[allhifi]

Before the Gustard I used the Ares II almost exclusively with the GS-X mini and had many DACs come and go (Musician Pegasus, RME ADI-2 DAC, Audiophonics EVO-SABRE, Cayin iDAC-6 MK2, Geshelli Labs JNOG, M2Tech Young MKIII). But now with the X26 Pro I prefer this combination to the Ares II. Since soundstage, clarity, detail and authority in the bass are slightly better. With the X26 Pro you can get this 'slam' quality (if the headphone is also capable of) that the Ares II can not provide in this quality due its more softer/rounder approach. Its still a very good DAC overall, but now is only 2nd tier on the GS-X mini.
From a pure DAC point of view not even the TT2 is better than the Gustard in my opinion and preference.

Which amp did you use the D90 and X26Pro with? Since lack of 'meat to the bones' I can not attest in combination with my GS-X mini

godmax: Excellent review/overview.

I was particularly struck (and believe it) when you said: " ...From a pure DAC point of view not even the TT2 is better than
the Gustard in my opinion and preference."

As the Gustard 'X-22' easily bests the Chord 'Qutest'; it ain't even close !

pj

 

[PointyFox]

The X26 Pro is very powerful. So powerful it causes my tube amp to hum loudly when I stick it anywhere near it. Fortunately it doesn't affect my other amps/energizer audibly. It sounds really good otherwise (except in single-ended mode because it picks up all the garbage interference from my computer, unless I use a USB isolator which solves the issue), definitely TOTL - natural sounding, deep soundstage, good dynamics.

 

[allhifi]

GoldenSound did a very nice review of it.



Just ordered one from Shenzhenaudio. Looking forward to getting it!

Amazing, insightful review !

However, to dismiss (the X-26PRO) because you feel/believe the 'timbre' is "off", is unfortunate.
I'd suggest listener's provide such a highly-resolving (very well engineered) DAC a fine
Balanced/Symmetrical power supply (or AC Regen.), premium (all-silver) Analog OUT IC
cable (and of course digital cable), a solid, rigid, light-weight platform/shelf/stand and the
absolute necessity to give it (X-26PRO) extended 'settling' time (due to the discreet
output stage; 200+ hours/300 better).
I believe the "missing" tambre you feel inherent in the X-26PRO no longer missing !
(Perhaps it may be a break-in related 'tightness' as the unit/DAC continues to settle. Sometimes, it
can take one month+ (500-1,000+ hours) of playing time before fully settled).

I should recieve my 'X-26PRO' next week. I have the 'X-22' and a very nice, resolving system.
And the experience/skill set (and patience -lol) necessary to evaluate musical integrity/timbre
concerns. For we all (should) know, a simple change of this/or that (cable/AC power, even filter
settings) can have profound effects upon a components tonality/musicality, 'tambre' quotient.

pj

 

[PointyFox]

Amazing, insightful review !

However, to dismiss (the X-26PRO) because you feel/believe the 'timbre' is "off", is unfortunate.
I'd suggest listener's provide such a highly-resolving (very well engineered) DAC a fine
Balanced/Symmetrical power supply (or AC Regen.), premium (all-silver) Analog OUT IC
cable (and of course digital cable), a solid, rigid, light-weight platform/shelf/stand and the
absolute necessity to give it (X-26PRO) extended 'settling' time (due to the discreet
output stage; 200+ hours/300 better).
I believe the "missing" tambre you feel inherent in the X-26PRO no longer missing !
(Perhaps it may be a break-in related 'tightness' as the unit/DAC continues to settle. Sometimes, it
can take one month+ (500-1,000+ hours) of playing time before fully settled).

I should recieve my 'X-26PRO' next week. I have the 'X-22' and a very nice, resolving system.
And the experience/skill set (and patience -lol) necessary to evaluate musical integrity/timbre
concerns. For we all (should) know, a simple change of this/or that (cable/AC power, even filter
settings) can have profound effects upon a components tonality/musicality, 'tambre' quotient.

pj

I haven't watched the video however I'd guess that like with pretty much anyone who comments on the "sound of a DAC", they completely neglected to disclose what headphones they were using...

 

[EMINENT]

I am currently trying the X26 Pro using Roon and HQ Player. The X26 Pro by itself was already guite good, but I can hear the difference and it is interesting. Thicker and smoother? Makes things more even? Weird.

Is the general concensus the upsampler in HQP better than the one built in the X26 Pro?

 

[FractalSound]

I am currently trying the X26 Pro using Roon and HQ Player. The X26 Pro by itself was already guite good, but I can hear the difference and it is interesting. Thicker and smoother? Makes things more even? Weird.

Is the general concensus the upsampler in HQP better than the one built in the X26 Pro?

I use NOS Mode "ON" on my X26 Pro. it's not that my windows mixer + Amazon Music (my source) is a better upsampler, it's that I have to upsample the digital data within the PC before USB and X26 Pro. No point to repeat that upsampling process at the DAC. My X26 Pro sounds amazing with NOS "ON"

 

[EMINENT]

I use NOS Mode "ON" on my X26 Pro. it's not that my windows mixer + Amazon Music (my source) is a better upsampler, it's that I have to upsample the digital data within the PC before USB and X26 Pro. No point to repeat that upsampling process at the DAC. My X26 Pro sounds amazing with NOS "ON"

I thought @GoldenOne review found that it was just another filter. So, if using HQP instead of Vivid or the "pseudo" nos mode is different than the oversampling filters built in, is it better or more accurate?

 

[FractalSound]

I thought @GoldenOne review found that it was just another filter. So, if using HQP instead of Vivid or the "pseudo" nos mode is different in the oversampling filters built in, is it better or more accurate?

@GoldenOne is definitely the best. I actually bought X26 pro because of the reviews from him and Soundnews. I was just going with the user's guide which seemed to match my prior understanding

As PC performance continues to evolve and the performance of oversampling digital filter
algorithms built into the audio player software advances, CAS audiophiles can use highperformance
PCs for digital oversampling filter processing. Then, digital audio stream signals
that have been processed by the oversampling digital filter are directly sent to the DAC chip
by using a digital audio transmission interface such as USB audio that supports high sampling
rate. This provides a higher sound quality and a different listening experience.
In other words, this means that you need to bypass the digital filter integrated in the DAC.
The X26pro can be set to bypass the built-in high-performance oversampling digital filter so
that the sound of an external high-performance digital filtering algorithm can be easily heard.
There are 2 modes available for this menu item:

1.OFF: Do not open the NOS mode, that is, use the built-in high-performance supersampling
digital filter of X26pro.
2.ON: Turn on the NOS mode.

Now....

it's debatable whether we can call windows mixer high performance... esp. given its checkered reputation Based on what I have read... once the data is upsampled to 24bit/192KHz, whatever the deficiency from the windows mixer will be pushed out to higher frequencies in 20KHz which is not audible to most human ears.... and most certainly mine.


https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...udio-quality-debate.19438/page-16#post-958026

 

[EMINENT]

@GoldenOne is definitely the best. I actually bought X26 pro because of the reviews from him and Soundnews. I was just going with the user's guide which seemed to match my prior understanding

As PC performance continues to evolve and the performance of oversampling digital filter
algorithms built into the audio player software advances, CAS audiophiles can use highperformance
PCs for digital oversampling filter processing. Then, digital audio stream signals
that have been processed by the oversampling digital filter are directly sent to the DAC chip
by using a digital audio transmission interface such as USB audio that supports high sampling
rate. This provides a higher sound quality and a different listening experience.
In other words, this means that you need to bypass the digital filter integrated in the DAC.
The X26pro can be set to bypass the built-in high-performance oversampling digital filter so
that the sound of an external high-performance digital filtering algorithm can be easily heard.
There are 2 modes available for this menu item:

1.OFF: Do not open the NOS mode, that is, use the built-in high-performance supersampling
digital filter of X26pro.
2.ON: Turn on the NOS mode.

Now....

it's debatable whether we can call windows mixer high performance... esp. given its checkered reputation Based on what I have read... once the data is upsampled to 24bit/192KHz, whatever the deficiency from the windows mixer will be pushed out to higher frequencies in 20KHz which is not audible to most human ears.... and most certainly mine.


https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...udio-quality-debate.19438/page-16#post-958026

Same.

So, I thought using HQP bypassed any oversampling in the dac making it not matter what filter is used, even Nos mode. Are you saying that I have to turn on Nos Mode to bypass and use HQP effectively and I haven't been using it correctly up to now?

 

[FractalSound]

Same.

So, I thought using HQP bypassed any oversampling in the dac making it not matter what filter is used, even Nos mode. Are you saying that I have to turn on Nos Mode to bypass and use HQP effectively and I haven't been using it correctly up to now?

I'm actually not sure "using it correctly" is the point. Does it make any difference to your ears whether NOS ON or OFF? Are you happy with your current setting? If you are happy now and if I were you, I wouldn't change a damn thing

 

[Infoseeker]

Amazing, insightful review !

However, to dismiss (the X-26PRO) because you feel/believe the 'timbre' is "off", is unfortunate.
I'd suggest listener's provide such a highly-resolving (very well engineered) DAC a fine
Balanced/Symmetrical power supply (or AC Regen.), premium (all-silver) Analog OUT IC
cable (and of course digital cable), a solid, rigid, light-weight platform/shelf/stand and the
absolute necessity to give it (X-26PRO) extended 'settling' time (due to the discreet
output stage; 200+ hours/300 better).
I believe the "missing" tambre you feel inherent in the X-26PRO no longer missing !
(Perhaps it may be a break-in related 'tightness' as the unit/DAC continues to settle. Sometimes, it
can take one month+ (500-1,000+ hours) of playing time before fully settled).

I should recieve my 'X-26PRO' next week. I have the 'X-22' and a very nice, resolving system.
And the experience/skill set (and patience -lol) necessary to evaluate musical integrity/timbre
concerns. For we all (should) know, a simple change of this/or that (cable/AC power, even filter
settings) can have profound effects upon a components tonality/musicality, 'tambre' quotient.

pj

Some people say if such timbre issues are a concern for you, then to go for the akm version of the X26 Pro. The Gustard A22.

Less slam intensity but you get more pleasant timbre.

Plus with how akm handles DSD, with Native dsd playback & direct dsd mode, the Gustard a22 can bypass things and will be more versatile in manipulating with HQPlayer.

 

[Glokta]

@EMINENT If you make Roon or HQPlayer upsample everything to the max capability of the DAC 705.6 or 768 then it won't need to do any internal upsampling. All delta-sigma DACs upsample, the NOS mode on X26Pro is just another filter.

@FractalSound I couldn't get Amazon Music to work in exclusive mode in Windows, it's always resampling no matter what, always using the bit depth and sampling rate from the sound control panel.

@allhifi I agree that there are a lot of factors to count it, the timbre is not off at all in my system. Either way, for the price, this thing is more than amazing, I bought it just for testing purposes and it's still on one of my desks. I'll try and make a comparison soon, I have / had a lot of gear that I can compare it to.

 

[FractalSound]

@FractalSound I couldn't get Amazon Music to work in exclusive mode in Windows, it's always resampling no matter what, always using the bit depth and sampling rate from the sound control panel.

not just you, as far as I can gether, nobody could. even in exclusive-mode, the stream data seems to always go through the windows mixer using the sampling rate and bit depth set for non-exclusive mode in the sound control panel. There are a lot of discussions on the web that you read up on. And of course Amazon has been silent the whole time.

with that said... maybe we shouldn't be so worried about bit-perfect. anyway I don't think the settings affect me in anyway from enjoying my music.

 

[PointyFox]

.

 

[PointyFox]

Has anyone been able to set the playback rate to 768 kHz?
I can only set it up to 384 kHz with the driver.

Also has anyone managed to play at 192 kHz over optical without jitter dropouts?