Taz777
1000+ Head-Fier
Does anyone any updates on the A18? Any firmware updates? It seems to be have gone all quiet. Mine is still working fine.
Gustard A18
- Thread starter Facta
- Start date
I haven't looked for updates in a while, but just checking on Gustard.cn now (select English in top-right corner) I see no updates for A18.
And same here: This DAC just works perfectly. My wife and I continue to enjoy it and have had zero issues.
I've been following the ASR thread for X16, which is a DAC with dual ES9068AS announced shortly before I bought my A18 last fall, with a list price of $500, compared to A18's $560 at the time.
X16 has fantastic measurements and uses OPA1612 opamps, which I wish they had used in A18 instead of LME49860 -- as called for in the AK4499 reference design. But I still have a feeling that Gustard aimed a notch higher with A18: They tried to get as close to their TOTL dual AK4499 A22 but at a lower price point. And AK4499 remains AKM's flagship, which is not the case with ES9068AS (which I understand costs about a quarter of the ESS' flagship ES9038).
There has been a few issues reported in the X16 thread, though none are major. Lately it's with DSD, requiring an on-the-board firmware upgrade, which Gustard ships to customers. They are standing behind their products.
I am glad I got the A18 when I did. Now you cannot buy it due to the shortage of AKM chips!
Happy 4th to everyone in USA!
And same here: This DAC just works perfectly. My wife and I continue to enjoy it and have had zero issues.
I've been following the ASR thread for X16, which is a DAC with dual ES9068AS announced shortly before I bought my A18 last fall, with a list price of $500, compared to A18's $560 at the time.
X16 has fantastic measurements and uses OPA1612 opamps, which I wish they had used in A18 instead of LME49860 -- as called for in the AK4499 reference design. But I still have a feeling that Gustard aimed a notch higher with A18: They tried to get as close to their TOTL dual AK4499 A22 but at a lower price point. And AK4499 remains AKM's flagship, which is not the case with ES9068AS (which I understand costs about a quarter of the ESS' flagship ES9038).
There has been a few issues reported in the X16 thread, though none are major. Lately it's with DSD, requiring an on-the-board firmware upgrade, which Gustard ships to customers. They are standing behind their products.
I am glad I got the A18 when I did. Now you cannot buy it due to the shortage of AKM chips!
Happy 4th to everyone in USA!
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AKM lo mejor!
Taz777
1000+ Head-Fier
Trying to keep thread this alive.
Just checked and there's no new firmware, but that's okay as my A18 is fine. I'm now listening at -3.0dB volume (as recommended earlier in this thread) and, with a compensatory increase in volume at my active speakers (connected via RCA), the sound is subtly better. It has lost a touch of harshness and mellowed a little. The same is true of the XLR outputs to my headphone amp.
Just checked and there's no new firmware, but that's okay as my A18 is fine. I'm now listening at -3.0dB volume (as recommended earlier in this thread) and, with a compensatory increase in volume at my active speakers (connected via RCA), the sound is subtly better. It has lost a touch of harshness and mellowed a little. The same is true of the XLR outputs to my headphone amp.
Sir Are you running it the switch in the setting as above in there United States or do you mean you have toggled the switch and then taken the photo to illustrate how to run the unit in the U.K. Can you kindly explain.The switch on mine is clearly marked 110V/220V. I am in US so it's always been at 110. I just switched it to take the attached picture. Whether that works for GB 240V I couldn't say, but I would be surprised if not.
I apologize for the late response. I don't come here as often as I used to.
The voltage switch on my A18 is set to 110V since I am in USA. In the picture, it is set to 220V. I must have toggled the switch to 220V before taking the photo, then toggled it back to 110V. I hope that answers your question.
BTW, my A18 is still going strong, although the Bluetooth died. I hardly ever use Bluetooth, but if I had noticed it within my 2-year Apos warranty period, I assume they would have fixed it -- although not sure how they would have done that, other than by sending it back to China.
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Does any know if only the updated MQA version of this dac has the DIRECT DSD option? I just got the non MQA and no optical input version and it doesn't have that option in the menu.
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