Appreciate you chiming in! I don't own any of the ones you mention, and fully take the word of Jussi, others and yourself on these implementations. Could there be an error in the AK4191 datasheet? According to tables 14 and 15, the AK4191 supports DSD512 and DSD1024 streams, so 22/45 MHz DCLK even when the base MCLK is 11 MHz! And according to table 24, DSDD ("DSD direct") can be set up to and including DSD512. Either this must be in error, or by using a PLL. In any case, I agree with you, it's a misnomer to call it "direct".
Gustard seems to be getting all of the love these days. I have a new Gustard R26, but so far I don't substantially like it better than my Gustard X18 - but then again, I think Gustard was aiming for two different sound signatures.
I have high hopes for the SDA-6 v2; like the X18, I think it should have crazy detail and a hint of warmth. But hopefully even crazier detail
Sure, I can put up a few thoughts here. I am still doing the burn in process. I have left it running the last few nights with music playing on it. It probably has 40 or so hours of use on it thus far.
Bass is very tight, punchy, detailed, and has excellent extension. There is zero bloom with this DAC, and as a result, it does not bleed into the mids. This DAC is highly musical and highly neutral. Detail retrieval is the name of the game here. Midrange is gorgeously portrayed, has excellent body, and instruments have great accuracy. It really sounds fantastic. Vocals are up front and very clean. Voices are nice and smooth, and very full bodied. Everything just sounds correct. The imaging on this DAC is just extraordinary. Macro and micro details are revealed everywhere in the music. The soundstage on this unit is just amazing. There is huge width and excellent depth. Everything has nice layering. It is obvious when listening to this DAC that Singxer wanted to create a piece of gear that simply gave the listener an extremely clean, linear, neutral, and musical experience. There is nothing across the frequency range that is overdone, yet nothing is missing. Treble is clean, fast, detailed, revealing, well extended, but not harsh in any way. This DAC is exposing all of the details in recordings, but there is zero fatigue while listening. There is absolutely nothing harsh about the presentation in any way. This is an excellent sounding piece of hardware.
I have this DAC paired with my Audio-GD Master 19 headphone amp, which also is well known for having a huge soundstage. With these 2 units paired together, I am getting a very 3D like soundstaging experience. I am very impressed.
I will say too that one of the best things about this DAC is just how good it is at everything it is doing. You can examine any part of the music or frequency spectrum (bass, guitars, piano, drums, vocals, soundstaging, imaging, treble control, dynamics, quickness, decay, resolution), and you will be very impressed. It just does nothing wrong, and it excels at everything it offers at its price point. I am coming from a Gustard X18 DAC, which was already an excellent DAC coming in at 750 US, but the Singxer is just beating it in every way. I can't imagine anyone who is wanting a punchy, detailed, neutral, and highly musical DAC being disappointed with the SDA-6 PRO 2. It really is a fantastic DAC.
I agree with @DW75; the SDA6 is superior to the X18 (as it should be at almost twice the price). In my desktop system I can hear more bass and a wider soundstage. It successfully balances resolution with a touch of warmth.
Tomorrow I will try it in my speaker system - which will give it a better opportunity to show off its spatial skills...
This DAC is just awesome sounding. The more those mundorf caps get broken in, the better this puppy is sounding. It has somewhere around 50-55 hours of use on it by now, and it just keeps improving. The detail retrieval and soundstage are just excellent. The midrange is just so rich and full of body on this DAC. Everything just sounds gorgeous. I can't recommend buying it enough. If you are looking for a musical and neutral DAC, dive in and get yourself one. You will not be disappointed.
I have an SDA-6 Pro2 with maybe 250 hours on it. I can attest to it being a great balance between high resolution and smooth delivery. As @DW75 said, it really gets it all right. Imaging. Soundstaging. Bass depth and impact. All while adding a hint of midrange richness. It continues to get better with burn in - we'll see how much it continues to improve with some more burn in.
Very tempting to upgrade from a Singxer SDA-2. I really like the easy and a bit warm sound of the SDA-2, and de SDA-6 Pro2 seems to be the same sound signature but better.
I have never heard the SDA-2. The SDA-6 is quite neutral sounding. It just has a slight touch of warmth in the lower mids. It is so refined in the way it represents music. The only way you will ever have a fatiguing listen is if you are listening to a very poorly mastered piece of music. The treble resolution on the SDA-6 is shockingly good.
It is somewhat strange that this DAC is not having more feedback...It has the same spec/chips as the Gustard A26 for ex., but 30% less expensive: That should be a bargain ! Anyone has tried to compare it with his predecessor (which I owned) ? I remember a DAC very punchy and neutral, but very long to really "open" (these mundorfs caps...). Would be nice to know on which point the Mk2 has improved...
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