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In Reply to: RE: The PS Audio NuWave DSD Dac posted by cmait on December 19, 2016 at 05:12:19
I have heard the older Gustard X20U with the older ESS9018 DAC chips and now have in house the new Gustard X20U Pro that has two of the new ESS9028 DAC chips in it. The difference is huge. The old and new Gustards are exactly the same except the DAC chips, so what I am hearing is the DAC chip. It is simply way, way more informative in every way. The old DAC chips sounds muddy by comparison. Also this new chip has more available digital filter options and Gustard now has 7 different filters you can choose from. If a manufacturer who uses the ESS DAC chips just selects one filter and you have no choice then you are limiting your listening pleasure. The "apodizing" filter is sounding real good right now. The old Gustard just had two filter settings and none were the apodizing. However, the DAC differences I am hearing are, as always, dependent on how the whole player is....as everything effects the sound. The stock Gustards are good but nothing great.....once modded, you can really appreciate and hear all the new information the new DACs bring. So, I will say, very clearly, that a new paradigm of ESS DACs has arrived and you will see the new chips in machines from under $100 to way out there. Ayre is using one of the new ESS9038s in their $9000 machine. Gustard gives you two ESS9028s in mono mode for $900. This is just the beginning! So, the PS Audio with the old DAC chip and no digital filter settings is, well....behind the times. They will have a new version soon, I am sure.Happy Solstice!
Edits: 12/21/16 12/21/16 12/21/16Follow Ups:
...have you tried the volume control they offer? Seems most prefer anything over against a digital (it is digital isn't it) volume control. I'd be curious how their implementatation sounds. Thanks.
The CD I mostly play is low level recorded so am using the volume control at -9. Sounds outrageous. I will be listening soon to discs with higher volume and I will naturally be turning down the volume more. I still expect seriously great sound. Using a separate preamp is certainly one of those debatable things. Personally, I have not used a separate preamp in 30 some years. I either have a nude Vishay resistor shunt attenuator inside the amp (mostly) or use the 32 bit digital attenuator in the Gustard. Both sound great.
I have done more to the Gustard Pro and not only have I got it to level one mod but have found some even better sounding diodes and also a transformer mod that makes it even better. I simply am gobsmacked by this thing. Stock it was OK....but just with the new level one mod it is incredible....CDs sound like 24/96....so much information it is scary good.....my neighbors probably were thinking I was having orgasms as I kept screaming and Wowing in delight.....never heard anything like this before....except live.
HAHAHAHAHA!!!
just stumbled on the gustard reading reviews for cheaper SMSL DACs and was surprised that music server tips stated it bettered a Weiss DAC202!!! them's strong words!
i was stopping by to pass a heads up here, but it's already been done.
i'm keeping the gustard on my shortlist of "final DAC upgrades" as it's seriously cheaper than the schiit iggy and possibly better sounding too. not just that, but it's available in both black and silver (i prefer black components) and is minimalist sexy. i don't particularly like schiit's round & silver aesthetics regardless of how good their multibit DACs are.
that it can be modded for even better sound is great too. i'll make a note of that too, thanks for sharing that.
Ric-
what other gear is in your system?
NT
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