[dakchi]

Honestly I could hear a clear difference in the vocal of the second song in Spanish. May sound is fuller and warmer while Cyan seemed to be washed out and thinner. Yes it is not night and day difference and certainly not worth 4 times the price but it is there and could be heard

 

[gammi]

Listening to DSD256 Sinc-MGa > Cyan 2 > Holo Bliss (Hi-Z) > ZMF Verite Open right now and WOW.
It's been a long time since I listened to my Verite (been listening on ribbons and estats a lot lately) but I gotta say this immediately seemed better than I've ever heard it. Soundstage is very out of my head and sounds like music is in the room, which is a quality I don't remember experiencing so much on the Verite previously.

Only thing that has changed since my last listen to Verite is my DAC so it must be the Cyan 2 (or the DSD filter) doing something. I know audio memory isn't great but it was immediate, I was like whaaat, these are not how I remember them...

 

[BShaw]

I haven’t read this entire thread yet, but I’m very interested in this DAC. Was going to save my pennies for a spring 3 but after Ron’s review I’m gladly considering the cyan, which will allow me to move to DSD on HQ Player. I’ve had a Gustard R26 for a year and a half and love it, but I haven’t found any comparisons between the two. Are there any people who’ve had or heard both?

 

[dericchan1]

From Ron’s comments, these tiny subtle differences, I can't help but felt that all can be addressed by hqp to be honest…

“A tiny bit more dynamics” - use the mp filter or shorter length filter, and use the 7EC light instead of 7EC super.

If you need a tiny bit more refineness, switch back to 7EC super

“A tiny bit more depth or texture” use a longer filter, something like the MGA, or switch from dsd256 to dsd512, that would put you a bit further back from the front row

“You need a tiny bit more grunt”, maybe go to audiolense and fine tune the bass a tiny bit ...

 

[gammi]

I haven’t read this entire thread yet, but I’m very interested in this DAC. Was going to save my pennies for a spring 3 but after Ron’s review I’m gladly considering the cyan, which will allow me to move to DSD on HQ Player. I’ve had a Gustard R26 for a year and a half and love it, but I haven’t found any comparisons between the two. Are there any people who’ve had or heard both?

Hello old R26 friend haha. I made the leap to Cyan 2 and am happy with it. To be honest though I've yet to be able to hear much of a difference between them when instantly switching. You'll certainly find it at least as good as the R26.

 

[dericchan1]

That is of course not possible if the difference is night and day!!! But doesn’t sound like it from Ron.

Anyway, the cool thing is about Ron saying the things he did about the Cyan..... Ron doesn't really continuously use the same amplifier, and he goes through a ton of speakers as well. But the May kte, is pretty much his default/ his reference dac, he’s been using it for a couple of years now. He really doesn't use any other DAC so he knows the May kte extremely well

 

[BShaw]

Thanks guys! Well if what you say is true Gammi, the Cyan will pull way out ahead with DSD 256 or 512 (maybe) since the R26 isn’t built for DSD and the Holo DACs seem to be great hqp dsd machines. Also going from 15 to 20 bits is no small thing! With the money I save I’ll buy an Aune S17

 

[gammi]

Thanks guys! Well if what you say is true Gammi, the Cyan will pull way out ahead with DSD 256 or 512 (maybe) since the R26 isn’t built for DSD and the Holo DACs seem to be great hqp dsd machines. Also going from 15 to 20 bits is no small thing! With the money I save I’ll buy an Aune S17

This was basically the reason I switched. Seemed on paper at least the resolution/dynamic range was superior on the Cyan 2.

Although if you use it in DSD that 20 bit thing doesn't matter since DSD is 1 bit. But yes, either way, it has better range than R26. DSD does measure better than PCM on the Cyan 2 btw, both measure great but DSD slightly more great.

 

[BShaw]

I'll be purchasing the Cyan 2, most likely tonight. I ordered a Red 4 weeks ago, hopefully it will be here soon I wonder about the best way to connect the two, since the Cyan doesn't have Titanis USB? I do have a very nice Revelation Audio Labs i2s cable, has anyone tried both and have a favorite?

 

[dericchan1]

I'll be purchasing the Cyan 2, most likely tonight. I ordered a Red 4 weeks ago, hopefully it will be here soon I wonder about the best way to connect the two, since the Cyan doesn't have Titanis USB? I do have a very nice Revelation Audio Labs i2s cable, has anyone tried both and have a favorite?

It’s been the same theme people are talking about in this thread that you get to save a lot of money with the cyan 2, the red is really not needed. Miska and others have done measurements to confirm Cyan 2 usb is usual excellent standards like other Holo dacs, pretty much immune from any noise and measured noticeably better than i2s since the i2s implementation of the cyan 2 is much inferior to the Spring or May

 

[dericchan1]

I also managed to save myself over $600 as my 2 Supra Excalibur usb cables and the intona is no longer needed, and has been replaced by a $10 startech usb cable with no difference to sound quality

 

[BShaw]

It’s been the same theme people are talking about in this thread that you get to save a lot of money with the cyan 2, the red is really not needed. Miska and others have done measurements to confirm Cyan 2 usb is usual excellent standards like other Holo dacs, pretty much immune from any noise and measured noticeably better than i2s since the i2s implementation of the cyan 2 is much inferior to the Spring or May

The Red is being used as a streamer, not a DDC. I think I've read Jussi saying with the Holos, at least the KTEs, any cheap USB cable is fine. It will be a relief to splurge on a $50 USB cable and sell my $600 i2s if this is true.

 

[dericchan1]

The Red is being used as a streamer, not a DDC. I think I've read Jussi saying with the Holos, at least the KTEs, any cheap USB cable is fine. It will be a relief to splurge on a $50 USB cable and sell my $600 i2s if this is true.

With the Spring and May, the i2s implementation has superior pll locking that makes its performance very comparable with the usb. Not with the cyan 2, you got to cut cost somewhere

 

[Deleeh]

I'll be purchasing the Cyan 2, most likely tonight. I ordered a Red 4 weeks ago, hopefully it will be here soon I wonder about the best way to connect the two, since the Cyan doesn't have Titanis USB? I do have a very nice Revelation Audio Labs i2s cable, has anyone tried both and have a favorite?

I'm looking forward to your impressions of the R26.
You can use the Red as a streamer and still output via I2S.
It will be interesting to see which streamer will be better for the Gustard internally or externally.
The same goes for the Cyan 2 and how it performs.
It will take some time until you have tested everything but I am looking forward to your findings.
Have fun with your new toys.

 

[BShaw]

I'm looking forward to your impressions of the R26.
You can use the Red as a streamer and still output via I2S.
It will be interesting to see which streamer will be better for the Gustard internally or externally.
The same goes for the Cyan 2 and how it performs.
It will take some time until you have tested everything but I am looking forward to your findings.
Have fun with your new toys.

Thanks Deleeh! It will be interesting comparing the R26 with the Cyan in different combinations. I'm assuming though, at the end of the day since the Cyan will be running DSD with HQPlayer, it will pull ahead. Hopefully by a large enough margin to justify the investment!