Summary of listening impressions, incl. using loudspeakers (
Martin Logan Electromotion ESL) versus Audio-gd Reference 7.1 DAC
(See my previous post about that, and how I initially compared the two when using HiFiMan HE-6 headphones.)
The differences largely mirrors those I found with HE-6. On highly revealing tracks, Ref 7.1 has a
slightly lower degree of details, including a slightly less precise stereo image in the horizontal dimension, while on the other hand, Ref 7.1 sounds more
natural than the R26. With classical orchestra works, the Ref 7.1 also appears to convey a deeper image than the R26. Some of that difference may be caused by tonality, though (see below). On many tracks, I hear very little or no difference, actually.
In this direct comparison, I think the R26 sounds like how Sigma-Delta DAC's often are described. It doesn't have that "analog" character, which is associated with R2R DAC's. There is more focus on the upper mids and lower treble, as if there is more output in that frequency range, while the Ref 7.1 has a darker, more rounded off sound, that resembles how real, un-amplified, acoustic music sounds. The R26 sound more like "excellent hi-fi".
If I had had the opportunity to make a listening test before I bought the R26, I certainly wouldn't have bought it, already having the Ref 7.1. Is this bad for the R26? No. It just means that the Ref 7.1 is pretty revealing, particularly considering its age (12 years). For some, the difference in resolution may be worth it, but to me, it would make more sense spending the money on better headphones.