Hi everyone 🤍
I’ve been using the Garlubidor Audio DIVINITY in my system for almost two months now, and I deliberately took my time with it before sitting down to write the review.
And my story with this unit turned out a bit different from most of the gear I review.
The DIVINITY first came to me as a temporary review sample, and the plan was to try it for long enough, write the review, and then send it back to the company.
After about three weeks,
I was the one who reached back out to Garlubidor and told them I wanted to buy the review unit itself and keep it.
So clearly I changed my mind pretty fast 🙂
The English version of the review is here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/1vzqbjm/garlubidor_audio_divinity_review_the_dac_that/
Why was I looking for a new DAC?
Before the DIVINITY,
my main DAC was the Gustard R26 first version,
and I really loved it.
Honestly, it was the best DAC I had tried at the time.
So I wasn’t trying to fix a problem or replace a unit I wasn’t happy with.
I was looking for something that could actually take my system a step higher.
And I had a pretty clear idea of what I was after:
a touch more warmth, a bigger soundstage, deeper bass with better control, higher resolution, and stronger technical performance overall.
At the same time, I didn’t want to gain these things at the expense of musicality or comfort over long listening sessions.
While searching, I came across the Garlubidor Audio DIVINITY in a YouTube review. I didn’t know much about Garlubidor back then,
but the unit caught my attention enough to look into it more.
Then I reached out to them.
Important :
Garlubidor sent me the DIVINITY as a returnable review sample.
After about three weeks,
I decided to buy the same unit and keep it, and I got a special reviewer discount at the time.
The company had no involvement at all in the content of the review.
They didn’t ask to see it before publishing, didn’t ask for a positive review, and didn’t ask me to change or remove any note.
All the opinions here represent my own experience and personal opinion only.
What is the DIVINITY?
The DIVINITY is a DAC with a fully balanced R-2R design.
With PCM files, it runs in NOS (Non-Oversampling) mode
with no Oversampling options or digital PCM filters for the user to switch between.
As for DSD,
it’s handled separately, and according to Garlubidor’s specs
the unit uses a 6-bit DSD architecture with a 32-stage FIR filter.
Each channel uses its own independent, high-speed CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device) chip to control the R-2R networks,
and each channel gets four sets of resistor networks with 0.005% precision.
The digital section uses FIFO buffering and reclocking with low phase noise clocks.
Power comes from two separate O-Core transformers,
one for the digital section and the other for the analog section,
with internal separation between the power section and the main board.
I won’t go too deep into the technical side here.
What matters most to me is:
how did all of this show up in the sound?
Design and build quality
The DIVINITY is one of those units where the moment you pick it up you can feel real effort went into the build.
The finish is clean, the front panel is solid, and all the controls give an excellent sense of quality.
The display and the volume knob also fit really well with the overall design of the unit.
And one of the things I really liked about it is its size:
330 × 332 × 107 mm
And its weight:
10.2 kg
The unit is heavy and gives you the feel of a proper high-end piece, but without being oversized.
My ATHENA 15th, for example, is clearly bigger on the rack,
while the DIVINITY is much easier to fit into the system without feeling small or visually light.
The volume knob is very smooth when turning and the quality is excellent.
If there’s one very small thing I wish was different, it’s having a light click feel when turning, like the one on the ATHENA. It doesn’t bother me, especially since I mostly use the remote, but it would have given the knob a nicer feel in use.
The display is clear and easy on the eyes, and I can read it easily from where I sit.
The menus are simple, and switching between inputs is quick.
The remote Garlubidor sent with the unit is excellent too.
It’s made of metal, has a nice weight and feels well built, and the response is quick and accurate.
Test system
From the start I deliberately didn’t hook the DIVINITY straight into my full system.
I wanted to understand its character more clearly first, so I started with a much simpler chain:
DIVINITY → Singxer SA-1 → HPI → ALLEN Ribbon
The main headphone during the review was the ALLEN Ribbon, and I used it with :
my own HPI (Headphone Power Interface),
which is a fully passive interface I designed and built myself using high-end parts.
And you can use it with any headphone + it has lots of uses .
I’ll share more details about it soon, God willing.
I also used the NAN7 as an extra reference,
but most of the listening and detailed comparisons were on the ALLEN.
After I got a clear idea of the DIVINITY’s sound in the simple chain, I moved it to my main system:
Lumin U2 Mini → AES → DENAFRIPS GAIA 15th → AES → DIVINITY → DENAFRIPS ATHENA 15th → HIFIMAN PRELUDE
And a little while ago I added the Burson Soloist 3XP between the DIVINITY and ATHENA
so I could make some small tweaks to the tone by swapping Op-Amps.
But that happened late in the review,
and all the core traits I talk about here were already clear to me from the simpler chain.
The full system took these traits to a higher level,
but it didn’t change my core impression of the DAC.
I used the XLR Balanced outputs throughout the review.
And I didn’t compare RCA because my whole system is Balanced,
so it had nothing to do with how I actually use the DIVINITY.
Sound signature
I’d describe the DIVINITY’s sound as neutral leaning warm.
It’s not dark, and I don’t feel the treble is recessed or rolled off.
The warmth here comes more from the fullness and density in the vocals and instruments,
with bass that has clear weight and extension.
At the same time, the upper frequencies stay open and clear.
This balance is one of the things I liked most about the DIVINITY.
It gives me the level of warmth I’m after without sacrificing clarity, speed or detail.
Bass
The bass was the first thing that grabbed my attention on the DIVINITY, and I still see it as one of its biggest strengths.
The Sub-bass digs clearly deep with excellent Rumble,
and the Mid-bass has strong Punch and a clear physical feel to each hit.
Control is excellent too.
Bass hits start fast and clean, and end without lingering longer than they should.
The Texture and Layering are on a high level .
You can follow bass lines easily,
and there’s enough space around each hit so the low frequencies don’t turn into one big mass filling the whole picture.
The result is an excellent mix of :
depth, Punch, control, layers and space
and both the ALLEN Ribbon and NAN7 clearly benefited from this.
In general, the bass is one of the DIVINITY’s strongest sides for me.
The mids
The mids are generally neutral with a slight lean toward warmth.
Voices have clear fullness and weight, and generally come out denser without getting heavy or slow.
The fine details in the tone of voices and instruments are clear too,
especially with guitar and piano, and both sound very natural to me on the DIVINITY.
One of the things I noticed over time is that I started spending longer just listening to music instead of sitting there testing the unit and hunting for small details.
Simply put,
I find myself playing track after track without feeling like I’m in an analysis session.
And to me that matters a lot more than a unit that wows me at first,
then gets tiring to listen to after a while.
The Phase+ and Phase− feature
I took some time switching between the Phase+ and Phase− modes to see how big the difference between them is in my system.
With Phase− I feel the vocals step back slightly compared to Phase+,
and that suits my taste more.
The difference isn’t equally clear on every recording.
On some tracks I can hear it easily, and on others it’s so subtle I barely notice it.
In the end I settled on Phase− because the way it presents vocals is closer to my preference.
Treble
The treble on the DIVINITY is smooth and slightly relaxed,
but it stays open and extends really well.
There’s a good sense of air, and Cymbals come through clear and detailed without getting sharp or harsh.
And more importantly, the smoothness here doesn’t come at the cost of detail.
The high frequencies stay rich in information,
but without the rough edges that can make some units tiring over long listening.
I’m already sensitive to treble, and even so, even with the ALLEN Ribbon I didn’t get any listening fatigue with the DIVINITY, even in long sessions.
And the most important part:
the details didn’t disappear.
On the contrary, the details got clearer.
But their edges are cleaner and less rough on the ear.
And that’s a very important point for me because I’m sensitive to treble.
And during long sessions:
I felt no listening fatigue at all.
Resolution and detail retrieval
Resolution was probably the second thing that caught my attention after the bass.
The DIVINITY pulls out a lot of detail,
but the way it presents it is very natural. I don’t feel anything is pushed forward or artificially highlighted just to make you feel the unit is full of detail.
Some units give you a sense of high resolution because they lean analytical, sharp or dry,
but the DIVINITY doesn’t give me that feeling.
It reveals a lot,
but without getting harsh or tiring to listen to.
A bad recording stays a bad recording,
but the unit doesn’t automatically turn it into something annoying.
And this was clearest with the ALLEN Ribbon, because it shows small differences and fine details more easily in my system.
Background blackness
One of the things I noticed early on with the DIVINITY is that the background is clearly quiet and clean.
And this was there even with the simpler chain:
DIVINITY → Singxer SA-1
before I brought the ATHENA into the system.
Adding the ATHENA raised the level further,
but the DIVINITY on its own was giving a very clean background,
and that makes quiet details and elements inside the recording come through clearer and easier to notice.
Soundstage
The DIVINITY gives a wide soundstage, with good extension in width, depth and height.
The picture is open, and it gives instruments and vocals enough room to breathe without feeling like the stage is artificially stretched.
And the nice thing is that it’s balanced in its dimensions, meaning it doesn’t focus on width for example at the expense of depth or height, and the depth in particular is really special .
Imaging and the three-dimensional feel
Imaging on the DIVINITY is precise and easy to follow.
The positions of instruments and vocals are clear, and front-to-back layering comes through really well.
The center image,
especially the singer’s voice, is stable and its size within the stage is clear and convincing.
Instruments also have a sense of size and body,
instead of coming out like mere points of sound inside the stage.
Precise imaging combined with the layering and the size of the elements gives a very convincing 3D feel.
And when I moved the DIVINITY into my full system,
the 3D feel was one of the things that got the clearest boost along with the rest of the gear.
Dynamics
Dynamics on the DIVINITY are excellent, especially with the ALLEN Ribbon.
Big dynamic swings come through clearly,
drums hit with life and real punch, and even small differences in playing intensity are easy to follow.
Note attack is fast, clean and direct, but the sound doesn’t get dry.
After the attack, notes decay naturally, and the room echo stays clear and easy to hear.
And this balance is one of the things that make the DIVINITY so enjoyable for me:
its sound is warm and smooth, but at the same time very fast and dynamic.
Musical or technical?
I see the DIVINITY leaning more toward the musical side than the analytical, but without sacrificing technical performance.
Resolution, stage, imaging and detail are all there at a strong level,
but none of them forces itself on you at the expense of the music.
It gives me the technical performance I’m looking for,
without feeling like the presentation has turned into a tech show-off.
And the thing that made me appreciate it more over time is how it combines warmth, resolution and dynamics
without me feeling like one of them came at the expense of another.
And the longer I used it, the more I liked it.
Listening at low volume
I don’t usually listen loud to begin with.
Most of my listening is at a comfortable level,
and one of the things I liked about the DIVINITY is that I don’t need to turn it up to get full bass, good dynamics, clear detail and a proper sense of fullness.
Even when I go below my usual listening level, the sound stays alive and doesn’t lose its presence easily.
And that’s something I really appreciate, especially in long listening sessions.
Using the DIVINITY directly with the amp
The DIVINITY has built-in volume control, so you can connect it directly to the amp without a separate preamp.
I tried it this way with both the Singxer SA-1 and the HIFIMAN PRELUDE,
and the result was really excellent.
If I didn’t have a separate preamp in the first place, I’d have no problem at all using the DIVINITY directly.
And during the time I used the internal volume control, I didn’t notice any clear loss in resolution, dynamics or fullness when lowering the volume.
But I didn’t use it this way long enough to give a detailed verdict on how the volume control itself performs, and what I can say is that the result was so good I didn’t feel a separate preamp was necessary.
When I added the ATHENA between the DIVINITY and PRELUDE, the system took an extra step in several areas:
Background blackness
3D feel
Fullness and weight
Dynamics
Soundstage
The difference was clear,
but if I were building the system from scratch, I wouldn’t buy the ATHENA just for the improvement it adds over using the DIVINITY directly.
The DIVINITY on its own is very capable in this kind of use.
Does it benefit from a better Streamer and DDC?
Yes, and I set aside time to test this point separately.
I started first with:
Mac → USB → DIVINITY
Then:
Mac → USB → GAIA → AES → DIVINITY
Adding the GAIA gave the clearest improvements in background blackness, dynamics and resolution.
Then I compared:
Mac → USB → GAIA → AES → DIVINITY
And:
Lumin U2 Mini → AES → GAIA → AES → DIVINITY
And with the Lumin, the biggest differences I noticed were in the soundstage, the 3D feel and dynamics.
So, the DIVINITY benefits from a strong digital source,
but I don’t see a high-end Streamer or DDC as a must for it to sound excellent.
I already own the Lumin and GAIA,
so it was natural to test how far the unit could go with them in the chain.
They raise the performance ceiling,
but the DIVINITY was excellent to begin with, even on the simpler chain.
The first days of use and Warm-up
When I first turned on the DIVINITY, the sound felt a bit tight.
I left it running continuously with a signal for about three days,
and during that time I felt the sound got calmer and more relaxed.
That was my experience with my unit specifically.
And from a cold start, I also noticed it needs about 15 minutes to reach its normal performance in my setup.
As for heat, it was never an issue.
The unit gets warm during use, but at a very normal level.
Daily use and stability
After almost two months of use, I haven’t run into a single operational problem with the DIVINITY.
I had no audio dropouts
no signal lock problems
no issues with USB or AES
no freezing
no problems with the remote
and I never had to restart the unit because of a software glitch
And that’s exactly the kind of stability I want from a unit at this level.
A unit can be excellent sound-wise, but if it throws a new problem at me every day I’ll lose my patience with it fast.
So far, the DIVINITY simply works without any problems.
The DIVINITY vs Gustard R26
This was the comparison I spent the longest time on during the review.
For the direct comparison I used the following chain:
Lumin U2 Mini → AES → GAIA 15th → AES → DAC → Singxer SA-1 → HPI → ALLEN Ribbon
Everything else in the chain stayed the same.
I used the exact same cables with both units, each one was set to Fixed / 0 dB, and the Singxer stayed at the same Gain level.
And since the output level of the two units isn’t exactly the same,
I’d make a small volume adjustment on the Singxer to get them as close as possible by ear.
The R26 settings were:
NOS: Enabled
Phase: Non-Inverted
While the DIVINITY was on:
Phase+
I settled on Phase− later, after I finished the main comparisons between the two units.
I repeated the comparison later after putting the ATHENA and PRELUDE back in the chain, and the same core differences were clear.
The bass was probably the easiest difference to hear between them.
The DIVINITY goes deeper in the Sub-bass and gives me more Rumble,
and the Mid-bass hits harder. But the biggest difference for me was in the quality of the bass itself.
Control is better, the layers are clearer, the Texture is higher, and there’s more space around each hit.
The R26 already has excellent bass, but the DIVINITY separates the bass details and layers more clearly, and lets me follow what’s going on in the low frequencies more easily.
Resolution is also clearly higher on the DIVINITY.
Small details are easier to notice, but without being pushed forward or artificially highlighted.
And this was very clear with the ALLEN Ribbon, especially in the quiet details inside the recording.
The background is also quieter and cleaner on the DIVINITY, and that gives the elements in the recording clearer space around them.
The treble is slightly smoother and less prominent than on the R26, and that’s closer to my taste.
And the nice thing is I never felt this smoothness came at the expense of extension or detail.
On the contrary,
I feel the DIVINITY gives me a bit more Air, and at the same time it’s less likely to get sharp.
There’s a recording I kept going back to,
and a certain part of it could get a bit bright and sharp with the ALLEN Ribbon on the R26.
With the DIVINITY, the same part got clearly smoother, and the details are still there.
The soundstage is also bigger, in width, depth and height.
Each of these differences on its own isn’t huge,
especially since the R26 is already excellent in this area.
But when you add up the extra space, the better separation and the stronger sense of depth, the difference starts to get clearer.
Imaging is also better on the DIVINITY.
Positions are easier to follow, front-to-back layering is clearer, and the center image is more stable.
Instruments and vocals also got a clearer sense of size within the stage,
and that gives the DIVINITY a more convincing 3D feel.
As for dynamics, that was one of the biggest differences for me.
The DIVINITY hits harder, and responds faster to changes in energy, whether those changes are big or small.
This was especially clear with the ALLEN Ribbon.
And at the same time, the sound doesn’t get dry or overly aggressive.
Note attack is fast and clean, but the decay stays natural.
And tone-wise, the DIVINITY is also much closer to what I was looking for.
It gives vocals and instruments a bit more fullness and density,
and the sound overall is warmer without getting dark .
Compared to the R26, I got the warmth I was looking for,
and at the same time got higher resolution, stronger dynamics and better technical performance.
After nearly two months with both units,
I couldn’t find a single area where I personally prefer the R26 over the DIVINITY.
The DIVINITY gave me:
Better bass
Higher resolution
Stronger dynamics
A quieter, cleaner background
A bigger soundstage
More precise imaging and a stronger 3D feel
Smoother treble without losing detail
More fullness and a tone closer to my taste
And that doesn’t mean at all that the R26 is a bad unit, quite the opposite.
The R26 was my best DAC before the DIVINITY,
and that’s exactly what makes this comparison important to me.
I wasn’t upgrading from a unit I wasn’t happy with, I was upgrading from a DAC I already loved.
But the DIVINITY took a lot of things to a higher level,
to the point that after I finished the comparison I had zero desire to go back to the R26.
The LAiV Harmony
My time with the Harmony wasn’t a direct comparison with the DIVINITY,
so this part is based on my memory and the comparisons I did back then.
I compared the R26 directly with the Harmony, and back then I preferred the R26 mainly because of the soundstage and the vocal placement.
And after comparing the R26 directly with the DIVINITY, where the DIVINITY was clearly ahead for me, my personal ranking right now is:
DIVINITY
R26
Harmony
I still see the Harmony as an excellent DAC, and in several areas it was close to the R26.
But the thing that caught my attention most during my time with it is how much it depends on the level of the rest of the chain.
From my experience, the Harmony needs a very strong system around it and high-end cables to start showing what it can really do.
When I connected it more directly to the amp,
the result was very far from its real level.
And if I had to put a number on it, I feel back then I was hearing less than 40% of the level I reached later when I put it in a much stronger chain.
And in a simple system like that, honestly I think a good DAC around 500 dollars could beat it.
But put it in a proper high-end chain, and its performance changes a whole lot.
Its heavy dependence on the rest of the chain was the biggest thing I took away from my time with the Harmony.
Price and value
The official price of the DIVINITY at the time of writing is 1,849 dollars before tax.
And at this price, I think it offers really excellent value.
Even if I hadn’t gotten the reviewer discount, after almost two months of use, I would have bought it at full price without hesitation.
And honestly, based on the level I reached with it, even if its price were closer to 2,500 dollars I’d still see it as worth it.
The original price of the R26 was about 1,650 dollars,
so the difference between them is around just 200 dollars.
And for the differences I heard between the two units,
those 200 dollars are easily worth it to me.
This isn’t one of those upgrades where you pay a lot more for a tiny difference you barely notice.
Who would I recommend it to?
Out of the DACs I’ve tried in this price range,
the DIVINITY is currently the first unit I recommend.
I also see it as a very easy choice for anyone who has the R26 and is looking for a real, clear upgrade.
Of course, the unit’s sound character has to be close to your taste.
I see it suiting people who like:
A neutral sound leaning warm
Deep, controlled bass
High resolution without being overly analytical
Smooth but open treble
Natural fullness in vocals and instruments
Strong dynamics
A musical sound with strong technical performance
If these traits are close to what you’re looking for,
the DIVINITY deserves to be on your shortlist.
Who wouldn’t I recommend it to ?
If you’re looking for a bright or analytical-leaning sound,
the DIVINITY probably isn’t the first option I’d recommend.
Same thing if you prefer total neutrality with no lean toward warmth.
Also if you like vocals clearly forward all the time,
you might find options that suit your taste better.
I personally prefer the DIVINITY in Phase− mode,
because it gives me a calmer vocal position, a little further back in the stage, and that’s closer to my taste.
Weaknesses
After two months of use,
honestly I didn’t find a real flaw I could put in the cons section.
But there are a few small points I would tweak if I were tuning the sound completely to my taste and my headphones.
With the ALLEN Ribbon,
I might add a bit more warmth and adjust the vocal position slightly.
And with the NAN7,
I’d prefer a little more bass quantity.
But to me these are personal tone preferences more than flaws in the DAC.
And with my current system,
I can already adjust most of them by swapping the Op-Amps in the Soloist.
Things you should know before buying
There are a few practical points I think are important to know before buying.
The GRC-2 remote is optional.
Garlubidor sent it with my review unit,
and I like it .
And if you plan to use the DIVINITY directly with the amp and control the volume from the DAC,
factor the cost of the remote into your budget.
Also, the unit doesn’t come with a power cable.
For me that’s not a problem because I make my own cables,
and even if one was included I probably wouldn’t use it,
but it’s still something important to know before buying.
The official warranty is 12 months.
This point doesn’t bother me personally,
but I understand if some buyers see a year as a bit short for a unit at this price.
And finally, it’s best to make sure you buy from an authorized source,
because Garlubidor says units bought from unauthorized sellers may not be covered by the official warranty.
Do I recommend it?
Yes, with full confidence.
Out of the DACs I’ve tried around this price range,
the DIVINITY is currently the first unit I recommend,
as long as its neutral, warm-leaning sound character suits your taste.
The bottom line
The DIVINITY came to me as a review unit I was supposed to try and then send back.
After about three weeks, I bought it.
And I think that point alone sums up a big part of my opinion of it.
And if I had to pick the three things I liked most about it:
– The bass :
depth, control, layers, Texture, Punch and space.
– The level of warmth
very close to the amount of warmth I’m looking for, without sacrificing clarity, speed or resolution.
– The way it brings out detail
the unit pulls out a huge amount of information,
but without making you feel the details are pushed forward or forced on you.
What surprised me most was how big an improvement I could hear, even though I was already happy with the R26.
The DIVINITY gave me :
better bass, higher resolution, stronger dynamics, a wider stage, more precise imaging, and a tone closer to my taste.
And more importantly, how much I liked it wasn’t just first-days excitement.
The longer I used it, the more I liked it.
I’ve now reached a point where I don’t feel I need to look for another DAC.
That doesn’t mean I think the DIVINITY is the best DAC in the world,
and it doesn’t mean it’ll suit everyone.
But for my system, my headphones, and the kind of sound I’m after:
I think my search for a DAC ends here.
Regards ..
Naif
IEM WORLD
Official sources
- Garlubidor Audio DIVINITY:
https://www.garlubidor.com/divinity-dac-details-page - DIVINITY specs:
https://www.garlubidor.com/blank-3-1 - Dealers and warranty:
https://www.garlubidor.com/dealers
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