Gustard R26 vs hi end streamer

@marco777 I’m actually comparing the Pontus II and Gustard R26 in my second system as we speak. I will share my opinion when I’ve put at least 100 hours on the R26 since I’ve had it for about ten days and still breaking it in. 

I've now put almost 100 hours on the Gustard R26 so I feel it's fair to compare it to the Pontus II at this point. So here goes ...

First of all, the R26 is a really really good DAC. I've owned more expensive DACs in my main system and the R26 will not be embarrassed in the company of DACs up to $3000 or even more. I was surprised by the clarity, drive, pinpoint imaging, and a soundstage that is by far the widest I've heard for an R2R dac with the exception of Terminator 2 which I also owned.

The streamer function, IMO, is average at best. I tried to compare it with two streamers -- Bluesound Node 2i (in my second system) and Aavik S-280 (main system). As expected, the Aavik blew it out of the water ... as it should since it's almost 10 times more expensive. But compared to the Node, the sound quality is more or less equal. I did experience some hiccups/buffering issues on R26 when feeding hi-res files to it. I would say that the LAN-based streaming function is good for the price but I would use it with an external streamer if I'm looking for the next level up. However, it is perfectly acceptable if you compare it with streamers around the $500 or below mark.

So how does it compare to Pountus II? Well, let me start by saying that it equals the Pontus and even exceeds in some areas. I'm actually torn between the two choices. Alas, I can only keep one. So what do I like about the R26? ...

Did I say, I love the soundstage? It is wide and extends way past the speakers on both left and right. The Pontus also has a decent soundstage but not quite as wide. The imaging is very precise and presents the music in a very detailed manner. The R26, at least in my system, is more forward sounding and prioritizes details retrieval and dynamics at the expense of a more tonally rich and denser presentation. The leading edges are sharper but are a bit too etched and pronounced for my taste. The bass is punchier but can sound thin (as in not quite as full and juicy as Pontus) at times. I think if you like rock, EDM, pop music you will be quite pleased with the R26. For some reason, it sounds less than a typical R2R dac if you ask me. But this is not necessarily a negative in my book. The DAC reminded me of Chord Qutest which I also owned for a few months and could not agree with the presentation style. I feel the Gustard has similar presentation but with more density and smoothness. It keeps the goodness of Quest but gets rid of the negative qualities. It kinda falls somewhere between the Qutest and Pontus in this respect.

So what did I NOT like about the R26 when compared to the Pountus? As I mentioned before, I found the R26 to be rather thin sounding but only when compared to the Pontus. The Pountus still has more of the R2R goodness that I really like -- more dense, tonally rich, juicy, organic sound. It's more focused on soundstage depth than width. Unlike the R26, the Pontus does not highlight individual instruments but presents it in a more cohesive manner, as if all the instruments are woven onto the same fabric. It just has a more heavy and solid foundation. For jazz, vocals, and acoustic music, I still prefer the Pountus II.

Looks: Of course, this is very subjective, but I love the understated elegance and simplicity of the Pontus. The R26 looks very 80'ish ... sort of like a set top box or a sleek VCR. But it's neither here nor there.

Given that most of the music I listen to is jazz, classical, vocals, etc., I'm leaning towards keeping the Pontus II and returning the Gustard. But there are times when the Gustard sounds so good and involving that I start second guessing my decision. Some songs, especially with electronic instruments or synthesizers sound extremely good and engaging on R26. Honestly, it's a close call. If I had not heard the Pontus, I would have been very happy with the Gustard.

@soix I re-read your comment and your advice is spot on! My impressions are closely aligned with what you’re proposing. However, I want to emphasize the fact that I’m not declaring the Pontus II as the superior DAC over Gustard R26. They’re both superb and offer a lot of bang for the buck. In the end, it boils down to what one is looking for in terms of sound signature. I can see someone preferring the R26 over Pontus. For me, Pontus has the edge but I could just as well live happily with the R26 if I have to.

@nevada_matt I did, albeit briefly, try out the fast and medium filters but preferred the slow filter for the type of music I listen to. I would say over 70% of my listening was done in the slow filter mode. I did switch to fast or medium when listening to classic rock or EDM (mostly James Blake) and preferred medium. Didn’t like anything when using the fast filter so honestly I never gave it a fair shake.

I’m also very interested in your impressions regarding Innuos Pulse Mini. I owned the Innuos Zenith MK3 in my main system (now replaced with Aavik S-280) and have gained tremendous respect and admiration for Innuos, especially their Sense software. For now, I’m feeding the Pontus directly from my Roon server (SMG sonicTransporter5 + LPS) via USB. Since this is my second system, I’m not too keen on dropping a bundle on streamers. Need to decide between Holo Audio Red (like the fact that it outputs IS2) and Pulse Mini (Sense 2.0 is the main draw). My Node 2i is all packed up and ready to be sold.

@jjss49 Did you happen to see the Eversolo dac+streamer combo review by Steve Huff? Yes, I know we're talking about Steve Huff, so the usual caveats, grain of salt, etc. apply as always :)

But still looks to be fantastic value for what you pay for.

@marco777 What do you mean by a little more open? If you mean more air and effortlessness, than I think the Gustard has a bit more air but the Pontus sounds a bit more relaxed to me. Not sure if this answers your question. Bass on R26 is tighter and punchier, but somehow I still prefer the Pontus even in this respect. It's just more full sounding. BTW, I've packed up the Gustard and sending back this weekend.

@soix Yes, I prefer the Aavik but to be honest I would be hard pressed to justify the extra cost. I hate to use the term, but the Aavik S-280 is a bit more 'analog' sounding. It's more relaxed and brings out the nuance in the music a bit better. Innuos has better clarity and definition but still has a hint of digital artifacts which I never knew existed until I heard the Aavik. The differences are noticeable but subtle. I do miss Sense 2.0 though ... definitely better sound quality than Roon.

@curiousjim I have not updated my Pontus yet. I’m a little apprehensive after reading the experiences of some people as reported on the other thread here. Looks like some people disliked it so much that they reverted to the original state.

It sounds so damn good right now that I keep thinking why fix it if it ain’t broke. I’ll probably wait till the dust settles a bit.

Hi @lanx0003 Just a few caveats before I respond ... while I kept the Pontus much longer, I only had the R26 for less than a month since I returned it to Amazon during the trial period. It’s quite likely that my perception was biased since I had the Pontus for a longer duration. With that out of the way ...

As far as I remember, my Pontus had the original firmware. I had a chance to upgrade but I heard differing opinions, some negative, so decided not to roll the dice. My thinking was why fix something that ain’t broken :)

Never tried the DDC. In hindsight, I should have done that before selling the Pontus. But based on impressions by a few friends who also own a Pontus, the difference in SQ is not subtle at all. They all feel it was a worthwhile investment. I only sold the Pontus because I dismantled and sold my office system to fund the main system. Otherwise, I had no intentions of selling it.

Overall, I would say the Pontus was sorta like the goldilocks of DACs in its respective price category. The sound was very balanced with a hint of warmth. It wasn’t trying to be the most detailed and high resolution DAC. Instead the emphasis was more at a macro level with musicality as the primary goal. I thought it offered a natural timbre and most instruments sounded pretty good. No, it’s not as good as other high priced DACs, but you will be hard pressed to beat the Pontus within it’s price category.

The R26 on the other hand was more focused on micro level nuances, had a wider soundstage (though not necessarily deeper), and had a more ’hifi’ sound if you know what I mean. In the end, I preferred the warm, slightly lush and organic presentation of the Pontus. But it wasn’t like I could not live with the Gustard. They both offer above average value, but perhaps cater to slightly different sound parameters,

Hope this helps.