Gustard R26

... also, has anyone compared it with Denafrips Pontus II? Since I already have a BS Node 2i, I can probably use it as a streamer with the Pontus. 

I'm seriously considering the R26 for my second system. I previously had the Denafrips Ares II that I liked but had to sell it when I sold off my second system to take care of other unexpected expenses. But now I'm back at putting together the second system in my home office once again. Since it's a second system, I don't want to spend more than $1500 on the DAC. I have two questions ...

1. Does the R26 provide meaningful, noticeable improvement over Ares II? I know it's all subjective but still want to hear from someone who has compared the two.

2. I think the R26 can double as a streamer as well. How would you compare it to Bluesound Node (the streamer aspect only) or other streams in the sub $1000 range? Is it Roon-enabled? For some reason, Gustard doesn't highlight the streaming function as much. Is it because it's more of an afterthought or do you guys think it can compete favorably with similar priced streamers?

@soix Thanks for the reference. I need to read the review by stereonews.net at some point. One thing I will say though is that Gustard can definitely take a design lesson from the likes of Denafrips or Holo Audio. The R26 looks like a cheap VCR from the early 90's. I know, I know ... it shouldn't matter as long as it sounds good. But still ...

Wondering if anyone compared the streamer section to standalone streamers in this price range.

@soix

and in the end it’s what’s on the inside that counts unless you’re an insecure audiophile who needs the bling to show it off to friends. I’m not one of those.

I don’t think it’s fair to assume that audiophiles who care about how the equipment looks are necessarily driven by the need to ’show it off to friends.’ Many audiophiles, myself included, care about the way our equipment looks. If I’m listening to my music I also tend to look at the speakers, amps, racks, etc. At least for me it adds to my enjoyment if the view is equally pleasing to my eyes. I’ve put in a lot of effort to make my listening room aesthetically pleasing (to my eyes). It is important to me that the equipment fits in with the overall vibe of the room. But I can assure you, it has nothing to do with showing off to anyone else.

@kereru Thanks for the wonderful feedback. Since I already have the Bluesound Node 2i in my second systems, I'm debating if I should go with only a DAC (e.g. Denafrips Pontus 2), or get the R26 and sell the BS Node. I like the fact that you can use a DDC with both DACs, i.e., R26 and Pontus.

@calieng 

Anyway I thought it sounded very good and well built. Very punchy and good width of sound stage. Then I swapped for one of my Denafrips R2R DACs and realized I need to return the A26. R2R is so much more organic sounding and much better soundstage.

I'll give the R26 a try instead to see how it compares. 

I'm looking for a reasonably priced dac for my second system in the home office. Been doing a lot of research and it sounds like your assessment about Denafrips sounding more organic holds true even in case of R26. For example, the British Audiophile guy likes the R26 for its treble, soundstage, and speed but he thinks if you want more solidity in the midbass region and below and prefer a more organic sound, then Pontus is still the way to go. This is not to say one is better than the other ... horses for courses. Since my taste leans towards jazz, vocals, blues, etc. I'm thinking I'll be happier with the Pontus. The R26 is great for electronic, rock, pop, etc. 

Another reviewer compared the R26 to the new Denafrips Ares 12th Edition and said he would go with the Ares due to the same reasons I outlined above. Interesting problem to have. Of course, I'm saying all this without ever having listened to the R26 so take it with a giant grain of salt :)

@soix Like they say, horses for courses. I know Sandu has a lot of fans here, but just looking at his equipment and preferences I can tell that we are quite different when it comes to the type of flavor we like in our music. I respect him a lot and think he's one of the better ones out there. But his choice of amps (Benchmark) and speakers (KEF) tells me that he prefers a more neutral tonality. Nothing wrong with that, but I know that our tastes are quite different. 

Another reviewer compared the Gustard R26 to Denafrips Ares 12th Edition and preferred the Ares. Go figure! 

And Steve Huff ... well, the less we say about him the better .. lol!

+1 @sgreg1 

I think direct-to-ethernet is a really cool feature ... especially at this price point. From what I've been reading, the R26 even without the LAN connection is worth the asking price. The LAN is just icing on the cake. It also saves you several hundred dollars that you would have otherwise spent on buying a nice USB cable. It'll be nice to hear from someone who has compared it to >$1000 streamers. I know it competes favorably with below $1000 streamers like Bluesound Node, ifi, etc.

Well, I purchased a Pontus II from another a'gon member. I also ordered the Gustard R26 from Amazon, arriving next week. I will compare the two in my system and either return the R26 or resell the Pontus depending on what I like more.

FWIW, I intend to run the R26 (hopefully arriving end of next week) for at least 100 hours before sharing my feedback :)

IME, R2R dacs need significantly more break-in than other types of DAC. But at 100 hours, I should at least get a basic idea of the true character of the Gustard R26.

@jjss49 I ended up returning the R26 and kept the Pontus II in my second system. Honestly speaking, they were both excellent and I could have lived happily with either one. The R26 had a wider soundstage and better treble. But in the end, I preferred the slightly fuller, weightier sound signature of Pontus. It just sounded a bit more organic to me. But as I said, the differences were subtle at best. 

The streamer in R26 is just average in my opinion. If I was buying the R26, the streamer would not factor in my decision. But the DAC function is excellent and can compete with more expensive DACs. I can see someone preferring the R26 over Pontus depending on their preferences.

@sgreg1 I kept the DAC for almost 3 weeks. I believe I put in excess of 150 hours on the DAC. Like I said, I really liked the DAC but the Pontus II just edged it out ever so slightly. 

As for streamers, I tried it with the built-in streamer, a Bluesound Node, and an Aavik streamer. The R26 streamer was about as good as the BS Node but not better. My point is that you're still better off with a separate streamer if you're trying to extract more performance out of your system. Having said that, it does compete well with sub $500 streamers. So for those looking for a great DAC and streamer combo under $2K, the R26 should be on the top of your list.