Gustard Amplifiers and DACs
Aug 11, 2015 at 10:31 AM Post #362 of 605
It's a mobile link. Loads fine on my cell phone.
http://m.intl.taobao.com/detail/detail.html?id=40193288881


Yup, works on mobile.
I think I am more inclined to grab a melodious instead... Front USB sucks... I am a function over form all the way but.. This is bothersome.
 
Aug 11, 2015 at 10:56 AM Post #363 of 605
Yup, works on mobile.
I think I am more inclined to grab a melodious instead... Front USB sucks... I am a function over form all the way but.. This is bothersome.

The Melodious doesn't have an HDMI form I2S connection, so that was even more bothersome to me. I also wanted crystek clock crystals. The front connector is a minor irritation that I can live with.
 
Aug 12, 2015 at 12:11 AM Post #364 of 605
  That's some very good units to compare to. My X-12 already spanked the Aune S16, the Rega Apollo R, Bel Canto Dac-1, and Meitner BiDat, to name a few. I am now only comparing to the X-12, since that is a known commodity around here.  I think some notes on direct comparisons with the Line Magnetic and the Gungnir would be very helpful.


Stuart,
 
Do you have any future plans to compare the X-20 against the LKS MH-DA003, review sample from Volent/MUsound maybe?
 
The discrete analog filter stage of the X-20 vs the opamp based LKS should prove interesting. Pity Gustard did not do a discrete I/V converter for the X20.
 
Aug 12, 2015 at 12:56 AM Post #365 of 605
hey b0bb, how does the output stage of the lks compare to say the wyred 4 sound dac 1 le/2 models? i'd buy something with a tight analog stage right about now, as the digital front end of many recent units is pretty much laid bare for us to pick on...i can live w/o dsd atm...
 
Aug 12, 2015 at 2:02 AM Post #366 of 605
  hey b0bb, how does the output stage of the lks compare to say the wyred 4 sound dac 1 le/2 models? i'd buy something with a tight analog stage right about now, as the digital front end of many recent units is pretty much laid bare for us to pick on...i can live w/o dsd atm...


The  analog stage of the LKS is the textbook inverting opamp in virtual earth configuration to sink/source all the current from the DAC. This is a variant of the circuit in the ESS data sheet, a hybrid active-passive filter. The first section is a first order active filter part of the I/V converter followed by a second order passive filter, this is the ESS reference filter design with a minor few tweaks.
 
The W4S DAC2 is a discrete analog stage, it may be a simplified opamp or a Nelson Pass type Zen I/V converter, hard to tell without a closer look.
The small 8 pin package is an opamp probably some sort of DC servo.
 
The nice thing is its uniqueness and not a cookie-cutter analog stage like the LKS.

 
 
On a side note I do not think Gustard built this, it does not look anything like the stuff Gustard makes.
 
Aug 12, 2015 at 3:09 AM Post #368 of 605
The Melodious doesn't have an HDMI form I2S connection, so that was even more bothersome to me. I also wanted crystek clock crystals. The front connector is a minor irritation that I can live with.


I really like the front input...
My music server is near the listening position to the left side.. so 1.8 M USB cable to the front of the Tanly, then 0.3 M HDMI cable to the DAC seems to me an appropriate path in this configuration.
 
Aug 13, 2015 at 12:56 AM Post #369 of 605
Ok, I was wrong. The X20 actually requires MORE break-in time than the X12. I thought I was nearly there with about 70 hours....wrong again. I kept it playing continuously for four more days and now I have hit pay dirt. It sounded very good before, but now it is truly exceptional. I referred before to the X20 being on the same continuum as the X12 and just reaching farther out on the scale. That is still true, but now it is WAY out on the scale. The soundstage is much bigger in every direction. The black silence between images is truly black rather than dark grey and the images themselves are so 3D and palpable that the X12's seem more like cardboard cutouts in comparison. Bass has more depth and character- less of that one note hodge podge when it's way down there. Midrange has more body and bloom than the X12 and the treble is now even more relaxed while at the same time revealing all the details. Wow, just wow!

Another addition to my system has definitely helped me hear the differences in all their glory. That addition was the Audience AU24 USB cable. This one has separate leads four data and power and uses silver coated OCC copper. It's expensive, costing almost $900 for a 1.5m length, but holy cow, this cable gives amazing results. It lets through more of that low level live mojo that makes everything sound more real. It made hearing the differences between the X12 and X20 a cinch. I seriously would never have thought a USB cable could make such a difference. Yea, I had heard differences with other cables I tried, but this is an order of magnitude more. ..just crazy.

I can now say confidently that if you were on the fence about getting the X20 and spending an extra $300 or so, just do it! If the X12 is an over-achiever at an affordable price, the X20 is a flagship slayer at a stupid good price. You can trust the Captain on this one mates.

More details to come.
 
Aug 13, 2015 at 1:16 AM Post #370 of 605
Stuart,

Do you have any future plans to compare the X-20 against the LKS MH-DA003, review sample from Volent/MUsound maybe?

The discrete analog filter stage of the X-20 vs the opamp based LKS should prove interesting. Pity Gustard did not do a discrete I/V converter for the X20.


I haven't made any plans with regard to the LKS, but I certainly wouldn't turn down the opportunity if it presented itself. If there is enough interest, I might just contact the LKS folks and see if they want to go head to head with the X20.
 
Aug 13, 2015 at 5:05 AM Post #374 of 605
I know....insane, right? I have a line on a very similarly designed cable made in Hong Kong for less than 1/10th the price. I think I'm going to order it and see how it compares.

 
$900, for a cable!?! Even it gave superior results to a comparison between a $90 and $900 dac, amp or even 'phones, could anyone ever feel 'comfortable' paying that much for little more than a piece of wire? I know I couldn't.
What is it, when you can get a crap hot multi-component item for less than $1000, that the consumer is paying for with an expensive cable, like that? The cable manufacturers have (deservedly, IMO) given themselves a pretty bad rep. 
 
I hope that you find the HK cable to be better. I really do! 
 
Aug 13, 2015 at 6:13 AM Post #375 of 605
$900, for a cable!?! Even it gave superior results to a comparison between a $90 and $900 dac, amp or even 'phones, could anyone ever feel 'comfortable' paying that much for little more than a piece of wire? I know I couldn't.
What is it, when you can get a crap hot multi-component item for less than $1000, that the consumer is paying for with an expensive cable, like that? The cable manufacturers have (deservedly, IMO) given themselves a pretty bad rep. 

I hope that you find the HK cable to be better. I really do! 

This wasn't meant to start a cable war and I don't really want to get into my personal philosophy on this (although you can find it on the Gustard H10 thread). I got this usb cable in for review last week and it helped me so much in my X12 / X20 comparison that I had to mention it to be honest about what was happening.

If you knew the price of all the other gear that I have pulled out of my audio closet to assist my headphone setup, you would really think I was nuts. It's just stuff I have accumulated over many years of audio reviewing.

If you want to see more of my thoughts on the effects of cone feet and damping material (since you asked about it earlier), you can search the main H10 thread and find it there. I blathered quite a bit about it when I showed my modifications to the H10 cabinet.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top