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Multiple Interfaces: The fully balanced decoder GUSTARD DAC-X16 supports USB/I2S/COAX/OPT/BT/AES input, and has two output modes: RCA single-ended output and balanced XLR input. It is a true fully balanced decoder. From my first impressions, compared to my older DAC, it’s clear this is a more resolving DAC, with better dynamics and a wider and deeper sound stage, thus imaging gets a little improved with some instruments floating around de stage. These qualities increase when listening to the same music in MQA and DSD format, were the information about the ambient of the recording, like acoustic recordings in Churches and Chambers, are better reproduced, transporting you to the action place. Comparing the sound using coaxial and optical inputs on both DACs, overall there is an improvement but not a dramatic change, the DAC-9 still a terrific machine! However, when both driven by the USB port, the difference for the X16 is much more evident, as the DAC-9 has a quite outdated USB controller, not able to cope in the same way with the digital stream (recent developments improved and solved many of the problems with noise and jitter from computer USB connections). This difference was already notorious just by comparing both optical inputs and coaxial on DAC-9, with the USB input loosing detail and having a shadier sound. Overall, the biggest difference between X16 and DAC-9 is a shift in to the warmth side of vocals, with a little emphasized bass contributing to a full-bodied vocals, without losing details. I cannot put a finger on anything that bothers me really with this unit, the soul of the music is here, it created emotions that only R2R units could easily unearth from my music, it has the soundstage of serious AKM designs, it has their flow, while retaining the best virtues of ESS-Sabre designs like detail retrieval, transparency, cleanness, speed and thunder like impact. Can I really complaint about anything wrong in this unit? I probably can’t. I have arrived at the culmination of what makes X16 a good DAC in the first place. Not a single amplifier, preamplifier, or power conditioner can make your music detailed, transparent and see-through, that is the sole job of a DAC, it is to blame or in this case to praise. The whole job of DAC is being right, correct and precise in its math. I know that a lot of people love sugar coated DACs that are adding some kind of flavor into the mix, those kinds of people are calling linear, extended and detailed sounding DACs as clinical. In my view, the DAC should be the truth teller, the law generator and indeed a lot of times the truth is not that easy to accept. After a few years, I’ve finally understood that I can always count on a DAC that is honest with me, that tells only the truth, that is detailed to its core and it seems that X16 goes exactly in this direction.
At the heart of the new Gustard X16 a pair of latest ESS Sabre ES9068AS chips, this should allow to provides a very rich and precise reproduction as claims chip manufacturer (THD+N of -120dB and a dynamic range of 128dBA). ES9068AS allow hardware decoding of AQA files and support high-resolution files up to 32bit 768kHz PCM and DSD512. The most important thing to know is that they sound more alike than different and I needed more than two hours to find all the smallest differences and nuances and this thought alone makes the X26 PRO an absolute steal.
Tech Highlights
This DAC is using a dual 9038Q2M chips and fully balanced and also equipped with DIP8 OP amps and removable BT module. It is using the same chips as the Soncoz SGD1 ) At about 2.5 kilos or ~5.5 pounds, it’s considerably heavier than its competitors like Topping D90SE and SMSL M400. A heavier unit suggests that a linear power supply and a bigger capacitance are sitting inside, building confidence that I’m dealing with a serious unit. Its mid-section felt as clean, defined and detailed, but I wouldn’t call it overly dense or soul-grabbing. Traces of warmth were still present, voices were rendered naturally, string-based instruments had a nice vibration, without going overboard to the warm side. It is neither of those…it’s mostly linear and neutral in this department, approaching my linearity curves and trying to disappear from my acoustic chain as much as possible. If you are hunting for warmth and a lot of smoothness, it will disappoint you a little. You can mitigate that issue with the help of an all-discrete amplifier, be it solid-state or tube-based. On the plus side, X18 sounds smoother and calmer in here, even effortless at times, something that X16 couldn’t do on its own. Add that U18 DDC and lo and behold, a warmer tonality would hop on board and deliver livelier voices. U18 did put more meat on the bone, especially in the midrange department that was more vibrant and alive. The included technology in the X16 is in line with DACs costing many times its modest MSRP, including a pair of ESS Sabre ES9068AS DAC chips, which are currently ESS’ top of the line 32-bit audiophile 2-channel chipset that includes full MQA decoding. In a headphone setup, it was connected to its soul mate H16 balanced headphone amplifier, or to (much) higher performing units like Ferrum OOR + Hypsos and later on to the Enleum AMP-23R, driving several high-end planar-magnetic headphones and a bunch of dynamic headphones. Okay folks, enough with the talk, my ears are itching for some music, so let’s hit some ear-drums!
Brightness: has 8 brightness positions, none of them is completely dimming its display. The lowest position worked great at night though. In this review, I will be discussing the Simgot EM6L, comparing it with the Xenns Mangird Top and QKZ HBB Khan. I have tested the EM6L using the Moondrop Moonriver 2 Ti and Fiio Q3 Dac Amp.
In the MAC system, the volume operation in the system directly calls the "hardware volume", and the mac tries to avoid software volume due to sound quality considerations.
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