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Post by MartinT on Sept 2, 2021 16:53:22 GMT
Listening - After 24 HoursFirstly - this thing runs hot. I had thought it had stabilised yesterday but it's properly warmed through now. Warmer than warm. What a difference 24 hours makes. The soundstage is cavernous. Playing Misterioso #2 by Justin Johnson, it's set in so much more space than before. Bass has also filled out to the kind of subterranean but tight extension I was used to with the LKS. The room loves it! John will remember when we played Suzanne Vega's The Queen and the Soldier I had remarked that it sounded like a different song. The X26 Pro plays the same song, filling out her voice and guitar and sounding equally inviting as the A22. Trying something electronic with Yello's Tied Up, the ambient decay and sense of space is again larger than I'm used to hearing. At the same time, foreground detail is immense and, oh, those bongos! I'll come back later but for now this is impressively superb replay - an amalgam of all that is good with both the ESS and AKM chipsets. I'm still using the Gentle filter.
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Post by MartinT on Sept 2, 2021 17:23:49 GMT
I installed the Windows USB driver on my other tablet and have confirmed that the firmware is vF.1A
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alp
Rank: Trio
Posts: 167
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Post by alp on Sept 2, 2021 18:11:08 GMT
I have had the Gustard x26 Pro (black, not silver) for a month or so now. Very good, big step-up from my Topping D90 - mainly in bass, imaging and vocals areas, even though it still seems to be burning in - Initially I found the treble harsh but it improved rapidly. I have mainly used the vivid setting.
I have tried using AES, IIS, coax and optical inputs from my PI2AES. All sound very similar. I'll get round to trying USB with my RPI4 sometime.
BT with the D90 was very good. The x26 BT antenna broke when I first swivelled it, but Audiophonics replaced it very quickly. The sound was noticeably worse with BT than the other inputs, even using LDAC, so I did not persevere, perhaps I should try again.
It does chuck out a lot of heat!
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Post by John on Sept 2, 2021 19:22:12 GMT
A few weeks ago I was speaking to Vic it is worth trying different aerials he had a lot of issues with his and made BT sound crap
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Post by Clive on Sept 2, 2021 19:40:09 GMT
A few weeks ago I was speaking to Vic it is worth trying different aerials he had a lot of issues with his and made BT sound crap Yep, Vic and myself went though all our BT aerials. Most aerials did not have a centre coax type part to their connector so there was no physical wired connection to the receiving socket. A few MM of wire resolved the problem. It seems there are two standards. |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 2, 2021 19:42:09 GMT
It's going to depend partly on the connected device. No problem here with my Teclast from 4m away with the aerial behind the Mutec.
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Post by Clive on Sept 2, 2021 19:45:16 GMT
The quality of connection improved significantly when the centre pin connection was made. The conflicting standards are mad!
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Post by MartinT on Sept 2, 2021 19:56:18 GMT
I've just discovered that this DAC is made for complex music like Shpongle, Ozric Tentacles and Jon Hopkins. So much tiny tinkly stuff come through the mix. Brain in a Fish Tank is superbly portrayed, as is Magick Valley and Open Eye Signal.
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alp
Rank: Trio
Posts: 167
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Post by alp on Sept 2, 2021 19:57:35 GMT
The antenna is centre pin, so seems fine. It may well be the device. I have only tried with my Samsung S10+. The sound is quite flat. I'll try with my tablet.
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Post by MartinT on Sept 2, 2021 20:03:00 GMT
Check out John's video earlier in the thread. LDAC and HDAudio settings work well in mine even without going into Developer Mode.
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Post by wannarock2 on Sept 2, 2021 20:05:07 GMT
Listening - After 24 Hours... The soundstage is cavernous. I was waiting to hear that comment from you Martin. I do not have any previous experience in higher end DAC’s so I can’t compare the x26p. My former Katana DAC was a solid mid-tier performer, but the authority/depth of the x26p really stands out regarding imaging/soundstage. Alp’s comment regarding the D90 is what I have heard and the D90 is a top tier performer. I presume the dual mono design, good components and thoughtful implementation creates this ideal platform. One measurement Wolf at l7 preformed caught my attention and I wonder if it is a difference that sometimes may be overlooked regarding the depth of the soundstage the x26p produces. Left/Right channel separation crosstalk. The x26p is a good 20dB better than some of the top DAC’s I have seen measured. Anyway, I appreciate any comments you all may have on this point. L7 crosstalk chart below.  |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 2, 2021 20:16:17 GMT
Thanks. That's seriously good separation and may well contribute to the soundstage.
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Post by John on Sept 3, 2021 15:06:12 GMT
My basic take form this is mid point DACs have seriously upped their game
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 3, 2021 15:12:26 GMT
Growing market for DACs and not dominated by brand names / Naims
Improve product - sell more product
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Post by MartinT on Sept 3, 2021 19:24:22 GMT
Small Chinese companies like LKS (now Musetec), Gustard, Topping and Audio-GD are not just cottage industries. They are leading the way in R&D in what makes digital sound good. They then have the low cost base to keep the prices reasonable to offset their small-ish volumes.
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Post by MartinT on Sept 3, 2021 19:40:58 GMT
Listening - ClassicalApart from my collection of tricky recordings which show up system deficiencies, one of the toughest tests of a system for me has always been orchestral strings. I've heard all manner of thin screechy sounds in different digital systems, and even the LKS struggled a bit here. Tonight I played a couple of recordings of Also Sprach Zarathustra, part ii onwards which features some of the most gorgeous string music ever written. I'm not disappointed with the fullness and body of the sound, or from the sweeping violins especially. Another thing that struck me: the organ is much more evident during these passages where I might have thought it didn't have a part. Not pedals, but small contributions that are so much more evident to me now. Those Filters
I've tried the Vivid mode, which sounds to me like the equivalent of too much sharpness or edge correction in an image. Yes, it grabs my attention, but going back to Gentle (which is nothing of the sort) gives me even better transient definition and a better resolved midrange. It could well be because my system needs no additional vivid-ness but, regardless, I'll be sticking with Gentle for the time being. The attack and slam in this mode are very pleasing.
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alp
Rank: Trio
Posts: 167
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Post by alp on Sept 3, 2021 19:54:53 GMT
Check out John's video earlier in the thread. LDAC and HDAudio settings work well in mine even without going into Developer Mode. BT with my Samsung S6 Tablet is now great, so clearly an issue with the S10+. |
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Post by John on Sept 4, 2021 5:18:24 GMT
Good news
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Post by MartinT on Sept 4, 2021 12:50:52 GMT
I found an image of the display.  In order: - PCM filter (choice of Vivid (linear phase), Gentle (minimum phase), Composite (hybrid)) - DSD filter (choice of 47K, 50K, 60K, 70K) - REF Clock (internal K2 clock or external 10MHz clock) - NOS Mode (Non-oversampling mode, for when the data stream has already been upsampled) - Phase Invert (disable = RCA positive, US standard XLR, enable = RCA inverted, Euro/Japanese XLR) - Brightness (1 to 8, 1 dimmest but always on) |
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Post by wannarock2 on Sept 4, 2021 13:27:15 GMT
Martin, at this point in time, is there anything you miss from the previous LKS?
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📶NAS > Gustard x26p DAC > Benchmark LA4 Pre-Amp > NAD M22-V2 Amplifier > Revel F228Be Speakers