Gustard X16 Balanced MQA DAC Review

[curiouspeter]

Why people talks so much about mqa?

If you trully likes/loves music, you should NEVER use it in first place.

All mqa managed to do was to killing music.

I love audio systems more than music.

You hate MQA now? Wait until somebody manages to combine it with NFT.

 

[Dannemand]

I’m getting some USB glitches with TIDAL streaming using a Raspberry Pi 4 & Volumio, wired directly to an Internet router. In every 10 music’s, one is interrupted for 1 second or less, some just jump to the next track.

This is more notorious using Pi USB 2.0 outputs. After changed to the USB 3.0 outputs there is a clear improvement.

Anyone having the same issues?

I spent much time troubleshooting audio glitches when streaming Tidal from my phones (two different Androids plus my wife's) through Volumio/moOde on RPi 4B to my USB DAC (Gustard A18). Playback would stop or not advance to the next track. Particularly when Gapless was enabled.

I am convinced it isn't USB, since I can play from local USB drive or NAS all day with no problems. Rather it is caused by using UPnP control points, which require the audio stream to pass through my phone -- which falls asleep or gets interrupted all the time. mConnect is particularly sensitive to this. Quality of the WiFi is key.

BubbleUPnP supports the OpenHome protocol which offloads the entire playlist to the RPi. You can turn of the phone, and it will keep playing. Once I began using that with moOde, I haven't had any glitches. But again, it only supports the 16/44 tier (which DOES include 16/44 MQAs).

I use USB2 for my DAC, USB3 for my music library (USB flash drive). They are on two different busses in the RPi 4B.

 

[Dannemand]

OK, I agree with your statement about MoOde and MQA.
But, X16 is capable to play MQA files directly. MoOde on RPI4 is only bit perfect transport between my NAS and x16.
The test files are from L2 free database.

Yes, yes: I just want to pass MQA through the RPi4, not for it to decode it. The moOde dev responds to all MQA related questions saying it will never be supported -- mostly because it isn't open source. But he seems to overlook (or ignore) the fact that moOde doesn't HAVE to support it, just pass it through. As long as you don't use resampling, software volume control or DSP, it WILL pass it through bit-perfect.

This obviously applies to MQA files played locally (like the 2L ones) but it ALSO applies to streaming through UPnP, as mentioned in my posts above.

UPnP Config in moOde allows you to enter Tidal username and password, but unfortunately that doesn't work. According to the documentation for the UPnP module (upmpdcli) this stopped working when Tidal changed their API.

Edit: And some general points:

1) I agree this belongs in a different thread, since it would apply to any USB DAC, not just X16.

2) I am neither a lover or hater of MQA. I understand it pretty well, enough to appreciate its benefits. But I also understand the concerns it raises. I wish we lived in a world where labels would just give us their HiRes PCM or DSD crown jewels, but that is not this world. I have little respect for the blind hate from people who barely understand MQA and haven't listened to it much. In any case does that debate NOT belong in this thread -- just as it doesn't belong in all the other threads where someone drops the word MQA. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

 

[JSmith]

This is not a problem that can be solved by updating the remote control, because the machine is not designed for soft shutdown. A soft shutdown is not a true shutdown. If the machine is not turned off, the circuit board will always be in working condition, which will affect the service life of the machine. This is why the soft shutdown is not designed.

So this unit can't be turned on or off via the remote... the unit is just on all the time unless the user turns it off at the back? Is this common to other DAC's in this price range?



JSmith

 

[Dannemand]

So this unit can't be turned on or off via the remote... the unit is just on all the time unless the user turns it off at the back? Is this common to other DAC's in this price range?

I am guessing it is not a matter of price, but a principle of Gustard's: To avoid relays that could affect a clean power feed. I am not arguing whether that is reasonable, I just think that's their reasoning. It' a bit old school. My Bryston power amp doesn't even have a power switch at all.

I wouldn't leave the DAC on all the time (nor the amp). I turn them both off for the night using a power strip, to avoid drying out the caps and preserve their life span.

 

[JSmith]

It' a bit old school.

It sure is... bit of a deal breaker for me unfortunately. Was about to pull the trigger on an X16... now looking at SMSL SU-9 again, which is a shame as it seems Gustard may have better build quality, but function tends to trump that in many ways. Since many DAC's don't have a 12V trigger, I was planning on an @boXem | audio amp as it has auto on/off based on received signal... if I get the X16 then that seems to defeat the purpose.



JSmith

 

[Dannemand]

It sure is... bit of a deal breaker for me unfortunately. Was about to pull the trigger on an X16... now looking at SMSL SU-9 again, which is a shame as it seems Gustard may have better build quality, but function tends to trump that in many ways. Since many DAC's don't have a 12V trigger, I was planning on an @boXem | audio amp as it has auto on/off based on received signal... if I get the X16 then that seems to defeat the purpose.

Yes, that would be nice if Gustard had a 12V trigger. My amp doesn't have it either, although some versions of it do. Bryston would probably add it if I asked them. I still have 16 years of warranty on it and expect to send it in for checkup in a few years. But no matter when the DAC doesn't have it -- and doesn't have a remote standby either.

 

[curiouspeter]

Even if I leave it on all the time I'm sure it will last years.

 

[JSmith]

Even if I leave it on all the time I'm sure it will last years.

True... but then what kind of product these days can't be switched on/off via remote or at least on the front of the unit?

This is going to sit in a specific spot on my rack and will be very awkward to have to reach behind to turn the unit off all the time. Not sure I'd be comfortable leaving it completely powered all the time.



JSmith

 

[curiouspeter]

True... but then what kind of product these days can't be switched on/off via remote or at least on the front of the unit?

This is going to sit in a specific spot on my rack and will be very awkward to have to reach behind to turn the unit off all the time. Not sure I'd be comfortable leaving it completely powered all the time.



JSmith

None of our Sonos Amps and speakers have a switch anywhere. They just expect us to leave them on.

The Sonos Amp feels warmer than the Gustard when idle.

 

[JSmith]

None of our Sonos Amps and speakers have a switch anywhere.

Fair call... however the SMSL SU-9 is a similar price, has remote on/off, measures just as well, has more filters and preset colouration modes. May have some software quirks though and build quality may not be as good... choices, choices.



JSmith

 

[curiouspeter]

Fair call... however the SMSL SU-9 is a similar price, has remote on/off, measures just as well, has more filters and preset colouration modes. May have some software quirks though and build quality may not be as good... choices, choices.



JSmith

True.

My Teac AX-505 is really good in this department. The main toggle switch is in front. On top of that, it has auto stand by after 30 minutes. The remote can also be used to wake/sleep the amp.

 

[curiouspeter]

That's what I am thinking too. But most of the current DACs (at least the Chi-Fi measuremaster DACs) only have a single USB input, so that can be a bottleneck. As @navin mentioned.

I have not seen a DAC with two or more USB type B connectors yet. Some have a few USB type A (host) sockets but they cannot be used as streaming inputs.

 

[JSmith]

Chi-Fi

Please... don't;

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/lets-avoid-the-term-chi-fi.18243/



JSmith

 

[curiouspeter]

Please... don't;

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/lets-avoid-the-term-chi-fi.18243/



JSmith

It is important to note that China has quite a few high-end audio brands. Think Lumin and Auralic.

 

[Frio]

SMSL SU-9 is a similar price,

Was thinking about that too until I learned that the display is always on.

It is important to note that China has quite a few high-end audio brands. Think Lumin and Auralic.

Also it could be impossible to get an electronic product without china parts.

 

[JSmith]

Was thinking about that too until I learned that the display is always on.

Shit, I think I did read that too... ffs isn't there one under $800 that operates like a normal device, as in standby or remote on/off and a timer to dim or switch off the display?

Is it very bright?

Anyway, I think that is less of a deal-breaker for me than a power switch on the back only.



JSmith

 

[Frio]

Shit, I think I did read that too... ffs isn't there one under $800 that operates like a normal device, as in standby or remote on/off and a timer to dim or switch off the display?

Had the same issue but I understand what they are doing here: stand by sucks, some device emulate a stand by and still draw the same power as under load. I solved the issue with a good master/slave power strip

 

[curiouspeter]

Was thinking about that too until I learned that the display is always on.



Also it could be impossible to get an electronic product without china parts.

Everything is made in China anyway. That's why I decided to buy from a Chinese brand and get a better deal.

 

[JSmith]

I solved the issue with a good master/slave power strip

Yeah how did ya do that if both the DAC and power amp can't turn themselves on/off or standby?

Say I have a DAC and poweramp (with auto sensing signal on/off)... what device would I use to have in the "always on" socket? Without standby whatever is in that socket will just remain on... if I had the auto on/off amp in this socket, when it auto-off's this will trigger the DAC to power down via the powerstrip. Then nothing is going to trigger the DAC to come back on to in turn trigger the amp... not the best loop to create.

Any product that emulates standby is completely stupid... are you saying some DAC units do this and if so which ones?

@all I read in another thread (can't find it now) that some DAC's on the top of the chart of DAC's here measure much worse than measured when actually connected to a chain of devices... any truth in this?



JSmith