[sahmen]

Is the x-12 a good investment, if I already have a couple of outboard DACS (the Emotiva Stealth DC-1, and Emotiva XDA-2) which work well with the H-10?.  I normally use those DACS for standard 2-channel stereo duties in my rigs, but they also service headphones well, independently or through headphone amps. The Emotiva Stealth DC-1 uses "...dual independent AD1955 differential D/A converters, each operated in their highest quality internal differential monaural mode, for the lowest possible noise and distortion, followed by professional-grade LM4562 op-amps in the analog section for maximum fidelity."  The XDA-2 uses one of those same AD 1955 DACs, if I remember correctly.
 
The X-12 on Massdrop seems attractive, but I'd like to skip it to save some cash if I can, and that is why I am asking... 

 

[conquerator2]

Here you go: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.1-c.w4004-620452534.3.jcwxWY&id=18012850492

Actually the price difference comes from the USB - 390 bucks for one without USB, 420 for the USB one. If you use U12 there is no point in getting one with USB of course. 

edit: Taobao is like ebay. Ships everywhere if the seller wants to ship everywhere, and they usually do. The actual problem comes from language barriers...

I prefered X12 USB to U12. The U12 is great. The X12 USB just fit better with X12 IMO.

 

[RiddleyWalker]

It is a tough decision. You would save money with the X12, I suppose. I am curious how the X12 fares against the $1k Matrix X-Sabre to be frank because most of the impressions I have heard make them seem very similar. X 20 is not even out yet so of course no one will know.

Toss a coin maybe?

If the H10 is anything to go by, I really believe the engineer behind Gustard knows what he is doing. I wonder how the two complement one another as well. Since the H10 is slightly dark, some might take the Schiit and Gustard pairing to be too dark, whereas the the X12's Sabre detail might offset the warmth of the H10. To be honest, I love the pairing with my Schiit and am really hoping to get my xlr cable soon to make some finally assessments.

Hi there, looking forward to your impressions of Gungnir + H10 + HE-500 Fuzzor.  It's so funny that you have this combo of gear because that may be what I go with once I'm ready to upgrade.
 
Thanks!

 

[Liu Junyuan]

 
Hi there, looking forward to your impressions of Gungnir + H10 + HE-500 Fuzzor.  It's so funny that you have this combo of gear because that may be what I go with once I'm ready to upgrade.
 
Thanks!

Well, I love it--such a smooth, musical, dynamic and detailed system--but I am sure the X12 would also make a lovely pairing as perhaps the H10's designer tuned the amp with the X12's characteristics in mind. I am listening to the HD 650s out of the H10 now, and these are the best they have sounded on my system thus far. Has burn-in finally achieved its apex? Smooth, non-fatiguing, yet detailed--these are terms that one can use to describe the HD 650 anyways, but the H10 just brings these traits out even more for all of my headphones. Perhaps I shall grab an X12 in the future so that I can compare it with the Gungnir. I have to admit, though, that the Yggdrasil is going to be difficult to ignore for any future DAC purchases on my end.  

 

[olek]

  I am listening to the HD 650s out of the H10 now, and these are the best they have sounded on my system thus far. Has burn-in finally achieved its apex? Smooth, non-fatiguing, yet detailed--these are terms that one can use to describe the HD 650 anyways, but the H10 just brings these traits out even more for all of my headphones.

I concur. By the way, when I said that effects of burn-in stopped after 3 days, I lied. It is just that burn in became slower and change is happening to different sound qualities. First 3 days took sound from muddy to dry and harsh and then to nice clear sound with deep bass extension, but sound itself was still a little bit ... dry? analytical? or maybe this is what people call solid state sound? Anyway, extra week of use made every note somehow more 'rounded' and more gentle and musical, without sacrificing the detail at all. Jazz never sounded this good, and I no longer miss 'lush' sound of Precision 1 amp. H10 is my reference amp at this point, and everything else is measured UP to it.

 

[stuartmc]

Welcome to our marry band of the SS Gustard. It's truly an extraordinary amp for the price. No, screw the price....It's extraordinarily good at any price.

 

[swannie007]

I must concur with our esteemed "Captain Guinea Pig" of the SS Gustard. Welcome aboard!
Having recently read much of the coverage of recent headphone "events" I must admit to a growing concern that our beloved hobby is headed down the same track that "audiophile stereo" has traversed.
As testimony of this I call your attention to the fact that "our" events now have speaker rooms/demo areas??What? I thought this was head-fi.
Another concern is the ever increasing cost of decent equipment, just as "audiophile stereo" in the past and I fear that these escalating costs will scare many possible newcomers away from our hobby and it too may suffer a slow lingering death and stagnation of the introduction of new and innovative technologies at an affordable cost to the average working person.
Do we really need $2500 portable DAP's and $2500 portable DAC's and $2500 headphones!! Not to mention cables. This is just looney tunes and it is for this reason that I am so grateful that Gustard produces such fine gear at affordable prices for the masses. Don't get me wrong, there are still manufacturers out there that produce great gear at reasonable prices(FiiO, Schiit et al) and I am also grateful for, and support them, but the majority of manufacturers seem to be increasing their prices with each new addition to their lines, in some cases justified, and others not. I think we need to caution ourselves against this ever increasing escalation of prices and support the manufacturers that offer good value for money. I know that this is a personal thing and value is a very nebulas thing and varies from one consumer to the next but I fear that many manufacturers are "taking the piss"and we shouldn't support this sort of abuse by them of our wallets. Vote with your dollars, or rupees, or whatever. I, for one, will do so and urge others to do the same and until enough consumers do so, the abusers will continue to flourish. Pardon my rant but I needed to get that off my chest.
Now, back to my Gustard stack and the music. Greetings for the "bosun of the bush" in Oz.   

 

[BassDigger]

 
I must concur with our esteemed "Captain Guinea Pig" of the SS Gustard. Welcome aboard!
Having recently read much of the coverage of recent headphone "events" I must admit to a growing concern that our beloved hobby is headed down the same track that "audiophile stereo" has traversed.
As testimony of this I call your attention to the fact that "our" events now have speaker rooms/demo areas??What? I thought this was head-fi.
Another concern is the ever increasing cost of decent equipment, just as "audiophile stereo" in the past and I fear that these escalating costs will scare many possible newcomers away from our hobby and it too may suffer a slow lingering death and stagnation of the introduction of new and innovative technologies at an affordable cost to the average working person.
Do we really need $2500 portable DAP's and $2500 portable DAC's and $2500 headphones!! Not to mention cables. This is just looney tunes and it is for this reason that I am so grateful that Gustard produces such fine gear at affordable prices for the masses. Don't get me wrong, there are still manufacturers out there that produce great gear at reasonable prices(FiiO, Schiit et al) and I am also grateful for, and support them, but the majority of manufacturers seem to be increasing their prices with each new addition to their lines, in some cases justified, and others not. I think we need to caution ourselves against this ever increasing escalation of prices and support the manufacturers that offer good value for money. I know that this is a personal thing and value is a very nebulas thing and varies from one consumer to the next but I fear that many manufacturers are "taking the piss"and we shouldn't support this sort of abuse by them of our wallets. Vote with your dollars, or rupees, or whatever. I, for one, will do so and urge others to do the same and until enough consumers do so, the abusers will continue to flourish. Pardon my rant but I needed to get that off my chest.
Now, back to my Gustard stack and the music. Greetings for the "bosun of the bush" in Oz.   

 
Here here!!
 
This is just where forums like this come in; they're (mostly) real people, with real budgets, giving real opinions. Gone are the days when we had to rely on the reviewers and publications, who had a vested interest, basically lying to us for their own personal gain!
 
The free flow of information is what gets us to the truth. And the truth is that you don't have to pay mega-bucks to get real hifi. (Rant over)

 

 

[FlySweep]

Thank you Flysweep. It was your post that swayed me toward the H10, as I was planning on the G109 for a long time. I am very happy with this amp!

 
You're welcome!  I'm very happy to see the H10 is working out for you!  My memory is fuzzy when going back to when I had the G109, but I feel confident stating the H10 offers better refinement, resolution, micro- & macro-dynamics, and smoother treble than the G109.  You made the right choice!
 
I think I read that you have a BH Crack coming in, right?  If so.. you're in for a treat there, too.. make sure you get the speedball.. and one of the first (easy) aftermarket mods I recommend on it is to upgrade the stock volume pot to something like an Alps RK27 ("Blue Velvet"), too.  I had a custom built Crack (with lot of upgraded stuff) way back when and it remains one of my most cherished amps in this journey..heck, I might get it again!

 

[LancerFIN]

Well damn. My X12 and H10 are different color. H10 is black almost looks like powder coated. X12 is gun metal gray and smooth.

 

[auvgeek]

A few people heard the Gustard H10 at the DC-area meet yesterday, and it was very well received. Many of the people who heard it couldn't believe the price tag.
 
I also had the chance to hear it out of the Gungnir instead of my Audio-gd Compass, and that made a HUGE difference. I liked how dynamic that DAC is; I particularly love how hard the percussion hits. I'm not sure if I want to go for the Gungnir (maybe wait for the inevitable Uber upgrade), a vintage Theta, or the X20, but I'm now convinced my DAC is limiting the amp's potential at the moment. Edit: it would probably sound much better if I fed it via coax from a U12 instead of optical from my Macbook, but I'd rather just get a DAC with integrated USB and avoid a separate USB converter.
 
PS. The Bottlehead Crack + speedball is on sale for $300 'till April 17. I'm really considering it, but I think I'd rather save for a new DAC and the H20.

 

[Arnotts]

  Well damn. My X12 and H10 are different color. H10 is black almost looks like powder coated. X12 is gun metal gray and smooth.

Never seen pics of a gun metal grey version. Mine is the exact same colour as my H10. Weird o_o

  A few people heard the Gustard H10 at the DC-area meet yesterday, and it was very well received. Many of the people who heard it couldn't believe the price tag.
 
I also had the chance to hear it out of the Gungnir instead of my Audio-gd Compass, and that made a HUGE difference. I liked how dynamic that DAC is; I particularly love how hard the percussion hits. I'm not sure if I want to go for the Gungnir (maybe wait for the inevitable Uber upgrade), a vintage Theta, or the X20, but I'm now convinced my DAC is limiting the amp's potential at the moment. Edit: it would probably sound much better if I fed it via coax from a U12 instead of optical from my Macbook, but I'd rather just get a DAC with integrated USB and avoid a separate USB converter.
 
PS. The Bottlehead Crack + speedball is on sale for $300 'till April 17. I'm really considering it, but I think I'd rather save for a new DAC and the H20.

 
I still can't believe it. V200 level or BETTER quality for <$400.

 

[LancerFIN]

 
Difference is a lot bigger than it looks in the photo. I love to finish on X12. Too bad H10 does not match.

 

[stuartmc]

  Well damn. My X12 and H10 are different color. H10 is black almost looks like powder coated. X12 is gun metal gray and smooth.

My X12 is the same as yours. I was a little disappointed at first that they didn't match, but now I'm ok with it.

 

[stuartmc]

 
I must concur with our esteemed "Captain Guinea Pig" of the SS Gustard. Welcome aboard!
Having recently read much of the coverage of recent headphone "events" I must admit to a growing concern that our beloved hobby is headed down the same track that "audiophile stereo" has traversed.
As testimony of this I call your attention to the fact that "our" events now have speaker rooms/demo areas??What? I thought this was head-fi.
Another concern is the ever increasing cost of decent equipment, just as "audiophile stereo" in the past and I fear that these escalating costs will scare many possible newcomers away from our hobby and it too may suffer a slow lingering death and stagnation of the introduction of new and innovative technologies at an affordable cost to the average working person.
Do we really need $2500 portable DAP's and $2500 portable DAC's and $2500 headphones!! Not to mention cables. This is just looney tunes and it is for this reason that I am so grateful that Gustard produces such fine gear at affordable prices for the masses. Don't get me wrong, there are still manufacturers out there that produce great gear at reasonable prices(FiiO, Schiit et al) and I am also grateful for, and support them, but the majority of manufacturers seem to be increasing their prices with each new addition to their lines, in some cases justified, and others not. I think we need to caution ourselves against this ever increasing escalation of prices and support the manufacturers that offer good value for money. I know that this is a personal thing and value is a very nebulas thing and varies from one consumer to the next but I fear that many manufacturers are "taking the piss"and we shouldn't support this sort of abuse by them of our wallets. Vote with your dollars, or rupees, or whatever. I, for one, will do so and urge others to do the same and until enough consumers do so, the abusers will continue to flourish. Pardon my rant but I needed to get that off my chest.
Now, back to my Gustard stack and the music. Greetings for the "bosun of the bush" in Oz.   

I am right with you on this dear Bosun.  The principal reason for my long hiatus from high-end audio was the ever escalating prices and an elitist mindset that seemed to take over a lot of folks in the "hobby."  The problem was that instead of being just a hobby, to many people, it became almost a religion worshiping a false God. As a person of faith, I was troubled by this and particularly the way some were so obsessed that they were spending money like water when they really couldn't afford to.  I am not always a great steward of my finances, but what I witnessed was getting just ridiculous.  The reason I have returned to high-end audio in the personal hifi arena was because I saw a real difference in the attitudes of the manufacturers and especially that of the enthusiasts.  It's still a lot better than what I lived through in the big rig glory days, but I too see signs of creeping audiophilia nervosa.