My experience with the Gustard R26

Peguinpower

Member
Jul 22, 2021
38
26
23
54
I'd bought the Gustard R26 during the Black Friday sale on Amazon.com.

I was initially quite impressed. After being consistently on since I got the DAC on November 28, I think the unit finally broke in. Total of about 350 hours.
It was a phased break-in process. The low end started blossoming after a week. Then the low notes began to exhibit extraordinary character. The mids were ok but seemed lean and not too real.

At one point, the mids came together which had became hyper-realistic. The best qualities of the DAC are the 3D and natural quality of the mid-range.

Call it break-in, or learning the sound, or adaptation, whatever it is, the R26 is truly an exceptional DAC. Thats not to say its better than others. What I hear is that it performs very well, very engaging, and checks all the audiophile points we look for. It gives a sound thats pretty unique to my ears. In summary, if a DAC could be a horn speaker with a 15 inch bass driver, this would be it. 10/10 highly recommended.

This January, I decided to let the Gustard R26 DAC go. It resolved like no other and imaging was pinpoint and more precise that anything I've ever heard. At the end of the day, the tone of the unit was not my bag. It did not have the same weight as my Denafrips Ares II with the exception of very low frequencies. Mid bass, was lean.

It was hard deciding to let it go. The R26 did so many things us audiophiles like, but was lacking on the most basic requirement. That is, a tone quality that I like. After much thought and research, I'm putting that onto the digital preamp that the R26 has. The Denafrips DAC pick up an analog signal directly at the end of its R2R ladder. The R26 has a discrete output stage which is likely adding its own character to the output.

BTW, I tried feeding the unit's renderer/streamer with an ethernet cable. I got it to work, but I did have drop outs, and never got the DAC to read more than 44.1k even though I was feeding it 192k content. Weird. It read 192k from my Node 2i, but it couldnt do it from its own streamer. I gave it a couple of hours, and then gave up on using its own streamer.
 
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Tenentman

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2018
2
0
108
I like your feedback on the R26. There are strengths and tradeoffs at every angle even at the top of the high-end tree. Keep this in mind. The output and character of most devices can be improved. It is my plan to do so with the R26 Pro.

Indeed, Gustard is on track with the midrange and the holographic presentation and detail are up there with the big boyz. I do not use USB. Instead, I opted for AES for its natural warmth in this case with the Lumin U1. Add the Caprice Audio Optimization system and its popcorn at the movies.
 

lordcloud

Well-Known Member
Jul 5, 2016
218
101
175
47
Round Rock, Texas
The R26 is a DAC I've been tempted to try out. By all accounts it's a very good DAC, and does most things very well.

I just purchased a Holo Audio May, after strongly considering the R26. Though now I hear that the A26 might be better still.
 

AudioLibertarian

Well-Known Member
Dec 25, 2017
204
75
135
NEW YORK CITY
I'd bought the Gustard R26 during the Black Friday sale on Amazon.com.

I was initially quite impressed. After being consistently on since I got the DAC on November 28, I think the unit finally broke in. Total of about 350 hours.
It was a phased break-in process. The low end started blossoming after a week. Then the low notes began to exhibit extraordinary character. The mids were ok but seemed lean and not too real.

At one point, the mids came together which had became hyper-realistic. The best qualities of the DAC are the 3D and natural quality of the mid-range.

Call it break-in, or learning the sound, or adaptation, whatever it is, the R26 is truly an exceptional DAC. Thats not to say its better than others. What I hear is that it performs very well, very engaging, and checks all the audiophile points we look for. It gives a sound thats pretty unique to my ears. In summary, if a DAC could be a horn speaker with a 15 inch bass driver, this would be it. 10/10 highly recommended.

This January, I decided to let the Gustard R26 DAC go. It resolved like no other and imaging was pinpoint and more precise that anything I've ever heard. At the end of the day, the tone of the unit was not my bag. It did not have the same weight as my Denafrips Ares II with the exception of very low frequencies. Mid bass, was lean.

It was hard deciding to let it go. The R26 did so many things us audiophiles like, but was lacking on the most basic requirement. That is, a tone quality that I like. After much thought and research, I'm putting that onto the digital preamp that the R26 has. The Denafrips DAC pick up an analog signal directly at the end of its R2R ladder. The R26 has a discrete output stage which is likely adding its own character to the output.

BTW, I tried feeding the unit's renderer/streamer with an ethernet cable. I got it to work, but I did have drop outs, and never got the DAC to read more than 44.1k even though I was feeding it 192k content. Weird. It read 192k from my Node 2i, but it couldnt do it from its own streamer. I gave it a couple of hours, and then gave up on using its own streamer.
Try SMSL D3 if you are able. Its more money, but way worth it IMHO. I ve used one since the fall 2021 as soon as had come out , Uses NOS Burr Brown 1704 chips.

Also, I suspect the tone quality that you did not like had to do with connecting digital cable from the source to the dac. Try Cardas dual USB, if using usb input, it usually get the tonality and texture "right".
 
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kennyb123

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2012
856
796
1,155
Kirkland, WA
This January, I decided to let the Gustard R26 DAC go. It resolved like no other and imaging was pinpoint and more precise that anything I've ever heard. At the end of the day, the tone of the unit was not my bag. It did not have the same weight as my Denafrips Ares II with the exception of very low frequencies. Mid bass, was lean.
I own the X26pro so of course I wondered about the R26. Based on what you report, the X26pro might be a very different beast. Tone and timbre are strengths and there is nothing lean about it. My source deserves a bunch of credit for that though.
 

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