Gustard X26Pro Review (Balanced High-end DAC)

[taner]

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?

When there is no connection, PCM 44.1 is on screen. Whenever USB is connected, it becomes "DSD 24.5 MHz" even though there is no any playback with such rate or kind.

 

[hifidrummerguy]

For me, when I plug-in my PowerMac directly I get 768hz. This is without playing anything. This makes me think that your PCs ability to play a specific quality is part of the equation when it comes to playback quality

 

[vassago]

In my set up in the dac display appears dsd 24.5 when I turn on it.When the streamer plays in the display appears pcm

 

[Zimbalo]

My setup: RPi4 connected via USB to DAC, connected via XLR to integrated amplifier

When I turn ON, in the DAC desktop appears this sequence:
PCM 44.1 (for a few seconds) >>> DSD 24.5 (for a few seconds) >>> PCM 44.1 (stable)
even though there is no any playback with such rate or kind.

 

[Veri]

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

What? By all means share your superior knowledge. What did I make up? Or is your knowledge secret and not to be shared?

The Altera FPGAs widely used are for digital input reclocking/routing and for better digital performance than off-the-shelf parts. Feel free to prove otherwise.

 

[foxtrot]

When there is no connection, PCM 44.1 is on screen. Whenever USB is connected, it becomes "DSD 24.5 MHz" even though there is no any playback with such rate or kind.

Then it is very likely that there is high frequency noise in your mains and surrounding equipment. Which includes the DSD mode. After that, I would try to connect the USB PC to the player and then turn on and observe in which mode the player turns on. Then also separately connect your amplifier. If we can identify the source of the interference, it is possible on the connecting wires (all including network) to put ferrite beads.

 

[foxtrot]

What? By all means share your superior knowledge. What did I make up? Or is your knowledge secret and not to be shared?

The Altera FPGAs widely used are for digital input reclocking/routing and for better digital performance than off-the-shelf parts. Feel free to prove otherwise.

Intel MAX2 !!! )) Altera was in the last century)

Why should I explain something to you? They don’t pay me for this, and I don’t see any point in pouring information into anywhere. I'm not a troll. Спасибо! Do svidaniya

 

[Veri]

Intel MAX2 !!! )) Altera was in the last century)

Why should I explain something to you? They don’t pay me for this, and I don’t see any point in pouring information into anywhere. I'm not a troll. Спасибо! Do svidaniya

Most audio devices, modern ones, have an Altera FGPA. Chord uses Xilinx. Do you know of any one that uses an Intel MAX2? And idk, you tell me I make things up but don't want to share your own info, that kinda hurts your credibility.

 

[taner]

Then it is very likely that there is high frequency noise in your mains and surrounding equipment. Which includes the DSD mode.

Why it should include DSD mode? This is not the first DAC I put in same environment. Even those USB powered ones didn't have such weird picky condition. This thing only appears with X26 Pro.

After that, I would try to connect the USB PC to the player and then turn on and observe in which mode the player turns on. Then also separately connect your amplifier. If we can identify the source of the interference, it is possible on the connecting wires (all including network) to put ferrite beads.

I disagree on this. Instead taking such measures, X26 Pro should put itself on UNLOCK mode if there is no any data on first power cycle, just like how it behaves on other digital inputs. Then it should detect the mode right after playback starts. Somehow this DAC can't follow this simple sequence on USB input. I consider this is a design error and must be fixed by @gustard .

 

[foxtrot]

Most audio devices, modern ones, have an Altera FGPA. Chord uses Xilinx. Do you know of any one that uses an Intel MAX2? And idk, you tell me I make things up but don't want to share your own info, that kinda hurts your credibility.

Well, what to talk about? Intel bought Altera a long time ago. But I leave you to find out for yourself who buys Xilinx))))

 

[foxtrot]

Wht it should include DSD mode? This is not the first DAC I put in same environment. Even those USB powered ones didn't have such weird picky condition. This thing only appears with X26 Pro.

I disagree on this. Instead taking such measures, X26 Pro should put itself on UNLOCK mode if there is no any data on first power cycle, just like how it behaves on other digital inputs. Then it should detect the mode right after playback starts. Somehow this DAC can't follow this simple sequence on USB input. I consider this is a design error and must be fixed by @gustard .

To our regret, Gustard does not know that X26pro owes us something)) Therefore, we ourselves need to adapt to X26pro)))

 

[Veri]

Well, what to talk about? Intel bought Altera a long time ago. But I leave you to find out for yourself who buys Xilinx))))

AMD bought Xilinx, got it but I still don't know where you were going with the "modern players have FPGAs installed, I wonder why". It isn't rocket science from source side, you never sent FLAC or APE or WAVPACK straight to the DAC everything is unpacked to PCM (or native/DoP DSD).
I reiterate, the FPGA has nothing to do with file formats. So besides what has been said already, what do you suppose the FPGA is good for?

 

[taner]

Guys, please move this FPGA discussion to another thread.

 

[foxtrot]

AMD bought Xilinx, got it but I still don't know where you were going with the "modern players have FPGAs installed, I wonder why". It isn't rocket science from source side, you never sent FLAC or APE or WAVPACK straight to the DAC everything is unpacked to PCM (or native/DoP DSD).
I reiterate, the FPGA has nothing to do with file formats. So besides what has been said already, what do you suppose the FPGA is good for?

You are making progress in the right direction! Please continue on! This information is very interesting)

 

[foxtrot]

Guys, please move this FPGA discussion to another thread.

I think so too.)

Try it all the same as I said. This will give both you and the manufacturer conviction curvature X26pro software. And it will make you take up the elimination of problems. Although there is an option that you need to increase the hardware noise immunity of the USB input.

 

[foxtrot]

By the way, I solved some of my problems on my own. Which were described in the first post. But in any case, solving my problems, I realized that the receiving part of the USB X26pro has problems. Which must be eliminated by the manufacturer. By the way, Khadas Tone2pro with the same XMOS216 does not have these problems. In any case Gustard need to modify the firmware software of hardware related to the digital inputs!
And with all the other DACs (very many from different manufacturers) there have never been any problems !!! This is definitely a mistake of Gustard X26pro!

 

[Veri]

In any case, Gustard needs to finalize the XMOS216 firmware!

So, on-topic. People here have been giving concrete examples and there is a firmware fix for the DSD problems. You so far have given no examples (besides your age-old foobar not working properly). What needs to be finalized? What is not working for you in XMOS216?

Gustard can't do anything to help you without more detailed/specific info. They can't read your mind.

 

[taner]

So, on-topic. People here have been giving concrete examples and there is a firmware fix for the DSD problems. You so far have given no examples (besides your age-old foobar not working properly). What needs to be finalized? What is not working for you in XMOS216?

Gustard can't do anything to help you without more detailed/specific info. They can't read your mind.

Hope @gustard doesn't follow the thread as the same way you do.

 

[Veri]

Hope @gustard doesn't the follow the thread as the same way you do.

I don't understand what you're saying. I'm just trying to determine what XU216 problems the X26 Pro supposedly has.

 

[taner]

I don't understand what you're saying. I'm just trying to determine what XU216 problems the X26 Pro supposedly has.

Please don't flood this thread and don't create unnecessary traffic here. I'm sure you can find more suitable threads in this forum for your needs.