Gustard X26Pro Review (Balanced High-end DAC)

[foxtrot]

Finally, today I received X26pro. The font is great for people with normal vision. Looks very harmonious to the body. The sound is fantastic. But the driver or firmware XMOS216 caused irritation, discontent and a lot of problems with my records, which I had been collecting for thirty years.

Surprising for such a price so outrageously executed software. I have a Khadas Tone2pro with the same XMOS216 - works flawlessly with my players and all my recordings.

And X26pro (with the same XMOS216) works just disgustingly with my records, which I have been collecting for thirty years! He does not see them in their format and therefore does not reproduce them. This Gustard X26pro normally works with only one player, the one indicated by the manufacturer in the instruction manual. Why am I being forced to have a bad sounding software player? Is foobar2000 version higher than one ?? It sounds sluggish, it spoils the sound quality of the X26pro!
I tried to foobar2000 version greater than one go ten years, but the sound of the player always makes me rejection.
Why do I need X26pro, which is tied to only one player? What to do with such problems? Wait for normal firmware or sell X26pro? Programmers, think about it!

Later I will try to describe the problems of X26pro and possibly the reasons for their occurrence due to low-quality software made. The sound is very good, but the firmware spoils everything. Manufacturer, what are we going to do? Maybe you can make the software work properly? I do not need only one software player foobar2000 versions after the first, it has a bad sound. Maybe X26pro can play like Khadas Tone2pro for $200 with all players and all file formats ??? Or does the manufacturer offer us all to return the unfinished X26pro to him?

I received X26pro today. I was very disappointed today!

 

[vassago]

if I'm not mistaken in this thread there is also a gustard technician. it would be interesting to have some explanation of the problem from him

 

[Hemi-Demon]

Finally, today I received X26pro. The font is great for people with normal vision. Looks very harmonious to the body. The sound is fantastic. But the driver or firmware XMOS216 caused irritation, discontent and a lot of problems with my records, which I had been collecting for thirty years.

Surprising for such a price so outrageously executed software. I have a Khadas Tone2pro with the same XMOS216 - works flawlessly with my players and all my recordings.

And X26pro (with the same XMOS216) works just disgustingly with my records, which I have been collecting for thirty years! He does not see them in their format and therefore does not reproduce them. This Gustard X26pro normally works with only one player, the one indicated by the manufacturer in the instruction manual. Why am I being forced to have a bad sounding software player? Is foobar2000 version higher than one ?? It sounds sluggish, it spoils the sound quality of the X26pro!
I tried to foobar2000 version greater than one go ten years, but the sound of the player always makes me rejection.
Why do I need X26pro, which is tied to only one player? What to do with such problems? Wait for normal firmware or sell X26pro? Programmers, think about it!

Later I will try to describe the problems of X26pro and possibly the reasons for their occurrence due to low-quality software made. The sound is very good, but the firmware spoils everything. Manufacturer, what are we going to do? Maybe you can make the software work properly? I do not need only one software player foobar2000 versions after the first, it has a bad sound. Maybe X26pro can play like Khadas Tone2pro for $200 with all players and all file formats ??? Or does the manufacturer offer us all to return the unfinished X26pro to him?

I received X26pro today. I was very disappointed today!

Are you stating that the X26 doesn't work with the current version (1.66) of foobar, or that you prefer an older version? The X26 doesn't work with any other audio playback software on your source? Are you using a PC, streamer or are you playing LPs ("records") and the output is not working?

 

[Krillin]

@foxtrot

Is your device firmware vF.1A? It specifically affects the USB input if your device is an older firmware version.

Also, you can use Jriver if you dislike foobar. See post #264 of this thread.

 

[Zimbalo]

...

My theory is:

X26 Pro is picky about USB port that it connected. It seems that X26Pro triggered falsely by USB hardware or the Operating System that controls the USB hardware. Anytime I see "DSD" on screen without any playback during first startup (x26pro or source doesn't matter) noise will appear. Something triggers X26Pro falsely that makes it adjust internal registers for DSD. Since there is no incoming DSD data, newly setted internal registers cause noise on one channel ...

I confirm this. Yesterday I noticed noise when DAC plays in DSD mode not in PCM mode.

 

[Veri]

But my DAC feeds a Tube Pre-amp (As an Audiophile should do).

lol. (I guess there's hardly any audiophiles on this site then )

 

[foxtrot]

I wrote in a previous post that X26pro works with the new version foobar, but does not operate in full with the old versions, which sound much better. Strongly better. At the same time, Khadas Tone2pro with the same XMOS216 works great with my software player.
The producer had to say, that X26pro only works with Foobar 2000 the new version over 1.0. But as I understand from other forum participants, they also have problems detecting X26pro music file formats. What causes noise in one channel.

I repeat once again - the sound quality of the X26pro is very high. But the software is very problematic. Because of this, I cannot fully listen to my library of music files that I have been collecting for over thirty years. If the manufacturer does not correct the software bugs, I will have to return the unit. Note that I am not talking about dangerous overheating of electrolytic capacitors - the sound quality outweighs this problem.

 

[foxtrot]

@foxtrot

Is your device firmware vF.1A? It specifically affects the USB input if your device is an older firmware version.

Also, you can use Jriver if you dislike foobar. See post #264 of this thread.

Yes. F.1A

I've known Jriver since its first version, and I don't consider it a decent software player. I am already in my seventh decade, it is very difficult to change the quality down at that age)

 

[foxtrot]

Are you stating that the X26 doesn't work with the current version (1.66) of foobar, or that you prefer an older version? The X26 doesn't work with any other audio playback software on your source? Are you using a PC, streamer or are you playing LPs ("records") and the output is not working?

PC (Windows 10 pro) - USB2.0 - X26pro - SE tubeamp - JBL 4429

 

[taner]

I confirm this. Yesterday I noticed noise when DAC plays in DSD mode not in PCM mode.

Do you mean that you can hear the noise during DSD playback? My situation is not like that. When there is no playback during first start, for some reason X26Pro puts itself in "DSD 24.5 MHz" mode. In this case, noise will appear most of time.

 

[foxtrot]

Do you mean that you can hear the noise during DSD playback? My situation is not like that. When there is no playback during first start, for some reason X26Pro puts itself in "DSD 24.5 MHz" mode. In this case, noise will appear most of time.

Perhaps from the USB of your PC in X26pro received high-frequency noise from the PC power supply. This noise is perceived by X26pro as an DSD signal. I would try changing PCs and see if the problem goes away. I have X26pro by default, when turned on, it sets the PCM 44kHz.
Perhaps this high frequency noise is being fed to the analog output of the X26pro from your analog equipment. I would try to make a better grounding of the equipment.

 

[Veri]

I wrote in a previous post that X26pro works with the new version foobar, but does not operate in full with the old versions, which sound much better. Strongly better. At the same time, Khadas Tone2pro with the same XMOS216 works great with my software player.
The producer had to say, that X26pro only works with Foobar 2000 the new version over 1.0. But as I understand from other forum participants, they also have problems detecting X26pro music file formats. What causes noise in one channel.

I repeat once again - the sound quality of the X26pro is very high. But the software is very problematic. Because of this, I cannot fully listen to my library of music files that I have been collecting for over thirty years. If the manufacturer does not correct the software bugs, I will have to return the unit. Note that I am not talking about dangerous overheating of electrolytic capacitors - the sound quality outweighs this problem.

Your PC doesn't sent any 'file formats' though. It will send (unpacked) waveform or DSD data. If you play DSD it might be a packing problem (DoP vs native).

File formats have nothing to do with your issues.

 

[Zimbalo]

Do you mean that you can hear the noise during DSD playback? My situation is not like that. When there is no playback during first start, for some reason X26Pro puts itself in "DSD 24.5 MHz" mode. In this case, noise will appear most of time.

Exactly the same condition: no playback + DSD 24.5 MHz mode = noise problem
When Volumio + RPi4 run >> PCM = no noise problem

 

[vassago]

maybe I found a trick: before turning off the dac I select the 2iis input, then I turn on the streamer and then I turni on the dac and select the usb input. In 2 attempts no disturbance. But I have to do more tests ...

 

[foxtrot]

Your PC doesn't sent any 'file formats' though. It will send (unpacked) waveform or DSD data. If you play DSD it might be a packing problem (DoP vs native).

File formats have nothing to do with your issues.

DSD interests me little. Because I listen to old music, which is already laid out in maximum quality (PCM) for the quality of the original recording of this music in those ancient times) without additional conversion to DSD. As for how the player determines the format of the same PCM? Do you know that modern players have FPGAs installed? I wonder why)

 

[taner]

Perhaps from the USB of your PC in X26pro received high-frequency noise from the PC power supply. This noise is perceived by X26pro as an DSD signal. I would try changing PCs and see if the problem goes away. I have X26pro by default, when turned on, it sets the PCM 44kHz.
Perhaps this high frequency noise is being fed to the analog output of the X26pro from your analog equipment. I would try to make a better grounding of the equipment.

Thank you for commenting on this issue. I tried with different devices but same problem appears in same way. If grounding was the culprit, noise would be permanent since recycling the power fixes the noise most of times. And pulling off USB cable doesn't fix the problem when it occurs.

maybe I found a trick: before turning off the dac I select the 2iis input, then I turn on the streamer and then I turni on the dac and select the usb input. In 2 attempts no disturbance. But I have to do more tests ...

Yes, we can trick the DAC with such precautions.. but my actual intention is the find a repeatable sequence and expecting to @gustard follow the same sequence in order to come up with a permanent solution. This a $1500 DAC and we deserve to use it in ease like people using $50 dongle.

@gustard 's silence on this issue is not good. Hope they are following this thread.

 

[Veri]

Do you know that modern players have FPGAs installed? I wonder why)

To offload the handling of the digital inputs (coax, AES, ...) with minimal impact on jitter; reclocking or buffering this digital input signal. The input data packets are otherwise still bitperfect and unaffected, wave is still wave DSD is still DSD...
Or to upsample using some high tap sinc filter as in the case of Chord, which has no proven benefit compared to traditional methods, besides the marketing blurb...

 

[foxtrot]

To offload the handling of the digital inputs (coax, AES, ...) with minimal impact on jitter; reclocking or buffering this digital input signal. The input data packets are otherwise still bitperfect and unaffected, wave is still wave DSD is still DSD...
Or to upsample using some high tap sinc filter as in the case of Chord, which has no proven benefit compared to traditional methods, besides the marketing blurb...

Don't make it up if you don't know.)

 

[foxtrot]

Thank you for commenting on this issue. I tried with different devices but same problem appears in same way. If grounding was the culprit, noise would be permanent since recycling the power fixes the noise most of times. And pulling off USB cable doesn't fix the problem when it occurs.

When I turn it on, PCM44 kHz is installed. Let's try an experiment with your DAC. Disconnect ALL cables except the mains power cable. And turn on the DAC. What will be on the display, DSD or PCM 44?

 

[Red@]

When I turn it on, PCM44 kHz is installed. Let's try an experiment with your DAC. Disconnect ALL cables except the mains power cable. And turn on the DAC. What will be on the display, DSD or PCM 44?

I don't suffer from particular noise. But I following your use case, I have DSD on the display