[Utopia]

   
One of the things I didn't mention in my Gustard interview bit in the general Gustard thread was HD650. Their gear is actually designed to match with HD650 as well as possible since that's the most popular high end headphone in China. Figuratively every hobbyist owns a pair.

 
That's very interesting, since the HD650 is high impedance, and the H10 also works very well with low impedance planars. It seems to be a great all-rounder.

 

[conquerator2]

The X12 just arrived.
Will listen in a bit hopefully

 

[stuartmc]

 
Been listening to my Gustard U12, X10, H10 stack with my HD650's for the last day or two, as apposed to my normal HE400i's, and I must say it is quite a nice combo. I haven't listened to my HD650's for a while now as I found the sound a little "distant, or "veiled" but recently my tinnitus   
has been slightly aggravated so I decided to listen to a more "laid back" set of earphones with my Gustard stack and I must say I find the HD650's much more enjoyable than I have ever before. Admittedly, I have not listened to the 650's with the Gustard stack for too long in the past but now that I have logged a lot more hours on the stack, I find the 650's waaay more enjoyable than before, and, it has not aggravated my tinnitus either, bonus.
So, those of you out there that prefer a more laid back, yet still detailed sound, try this combo, you will not be disappointed.
Greeting to my fellow shipmates on the SS Gustard and in particular, our captain, The High and Holy Master Guinea Pig, Stu.  

Swannie!...my bosun from the bush!  We have missed you around these parts.  Don't let that tinnitus get out of hand - we need you to man the mizzenmast on the SS Gustard.
 
Lots of things are in the works. New gear in for review to compare to the Gustard counterparts and the upcoming x20 and balanced amp. I will do my level best to get my hands on the newest Gustard gear and give a full report to the swabbies.

 

[conquerator2]

While waiting for the U12, I received my X12 today.
So far, impressions are very positive. Great sound, very smooth, especially for a Sabre. Definitely smoother than my previous Sabre DACs. Great details.
So far so good. Very impressed in the first hour. Will continue to listen 

 

[Joong]

How well is it with respect to your old Audio-gd NFB-7?

 

[conquerator2]

X12 impressions are positive so far. I feel like it pretty much nails the NFB-28 impressions. Very similar sound.
The X12 might be that. I received it about an hour ago and from very early impressions [going through my favorite pieces atm] it sits squarely between my NFB-7 and Gungnir.
More resolving than the Gungnir but one of the most analogue and smoothest sounding Sabres that I've heard.
I'd say it keeps most of the musicality and smoothness of the Gungnir and adds a layer of detail and better separation of the Sabres. The least 'digititis' I've heard on a Sabre too. I'd say it rivals Gungnir in that. Also, very black background. Like, dead silent. Sounds just come and go - pretty cool.
It is not as airy and trebly as my previous NFB-7 and is definitely less revealing and detailed too, but it does keep things fairly more musical than the NFB-7 did and easier on the ears.
 
Again, just preliminary impressions. Give me a bit to adjust but so far I am feeling very good about these ~550$ spent. I think it might keep me occupied until the Yggy is out. and I might actually get the HE-1000 first. I feel like it is the more important part of my chain right now as the X12 really seems very good so far.

 

[stuartmc]

  While waiting for the U12, I received my X12 today.
So far, impressions are very positive. Great sound, very smooth, especially for a Sabre. Definitely smoother than my previous Sabre DACs. Great details.
So far so good. Very impressed in the first hour. Will continue to listen 

Yep, I was wowed by how smooth and musical the X12 was for a Sabre dac.  It was easily as smooth as my Rega with the Wolfson chip with greater resolution.   I found there to be a significant burn in time for the X12 - not as dramatic as the H10, but still noticeable over the first 40 hours or so.  Let us know how things progress.

 

[swannie007]

Greetings Captain Stu and all the other swabbies on the SS Gustard. Have been out of touch as I have been away from home working in the bush with no internet coverage, can be very frustrating. Anyway, I am home now and will be staying in touch. Nice to read all the positive reports on the latest Gustard gear. I have been enjoying mine immensely since my return home. Away from home I have been using my portable rig, a Shanling M3 DAP with a Cayin C5 amp with T Peos three way earphones, I believe they are the H300's or something. Stunning sound! Would not have believed I could get this sort of sound from a medium priced portable rig(~AU$1300.00).
Take care all and greetings from "The Bosun in The Bush"

 

[Liu Junyuan]

While waiting for the U12, I received my X12 today.
So far, impressions are very positive. Great sound, very smooth, especially for a Sabre. Definitely smoother than my previous Sabre DACs. Great details.
So far so good. Very impressed in the first hour. Will continue to listen :wink_face:

That is very good to hear.

 

[conquerator2]

Day 2 impressions pretty much mimic day 1.
I would say so far that this is the most natural, balanced and one of the smoothest DACs I've had so far.
I now feel that the NFB-7 had a bigger-than-life sound and an enhanced treble - it made it the master of instrumental music but was ultimately too unforgiving with anything else that had vocals. The Gungnir, while better, has a definite bass emphasis, the midrange being a bit too smooth and the treble lacked top extension and air.
The X12 really sits in between. The bass is leaner than Gungnir but more punchy than the NFB-7. The midrange has more energy than the Gungnir but less so than the NFB-7. The treble is about as extended as the NFB-7 but with no emphasis and about as smooth as the Gungnir, it has more energy and is a bit more revealing than the Gung, but so far I've had no issues with it. No sibilance accentuation unlike the NFB-7, which was the key reason for selling it. The soundstage size is again bigger than the Gung but smaller than NFB-72 Same with detail retrieval. The imaging is still a bit unclear- it seems slightly fuzzy with the X12, compared to the NFB/Gungnir, but the X12 is still burning in, so I'll give it more time. It's not bad by all means, just a bit lacking to my ears right now.
For ~550$, less than 1/2 the price of the NFB-7 and about 2/3 of the Gungnir... I am really imressed by what the Gustard has accomplished 

 

 

[LancerFIN]

If someone in Europe is going for X20, I am willing to buy their X12

 

[pippen99]

Two week update:  Gustard X12 + Gustard H10 + Audeze LCD-2f.  I have put about 20 actual listening hours on this system in the last week.  As suggested by another member I leave the system turned on when not listening most of the time.  I am using my HP laptop as a source but have not given up on the Pure I20 dock and Ipad but I have not taken the time to compare because I was just trying to get hours on this system giving it time to transform.
 
WEEELLL as most everybody on this forum said change has come.  In my one week update I said I could hear the promise of good sound in there somewhere.  The bottom end has finally made an appearance.  I would characterize the low end as adequate plus but not great.  The mids have calmed down and become much more coherent.  I think this combo is strongest in the middle frequencys, but the development of a bottom end as tamed the pushed forward character of the mids and made for a more full and rounded sound.  the high frequencys are good.  I doubt my aged ears could expect more from the high end.
 
I listened to Mark Knopfler's new disc Tracker last night and found out why I got into this in the first place;  Just Magnificent!  Since this is my first system I do not have the sophistication to attribute this or that to a particular unit.  I tried listening to my Ultrasone HFI-2400 cans and just couldn't take it for long.  The bad thing now is I want more!  I'm just not sure where to go from here?

 

[Chs177]

Is anyone can share experience with Gustard H10 + Fostex TH600/Fostex TH900/Denon D7000?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Liu Junyuan]

The imaging is still a bit unclear- it seems slightly fuzzy with the X12, compared to the NFB/Gungnir, but the X12 is still burning in, so I'll give it more time. It's not bad by all means, just a bit lacking to my ears right now.
[/quote]

Is "it" in the final sentence referring to imaging or the entire dac?

 

[conquerator2]

The imaging is still a bit unclear- it seems slightly fuzzy with the X12, compared to the NFB/Gungnir, but the X12 is still burning in, so I'll give it more time. It's not bad by all means, just a bit lacking to my ears right now.

Is "it" in the final sentence referring to imaging or the entire dac?[/quote]

Only imaging. Rest is exceptional. Even the imaging is just a notch below. I really, really like this DAC.