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Gustard X16 Balanced MQA DAC Review

Nationalizer

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How about one of these?
 

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Frio

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Yeah how did ya do that if both the DAC and power amp can't turn themselves on/off or standby? ;)
The source can, pc or laptop. Some poweretrips have a separate button or remote, so you have more options.
 
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MiLi

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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. :)
One of my plans for weekend is to run blind A/B test between CD rip and MQA. File source will be 2L database.
Last week I did A/B test where A was analog output of Rotel RDC991 and B was SPDIF output of Rotel connected to X16. Same amplifier and loudspeakers, levels balanced. A female voice and acoustic music ( my preference) were much better on B. More details, better separation of instruments.
 

navin

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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.

For full MQA passthrough with moOde to the X16, mConnect is the only option I know (available for Android and iOS). .

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.

If we want to use the I2S input of the X16 then the decoding of the MQA files needs to be done before the X16. The Gustard (as stated earlier) can only render MQA via the II2/LVDS input. It can, however, decode and render via the USB (X216) input but I intend to keep the USB input free (with a cable connected) for use with my laptop should the occasion arise. This way I save myself the trouble of going behind the DAC each time I need to switch inputs (between streamer and laptop) to the DAC.
 

Frio

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You could connect usb hub that connects then to multiple other usb sources.
 

Dannemand

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I believe pass through is possible but decoding might not be.

I understand completely. That need to perform 1st unfold (core decode) on the RPi and output through I2S is unique to X16 (which performs MQA rendering through I2S/Coax/TosLink etc). And is a reason why this discussion may be on topic here after all.

Edit: One solution would be if a UPnP control point would perform MQA decode. UAPP has a decoder, but doesn't play though UPnP (even though it CAN act as UPnP renderer). I think I'll suggest this to the UAPP Dev. They already have all the plumbing, and it would broaden UAPP's use cases.

Decoding on the RPi itself would be ideal, though. Volumio should be the one to do that, as they are commercial (not Open Source) and already have Tidal support.

Edit2: To be specific, Volumio's MyVolumio variant is commercial. I guess the base Volumio distribution is open source.
 
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Dannemand

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I almost forgot: Someone posted a Tidal Connect installation on the Raspberry Pi forum not long ago.

TIDAL Connect installation!

This would allow you to play from the Tidal app on your Android/iOS device and cast with the Tidal Connect feature to the RPi. I assume it allows MQA decoding (1st unfold), maybe directly on the RPi.

It is definitely a hack, which is why I didn't want to risk messing up my moOde by installing it. If I get some spare time, I may try it on a second SD card.

Also NOT sanctioned by Tidal, so who knows how long it remains working.
 

fabriciom

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shenzhenaudio.com is having a sale and I've been following the DAC for a while.

Im out of work and can't really justify the purchase. But its getting tough saying no.

Is anyone using the X16 with music work? Music production? Any comments relate to this?

Thanks.
 

Veri

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To me that is the question. Analog or digital to have the best result ???
In both cases my main source will be the pc
You can't listen to digital, unless you have powered speakers with AES/EBU input. You'll always need digital>analog converter to connect to e.g. an amplifier.
 

MiLi

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the question is what is better
a dac analog like this one here
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-d70s-mqa-review-dac.18728/
or a dac digital with AES/EBU like this here ???
https://lnx.m2tech.biz/products/evo-two/hiface-evo-two/
To me that is the question. Analog or digital to have the best result ???
In both cases my main source will be the pc
The unites above are two different animals in audio ZOO.
- First one is Digital data stream-to-Audio signal converter : DAC
- Second one is Digital data stream-to-another form of Digital data stream converter : unit between your computer and the digital input of DAC
That's all, folks.
If the task is to transfer Digital data stream from PC to Amplifier (separate unit or as a part of active speaker) than DAC will do all that work.
If the task is to transfer data from CD/SACD/DVD/AnyOther transport, than sometimes only way forward is to connect transport to Data stream converter to DAC and to Amplifier.
 

Alfer

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Buenas tardes. Hace un par de semanas recibí mi X16, instalé la última actualización, y funciona y suena muy muy bien, por la entrada usb, y por el bluetooth. Pero al conectar un lector de Cd alX16 por la entrada coaxial, me sale en la pantalla, Unlock y no emite sonido, el lector funciona bien, si lo conecto a otro dac mas antiguo con el mismo cable coaxial. Alguien puede ayudarme a solucionar el problema? También me pasa lo mismo con la entrada digital y la entrada AES del lector de Cd. No se como solucionarlo, teniendo en cuenta que funciona muy bien la entrada usb y el bluetooth. Pero necesito la entrada coaxial y la digital, para poder conectar el lector y una televisión.
No he leído en el foro, mucho sobre la utilización de la entrada coaxial. Y viene muy bien para la colección de cds, que tengo.
Saludos a todos
 

dan kolov

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You plug the coaxial cable from the CD player into the Gustard x16. You select a coaxial input from the remote control
and restart the dаc from the power button.This also applies to the optical input.
 

Alfer

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[QUOTE = "dan kolov, post: 728068, member: 22469"] Conecta el cable coaxial del reproductor de CD al Gustard x16. Selecciona una entrada coaxial desde el mando a distancia
y reinicie el dаc desde el botón de encendido. Esto también se aplica a la entrada óptica. [/ QUOTE]
Muchas gracias. Como se reinicia el dac? No lo pone en las instrucciones o me oo he pasado
 

tparm

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Still not 100% sure on the NOS on/off preference, mind helping me out? Listen mostly to Tidal hi-res, Amazon Music HD and flac files via usb (storage attached to Node 2). In case it matters, my X16 is downstream of my Node 2 via coax and then to AVR using analog outputs and played back in Pure Direct. Seems to me NOS should be “on” in my case according the manual since I am streaming CD and greater resolution files but I’ve also seen conflicting opinions. Thanks.
 

curiouspeter

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Still not 100% sure on the NOS on/off preference, mind helping me out? Listen mostly to Tidal hi-res, Amazon Music HD and flac files via usb (storage attached to Node 2). In case it matters, my X16 is downstream of my Node 2 via coax and then to AVR using analog outputs and played back in Pure Direct. Seems to me NOS should be “on” in my case according the manual since I am streaming CD and greater resolution files but I’ve also seen conflicting opinions. Thanks.
I would just leave it off
 
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