/ME but still behind in soundstage & background vs R26 through HQP/Roon/Gustard renderer ... Don't know what to do ... Return R26, keep R26 and buy A26, it's very difficult. Also R26 used through HQP/Roon/Gustard renderer has much more presence for voices even for modern music, correcting its trends to make them blurry when fed by streamer. What about DSD through R26, not native even used through HQP/Roon (with DSD option enabled in R26) ? But frankly A6/ME seems more analytic but not warm, more a demo DAC to impress your friends ... On Diana Krall, guitars are not nice on A6 or A8 vs R26. For modern music, best setup again for R26 is through HQP/Roon IMHO. Thoughts ?
I too pair the R26 with Eversolo DMP A6. It’s a perfect match for me. I had the A26 but in my system the treble is too much with the A26. R26 definitely more musical to my ears.
Even if the A26 is now favoured, I have still opted for the R26, because in my hi-fi chain it is transparent, crisp, deep, dark and playful. The A26 doesn't work so well in my chain, I don't like the treble so much, the treble doesn't fade away so quickly, it clanks a bit, the bass is also deep and dark, but I prefer to listen to music with the R26. The A26 is fast and transparent, but it doesn't have any pauses, you get a bit overwhelmed by the music. The R26 also plays fast, but perhaps sounds a little faster and thus creates a more airy presentation.
No offense. I don’t mean this in a snarky manner. But it would be useful if you also tested some other high end DACs such as the Marantz SACD 30n which uses DSD Upsampling or the PS audio. Or some other higher end other than Chinese DACs. It would be more enlightening to the audience. Thanks and hope you don’t take that the wrong way
None taken, these DAC are better at price to performance compared to the brands you’ve mentioned, I had all that, PS Audio is way overpriced and overrated, DSD up conversion is nothing new I have been using for almost 7-8 years with Sony products and they are the ones who invented DSD for mastering, thanks
I don’t understand this comparison really, it sounds like one is good for well recorded modern music and the other can not reproduce un amplified music very well! Well if a dac can not reproduce brass and strings in a believable manner, then it is not a good dac, period.
@@gryphongryph this guy is doing a good job, but if you don’t try a dac in your own system, you’ll never know if it’s good for you . From the comparison A26 is better.
Hello Tharbamar, can you tell me that diameter of those isolation feet made by Tertullus which you did a video on? Are they 30mm in diameter? I'm wanting to mount them to the bottom of round 1.5" wood dowels to use for DIY posts for a stereo rack.
I cannot believe I can hear a difference even in a youtube audio (at least I think so). I feel R26 soundstage/ambience is not very clear. There also seems to be some "fuzz" around the sound with the R26. A26 seems a little sharper and cleaner. Maybe A26 is more accurate. But R26 sounds "good". Note, I am a A26 owner (and previously a Chord 2Qute owner) and I still prefer the A26 sound. I am more of a "truth" guy than "euphonic sound" guy. I think I can trust Tharbamar's ears. Thx to him for all these efforts
For me the A26 was just too “sparkly” up top. So much so that It turns treble into something that people get tired of at least in my system. It sounds great at first but eventually the highs are just too much. That’s just my experience though. I feel the R26 is just plumper and sweeter sounding. Another thing I noticed is that Gustard Renderer on the A26 would skip frequently.
Thanks again for a unbiassed and clear review, sorry to bother you with a theme not related with this particular video , but Im about to move (Im an expat ) and Im going to buy a new system , inspired by your videos, and it is a Denon PMA-A -110 amplifier like yours , but I have doubts about which speaker to pair with it , I have at the moment two favorites: PMC twenty 5 23.1 and the Anphion 3LS , both them are small tower speakers, which one do you think fits best with the Denon amplifier? Or you have another strong recommendation for around the same price (4000US dollars) thank you
Looks like the 3-4 seconds delay is also observed when IR port is used from a TV (maybe that is why ARC port is out of question). Feels like (not an expert) that it is related to AKM chips - I have not had any experience with ESS but main-stream dac/integrated amps well-known manufacturers are mainly (per my observation only) using ESS chips (perhaps those are quicker to process the signal). Not sure but I am not impressed with the delay when TV songs come into play. Other that this - the sound is great even via Sonos amp (both connect and the latest one).
@@Tharbamar yes, optical port. I have Gustard A26 as well as Topping E70 Velvet - both have 3-4 seconds delay (sound vs video) - over both optical cable from TV and usb port from computer. PS posted find out the answer (since the sound is superb but the delay is not good).
Apologies - that was Sonos amp issue: 1. Open the Sonos app > select Settings > and select System. 2. Select your speaker or wireless amp with the Line-In connection. 3. Scroll down and select Audio Delay > select Low (75ms). In this menu, there are four different audio delays that you can choose from: Max (2,000 ms), High (150 ms), Medium (113 ms) and Low (75 ms). By default, the Line-In connection of your Sonos speaker or wireless amp is set to Max, which is 2,000 milliseconds or two second; this allows for the most time for the Sonos product to optimize its sound. Selected 75ms. Works fine now.
I really like the R26...however for the best sound quality I have to use Tidal,laptop-usb connection..I want to get rid of the laptop so I'll need a good stand alone streamer/usb...please tell me if I should get a ifi zen streamer or the new Volumio Rivo...if you haven't reviewed the Rivo, could you please do so?😁
Thank you very much Thrarbamar for this outstanding review. For convenience, I would like to know a bit more about the streamer capabilities since I tend to use Apple Music more and more. Is A26 airplay compatible ? This is not clear for me. Sometimes I see a "AirPlay" Sticker, sometimes not. And if it is Airplay compatible, what will A26 say as received sound quality ? 16/44 ? Have you tried this specifically ? Thank you very much.
I had a gustard r26 and sent him to the distributor. In comparison to my PS Audio DirectStreamJunior, Gustard R26 played without texture, body and dynamics.
Your comparison with the PS Audio DirectStreamJunior is perverse. Comparing an Eungerat with a price of 1600 euros with a device around 4800 euros is like comparing pears with apples. Please think again :))
Hello, You had the gustard u18 ddc. How does the sound change on both unites while using the ddc? I use on my smsl vmv d2 aes imput because i²s sounds to thin and analytical. Aes sound much more analog but still very much resolving without this downside. At the schumann ladder the i²s didnt change the sound signature, but the schumann sounds only at some frequencys nice...most songs are just boring...no layering and micro details...all is gone. The notes in between are gone with schumann.
@@Tharbamar yeah, but without it...its just dead. its more about the interface you are using.I think you ca clearly hear that the signal is much cleaner, everthing got more life in it and is more precise. daynamics go up and the harshness is also gone. i would discribe a ddc like...you got fog at the bottom (noise/jitter) the ddc is blowing the fog away...than youncan clearly see whats at the bottom. all the last finest details and objects are clear now, i realy dont wanna miss that effekt.
@@heinzbecker691 In case if you don't know I'm the only one and very first who adopted DDC in all reviewers and Yes those are noticeable with PC based and some streamers with not so good power supply with and without DDC but with my Sony Music Server it just not big of the deal without it because it has dual power stage for each digital and analog section. External clock is better than DDC.
@@Tharbamar yeah that makes sense👍. i got the ifi zen streamer with the additional power suply and this was a step up from the standard ifi power supply. bjt the ddc is still better then ifi only. but i also have to say that my ddc and cables on the ddc are much more burned in...the moment i tried the ddc via aes or i²s...basicly all my cables were new, as well as the ddc itself. it was a new nordost heimdall 2 aes cable, a new nordlst blue heaven hdmi, a new nordost brahma power cord...all new cables plus new ddc. the ddc is now more natural ad relaxed, but with all the details. now its realy no downgrade andymore...but my VMV D2 sounds still better via aes instead of i²s. the schumann ladder sounds better with i²s, but not by much. I tested today gustard r26, my cousin bought it and got today...much more like a delta sigma dac with a akm chip...and with i²s also best sounding or aes..doesnt make a big difference. nos of, pcm filter mid, dsd direct...sounded pretty good. with usb only...hm, not as lifelike, less dynamik and attack...but still good. with ddc...yes...all the sparkle and details like delta sigma, but a little bit more relaxed like a even akm d2 dac....but its not much. but the schuman has some magig in it...i cant realy say what exactly it is...but its more realistic but not so refined as vmvd2 or r26. i thi k the r26 needs more thsn 3 hours of burn in...later on i will coment again for this dac.
The A26 sounds a little too clinical for me despite sounding slightly more transparent than the R26. I prefer the organic presentation from the R26 but opinions are subjective and i can understand why to certain ears the A26 may be their preference.
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Thanks for watching!
Thx for this sample sounds. I really want R26 but, after this video I change my plans to A26. Mid range it seems more direct in A26, this is the biggest surprise.
Interestingly different POV from most other reviewers regarding the R26, which I have, and in my $60K system, I prefer it to my Terminator II, which I've since sold. I especially prefer it for soundstage and instrument separation even compared to my Musetec MH-DA005, a dual mono 9038PRO DAC, and my Lumin P1's internal dual mono 9028 DAC. Also prefer its timbral presentation of vocals and acoustic instruments. The only DAC I have that I prefer is a new Lampizator Baltic 4 with NOS tubes - but it's only a slight preference regarding timbre. Goes to show you how subjective this hobby is and how different system synergies affect the outcome of these comparisons. This reviewer has been reliably consistent so I have no reason to doubt his evaluation of these DACs, I can't understand why anyone would be annoyed by the fact he prefers the A26 - it that's you, get a life dude!
I just can't understand his centre image comment on the R26.
No centre image . 🤦♂️
Currently I’m breaking in Terminator Plus 12th, I will let you how it goes in my system, thanks for sharing.
@@Tharbamar Just checked the price of Terminator Plus 12th... Lol !!!!!! Respect !!!!
I recently ordered a26 and r26 at the same time. Because in China, you can return the product for seven days without any reason. So I can keep one and return the other.
I have the same sense of hearing as the author, watching your video is like telling my own sense of hearing. I prefer A26, like the sense of transparency, air, and unfettered feeling.
My speakers are b&w 705s3.
Thanks for sharing
A26과 r26을 이곳에 올린 녹음 파일을 받아서 사운드만 분리해서 비교했습니다.
R26은 A26에 비해 중역대가 부스팅되어 보컬에서 또는 소편성의 클래식에 유리한것 같습니다.
A26은 중음대가 조금 R26에 비해 약하지만 고음역대와 음 분리도는 조금더 좋습니다. 편성이 복잡한 클래식에 좀더 적합합니다.
두대의 dac를 피슷하게 비교하기위해서는 A26의 볼륨을 5프로 정도 높여야 보컬 영역대가 비슷해 집니다.
이경우 사람이 들을때 r26에 비해 정보량이 많게 느껴집니다.
두대의 dac를 비교하면 소리의 분리도는 a26이 약간 높습니다.r26은 약간의 아날로그적 성향(보컬등이 조금 분명함)을 원하시는 분들에게 좋습니다.
다방면으로 쓰기에는 a26이 조금 표현범위가 넓습니다. 물론 이 곳에서 받은 사운드 기준입니다.
둘다 가격대비 성능은 최상입니다.
명쾌한 설명 고맙습니다😊
이제품 처음 보고 소리에 반해, 여기 저기 둘러보고 있는데, 님의 소리분석에 찬사를 보냅니다!
저는 개인적으로 a26은 진공관 앰프에 붙여 사용할것 같구요! r26은 트랜지스트 앰프에 붙여 사용할것 같아요!
소리의 특성이 너무 차이가 나 마음같아선 둘다 가지고 싶은 그리고, 이제품들은 개인적으론 최고의 가성비 DAC 가 아닌가 싶어요! 누나가 제게 오디오를 꾸며 달라고 부탁하고 돌아갔는데
이DAC은 꼭 사서 앰프와 연결해주고 싶어요!
이경우가 누구인지 알수 있을까요?
I couldn't choose now. Both are great.
@4:11 Based on your raving review of the A26 I‘m now totally confused due to your negative comment on failing with acoustic music!
I would like to clarify that, what I’m saying was if you’re very sensitive to hearing particular tone and body of acoustic guitar most realistically and know the feeling of it, since I play acoustic guitar I’m very particular about it although I still enjoy listening them in my system with many different music, it just makes me want more with acoustic guitar.
Base on some experiments in my system people would say acoustic guitar sound is very good, so it’s all depends on how sensitive the person is in hearing the music.
Awesome! Thanks. I really hope to hear these DAC's one day. But, that said, you have helped me and I feel more secure that I have the right DAC for me in the Pontus II!
At this price point external clock will do more performance improvement over newer DAC because it’s already hitting the threshold for what it can do, the rest is depending on how they voiced it and programmed the FPGA chips and DSP, thanks
Reviewers say that Gustard R26 sounds the best with the internal streamer/renderer. And with NOS mode off the transients can be closer to A26. I think the choice is between deeper soundstage from R26 and better transient response on A26.
Listening to this several times, it's almost as if the A26's dynamics are almost too abrupt, a little too accelerated. It still sounds fantastic but perhaps not quite as natural as in real life. The R26's dynamics are just as excellent but changes in volume ramp up a bit slower and more natural sounding to me. I'd be glad to have either unit for sure.
From the sound samples i liked more r26 - its more engaging, natural, intimate. But maybe with pop/electronic a26 is better. Thanks for review and your thoughts , peace 🙏
I could not agree more. R26 all day!
At first when i listened the sound examples i thought A26 is the clear winner, because it sounds bit more cleaner.Usually cleaner sounding DAC's give you the best impression at the beginning!After few listens i came to the conclusion that R26 sounds better.R26 for me sounds more natural.The tones are just right without an exaggeration.Yes A26 could sound more impressive and energetic to the ear for short period, but it is too much for the brain in the long run in my opinion. R26-Thicker more organic and analog sound, A26 Cleaner, leaner and somehow digital sounding in my opinion... Having in mind that R26 shows it's full potential when feeded from the LAN port preserving its naturalness will be just mind blowing performance for the price! I am following Tharbamar for long time now and i thing he likes more energetic sound. Thats his taste nothing bad about it we are all different :))
Yah
Different strokes forbsiffetent folks..
Last week after viewing this clip, i went to the dealer for audition of A26 vs R26, intending to tale the A26 and the audtion was just for formality..at least thats what I thought..and upon comparison, the R26 was clearly performing much better than the A26 and musically much more pleasing, at least at that dealer's shop.
I checked the equipment rack and theres no trickeries at the back.
I am not saying i proved that R26 is better, but as a buyer, i cannot defy what i hear, so ended up ordering the R26 instead. Maybe someone else would prefer A26 in their own setup, who knows...
@@peterlau6000 Aham! R2R DAC's are for people who appreciate the naturalness of the sound. I don't know if i am an audiophile neither i know what that means, but if i am going to listen to instrumental music i prefer my DAC sounding more natural. R2R DAC's are famous for this.A26 is a chip DAC.All right nothing bad about it, but if an expensive DAC can't give me the level of naturalness i need it will be a waste of money for me.Chip DAC's can sound super impressive when you try them at first as i said.But that doesn't mean they will give you the continuous pleasure of the R2R DAC.From the sound demo of that video i can say that if R26 have just a little bit more weight, richness and dimensionality would be the king of the DAC's. I will probably wait for the second version of that DAC :)
@@beslemeto yours is probably smart tactics, later usually implies better in digital gears!
@@peterlau6000 Thanks for sharing your experience! I have the R26 and a few AKM based DACs. That has generally been my impression between R2R and AKM which are fairly close to each other compared to ESS (I have the SMSL M500 V1 MKII) based offerings which tend to be all about detail and lacking natural tonality.
I had the R26 with over 200 hours of break in. Its has its high points with imaging, pin point placement in space, and very deep bass. Voices are reproduced quite well too. No exaggerated chestiness. However, the R26 lacks a body and weight in the mid bass. This creates a lean tone. I associate this to Thatbamar's finding that the R26 doesn’t reproduce acoustic guitars well. Gone are the deeper reverberations of the guitar’s wood body. Oddly, really deep bass comes through, but like I said, mid bass seemed attenuated. I'm back to my Denafrips Ares II. It may be a dull knife compared to the R26, but is more fun, less clinical. Might try a Venus II.
in my system, the R26 audio sample have MUCH more punch than the A26. A26 a little bit more detailed, but I prefer the R26 punchiness any day of the week.
Too much detail have negative impact on the musical pleasure in my opinion.
That's why I chose the R26 over the Chord TT2 & M-Scaler. Don't want an analytical DAC. I want a fun DAC
@@JTB-- Yes!These super expensive DAC"s are highly capable, but we don't want that when we are enjoying music.When DAC"s are analytical our brain works more, because it needs to calculate those extra details in the sound which after very short time will stress us too much.We need to find the perfect line between details, tones and spaciousness to get that pleasure in our brain. Anything too much will brake the joy...
@@beslemeto Well said
I have now tested both in my system. I can understand anyone who chooses either the R26 or A26. The R26 is definitely one step ahead when it comes to the sound stage, the depth of everything that happens behind the speakers, the A26 can't keep up. But I didn't like the vocals at all compared to the A26. The vocals and bass performance of the A26 are great. In the end I kept the A26, even if I wished for the sound stage of the R26 for some titles and the TV sound.
Edit:
SR Purple 2.5A Fuse highly recommended for the A26
Thanks for sharing
I believe its a slow blow 3.15A for A26 and R26 if we're talking about the one by the plug
@@jsuno23 I tested the Gustard 3.15A black fuse first. It's not good for the A26/R26. The 3.15 is for other Gustard devices. The sound even got a little worse with the fuse compared to the original(Original is 2.5A ). Better test 2.5A fuses. The SR Purple gives a clear improvement
@@neo4bremen if you read up on headfi threads you'll see why as well..purple fuse are more prone to pop with the original rated A
"Select 630mA for U16 /U18/C18/ C16 / X16 / H16/ A18/ X18. Select 3.15A for p26. Select 3.15A for X22 / A22 / X26 / H20/X26PRO/R26/A26" when I bought the upgrade GUSTARD brand fuse from shenzhen audio
The A26 DAC offers excellent value for money and it sounds absolutely superb in my system. I've been using the X26pro for a year and half now but the A26 just puts in in the shade from every angle in my opinion, I just don't get tired of listening to it. I also agree with your honest appraisal Tharbamar on the A26.
sorry but the translation is not clear to me! I also have x26pro. surely at 26 it sounds superb and less tiring but if you have to give an opinion on who satisfies you the most, who do you prefer? thank you
@@221298ale I prefer the sound quality from the A26 over the X26pro as it reproduces a coherent and enjoyable musical performance in a much more realistic way than the x26 in my opinion. The x26 lacks the soul of the music. Don't get me wrong, the x26 is fabulous DAC but the A26 does it much better in every department.
@@johnnyg1700 thank you
Can you remember if the high frequency roll-off felt stronger on R26 in comparison to A26?
Body is the last thing I’ll compromise in my system. On of the reasons I’m still hanging onto my rega DAC and sold the Ares II.
Rega sounding better than Ares 2? 🤔
@@beslemeto yes, the ares sounded somewhat uneasy/chaotic, lacking in flow, diffuse imaging in nos (linear interpolation), tendency towards sharp midrange (more in OS) and lacking in lower midrange body. Obviously not the objective truth, but my experience in my system and room, given my preference. I have not tried many other dacs, but I clearly prefered the Rega to older DAC magic, meridian explorer, audiolab mDAC and the DAC built into the Hegel H190. Works very well with a quality digital source, best over coax. At some point I’ll get a better source, but the Ares deterred me from trying other Denafrips dacs (especially given the no return policy and lack of guidance from seller).
R26 seems to be more rolled off. This gives illusion of depth.
The a26 seems flatter, more accurate. This highlights the highs, which accurately portrays the close miked sounds, but also leaves reverb intact giving sense of airiness.
I agreed with @beslemeto, at first A26 sound like a winner, but when I listen to it second time, R26 is clearly better.
In the first song it's clearly you can hear the low is much better with A26.
In Mona Lisa acoustic guitar - I like the sound of the acoustic with R26 especially at the end of the song where all the strings are strikes, it is night / day. A26 seem to have bigger sound stage.
When he switches to Mona Lisa with R26, I can hear like a hissing not sure if that just Mic feedback?
I've already own D1se, SU-10 and D2R, thinking getting R26, but that low is deals breaker. 90% of my time listening is acoustic so I may pull the trigger.
Dear Tharbamar,
Thank you very much for this comparative review.
However, tbh, I think one of the biggest comparison points is massively missing.
R2R DACs (like R26) are natively built for PCM music input.
Delta Sigma DACs (like A26) are natively built for DSD music input.
So, one of the main question on all the audiophile forums everywhere is how good these DACs are for each input type.
In particular, as you say your preference goes the A26, does this mean A26 is also better for PCM input than the dedicated input ?
Do we have an overall winner, regardless of the input format ?
This is the question everywhere.
Unfortunately, you presented your cables (interesting), but never said a single word about the input files (PCM or DSD)…
When feeding A26 with PCM it will first convert PCM to DSD.
When feeding R26 with DSD it will either first convert to PCM (DSD=OFF), or stay in DSD (DSD=ON), but then it completely by-passes the R2R ladder (main asset of the DAC) to a small 1Bit DSD converter (but then you use just “10%” of R26).
Since it is well known that DACs are generally not so good at making these file type conversions (compared to HQ Player for example), it is unclear if any weak point you mention for A26 or R26 comes from the need to transcode due to the choice of input file, and consequently from the potential degradation underway.
So this review is surprisingly dodging one of the main audiophile’s question.
And globally what conclusion can be drawn in this situation ?
Maybe… not so much actually
This is a bit… frustrating.
Would you please consider an add-on video review : The Gustard Battle, part 2.
That would be so great.
Thank you so much for your work.
Thanks for the advice, as I stated in this video my comments were based on many different quality music with mixed file formats (PCM 44.1-768kHz & (DSD 2.8 - 5.6Mhz) but I will keep in mind for future videos, thank you.
Thank for great comparison!
Currently own SMSL D300 and D400ES. When paired to Kef R3, situation is quiet comparable to R26 vs A26. D400ES is more detailed with more precise positioning. And difference is very obvious. But I still prefer D300 for my liking. Also with D400ES Kefs prone to sibilance.
So in the end ordered R26 to replace D300 in my speaker setup.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the good videos. It's hard to realize some of the subtleties on TH-cam. But it is more obvious when you compare two products in your videos. The more you compare products on TH-cam, if not live in an auditorium, the better we can understand the specifics of the products you are sensing.
Great recording, thank you!! For me, the A26… but only buy a tiny👌
I felt the R26 central vocal is a little more spread out in comparison to my Denafrips Terminator Plus. After upgrading the R26 fuse, the R26 has improved in its imaging focus and has more punch. Have you considered in upgrading its fuse? I will definitely get the A26 for a trial.
You like the R26 better than the Terminator Plus?
@@YouSoundButtHurt The T+ is still trump over the R26 but it is close.
R26 end game dac
@@DKH83 Using LAN port on R26?
@@beslemeto Usb and opt.
Thank you for the video! Will you be reviewing the Topping DX9 soon?
The Reference Track (12.54 - 14.50) sound much much better than R26 and A26...,
from what DAC was the Audio Signal coming here? 🙂😀🤗
That is original music, please read the notes in the demo video, thanks
@@Tharbamar Yes, but why does it sound so much better?
@@faithhopelove6945 It is because you’re listening to original music vs A26 and R26 is thru my system and re-recording of very same music, also if you read it carefully I did include details like recorded from 10ft or 12ft away etc.,
yes Reference Track sound the best
For me the R26 wins because it doesn't have the harshness on the airy treble / guitar pick notes that the A26 does, but it still has good detail. The harshness is the achilles heel of DS DACs for me.
not only harshness, when you listen to DS DACs the brain is trying to figure out where the sources of sound come from, and the problem is the distance between them is not same thats why the sound is really weird, when you listen to R2R its more linear and distance between instruments is same... so the brain knows exaclty where they are and its more natural ... try to check that with the music....
Interesting samples: 1066 (complex orchestral) sounded better (more instrument separation/detail) on the A26, female voice sounded definitely more natural on the R26.
Great comparison, thanks!
I think you nailed it. Btw I prefer Musician Aquarius to both even if it costs somewhat more.
Yep Aquarius have a bit more cleaner feel as well.
Would have been nice if the R26 clip didnt play moving visuals and apply the same static view as the A26 clip for the same track....visuals can interfere with acoustics in our heads
Great comparison! Which microphone you using for recording if I may ask ?
Thanks
Sound samples show how spectacular both dacs are. I have Harbeth speakers so I don’t agree that the r26 isn’t amazing for acoustic but Harbeths are magic for acoustic music lol
Yes if i play these DAC with JBL L100c75th may be different in experience with acoustic music but with S-1EX every weakness is visible because it doesn’t have the coloration from cabinets.
@@Tharbamar absolutely, it’s good you have the variety of speakers to pinpoint the weak spots
Are Harbeths good for electronic music at all?
@@YouSoundButtHurt I use them for chill trance and house and love them, the new xd series is awesome for chill electronic. They are not hard hitting speakers though, bit on the softer side, so the extreme party stuff it’s not ideal. Vocals and spacious electronic is superb however.
With the second piece of music, R26 sounded better. That is to say, with acoustic music and vocals, the R26 is the better unit. With the first piece of music, the A26 had more impact and the drums felt more visceral.
So it depends on what you listen to more, if you are a classical / jazz / acoustic guitar kind of person, R26. If you are into electronic music, hip hop, pop, rock , metal, (probably for movies too) I think A26 is the way to go.
Great Advice! Thanks for sharing.
I agree 100%. For me, when I go into a more "audiophile mode" if you will, I will usually focus on instrumental jazz such as John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Oscar Peterson, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, etc and female jazz vocals such as Diana Krall, Inger Maria Gundersen, Halie Loren, Chantal Chamberland, Diana Panton, etc. In that sense, the R26 is without doubt the better DAC. You can hear from the 2nd sample, the body of the strings on the acoustic guitar is so much fuller than the A26 and overall it just gives a more organic presentation to the music. Having said that, I also listen to all sorts of other music, more contemporary stuff including EDM, acid jazz, etc. In that domain, there is no doubt the A26 is better with much more drive, punch and stronger transients. In other words, there is no perfect answer to this comparison unless you only listen to a certain type of music, if not you may need both. LOL. But, that is why most people have more than one DAC I suppose.
a26 more clean but r26 warmer and more soul
As I listen mostly to classical music I'd go for the R26 which seems to deliver more guts from the instruments. The A26 appears to be more congenial to lighter vocals... Of course neither TH-cam nor my Beats headphones are doing justice to the performance of your system...😄
Hi, I really like your analyzes concerning the different materials.
If you have the possibility, would it be possible for you to listen with an "Atoll in400se (French production amp) with a GUSTARD DAC-R26 / A26 DAC or an SMSL D400EX DAC with the speakers presented in your video?
I would be curious about your feedback and your analysis.
Awesome sharing. Thanks.
what is the reference on 12:54?....is very impressive the difference!!!
I’m usually not a R2R fan, but I prefer the R26 presentation from your clips. The A26 sounded overly strident and forward to me.
I listened to your review between Gustard A 26 and R26. I would like to know where the X26Pro stands compared to the two described models. No one has made it a subject of review.
Just as good but in different ways, that’ll be good way to describe it, thanks
Hi . Great video. I just got my A26 and have it hooked into a Shanling ET3 CD transport with Shanling I2S cable. It won't do DSD and it gives a feedback sound when i stop the song I'm playing XLR cables Sennheiser AMBEO MAX sound bar. I tried connecting with a Toslink but it says unlock underneath the OPT on the screen and won't do anything. Any ideas?
i2S pins could be very different between two because i2S is not standardize yet, I would try to change i2S setting in the menu.
A26 or AMBEO MAX sound bar does not have optical out thats the problem.
@@Tharbamar How do you change pin settings in the A26 there isn't anything in the menu about that?
@@jkelley2091 there should be option in there for different types of i2S on either components but I’m not sure if I remember that correctly it’s been more than a year since.
@@Tharbamar there isn’t on the menu unless it’s one of those press this secret thing
@@jkelley2091 There is no secret setting, may be try DSD direct on A26.
Also try USB between two, if there is no problem with USB thats i2S connectivity problem between two of them.
Thank you!
Hello
My experience is that we need time to acclimate the sound of a dac. Years ago i enjoyed a lot a nos muse mini dac with tube sound buffer after it. At that time i couldn't enjoy delta sigma. I found them slow and lifeless. And the voice had more harmonics and sweetness on r2r nos. Then i tried the dac on my new cd player which is burr brown and with time i found it very nice. It's the kind of sound that the more you listen the more you like it. It makes you feel good. Then i tried back my r2r nos and i cannot stand the sound. It's like something is missing in the trebbles and that isn't pleasant to my ear. Same for the tube buffer i don't like it anymore. I prefer my cd player direct to the amp with just a 10k pot for volume. That is interesting is that in your samples of r2r in nos mode i hear the same kind of sound that i don't enjoy anymore. Nos makes a signature for 44.1khz tracks that i don't like. I think for high res it would be different. But i agree that sounds is more real more natural but also the trebbles are displeasing. The only thing that i miss is that voices were more natural and sweet in nos r2r with tube. I think r2r with good upsampling should be the best but î listen to cds. For the sound of the a26 it seems very enjoyable. But it's hard to tell on short yt video :) i'm not sure it's worth the price. I bought a cheap smsl sd 793 with bb pcm1793 and a linear power supply. The sound is far better with the linear psu than smps. I also experimented op amps but ending preferring the one provided opa2134 to the opa1656 opa1642 opa1612 opa627 opa2209. I made measurements that showed no difference between them but to my ears the differences was very easy to pick.
Earing you demos i'm not convinced that new akm will surpass this simple classic pcm1793 with a linear psu. To my experience my ear prefer good linear psu to smps and a fet input op amp in the lpf stage. I ve the feeling that akm are not as fast as burr brown and the drums has different sound for exemple. In my experience Burr brown is good for jazz rock old records new records fast slow and to me has no glare no hardness and a kind of analog pleasing sound. I keep wondering why everyone talk only about akm and ess or r2r. I never listen to hi res Audio so i think new dacs are oversized for cd quality. Maybe for hi res they are better. But i wonder also if too much processing for specs make them sound less good than simpler like in the burr browns that are more close to r2r.
I agree with you ! ! I tried chord tt, audiodg r7mk2,gustard x26pro. And I'm back with burson d160 bb1793 class a! I was hoping to improve and instead I gain bass and authority with x26pro and I lose quality in the treble and it was the best in comparison. With r7mk2 I gain bass, 3d, soul but I lose Too much speed. Chord tt nothing I liked just analytical . Although the Burson's bass is poor and can be improved on various points, it is fast, technical and fun with good air in the treble! I was hoping for Gustard at 26 but from the web it doesn't seem fast or fun! I look forward to hearing it live. Thanks to Tharbamar and all the enthusiasts
Tharbamar's Sony HAP-Z1ES has Burr brown PCM1795
Audiophiliac is right, you need at least 2 systems to cover all music genres. If you listen to Daft Punk, Dua Lipa and the like you do not need an R2R. However, if you listen to jazz, acoustic or music with a lot of instruments R2R works best. Cymbals sound more realistic and the instrument separation is much better. Only way to know if to listen to both technologies and compare, like Loic from Hifi Cave says: it is a matter of taste!
I agree 100% r2r plays better acoustic, jazz, instrunents. Delta sigma plays better elektronic, pop, metal music...
You just need correctly recorded, mixed, mastered tracks and the one right system.. badly recorded, mixed or mastered tracks are all over the place meaning you would need a different system for each one to make them sound right.. also tracks mixed for radio are crap by design...
@@lextr3110
You are absolutaly right.
Our system are always in the second in this chain.
Agree. I have two systems in my rack, they both use the Ares II. The Denafrips Hades and Thallo A?B amps, then when I want to rock the house with the KLH Model 5's, I use the Schiit Freya S preamp, along with the Class D XTZ Edge A2-400. I also have two SVS SB3000 subs.
As far as which DAC, and the music I generally listen too, I think the Pontus II 12th will suit me and my system the best. This R26 sounds harsh and bright to me, more like a chip based DAC. Not impressed with any of the sound demos I have heard of the R26.
What about for prog rock and metal
Hi Tharbamar. hello. Why can't my R26 connect to Roon?
Try to see if you have latest firmware.
I have the R26, you may remember. In light of both these dacs with their weaknesses, what would you recommend that is better than these? I don’t want to buy an A26 and then realized, something is missing or that it’s like R26
Watching TH-cam videos or music from computer over USB - produces 3-4 seconds delay. Video and voice are out of sync (video plays first then 3-4 later voice lags behind). Is there anything that can be done to sync video with vocals/sound over usb?
I would try to see if the USB driver is updated first.
@@Tharbamar I will try soon.
Are you saying usb to the dac connection sound/video is sync’d in time on your computer? I do have my windows 10 updated and A26 driver is the latest.
PS I am experiencing the same issue for Topping E70 Velvet too - that is on the other computer. It feels like it is dac processing speed but I may be wrong.
hello, i want to ask question. What do you think dac techs r2r vs fpga? for example gustard R26 vs chord qutest?
Chord Qutest will sound cleaner with more precision notes, R26 is FPGA/R2R Hybrid which has nice sound and texture of the melody but beware of the gain because it is about 6db louder than standards.
thank you very much for response
@Tharbamar - Which amp would you pair A26 with without spending too much on amp? What is the lowest level of decent amp with you would pair with A26? Thanks.
I had the A6 and R26 the same time. I decided to return the A26. R26 is sweeter sounding. A26, on my gear would get to the edge of too sparkly. Not enough depth and very bright up top. The A26 does not sound like others have implemented the 4499ex chips. A26 definitely is a great Dac. I just I preferred the better bass and the darker sound of the R26.
Hi,
Which DAC to chose between R26 and A26 with a Technics SU-G700 m2?
The Tecnics is a FDA so the R6 seems to be the best choice...
Thanks for your advice 😅
I would like to mention both of them are about 8-10db louder than industry standards.
If I have to pick one personally I would choose A26 for accurate sound but R26 should work well in your set up, thanks
Thanks for this video.
Of all your tests, which DAC do you think produces the most natural, precise, beautiful and sumptuous sound?
Thanks.
In my system as of right now I kept A26, Pontus II for external DAC but my favorite is Sony built in DAC which I can take it above 100db range without killing the sound quality and it is nearly transparent. Thanks
A26(AK4499) vs. R26(ES9038) chips .... which DAC would you recomend if your friend has "Aune S17 pro Class-A amp?
Hi, R26 R2R DAC.
@@Tharbamar thanks. just wondering your preference is a26 over r26. how come do u recommend r26 with aune s17 pro amp?
@MoonerBros Your information is incorrect. The R26 is R2R, not Ess.
Hello, which of the two would you recommend for an Acchuphase E480 with vintage Tannoy speakers (Lancaster, Mansfield)
You can hear differences between filters?
@Tharbamar
which devices play in the part of the original?
Love your opinions on everything but want to tell you if you want to get less room interaction with all that glass behind the speakers you should look into some thick theater curtains to cover them 🙏🏼love the r26 much more natural and musical 🎶
Thanks for the advice, this room is almost 90% treated and tune with REW if you listen to my sound samples with headphones you will be able to hear how minimal room mode is in sound sample recording (please not I’m playing music from live performance), if I treat those windows with curtains sound will be dead, shutter blinds are better for me because I can play around with the angles, thanks again.
@@Tharbamar I’m a sound engineer for more than 30+ years and am a room acoustic designer for many manufacturers at audio shows and glass in and kind of room that reproduces sound is detrimental to it,believe me you would have to do a lot more than curtains to make a space completely dead,true sound is not sparkly and bright,that’s probably what you confuse getting details from your playback system when you listen you have to retrain your ears 👂
HELLO...I'm getting ready to buy a DAC ...what is better ?? Gustard A26 or Chord Qutest ??? Going through my Vincent SV-737 Hybrid - Dali Rubicon2
You will have to listen to them if you can because both are high quality DAC, you will have to choose base on your personal preference.
Personally I would get A26 over any DAC under $5K for extremely high in price to sound quality ratio, thanks
@@Tharbamar
Thanks Thomas...I didn't have a way to test them out and already ordered the Qutest...
Didn't like the chord Qutest-sold it...using Gustard R26 and love it...best sound using usb from laptop tidal...however I want to lose the laptop so need a stand alone streamer/usb...ifi zen streamer or new Volumio Rivo...debating🤷🏻♂️
UPDATE: Using Gustard R26, Vincent SV 737 hybrid, Epicon 2 Speakers w/pair of Rel T7X...Streaming through Chromecast...sounds very nice✌️🎶🎶
I will buy the A26...., cause i have a great natural, warm, analogue soundig Audio-GD Preamp...,
it should be a fantastic Couple (***** Thanks for your Effort and the great Work" 😀😇👌👍🙏
I have x26 pro, does it make sense to change and why? thanks
Have to placed the 2 of them exactly the same footing when you’re sonically compared them? Did you place another on top of each another?
I don’t know if should answer this question it’s kind of insulting for someone with intelligence and experience.
@@Tharbamar It is fine, friend, no issue, I am a fan of your channel.
@@trendyloca2330 thanks for your support.
Can I use R26 as dadicated preamp as well?? Plz reply 🙏
Personally I would not as dedicated pre, please look into something like P26 or Denafrips Hestia et, thanks
@@Tharbamar
Thank you sir 🙏
My friend, thanks for the videos.
Between Gustard A26 and Dynafrip Pontus which one you prefer?
If you have about $1500, which DAC will you get?
Thanks as always
I pretty much listen to rock music. I am looking for a good streamer and dac in one. I play from Spotify. My amplifier is a Ca300 From Classe and Speaker is Ariel Acoustics 10t. Is there a Dasc streamer combo you recommend under $2k? What about the blue sound node X?
I would suggest you to try this, th-cam.com/video/OYuJLsfVhFQ/w-d-xo.html
pontus2>=schumann>A26>R26 ?
I bought the A26 thanks to your awesome review. I love my A26. Can you review the Anthem STR integrated amplifier I heard at an audio show an it was amazing. Thank you for all your amazing video's
I will try!
Thank you and a comparison to your Dennon. Thank you again.@@Tharbamar
I have the original Auralic Altair streamer +DAC (ES9018) (not the G1). I was thinking of buying the a26, do you think it will be a big improvement? My system is a Marantz 8802a preamp, Rotel 1095 Amp and Vandersteen 2ce sig ii speakers, with V2W subwoofers.
Yes it will be good upgrade in sound with deeper sound stage with more precision sound quality.
@@Tharbamar Thanks, I do listen to a lot of acoustic music - guitar, etc. You seem to think Denafrips is better than the Gustard DACs, but my quandry is then what to do for the streamer - Denafrips doesn't have one - what would you recommend as a streamer that is less than say $1000 that won't limit the performance of the Denafrips Pontus II or Venus II?
Hello and thank you for the review. My question is R26's R2R - smooth, natural sound vs. A26's AK- velvet, smooth, natural sound. Which is more forgiving for lesser recordings.
On the A26 how much of the 3-D sound stage / imaging do you lose when going from the monitoring mode vs listening mode?
I would say A26 is best of both worlds especially when you are using it in listening mode which is very similar to R26 in overall sound signature, image is about the same but slightly less precise, thanks
Thanks, I listen mostly to older rock / pop up to the 80's but have a sensitivity to overly siblent recordings.
R26 amazing
Which one for Monitor Audio Silvers?
So I think a lot of people are a little bit confused. You used the Gustard DACs with a nutral speaker like you mentioned. So if I have a fairly nutral speaker, which DAC you would recommend to perfectly play jazz and acoustic? Something like Musician/Draco/Schumann and if so, which model you would recommend? Thanks!!
I would say Schumann from your list because that’s the one that I’m keep going back to, thanks
@@Tharbamar thanks! I forgot to mention the Pontus 2 and Ares II :D you would still pick the Schumann over the Denafrips line for jazz and acoustic? Thank you for your quick reply, appreciate that!
For the money Ares 12th or Schumann is hard to beat, Pontus II is slightly deeper and a bit more quieter. Thanks
@@Tharbamar ok, thank you! So we have the Ares II and the Schumann left of all of them :) both match with my system pricewise. Which to chose when I like 2 things: 1. a DAC that brings the music way in front of the speaker 2/3 meter( I don't like DACS where the music sticks to the box) 2. Which to chose when I like to hear strings and punchy base in jazz/acoustic tracks? Thanks!
Punchy Bass is not the strongest quality of R2R DACs in general.
As expectedly this topic draws so much controversies, maybe the comparison should have both DACs start on equal footings (literally)?
The filters act at 21 kHz and up. I seriously doubt sound up there is audible to either one of us. I'm deaf above 13 kHz at my age. Also, there is little to no information in most recordings there.
I'm wondering if the A26 has that artificial way of throwing sounds at you that becomes exhausting after a while
This review is very strange . Listening to track two the guitar sounds pretty good to me . I’ve found with the centre image with the r26 you need to re position your speakers to lock it in , you can’t use the same position for every dac as there all different .
Nope I’m not going to reposition 150lbs speaker for every DAC and my speakers are placed correctly for best possible stereo image and fine tune with room measurements.
@@Tharbamar just try it , this one time and you will be amazed .
@@redleather100 Ha been there done that, my question is have you tune your room and speakers with REW? I have more than 20 DAC presently ($500 - $10K) never need to move the speakers.
R26 is more emotional, but I think it's more picky with genres.
What's the comparison with R26 and PS Audio Stellar gaincell?
le plus transparent et neutre? a 26 ou R26? merci
Hi there! Thank you for your videos and the forma you are using with music samples at the end of most of your reviews, which is in my view more complete that the other hifi reviewers where there is a lack of music content. Q: The A26 Ethernet connection will aloud me to paly TH-cam music from my phone using Bluetooth connection? Thank you!
@Tharbamar great comparison ! I have the R26 since one week, and I need to decide if I return it or swap with an A26 ... I also use a DMP-A6 as streamer and DAC. The best results for the R26 IMHO- were obtained using the LAN interface through the Gustard renderer or through HQP/Roon/Gustard renderer (with NOS enabled & fast filter) vs R26 fed by A6/ME through USB Blue Heaven vs A6/ME used as both Streamer & DAC (Voices seem more separated from the rest but soundstage & backround are poor vs R26 in LAN). Just tested an A8 from a friend, it's a step further vs A6/ME but still behind in soundstage & background vs R26 through HQP/Roon/Gustard renderer ... Don't know what to do ... Return R26, keep R26 and buy A26, it's very difficult. Also R26 used through HQP/Roon/Gustard renderer has much more presence for voices even for modern music, correcting its trends to make them blurry when fed by streamer. What about DSD through R26, not native even used through HQP/Roon (with DSD option enabled in R26) ? But frankly A6/ME seems more analytic but not warm, more a demo DAC to impress your friends ... On Diana Krall, guitars are not nice on A6 or A8 vs R26. For modern music, best setup again for R26 is through HQP/Roon IMHO. Thoughts ?
I too pair the R26 with Eversolo DMP A6. It’s a perfect match for me. I had the A26 but in my system the treble is too much with the A26. R26 definitely more musical to my ears.
Even if the A26 is now favoured, I have still opted for the R26, because in my hi-fi chain it is transparent, crisp, deep, dark and playful. The A26 doesn't work so well in my chain, I don't like the treble so much, the treble doesn't fade away so quickly, it clanks a bit, the bass is also deep and dark, but I prefer to listen to music with the R26. The A26 is fast and transparent, but it doesn't have any pauses, you get a bit overwhelmed by the music. The R26 also plays fast, but perhaps sounds a little faster and thus creates a more airy presentation.
No offense. I don’t mean this in a snarky manner.
But it would be useful if you also tested some other high end DACs such as the Marantz SACD 30n which uses DSD Upsampling or the PS audio.
Or some other higher end other than Chinese DACs.
It would be more enlightening to the audience.
Thanks and hope you don’t take that the wrong way
None taken, these DAC are better at price to performance compared to the brands you’ve mentioned, I had all that, PS Audio is way overpriced and overrated, DSD up conversion is nothing new I have been using for almost 7-8 years with Sony products and they are the ones who invented DSD for mastering, thanks
Hello nice video . I would like to know what are the feet you use under the devices ?
Would these Gustard be comparable with Matrix Audio i-3 Pro?
A living measuring 👂
Hi Tharbamar. Do you think A26 can play better than VMV D2?
Grab? Please explain.
What the heck?
Does A26 have a remote?
In your opinion is the A26 a better dac than the Pontus or Venus ? Mostly listening to jazz and singer songwriter.
Pontus is good for strings? That’s weird with such rolles off treble.
I don’t understand this comparison really, it sounds like one is good for well recorded modern music and the other can not reproduce un amplified music very well!
Well if a dac can not reproduce brass and strings in a believable manner, then it is not a good dac, period.
@@gryphongryph this guy is doing a good job, but if you don’t try a dac in your own system, you’ll never know if it’s good for you . From the comparison A26 is better.
@@vagomaniac totally respect the work this guy does with these videos, just think this one was a bit strange
@@gryphongryph Maybe the reviews are more sales oriented... I mean the su 10 shouldn’t be better a anything from A26. Like u said, weird
Hello Tharbamar, can you tell me that diameter of those isolation feet made by Tertullus which you did a video on? Are they 30mm in diameter? I'm wanting to mount them to the bottom of round 1.5" wood dowels to use for DIY posts for a stereo rack.
The one I’m using is about 45mm (1 3/4”)size, Just to clarify any brand name you might have seen is all made by Audiocrast.
I cannot believe I can hear a difference even in a youtube audio (at least I think so). I feel R26 soundstage/ambience is not very clear. There also seems to be some "fuzz" around the sound with the R26. A26 seems a little sharper and cleaner. Maybe A26 is more accurate. But R26 sounds "good". Note, I am a A26 owner (and previously a Chord 2Qute owner) and I still prefer the A26 sound. I am more of a "truth" guy than "euphonic sound" guy. I think I can trust Tharbamar's ears. Thx to him for all these efforts
For me the A26 was just too “sparkly” up top. So much so that It turns treble into something that people get tired of at least in my system. It sounds great at first but eventually the highs are just too much. That’s just my experience though. I feel the R26 is just plumper and sweeter sounding. Another thing I noticed is that Gustard Renderer on the A26 would skip frequently.
Thanks again for a unbiassed and clear review, sorry to bother you with a theme not related with this particular video , but Im about to move (Im an expat ) and Im going to buy a new system , inspired by your videos, and it is a Denon PMA-A -110 amplifier like yours , but I have doubts about which speaker to pair with it , I have at the moment two favorites: PMC twenty 5 23.1 and the Anphion 3LS , both them are small tower speakers, which one do you think fits best with the Denon amplifier? Or you have another strong recommendation for around the same price (4000US dollars) thank you
What was you sound source for the samples (pcm or dsd)
What DAC is going to add the most musicality Matrix (what one) or the Gustard (what one) Please be honest ! 🎶🎵🎶
Which of the two do you personally feel would be a better choice for owners of the KLH model 5's?
Since Model 5 is pretty neutral either should do but If you like R2R sound R26 maybe better choice for you.
Looks like the 3-4 seconds delay is also observed when IR port is used from a TV (maybe that is why ARC port is out of question). Feels like (not an expert) that it is related to AKM chips - I have not had any experience with ESS but main-stream dac/integrated amps well-known manufacturers are mainly (per my observation only) using ESS chips (perhaps those are quicker to process the signal). Not sure but I am not impressed with the delay when TV songs come into play. Other that this - the sound is great even via Sonos amp (both connect and the latest one).
You mean Optical port? HDMI ARC is not supported on most DAC only i2S. What is model DAC you have?
Why are you posting 3 times for SAME post.
@@Tharbamar yes, optical port. I have Gustard A26 as well as Topping E70 Velvet - both have 3-4 seconds delay (sound vs video) - over both optical cable from TV and usb port from computer.
PS posted find out the answer (since the sound is superb but the delay is not good).
@@Tharbamar I will troubleshoot further and respond. It is possible that Sonos amp is introducing a delay. I just do not have any other amps to try.
Apologies - that was Sonos amp issue:
1. Open the Sonos app > select Settings > and select System.
2. Select your speaker or wireless amp with the Line-In connection.
3. Scroll down and select Audio Delay > select Low (75ms).
In this menu, there are four different audio delays that you can choose from: Max (2,000 ms), High (150 ms), Medium (113 ms) and Low (75 ms). By default, the Line-In connection of your Sonos speaker or wireless amp is set to Max, which is 2,000 milliseconds or two second; this allows for the most time for the Sonos product to optimize its sound.
Selected 75ms. Works fine now.
I’m glad to hear that, thanks for letting me know.
I really like the R26...however for the best sound quality I have to use Tidal,laptop-usb connection..I want to get rid of the laptop so I'll need a good stand alone streamer/usb...please tell me if I should get a ifi zen streamer or the new Volumio Rivo...if you haven't reviewed the Rivo, could you please do so?😁
Thank you very much Thrarbamar for this outstanding review. For convenience, I would like to know a bit more about the streamer capabilities since I tend to use Apple Music more and more. Is A26 airplay compatible ? This is not clear for me. Sometimes I see a "AirPlay" Sticker, sometimes not. And if it is Airplay compatible, what will A26 say as received sound quality ? 16/44 ? Have you tried this specifically ? Thank you very much.
I had a gustard r26 and sent him to the distributor. In comparison to my PS Audio DirectStreamJunior, Gustard R26 played without texture, body and dynamics.
Ageed dead soung pontus2 is more living and natural
Your comparison with the PS Audio DirectStreamJunior is perverse. Comparing an Eungerat with a price of 1600 euros with a device around 4800 euros is like comparing pears with apples. Please think again :))
Watching this video with Gustard R26 + Burson soloist 3X GT + Hifiman HE1000 SE.
Gustard A26 o Cambridge cxn?
of course A26. The Cambride is just ok. I sold the Cambridge very fast.
Grazie !!e tra r26 e a26 ?
@@matteo5128 R26 more musical A26 more technical. If the system is more analitical, i will choose R26. If more warm sounding, then A26
Hello,
You had the gustard u18 ddc. How does the sound change on both unites while using the ddc? I use on my smsl vmv d2 aes imput because i²s sounds to thin and analytical. Aes sound much more analog but still very much resolving without this downside. At the schumann ladder the i²s didnt change the sound signature, but the schumann sounds only at some frequencys nice...most songs are just boring...no layering and micro details...all is gone. The notes in between are gone with schumann.
Hi, I really know what you’re saying, that’s why I stopped using DDC because I don’t like them with some DAC, thanks
@@Tharbamar yeah, but without it...its just dead. its more about the interface you are using.I think you ca clearly hear that the signal is much cleaner, everthing got more life in it and is more precise. daynamics go up and the harshness is also gone.
i would discribe a ddc like...you got fog at the bottom (noise/jitter) the ddc is blowing the fog away...than youncan clearly see whats at the bottom. all the last finest details and objects are clear now, i realy dont wanna miss that effekt.
@@heinzbecker691 In case if you don't know I'm the only one and very first who adopted DDC in all reviewers and Yes those are noticeable with PC based and some streamers with not so good power supply with and without DDC but with my Sony Music Server it just not big of the deal without it because it has dual power stage for each digital and analog section.
External clock is better than DDC.
@@Tharbamar yeah that makes sense👍. i got the ifi zen streamer with the additional power suply and this was a step up from the standard ifi power supply. bjt the ddc is still better then ifi only.
but i also have to say that my ddc and cables on the ddc are much more burned in...the moment i tried the ddc via aes or i²s...basicly all my cables were new, as well as the ddc itself.
it was a new nordost heimdall 2 aes cable, a new nordlst blue heaven hdmi, a new nordost brahma power cord...all new cables plus new ddc. the ddc is now more natural ad relaxed, but with all the details. now its realy no downgrade andymore...but my VMV D2 sounds still better via aes instead of i²s. the schumann ladder sounds better with i²s, but not by much.
I tested today gustard r26, my cousin bought it and got today...much more like a delta sigma dac with a akm chip...and with i²s also best sounding or aes..doesnt make a big difference. nos of, pcm filter mid, dsd direct...sounded pretty good. with usb only...hm, not as lifelike, less dynamik and attack...but still good. with ddc...yes...all the sparkle and details like delta sigma, but a little bit more relaxed like a even akm d2 dac....but its not much.
but the schuman has some magig in it...i cant realy say what exactly it is...but its more realistic but not so refined as vmvd2 or r26.
i thi k the r26 needs more thsn 3 hours of burn in...later on i will coment again for this dac.
R26 ou A26 pour la dynamique?
A26.
The A26 sounds a little too clinical for me despite sounding slightly more transparent than the R26. I prefer the organic presentation from the R26 but opinions are subjective and i can understand why to certain ears the A26 may be their preference.