Gustard X16 Balanced MQA DAC Review

[gustard]

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

If it is lower than PCM176.4K, please do not turn on NOS, otherwise the sound will be very dark and there is no high frequency.

 

[ninetylol]

Hello @gustard
I wanna give you and your engineers a hug <3

 

[lizhuoyin]

Feed X16 with bitperfect playback from Android APP - Hiby Music (free) and a DAP - lotoo paw 6000. Tested music encoded in DSD/MQA/PCM. All played at native mode.
Couldn't be happier.
Native playback DSD/PCM works with Windows 10 from foobar 2000 except MQA.

 

[Pdxwayne]

@gustard, I just found out my x16 has channel imbalance of ~0.2db.

Here are the measurements. Top line is E30. No imbalance. Bottom 2 are x16. X16 right channel is lower by 0.2db.

Acceptable? Thanks!

 

[gustard]

@Pdxwayne

There is no amplitude difference in a single chip; there is a certain amplitude difference between two chips, and the allowable error range is 0.2dB.
More than 0.2db, we will replace one of the chips for matching

 

[Veri]

@gustard, I just found out my x16 has channel imbalance of ~0.2db.

Here are the measurements. Top line is E30. No imbalance. Bottom 2 are x16. X16 right channel is lower by 0.2db.

Acceptable? Thanks!

View attachment 115405

Amir's unit also had a ~1% imbalance so seems basically acceptable/fine. 0.2dB is very low.

 

[Pdxwayne]

Amir's unit also had a ~1% imbalance so seems basically acceptable/fine. 0.2dB is very low.

Thanks. I guess this is dual chips issue vs single chip.

 

[JohnM-73]

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

Good to know, and thank you for responding

 

[Inkey31]

Apos no longer carries Gustard, did anyone know?

 

[curiouspeter]

Apos no longer carries Gustard, did anyone know?

It seems a lot of things are selling out everywhere.

 

[Inkey31]

It seems a lot of things are selling out everywhere.

They are not just sold out, they are not carrying them anymore period.

Seems odd, IDK, it is China at the end of the day, you never know could be some business reason behind it.

 

[curiouspeter]

They are not just sold out, they are not carrying them anymore period.

Seems odd, IDK, it is China at the end of the day, you never know could be some business reason behind it.

I wonder if I bought the last one.

They still carry the Matrix Mini-i 3 Pro. It would be my second choice (in case the X16 did not work out).

 

[Inkey31]

I wonder if I bought the last one.

They still carry the Matrix Mini-i 3 Pro. It would be my second choice (in case the X16 did not work out).

I just got a H16 off of https://shenzhenaudio.com/ before you cant find them for a long time, hoping it will have more power then the A90. If not o well, ill sell it, trying to find the perfect AMP for the Susvara.

Hopefully Topping has something in the pipe coming out that can do 5W into 60Ohms.

 

[dmac6419]

Apos no longer carries Gustard, did anyone know?

Just checked the site,plenty of Gustard product.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Just a late update...received my gustard late, but as promised, and also received the promised $20 a month discount for waiting. So ended up paying $409 without taxes and such. Very pleased . A noticeable upgrade from my Pro-Ject pre box 2. But I wish the remote would have a forward and reverse for my Tidal. But I just use the mouse .

 

[Inkey31]

Just checked the site,plenty of Gustard product.

https://shenzhenaudio.com/ has them, I don't think thats a problem, but APOS is done carrying them they said.

Which is sad, out of anyone I trusted them the most.

 

[domiji]

Hello Gustard Lovers :wink:

i received my U16 today and i want to use it with my Gustard X16 DAC. But sadly the I2S connection does not work properly. I can play files up to 88.2khz but 24/96 and above won't work. If i play it trough the coaxial connection - everything is fine.

Do i have to configure the U16 especially for my X16 I2S interface?

Thanks and many greetings

 

[curiouspeter]

https://shenzhenaudio.com/ has them, I don't think thats a problem, but APOS is done carrying them they said.

Which is sad, out of anyone I trusted them the most.

There can be a lot of stuff going on behind the scene.

I'm so sad I can't get Mövenpick ice-cream in the US.

 

[lizhuoyin]

@gustard do outputs selectable? Can I only have XLR or rca or both output? I cannot find it in manual. Thanks

 

[ninetylol]

@gustard do outputs selectable? Can I only have XLR or rca or both output? I cannot find it in manual. Thanks

Both always active