Gustard X26 Pro

Sources split three ways on whether the X26 Pro has an audible character, and whether it is a good one. The bench is not in doubt: ASR measured 119 dB SINAD at 4 V from the XLR outputs and 121 dB at full output, L7Audiolab 119–123 dB, GoldenSound 125 dB of dynamic range — figures where distortion and noise sit far below audibility. The largest camp, mostly reviewers and long-term owners, hears more than that: Soundnews a warm, dense midrange and heavy bass it rates alongside its $3,000 reference, DrummerLeo a warm-neutral tuning close to far dearer DACs, Head-Fi and HiFiVision owners a natural, spacious sound that outdid their Topping and Chord DACs. A second camp hears a flaw: GoldenSound calls the timbre slightly dry and the stage no bigger than a cheaper SMSL's, and owners describe a flat, two-dimensional stage, a glassy top end next to a Topping, or a hard, bright sound out of the box. A third camp says the measurements are the story: Amir praises the engineering but not any sound, one owner who compared it with an SMSL SU-8 heard no difference, and another expects it is identical in transparency to a D90SE.

Sources split: on the bench and in most systems it is silent, but a group of owners hit noise that depends on how it is connected. GoldenSound measured a 2.3 µV noise floor and Amir a dynamic range he calls excellent though not class-leading; Soundnews and HiFiVision owners describe a completely black background. Against that, ASR owners found the USB input could start up in a false DSD mode and hiss on some Linux-based streamers, and others reported loud pops from one channel when switching inputs. Gustard's answer on the pops was to suggest adding a preamplifier; its F20 firmware later fixed noise on some Linux sources, though one owner saw it return. Head-Fi owners also reported a whine and crackle in one new arrival, hum induced in a nearby tube amp, and computer noise on the RCA outputs that a USB isolator cured — and GoldenSound measured some USB noise from a PC without isolation.

Sources split on how much the feature list delivers. Reviewers praise the connectivity: USB, I2S over HDMI, AES, coaxial and optical inputs, LDAC Bluetooth that Soundnews found unusually robust, MQA decoding, a 10 MHz clock input for later upgrades, and a volume control that lets it drive a power amp directly. The bench is less impressed with the headline extras. GoldenSound found Gustard's 'custom' Vivid filter identical to ESS's stock fast filter and the NOS mode a short filter rather than true non-oversampling, and measured worse jitter with a 10 MHz clock attached; Amir calls external clocks dubious at home, and an early review sample's filter menu did nothing until a firmware update. Soundnews adds that the volume control is digital, with no relay stage, so it won't replace a high-end preamp.

Sources split, mostly over heat. The front panel is liked: a large, readable screen with adjustable brightness, a menu reviewers found clear, a proper power switch, and a remote. But it is rated at up to 60 W of consumption and runs warm to hot: Amir found it hotter than competing DACs, an owner measured 110–116 °F on the case, others added fans, and an owner of both models says it runs much hotter than the X26 III. L7Audiolab's early unit was only slightly warm after an afternoon, and some owners using it as a DAC only call it warm rather than hot; Gustard's own advice is not to stack it. Owners also report a cheap plastic remote that cannot switch it off, drivers shipped on a mini-CD, and occasional dropouts or clicks over USB.

Consistently called massively built. Thick aluminium panels, twin toroidal transformers, oversized capacitors and a discrete output stage make it one of the largest and heaviest DACs Amir has tested, and reviewers call it tank-like. The few build complaints are minor: an Amazon owner reported loose case screws, and the plain case design does not impress everyone. Gustard's two-year warranty requires shipping the unit back to the factory in China.

“It feels really solid, very rugged and well put together.”

Sandu Vitalie, Soundnews

“Many circuits are discrete and overbuilt.”

Amir Majidimehr, Audio Science Review

“that is taking into account the loose case screws issue”

Amazon owner review (4★)

Sources split, roughly two to one in its favour. Reviewers and most owners thought it punched well above its $1,499 launch price: Soundnews called it a steal next to its $3,000 reference, GoldenSound found the price relatively reasonable for the engineering, a Head-Fi owner preferred it to the Chord Hugo TT2 it replaced, and an owner of both says it remains excellent value used now that the X26 III has arrived. The other side points out that DACs costing a third as much measure as well: Amir notes the high cost of its state-of-the-art performance, one owner could not tell it from a $250 SMSL, and another found it thin next to an earlier Topping D90. Warranty repairs that mean shipping to China also weigh on the value for some owners.