GUSTARD DAC A26

*********** AVAILABLE FOR DEMO (Black Unit) ********* Gustard's DAC-A26 is a high-end DAC, as powerful as it is versatile. It is based on a high quality architecture, using a dual AK4499EX DAC chipset together with a AK4191 modulator and a USB XMOS XU216 interface allowing a faithful and rich sound reproduction. It also supports high-resolution audio streams up to PCM 32bit 768kHz, DSD512 and MQA from its USB, I2S and LAN inputs. To top it off it includes a wired streamer/renderer in the same unit. GUSTARD DAC A26 in brief * Dual-mono architecture built around dual AK4499EX DAC chipsets from AKM Sampling rates broken down by input type: * COAX/AES/OPT : PCM up to 24bit 192kHz, DSD DoP up to DSD64 * USB / I2S / LAN : - PCM up to 32bit 768kHz - Native DSD up to DSD512 - DSD DoP up to DSD256 - OS support: Windows 7~11 32/64bit; macOS; Linux * Support for external clock * IIS HDMI Input. * Remote control with full functionality. The package includes: * 1x Gustard DAC A26 * 1x USB cable * 1x remote control "To put it short and simple, Gustard A26 is a mighty fine-sounding product and an even mightier value once you consider everything it brings to the table. If you looked at the great R26 and everything it brought to this price point, but didn’t like its bolder and fuller R2R tonality, and wished for something very resolving, speedy, and airy – then A26 is the answer." iiWi Reviews (Sept 2023) "Can It Get Any Better? [...] I’m rarely testing units that have little to no drawbacks, and I’m sorry but except for that plasticky remote control, I cannot complain about its look, build quality, and more importantly its sound. You won’t get a simpler case and while R26 was already beautifully crafted, A26 felt like a more refined version, exchanging mechanical buttons with touch controls which made it cool. Tonality-wise, this is quite probably the best chip-based D/A converter I have tested so far, getting a perfect dose of technicalities, while bringing life back into your music. A26 was always refined and velvety, preserving the soul of the music as no other chip-based converter did to this day. There’s an abundance of energy every time I hit that play button, getting positive vibes along the way. [...] I tried, but I couldn’t nitpick that much about it. This is an almost flawless-sounding unit that is too cheap to be taken seriously. I know people that aren’t even looking at units costing less than $5K, but their loss is our gain as this hobby is not about spending all our savings, or about pleasing audiophile friends or online communities. This hobby is about your journey and about finding a perfect balance and I strongly believe that A26 is such a unit. The only thing I truly desire is a metallic remote control purchased as an extra accessory... [...] It goes without saying that A26 fully deserved our highest Gold Award! SoundNews.Net (Jan 2023)