Gustard X16 Balanced MQA DAC Review

[JohnM-73]

What about something like this?

https://www.apc.com/shop/uk/en/products/Line-R-1200VA-Automatic-Voltage-Regulator/P-LE1200I

Cheers for the link, but trying to avoid extra boxes.

 

[rfun]

This is from the manual, guys, how are your settings especially the pcm filter and NOS mode?

I use the same settings for these, L-fast and NOS off.

 

[dan kolov]

View attachment 114770

what source do you use for dsd?

 

[joseG86]

what source do you use for dsd?

You can try with this free DSD sample https://drive.google.com/file/d/10fZrfaN81jQYBIMU96ialjNjnHcjJlAo/view?usp=sharing

 

[dan kolov]

You can try with this free DSD sample https://drive.google.com/file/d/10fZrfaN81jQYBIMU96ialjNjnHcjJlAo/view?usp=sharing

Do you play dsd512 from a computer and with which player? If you are on window 10.

 

[joseG86]

Do you play dsd512 from a computer and with which player? If you are on window 10.

Foobar2000 from Windows 10, if you have problems playing DSD let me know @ PM

 

[Veri]

Do you play dsd512 from a computer and with which player? If you are on window 10.

This is a great guide for DSD:
https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.co...-part-3-new-experimental-sacd-plugin-v-0-9-x/
part of https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/digital/pc-software/foobar-2000-for-dummies/

 

[iann]

View attachment 114773

This is from the manual, guys, how are your settings especially the pcm filter and NOS mode?

I had to change to these at first switch on as they weren't the default.

 

[Magnifico]

Impressive. My worry about Gustard is product support. Last time I checked, they didn’t have a website and were only sold through eBay. I guess they are sold some other places now but I’d still like to know a little more about the company.

I don´t know why Google doesn´t find it....or show

http://www.gustard.cn/?post_type=products&page_id=8938


I would NEVER EVER buy a product from a company without a website.

 

[curiouspeter]

I always use it for the NOS mode but never adjust volume from DAC

I'm sure volume adjustment is fine too. It's a 32-bit DAC so it can lose at least 8 bits and still have 24. Even better if the volume control uses more bits.

I use volume leveling in Roon but it uses 64-bit floats and dithers back down to 32-bit.

 

[dan kolov]

JRIVER and DSD 512 on my Gustard X16.

 

[whazzup]

This is a bit concerning. Does it mean the X16 is sensitive to USB? Perhaps we need USB purifiers, audiophile cables and $5000 streamers after all...

In hours of testing, my signal chain stuttered twice, each for about 1 second. I have not started to trace down the issue. It could be Wi-Fi as my home is flooded with em waves, though this has not happened before.

Im just testing this more thouroughly and it also happens with my old mouse. Although less often. But yes, at least for me USB seems to be super sensitive. Display is also changing between MQA and PCM when it stutters. (could be a problem with Tidal or MQA too. but at the moment it doesnt work right.)

With my current old dodgy PC (i5 2400, can't remember the motherboard), I will only get stutter free audio with the 'native' usb ports (the ones closer to the corner, the ones higher up if your PC is upright). I believe the additional ones in the middle uses a different 3rd party chipset, so perhaps has a higher latency or something. I see this with all my usb audio devices (Topping D10, Xonar U7, Creative SXFi). When I use the 3rd party chipset ports, I'll see stuttering that goes on and off, more likely to occur when there are higher levels of system processes working.

 

[curiouspeter]

With my current old dodgy PC (i5 2400, can't remember the motherboard), I will only get stutter free audio with the 'native' usb ports (the ones closer to the corner, the ones higher up if your PC is upright). I believe the additional ones in the middle uses a different 3rd party chipset, so perhaps has a higher latency or something. I see this with all my usb audio devices (Topping D10, Xonar U7, Creative SXFi). When I use the 3rd party chipset ports, I'll see stuttering that goes on and off, more likely to occur when there are higher levels of system processes working.

I am going to try the USB 2.0 ports on my RPi 4.

It's hard to reproduce, let along isolate, the stuttering issue. Around the same time, I got the X16 and upgraded Roon to 1.8. Wi-Fi issues are also hard to control.

If I hear more stuttering I will swap it with my other DAC and do more testing.

 

[dmac6419]

I am going to try the USB 2.0 ports on my RPi 4.

It's hard to reproduce, let along isolate, the stuttering issue. Around the same time, I got the X16 and upgraded Roon to 1.8. Wi-Fi issues are also hard to control.

If I hear more stuttering I will swap it with my other DAC and do more testing.

I just remembered how I fixed the stuttering, I don't let the PC go to sleep and that solved it for me.

 

[curiouspeter]

I just remembered how I fixed the stuttering, I don't let the PC go to sleep and that solved it for me.

I'm using a Pi that doesn't go to sleep though.

Also, I'm quite doubtful it's caused by the X16. Perhaps USB 3.0 or WiFi related. I'd hate to hate to run ethernet cables.

 

[ninetylol]

I get a lot, and I mean a lot of ISCs on my computer when moving the mouse. This is all caused by wdf01000.sys so the windows driver framework. So i guess theres some driver issue or usb Controller failure there. I tried it all and could not get the problem to get away.

Tldr Im pretty sure stuttering is not the X16 fault but my system.

 

[dan kolov]

These are my computer settings. But if you don't understand from Windows 10,( please don't do that). These settings work for me without stuttering.I only get stuttering when the buffering is low samples. If I get stuttering, I set the buffering to a higher samples. Sorry for my English.

 

[cbayschm]

I am going to try the USB 2.0 ports on my RPi 4.

It's hard to reproduce, let along isolate, the stuttering issue. Around the same time, I got the X16 and upgraded Roon to 1.8. Wi-Fi issues are also hard to control.

If I hear more stuttering I will swap it with my other DAC and do more testing.

What firmware are you using on the RPi 4? I use the RPi 4 with Ropieee/RopieeeXL and haven't had any stuttering issues. If you are using Ropieee, check in the Advanced Tab that USB auto suspend is OFF.

Also there was a USB Firmware Version Update a few weeks ago, you can update on the on the Information Tab on the Ropieee web interface, in case that helps.

 

[curiouspeter]

What firmware are you using on the RPi 4? I use the RPi 4 with Ropieee/RopieeeXL and haven't had any stuttering issues. If you are using Ropieee, check in the Advanced Tab that USB auto suspend is OFF.

Also there was a USB Firmware Version Update a few weeks ago, you can update on the on the Information Tab on the Ropieee web interface, in case that helps.

I use Ropieee 1.7. Updating to 1.8 will end up in a loop. I will try disabling wifi first per suggestions on the Room community.

USB Auto Suspend is disabled but Dynamic Auto Power Mgt is enabled.

I haven't experienced stuttering lately since I switched from a USB 3.0 port to a USB 2.0 port.

 

[gustard]

Very tempted to order one of these as a secondary Dac, but a little concerned about the fact audio gear ordered from China to the UK is often specced at 230V. The voltage around here at least (Hampshire, UK) is often around 247V, and I’m concerned about whether this high a voltage might be damaging to this Dac?

P.S. The measurements look incredible. Particularly that linearity! Would love to hear it in a properly setup dbt with the Mola Mola and Chord Dave. I’m sure there’d be little/no audible difference, but I’d still be intrigued... IF only I had access to all three!

Design voltage 230V, allowable deviation 10%, safety voltage is 253V。