[Giangi]

There are so many options that I wouldn't know where to start from... How much are you willing to spend on it? Do you need balanced outputs?

Yes. Now I've got a Gs-x mini. Alternatives?

 

[Glokta]

As an alternative to GS-X mini...from what I've owned so far I would say a Violectric V550 (or Niimbus) - great lush sounding amp with an effortless way of presenting music or a jack of all trades like the iFi's iCan Pro which never left my collection given the fact that I listen to a lot of old rock and the analogue bass boost and crossfeed controls are excellent for this type of music. (not to mention that if you change the tubes it's really a nice all in one device)

 

[DeafSound]

How would you compare the Gustard X26 Pro to the M2Tech Young MKIII?

 

[EMINENT]

Recently got mine. Loving the combo with GS-X Mini with the pot at max and using the remote for volume. Completely black background. Love it.

Question for optimizing. With the driver, there is an option for 24/32 bit. Does it matter and what relation on Windows sound settings does it have or affect?

 

[Giangi]

Recently got mine. Loving the combo with GS-X Mini with the pot at max and using the remote for volume. Completely black background. Love it.

Question for optimizing. With the driver, there is an option for 24/32 bit. Does it matter and what relation on Windows sound settings does it have or affect?

Same chain...the pot of GSX-mini at max? Don't you increase distorsions?

 

[EMINENT]

Same chain...the pot of GSX-mini at max? Don't you increase distorsions?

I don't know. Is this not a good way to set it? So many volume control options that I never had before. Foobar volume, Windows volume, X26 Pro and Mini, which should I control volume with if I am 8-10 feet away?

 

[Giangi]

I don't know. Is this not a good way to set it? So many volume control options that I never had before. Foobar volume, Windows volume, X26 Pro and Mini, which should I control volume with if I am 8-10 feet away?

If it's the only way to control it, ok. But imho not a good method

 

[EMINENT]

If it's the only way to control it, ok. But imho not a good method

So is the consensus to always max the dac and then set pot on the amp to a lesser degree and control volume with Foobar then with my wireless mouse?

 

[Giangi]

So is the consensus to always max the dac and then set pot on the amp to a lesser degree and control volume with Foobar then with my wireless mouse?

I think so

 

[Glokta]

So is the consensus to always max the dac and then set pot on the amp to a lesser degree and control volume with Foobar then with my wireless mouse?

You should keep your digital volume at 100% so Windows doesn't mess with anything, also applies to Foobar but there you should use a plugin like ASIO output or if using a streaming service - exclusive mode for the WASAPI system.
In my opinion the DAC shouldn't be at 0 dB volume, it gives you no play with the volume pot on the amp (especially with high sensitivity headsets) plus the sound is more congested, not to mention the fact that some DAC's are giving more than 2/4V volts on output (rca or balanced). I don't know exactly what the volume pot in the GSX is, but you should juggle with it and find a good place where it sounds right and has the perfect contact, like say for example at 12-1 o'clock on the dial then attenuate the volume on the DAC accordingly, this should open up the soundstage a bit and give you a better separation. Try experimenting until you find the perfect balance. If you keep the volume on the amp at 100% and too low on the DAC dynamics will suffer plus the amp doesn't do very well at full load either.

To respond to your 24/32 bit question, that's the bit depth/sampling rate that Windows uses for shared mixer devices, you should leave that at cd quality 16/44.1 (you don't need 24/192 whilst listening to Youtube for example) and use a software or a streaming service that takes full control of your DAC whilst listening to music. (ASIO / WASAPI exclusive mode)

 

[EMINENT]

You should keep your digital volume at 100% so Windows doesn't mess with anything, also applies to Foobar but there you should use a plugin like ASIO output or if using a streaming service - exclusive mode for the WASAPI system.
In my opinion the DAC shouldn't be at 0 dB volume, it gives you no play with the volume pot on the amp (especially with high sensitivity headsets) plus the sound is more congested, not to mention the fact that some DAC's are giving more than 2/4V volts on output (rca or balanced). I don't know exactly what the volume pot in the GSX is, but you should juggle with it and find a good place where it sounds right and has the perfect contact, like say for example at 12-1 o'clock on the dial then attenuate the volume on the DAC accordingly, this should open up the soundstage a bit and give you a better separation. Try experimenting until you find the perfect balance. If you keep the volume on the amp at 100% and too low on the DAC dynamics will suffer plus the amp doesn't do very well at full load either.

To respond to your 24/32 bit question, that's the bit depth/sampling rate that Windows uses for shared mixer devices, you should leave that at cd quality 16/44.1 (you don't need 24/192 whilst listening to Youtube for example) and use a software or a streaming service that takes full control of your DAC whilst listening to music. (ASIO / WASAPI exclusive mode)

Interesting.

I read up a lot about exclusive mode, but there's a problem with that as I forgot to mention I use Equalizer APO.

I tried testing the dac at 0db and I had to dial the amp way back and also Amazon Music app and my browser volume is deafening loud at max volume. I know exclusive mode would put it at full volume so I may have to try this multi leveling solution later today.

 

[Glokta]

Interesting.

I read up a lot about exclusive mode, but there's a problem with that as I forgot to mention I use Equalizer APO.

I tried testing the dac at 0db and I had to dial the amp way back and also Amazon Music app and my browser volume is deafening loud at max volume. I know exclusive mode would put it at full volume so I may have to try this multi leveling solution later today.

Exclusive mode doesn't put the DAC at full volume, only blocks the volume in the streaming app.
Why don't you try the following and see if you can use the APO EQ even in exclusive mode:
Go to vb-audio's website and download VoiceMeeter or Banana.
Set it as default playback driver for Windows, set your audio player to use system default audio device, run the configurator for APO equalizer and enable the VoiceMeeter device in there. Worth a try.

As a side note, Amazon Music doesn't do exclusive mode properly, (at least when I was still using it like 6 months ago), no matter the sampling rate of the song, the dac would stay at the one specified in the Windows mixer...
I'd suggest you try Qobuz and see if their database has the artists you listen to and then maybe transition to something like Roon (which has an EQ, oversampling and much more and it also plays your local files)

 

[EMINENT]

Exclusive mode doesn't put the DAC at full volume, only blocks the volume in the streaming app.
Why don't you try the following and see if you can use the APO EQ even in exclusive mode:
Go to vb-audio's website and download VoiceMeeter or Banana.
Set it as default playback driver for Windows, set your audio player to use system default audio device, run the configurator for APO equalizer and enable the VoiceMeeter device in there. Worth a try.

As a side note, Amazon Music doesn't do exclusive mode properly, (at least when I was still using it like 6 months ago), no matter the sampling rate of the song, the dac would stay at the one specified in the Windows mixer...
I'd suggest you try Qobuz and see if their database has the artists you listen to and then maybe transition to something like Roon (which has an EQ, oversampling and much more and it also plays your local files)

I couldn't get it to work. I was able to get Equalizer APO assigned to Voicemeeter and working on Amazon Music, but whenever I tried with Foobar, the only driver that allowed sound output was the Asio from Gustard and EAPO had no effect using it. I tried changing to every other driver output in Foobar and they all resulted in some weird, garbled sound and some didn't play at all, even the sound from my browser was messed up until I changed back to Asio in Foobar output. I scoured the web and couldn't come up with any kind of guide related specifically to this and ultimately gave up.

Anyone with Voicemeeter know how to get Foobar working with EAPO?

 

[PointyFox]

If anyone wants a silver one, I'm selling an open-box one. I was sent the wrong color from China and I'm afraid of trying to ship it back and hoping they'll refund shipping.

 

[allhifi]

Like my Gustard X26Pro as well..I have it for a few months now, it replaced my D90 (sold it) and I still have a RME ADI2 FS..

The Gustard is as detailed (could be bit more?) as the other two but much more natural sounding and gives more depth to the soundstage..Imaging is less pin point, but not as vague as on my previous Audio-GD NOS11, which made the soundstage incoherent to me..also the bass sucked rock IMO

On the D90, most obvious with piano music, like on the Blue Note Keith Jarrett Trio sessions, a rather unpleasant glare in the lower treble at times. The bass on the D90 had more meat to the bones but the Gustard has more detailed bass which I much prefer..You might differ especially if you like electronic bass/music..

The RME sounds very neutral, bit dry, has great seperation of instruments when listening to an orchestra but a bit too artificial for me, soundstage flat as a pancake

I hope this dac will last for ages, it has all I want for my (speaker)system

Quinto: Nicely said (Gustard X-26PRO) !

pj