ES9038PRO Gustard DAC-X22

[buonassi]

This is dropping right now for $900.  

 

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/gustard-dac-x22

 

Of course this happens within hours of me pulling the trigger on a similarly priced DAC.  You may not be so unlucky!  4 days left on the drop.

[Nordkapp]

The Gustards are big amongst the Headfi people. What DAC did you just buy?

[buonassi]

Metrum Amethyst.  I figured I'd spend some time with one and see if "naws sounds moar analog".  ™️

 

edit:  I am enjoying the NOS setting on my iFi - what they call "bitperfect".  So I thought I'd go with a real NOS deal.

[semente]

11 hours ago, buonassi said:

Metrum Amethyst.  I figured I'd spend some time with one and see if "naws sounds moar analog".  ™️

 

edit:  I am enjoying the NOS setting on my iFi - what they call "bitperfect".  So I thought I'd go with a real NOS deal.

Is there a difference?

[buonassi]

If you mean a difference between the iFi bitperfect setting and a DAC that's marketed as NOS, I really don't know.  I would think they are probably the same and the NOS is achieved by the "zero order hold" function for both DACs.  

 

However, Metrum is known for their NOS DACs, and they use a true network of resistors that can achieve linearity of 24 bits.  The chip in the iFi is multibit for the first 6 bits, then S/D for the remaining.  I have no idea what these different topographies impart sonically.  But I aim to find out when the Amethyst gets here.