Gustard R26

@yyzsantabarbara the #16 is too expensive for me at this moment given the looming recession but if my investments weather the storm I might go for it. Which Krell specifically are you thinking?

@yyzsantabarbara ya had the X26, great DAC for the $, and sold it to fund a 005 as well, curious about this R2R as an alternative sound signature, if it is as good as the preliminary reviews suggest I would buy it to pair with my CODA CSIB which I think you too at some point had, no?

@sgreg1 have 200+ hours on mine now and it is the best DAC I have had in my system so far by some margin. FYI my digital front end is as follows:

Linksys router powered by a LHY 25 LPS -> Audioquest Vodka ethernet cable -> Melco S100 switch powered by a Ferrum Hypsos LPS -> fiber optic cable -> Lumin P1 -> Audioquest Coffee USB -> Singxer SU-6 DDC -> Audioquest Vodka HDMI I2S -> R26 -> Audioquest Water XLRs -> amplifier

I ordered a master clock from LHY (the OCK-2) they just released and I assume there will be another sonic boost from this addition to the chain since every upgrade and tweak so far has made a sonic difference. IME this DAC will scale as you upgrade what comes before it - AND I suspect what comes after. Unequivocally the best $ I've spent in this crazy hobby so far.

@zeusodin the LHY makes a significant difference. To me in my system EVERY tweak so far has yielded positive results (including good cabling) although I must say the most audible tweak was switching from copper to fiber optic from the switch to the server/streamer.

Here is the digital source chain:

Melco S100 (fiber optic)->Lumin P1->Singxer SU-6->LHY OCK-2->DAC

But my system is $60K and very resolving so the results of tweak components like clocks and linear power supplies etc. can be heard. BUT I can’t say whether these tweaks would make the same kind of difference in your system. One thing to keep in mind is I haven’t used the R26's streamer module but word is that it’s better than the USB input and almost on par with the I2S (the input I use).

The R26 is a great buy and I will keep it in rotation. Right now I have a Lampizator Baltic 4 in the system, a tube DAC, and in most ways I prefer it, but then again it’s $7K so it SHOULD be better.

Some guys actually have MULTIPLE switches because they believe reclocking the signal multiple times BEFORE a DDC/clock/DAC stack yields benefits - in this crazy hobby, I wouldn't be the least surprised if that is true lol!

@kereru understood, but why would Gustard only have the LAN input fully utilize a Masterclock signal? What is the logic of that? So the I2S is simply slaved to the DDC's clock and ignores the Masterclock I spent $700 on? 

@kereru sorry my mistake for misconstruing what you said. BTW I've heard from more than one person that LAN and USB are clocked in the DAC while SPDIF AES I2S are clocked by the streamer/server. I have yet to come across a clear, precise and comprehensive description of a DAC's operation, have you?

@kereru thanks for the info! Out of curiosity what other DACs have you got to compare the R26 to?

@sgreg1 yup in order for the comparison to be fair we have to assume a $5-10K DAC will need to be optimized to the same degree, and actually the extra cost is more like $1.5K in my setup. On another note, it is fascinating to me that the way in which the incoming digital signal is routed/clocked/converted/filtered/amplified inside the DAC is either obfuscated and/or misunderstood by me and most other folks who are into digital playback... why don't we demand to know what this process end-to-end looks like for each DAC PRIOR to purchase lol? Seems important info if one wishes to optimize one's source chain, no?