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Gustard X16 Balanced MQA DAC Review

Dennis_FL

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Where is the Gustard X16 firmware upgrade? I can't find it on gustard.cn . Any special instructions?
There are two upgrades.

The USB upgrade is here and the X16 firmware is here (requires disassembly and use of a programmer). If you bought your X16 after last summer, it is probably already updated. See this post to find your firmware version
 

A Surfer

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There are two upgrades.

The USB upgrade is here and the X16 firmware is here (requires disassembly and use of a programmer). If you bought your X16 after last summer, it is probably already updated. See this post to find your firmware version
Sorry to ask rather than read back in the thread. What issue does the firmware update address? Thanks in advance.
 

Dennis_FL

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Files are not available any more :(

First Gustard`s firmware had issue with DSF files: background noise was appearing in all quite parts of music like fadeouts.
Here's the USB update from Gustard's web site
 
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Hi, Sorry if this is a dumb question, but can't find an answer in the manual... does the x16 output on RCA and XLR at the same time or can you manually switch between the two? I'm thinking of getting a H16 to go with my X16 and thought I'd output from the x16 via RCA to my integrated amp (for speakers) and via XLR to the H16 (for headphones). That way I can use the X16 with amp/speakers without having to turn on the H16. Would that work?
 

Dennis_FL

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Hi, Sorry if this is a dumb question, but can't find an answer in the manual... does the x16 output on RCA and XLR at the same time or can you manually switch between the two? I'm thinking of getting a H16 to go with my X16 and thought I'd output from the x16 via RCA to my integrated amp (for speakers) and via XLR to the H16 (for headphones). That way I can use the X16 with amp/speakers without having to turn on the H16. Would that work?
I have a headphone amp on the RCAs and the main amp on the XLRs
 

Dennis_FL

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Dennis_FL

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Thanks for the reply. That's good to hear. Is there a way to switch between the outputs on the x16 or are both outputs active all the item?
They are active always...and it causes issues for me. For example, if I want to use my headphone amp (using RCA unbalanced), I need to first shut off my main amp (connected via XLR balanced) otherwise I will be inadvertently play music from the main speakers.

Then I need to turn the volume on the Gustard to 100% in order to use the volume control on the headphone amp. There is no fixed volume option on the Gustard.

Going back to speaker mode I have to reverse the above (turn volume down and turn on the amp).
 

Dennis_FL

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If it is showing the "MQA." logo on the DAC then it is doing the full decoding/rendering. If Tidal was doing the first unfold, then the Screen would show "OFS" instead. I tested this out with Roon. If I let Roon do the first unfold and X16 only render, even with DSP turned off, it would show OFS instead of MQA. It only shows MQA when I have it set in Roon to Decode and Render on the X16.
Mine shows PCM......with a DigiOne to Coax as input (see pics).

It shows MQA when I use USB.
 

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Dennis_FL

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MQA 44.1K, that is, the original sampling rate is 44.1K. In other words, the sampling rate of the file before it is compressed into MQA is PCM 44.1K. MQA has multiple sampling rates, which are determined by the sampling rate of the file before compression.
When I play Tidal MQA from Roon through USB it works fine, but if I do the same thing but use coax input the Gustard now shows PCM and not MQA. In both cases I tell Roon the DAC is MQA capable.
 

Dennis_FL

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X16 decodes MQA through USB input only.
That's what I suspected. However, this is in the manual

  • USB supports MQA full expansion decoding. COAX/AES/OPT/IIS supports MQA hardware rendering. Automatically recognize and render the MQA digital stream after the first level is expanded
Update: I had asked Gustard support and got the following answer:

Yes, coax aes opt MQA is supported.

But only the renderer, which means you need an external device, or software, to do the core decoding of MQA.
After the first level of MQA is expanded at the front end, the complete decoding of MQA can be completed after it is sent to x16 。

Our branded full-interface machines that support complete MQA decoding currently is x18 R26 and A26

best regards
 
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Hi all, does anyone know whether either of the two iis output modes on the SMSL PO100 Pro would work with the Gustard x16’s iis input? I’ve looked at the iis diagrams for both products and am a bit confused! I’m looking to free up the x16 usb input currently used by my pc so I can plug a raspberry pi to the x16 via usb. Any info gratefully received.

Updated: I mislabelled iis initially above!
 
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Dennis_FL

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Hi all, does anyone know whether either of the two i2i output modes on the SMSL PO100 Pro would work with the Gustard x16’s i2i input? I’ve looked at the i2i diagrams for both products and am a bit confused! I’m looking to free up the x16 usb input currently used by my pc so I can plug a raspberry pi to the x16 via usb. Any info gratefully received.
Yes it does. I did exactly what you did. I had the PO 100 (not the Pro)

I have Ropiee on the Pi and I used one of my USB outputs to the Gustard USB in and I used the SMSL to the Coax digital.

Unfortuately mine died and they discontinued the PO 100. But the pro is the same if you are not using the DAC.

I ended up with an Allo Digione instead.
 
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Yes it does. I did exactly what you did. I had the PO 100 (not the Pro)

I have Ropiee on the Pi and I used one of my USB outputs to the Gustard USB in and I used the SMSL to the Coax digital.

Unfortuately mine died and they discontinued the PO 100. But the pro is the same if you are not using the DAC.

I ended up with an Allo Digione instead.
Thanks. I’ve updated my post above, I wrongly called iis i2i initially. Not sure where that came from! Do you know whether the iis connection would work between the PO100 Pro and the x16? I don’t have a spare coax / optical input on the x16 so want to try using the iis to free up the usb input on the x16.
 
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