calypsocat
New Head-Fier
Has anyone of you guys had a chance to compare A26 to Ferrum Wandla? I'm curious what are the most noticable differences and is it a significant improvement over A26.
Gustard DAC-A26 - AK4499EX DAC :: Impressions Thread
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Another HQPlayer user finally prompted me to buck the theory that the best that the AK4499EX chip can do is direct DSD256. I guess I had already been bucking consensus by preferring HQPlayer PCM768 to DSD256 and when using the LAN input to bypass USB cables and receivers, preferring LAN768 using p-s-g-xla and TPDF even to USB DSD256 with the correction pipeline which is better than LAN DSD256.
But then I bucked theory and started trying LAN DSD at higher rates. DSD512 with the ASDM7EC-super 512+ is a step up from 256 over USB with correction. 1024 sounds slightly better still. Even though the Gustard A26 display won't confess to receiving anything higher than 512. And DSD2048 is better still and finally brings back all of the fine detail and snap that was missing from DSD while keeping the organic ease.
Even though the AK4499EX chip sets are theoretically limited to receiving max DSD512 and converting max DSD256. Must be the filter in HQPlayer functions better at the highest DSD rate which is improving the sound to be the best before sending it to the DAC.
So I have now settled on LAN DSD2048 with the ASDM7EC-512+ and poly-sinc-gauss-xla which I prefer over the sinc-Mx for example.
Just when you think the sound is as good as it can get, it gets better. How far can it go with the same file? Did the recording engineers ever even hear their file sound this good?
But then I bucked theory and started trying LAN DSD at higher rates. DSD512 with the ASDM7EC-super 512+ is a step up from 256 over USB with correction. 1024 sounds slightly better still. Even though the Gustard A26 display won't confess to receiving anything higher than 512. And DSD2048 is better still and finally brings back all of the fine detail and snap that was missing from DSD while keeping the organic ease.
Even though the AK4499EX chip sets are theoretically limited to receiving max DSD512 and converting max DSD256. Must be the filter in HQPlayer functions better at the highest DSD rate which is improving the sound to be the best before sending it to the DAC.
So I have now settled on LAN DSD2048 with the ASDM7EC-512+ and poly-sinc-gauss-xla which I prefer over the sinc-Mx for example.
Just when you think the sound is as good as it can get, it gets better. How far can it go with the same file? Did the recording engineers ever even hear their file sound this good?
audioguru1
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Just came here to say that things do seem to have pretty significantly improved both by 1) turning off DSD direct (don't really play DSD) 2) applying the latest A115_131_234 firmware. To check firmware first put the device in standby, then press the front power /standby button, and the gear icon at the same time. If you had 115_106_426 like I did, you can get the firmware by emailing Gustard. The process for firmware is relatively simple - connect via USB-C port on the top back (has a small plug from the factory), then run the firmware exe and follow directions (wait for the USB to register, press the 3 button, power off the dac (hard power on back), then wait 3 seconds, power back on, let it program, wait 30 seconds for good measure, and then power cycle). Enjoy less grain, better stage and impact. To what effect each had a impact its hard to say b/c both changes happened at the same time for me.
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