GUSTARD DAC-R26 Balanced Decoder R2R+1Bit Dual Native Decoding Music Bridge

[camrector]

@duffer5

I’d have to see the specs of the U18.

Simple answer; A DAC recreates the correct signal amplitude, the clock recreates the correct signal timing. The oscillators provide the accuracy and the correct frequency.
There are a few types of clocks

• Oven controlled crystal oscillators (OCXO) best
• Temperature compensated oscillators (TCXO) better
• Voltage controlled oscillators (VCXO) good
• Clock oscillators (XO) ok

Jitter is a measure of how precise a clock is. If each second is exactly the same length, thats low jitter. If some seconds are longer or shorter than others, thats high jitter. These devices are very prone to jitter and phase noise. Every time a signal passes through a device jitter is accumulated.
And even with superior clocks an external clocks job isn’t to reduce jitter. That may or may not happen at all. The external clocks job is to provide synchronization between multiple devices.

 

[camrector]

I am now deciding between the A26 and the R26. The features of the two seem to be almost identical except for the chip.

I have owned two Denafrips DACs so only have first hand experience with R2R DACs. I have not seen any real owner feedback on the A26 yet so will wait until that happens.

I might buy one just to see. The only AKM chip dac that I’ve ever heard that sounded good is the Geshelli J2.
Every other one I’ve heard sounded really bad.
Sterile
This one though has me intrigued. I too was a Denafrips fanboy until this R26 showed up.

 

[duffer5]

@duffer5

I’d have to see the specs of the U18.

Simple answer; A DAC recreates the correct signal amplitude, the clock recreates the correct signal timing. The oscillators provide the accuracy and the correct frequency.
There are a few types of clocks

• Oven controlled crystal oscillators (OCXO) best
• Temperature compensated oscillators (TCXO) better
• Voltage controlled oscillators (VCXO) good
• Clock oscillators (XO) ok

Jitter is a measure of how precise a clock is. If each second is exactly the same length, thats low jitter. If some seconds are longer or shorter than others, thats high jitter. These devices are very prone to jitter and phase noise. Every time a signal passes through a device jitter is accumulated.
And even with superior clocks an external clocks job isn’t to reduce jitter. That may or may not happen at all. The external clocks job is to provide synchronization between multiple devices.

Great explanation. Thank you for the detailed reply. Helpful.

 

[cobrabucket]

I might buy one just to see. The only AKM chip dac that I’ve ever heard that sounded good is the Geshelli J2.
Every other one I’ve heard sounded really bad.
Sterile
This one though has me intrigued. I too was a Denafrips fanboy until this R26 showed up.

IMHO, The Topping D70S [AKM 4497] does not exhibit the "sterile" or "flat" or "dry" characteristics that are common in D/S chips. I also had a 1st gen JNOG w/ an AKM chip that sounded good too. But I agree, a lot of mfrs. seem to get the implementation wrong and make something that sounds analytical or 2D. I'd be curious to hear the A26. I am gonna guess it's pretty great if it's anything like the R26. Possibly better with native DSD, too.

 

[camrector]

IMHO, The Topping D70S [AKM 4497] does not exhibit the "sterile" or "flat" or "dry" characteristics that are common in D/S chips. I also had a 1st gen JNOG w/ an AKM chip that sounded good too. But I agree, a lot of mfrs. seem to get the implementation wrong and making something that sounds analytical or 2D. I'd be curious to hear the A26. I am gonna guess it's pretty great if it's anything like the R26. Possibly better with native DSD, too.

DSD in the A26 was exactly why I want it .
I never heard the topping D70S. I have a Geshelli J2 with the AKM 4493.
Maybe the fire burnt all their crappy chips and they had to just make new better ones lol

 

[nicks25]

The DSD is what interests me as well. The chip in the A26 is the AK4499EX which is the latest from AKM.

 

[Nada]

If you want pure DSD wouldnt you want pure 1-bit processing?

 

[camrector]

If you want pure DSD wouldnt you want pure 1-bit processing?

Not from the R26s implementation.

 

[PitBul34]

Here we are)



Imo, the best 2022 combined device for real money

 

[mikeypas]

Been having a real educational experience reading through these 200+ pages
I have ordered my R26 and eagerly awaiting its arrival.

I'm pleased to hear that many commented that LAN connection feels superior to USB (which would save me from a DDC and I2S cable)
Perhaps this is a silly question, I'm intending on using Audirvana from my mac to the R26 (mac is using wifi for internet)

Can I connect the ethernet directly from my mac to the R26 (bypassing the router)? In that case, does these lan isolators or FMC tweak apply?

 

[Jake2]

Been having a real educational experience reading through these 200+ pages
I have ordered my R26 and eagerly awaiting its arrival.

I'm pleased to hear that many commented that LAN connection feels superior to USB (which would save me from a DDC and I2S cable)
Perhaps this is a silly question, I'm intending on using Audirvana from my mac to the R26 (mac is using wifi for internet)

Can I connect the ethernet directly from my mac to the R26 (bypassing the router)? In that case, does these lan isolators or FMC tweak apply?

Nice one. And good question, to which the answer (at least to the first part of your qn) is yes - if you add a second ethernet port to your Mac, say a USB to ethernet adapter, you can configure it to 'bridge' the LAN directly to another device, in this case the R26.

Edit - as you're using wifi as your primary LAN/internet connection you don't need a second ethernet adaptor, you should be able to configure your existing ethernet port as a bridge.

This is favoured over in Audiophilestyle as a simple and effective tweak at improving audio quality, due, as I understand it, to the dedicated data stream rather than a reduction in noise per se a la FMCs. I tried it briefly but couldn't get it to work, need to try it again.

As to whether in this scenario further steps to isolate the streamer from ethernet borne noise ( here noise from the MAC server with, I assume, the stock noisy switching power supply) are warranted, I'd make an informed guess that they are. Certainly worth trying.

 

[migo]

IMHO, The Topping D70S [AKM 4497] does not exhibit the "sterile" or "flat" or "dry" characteristics that are common in D/S chips. I also had a 1st gen JNOG w/ an AKM chip that sounded good too. But I agree, a lot of mfrs. seem to get the implementation wrong and make something that sounds analytical or 2D. I'd be curious to hear the A26. I am gonna guess it's pretty great if it's anything like the R26. Possibly better with native DSD, too.

I can confirm this...

 

[rockcity007]

I am now deciding between the A26 and the R26. The features of the two seem to be almost identical except for the chip.

I have owned two Denafrips DACs so only have first hand experience with R2R DACs. I have not seen any real owner feedback on the A26 yet so will wait until that happens.

looks like there might be a lot of r26's for sale soon (see 10:18)

 

[camrector]

looks like there might be a lot of r26's for sale soon (see 10:18)

Lol Tharbamar is a strange dude. Lol
You should watch his R26 review. According to him the R26 doesn’t stream or work with Roon or Qobuz.

 

[duffer5]

looks like there might be a lot of r26's for sale soon (see 10:18)

Nah. The A26 is still a d/s DAC. The R26 is true R2R which provides a unique flavor to the sound. In my opinion these are not comparable devices. Yes, features can be compared but features only take you so far the true treat of the R26 is what the R2R ladders do to the sound.

I can see a reason to have both the A26 and the R26 but the A26 won’t be a replacement for the R26 in my single opinion.