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GUSTARD

GUSTARD - A26

Desktop DAC & Network Audio Streamer/Renderer
Sale price₹ 149,999
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Color: Black
Talk to a Headphone Guru
DELIVERY

1. What is a Pre-Order product?
A Pre-order product is a product that we especially order for you from the brand. Once you place an order with us, we will order it from the brand for you.

2. How do I know when the product will be delivered?
There is a rough timeline on the product availability and once it has been confirmed with the brand, we will inform you.

3. Do you order the product from the brand as soon as I place the order?
We do not immediately order the product but add it in the upcoming order.

4. Will you be giving me updates?
Once we have ordered the product and have a confirmed timeline, we will give you an update.

5. I’d like to make changes to/cancel my order?
You can only cancel/make changes to your order until we place the order with the brand. Since the product is specifically being ordered for you, we will be unable to cancel/make changes once we order the product from the brand.

Free Shipping
7 Day Replacement Guarantee

In case you receive the GUSTARD - A26 with a manufacturing defect, please raise a return request within 7 days of delivery.

However, if you receive an incorrect / damaged / different product or one with missing accessories, please raise a return request within 24 hours of delivery. In case you receive a product with a missing, incorrect, or faulty accessory, you will be given a replacement accessory instead of the entire product.

Please make sure that the product is in the original packaging with all the accessories it came with. We'll also need an unboxing video and images of the parcel to investigate about the discrepancy. You may be asked to share images of the product and the packaging received for us to determine the damage or defect prior to approving the return request. The free replacement will be shipped only once the original order is returned.

A replacement will be issued only if:

- It is found to be defective
- It is determined that the product was not damaged while in your possession
- The product is not different from what was shipped to you
- The product is returned in original condition (with brand’s/manufacturer's box, MRP tag intact, user manual, warranty card and all the accessories therein)

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Warranty & Services

Don't sweat it, this GUSTARD - A26 comes with a 2 Year warranty from GUSTARD that covers manufacturing defects. All products featured on Headphone Zone are backed by an original manufacturer's warranty.

Read more about GUSTARD's warranty in India.

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Why GUSTARD is Special

🇨🇳

Designed in China
Young Maverick Brand

New on the scene, but bringing seasoned expertise!


This headphone or gear might come from a fresh, up-and-coming brand, but it boasts the quality and innovation of a well-established name.


If you see a product marked as "🥊 Young Maverick Brand”, it means you're getting cutting-edge technology and top-notch performance from a brand that's already making waves in the industry.
Specialist

A masterpiece from the experts who know audio inside and out!


This headphone or gear is crafted by specialists who know their stuff, ensuring every detail is perfect.


If you see a product marked as “🌟 Specialist”, it means you're choosing a device designed by experts who specialize in creating this specific category of device.

Why we love this DAC/Amp

Premium Economy

Sensible spending and class above in quality. 


This headphone or gear offers top-notch sound and performance without much impact on your pocket, promising a delightful experience that exceeds your expectations at an economical price point.


If you see a product marked as “💎 Premium Economy," it indicates that you're getting a high-quality audio product with exceptional sound clarity and reliable performance, all at a budget-friendly price.

Serious Audiophiles Only

Diving deeper into exploring the hobby is never enough.


If you're an audiophile on a hunt for a device that meets your high standards, this is one such headphone or gear designed for discerning audiophiles like you in mind.


If you see a product marked with “🦈 Serious Audiophiles Only" we assure you that this device can match your depth of knowledge and expertise to take your passion for audio to the next level.
Connect With Cable

This device comes with multiple connectivity options. Be sure to check if your source and output support these input and output options.
Built like a Tank

No need to worry about durability.


If you're seeking a headphone or gear with a strong, rugged build, this snapshot indicates that this is the one for you.


If you see a product marked with “🪖 Built like a Tank", it means this product is crafted with metal in its design, ensuring exceptional robustness and durability.

Why it Sounds Amazing

DAC Chip

Know the secret to your pristine audio.


This headphone or gear reveals the secret sauce behind superior audio quality, highlighting the presence of a high-performance DAC chip for pristine sound reproduction.


If you see products marked as “⚙️ DAC Chip”, expect to experience your music with unparalleled clarity, detail, and fidelity, ensuring that every note and nuance is faithfully reproduced for your listening pleasure.
Balanced Output

Upgrading from single-ended to balanced can be the easiest way to improve your sound.


This DAC, Amp or Hi-Res player offers a balanced output, ensuring pristine audio quality with minimised interference and enhanced clarity for your listening pleasure.


If you see a product marked as "⚖️ Balanced Output”, get ready for a symphony of crystal-clear tunes, free from any unwanted noise drama!
Sampling Rate And Bit Depth

Ever wonder how those ones and zeros on your computer magically transform into the rich melodies that fill your room?


The secret lies in a tiny device called a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC). Think of it as a translator, taking the digital code of your music and meticulously sculpting it back into a smooth, analog wave that your speakers can understand. But just like a sculptor needs the right tools, achieving audio nirvana with a DAC depends on two key factors: sampling rate and bit depth.


Sampling Rate:

Imagine your favourite song as a complex rollercoaster track. The sampling rate refers to how often the DAC takes measurements of this digital track, measured in kHz (kilohertz) or thousands of times per second. A higher sampling rate, like 96 kHz, is like taking a ton of pictures of the track, capturing every twist and turn with incredible detail. Lower rates, like the standard 44.1 kHz used in CDs, are like taking snapshots at a theme park – fun, but you might miss some of the subtler details that make the ride truly exhilarating.


Bit Depth:

Now, think about the sculptor's tools. Bit depth refers to the precision of each measurement the DAC takes. Imagine the number of colours available to the sculptor. With higher bit depth (e.g., 24 bits compared to 16 bits), each measurement can capture a wider range of values. This allows the DAC to recreate subtler variations in the sound wave, resulting in richer and more nuanced audio. It's like having a broader colour palette for building a more detailed and lifelike sculpture of the sound.

INTRODUCING THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED HI-RES DAC, THE MAGNIFICENT GUSTARD A26

Gustard is a high-end HiFi audio manufacturer of desktop-grade audio products. They have provided several incredibly high-quality products, including desktop DACs, power amplifiers, headphone amplifiers, and other Hi-Fi equipment. Building on the lineage, Gustard is proud to introduce Gustard A26, a brand-new flagship Desktop DAC + Network Streamer & Renderer. The Gustard A26 promises to deliver flagship performance with rich tonality, exceptional clarity, and a wealth of details thanks to its high-quality components. It includes a dual DAC arrangement with the industry's best independent digital-analogue architecture and high-performance LPF and I/V circuits. Additionally, it offers Renderer and Streamer features with support for various applications and protocols. The Gustard A26 is here to blow your mind away with exceptional performance without any compromises!

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FEATURES HIGH-END DUAL AKM DAC CHIPS FOR AN EXHILARATING SONIC PERFORMANCE WITH MQA SUPPORT

Gustard has trusted AKM Technologies with their flagship AK4499EX DAC chips for the core of A26. The Gustard A26 features dual AK4499EX DAC chips to deliver rich tonality and excellent details. The engineers at Gustard have designed a balanced audio circuit consisting of dual AK4499EX DAC chips arranged independently for each channel. This design architecture with an independent power supply and grounding for each channel eliminates electromagnetic interference and delivers an ultra-pure signal for you to experience pure sound. An AK4191 modulator chip for analogue and digital circuits (independent) supports this design architecture. Gustard has featured XMOS’s XU216 16-core USB processor for unprecedented USB signal transmission. It enables high-resolution PCM, DSD audio signals supporting up to 32-Bit/768kHz PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) and Native DSD512 (Direct Stream Digital) audio signals. It also has full MQA rendering and features multiple digital filters for PCM and DSD signals.
MQA

NOTE:
1. To know more about MQA and how it improves or enhances the listening experience, refer to the FAQ section.
2. To know more about digital filters for PCM and DSD signals, refer to the FAQ section.

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A TRUE INDEPENDENT DESIGN FUSED WITH GUSTARD’S K2 ULTRA-LOW NOISE CLOCK SYNTHESISER AND FPGA TECH

The Gustard A26 is designed in and around independent regulators with various stages of bypass capacitors to avoid interference. It also hosts two specific toroidal transformers for audio applications, isolating the digital and analogue power supply. The Gustard A26 features one exclusively designed FPGA architecture (Field Programmable Gate Array), which includes Signal routing, Clock management, 2nd order PLL, DoP decoding and Depop for PCM & DSD (pop-and-click protection/suppression). The Gustard A26 houses an independent femtosecond crystal oscillator and Gustard’s in-house developed K2 ultra-low noise clock synthesiser. It works flawlessly with built-in and external clock interfaces with 10MHz clock input.

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DOUBLES-UP AS A STREAMER & RENDERER HOSTING AN ICONIC DESIGN WITH A TOUCH PANEL OLED SCREEN

Gustard A26 brings easy access to high-quality online music streaming with app support, including Room, UPnP, and HQPlayer NAA. The Gustard A26 is not just a high-end Desktop DAC; but also a Network Streamer and Renderer. Gustard has created a completely symmetrical design, placing its OLED screen display directly in the centre to get rid of physical buttons in favour of elegant touch panels. This DAC has a sharp appearance, and its approachable user interface ensures its viability in the future.

NOTE: Gustard is working to add more protocols and applications to the A26’s supported list.

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2 Year Warranty

Don't sweat it, this GUSTARD - A26 comes with a 2 Year warranty from GUSTARD that covers manufacturing defects. All products featured on Headphone Zone are backed by an original manufacturer's warranty.

Read more about GUSTARD's warranty in India.

Affordable Excellence in Audio: The Shenzhen Revelation

Headquartered in one of China's leading tech hubs – the city of Shenzhen – GUSTARD is a company with research and development at its core. Its goal is to provide music fans with high-performance audio products at affordable prices.

GUSTARD is one of those names that has had a strong pull in the audiophile world and are known for their desktop audio solutions, with a particular focus on headphones. Their line-up of products primarily includes headphone amplifiers, DACs, clocks, and recently integrated streaming devices.Gustard is one of the most secretive and mysterious audio equipment manufacturers out there. But GUSTARD sure knows what they are doing when it comes to digital audio. They are known for utilising high-quality components like toroidal transformers, embedding dual DAC chips in a dual-mono configuration and equipping a fully discrete class-A output stage in their gear.

Explore Collection
Soundnews

Gold Award

Soundnews.net
Jan, 2023

Soundnews

"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. "

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