Congrats. If your experience is anything like mine adding the more budget-minded Iris I think you’re gonna be very happy and maybe even a little shocked, and it may continue to provide meaningful benefits even if you upgrade your streamer down the road. Look forward to your thoughts.
DDC Sound Improvements???
I'm trying to put off buying a new streaming transport. Of the Hifi Rose RS130, Innuos Stream 3, and Matrix NT-1; the NT-1 was clearly the winner to my ears with a greater sense of clarity/transparency, sound stage width and depth, and neutrality that it presented.
I currently have a moded BS Node with LPS that has been hard to beat thus far. Will the new Gustard U26 DDC truly improve sound quality with the blacker backgrounds and sound stage dimensions. The DDC would also allow me to use i2S.
$1,000 for a DDC vs $4,000 for a transport is pretty tempting. In my head this additional filtering in the DDC would give me the sonic improvements of a great streaming transport.
What are your thoughts and experience?
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The Gustard U26 DDC and Veritas Optimus 50 i2S cable is in and has been in use for the last week. The filtering in the DDC has achieved the level of performance that I was hoping to receive. Blacker background has elevated the holographic presentation, the vocals are slightly more forward, layering into tracks are more pronounced, and the bass is tighter. Is it on the level of the Matrix NT-1? No! Is it a solid 60% of the Matrix NT-1, yes! I do not get the expanded soundstage with greater instrument separation that impressed me but for the sweet deal that I picked up the U26 as an open box item, it's a keeper. This three box solution, (Node, LPS, DDC) is not ideal but at least the three boxes are slim and perform with amazing results in my system. I think that I'm done chasing digital nirvana until I update my speakers next to the Tidal Pianos. |
So, OP, I assume you will retain or purchase the NT-1, correct? The BS three-box combo, including the extra I²S cable, could easily cost $2,400, which is about 60% of the value of the NT-1. If the BS combo only reaches 60% of the NT-1’s performance, it seems the extra $1,400 would be worth spending. |
@lanx0003 The BS w/LPS has been here for the last 4 years. Since there is no resale value in it, my thought process was it's cheaper to buy the $900 (open box) DDC than to send $4,000 on the Matrix. Total cost is $1,850 spread out over four years or $4,000 right now. Right now I'd rather put that towards the new speakers than another incremental improvement with the digital setup. I have the digital sorted out that has impressed my local hifi store rep when he heard my system. Once you remove the bias of "oh you have a Node" and let your ears hear what's being projected, I'm happy "for now". LOL!!! |
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