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Gustard X26Pro Review (Balanced High-end DAC)

Veri

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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.

I got you the first time, this is on-topic. If it still bothers you to a personal level you can ignore anyone, anytime with a simple click. You yourself are now 'flooding' the thread and adding no value besides nagging to me. Okay?
 

dmidu

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I've tried all of the "combinations" described above and couldn't reproduce the problem. I'm running x26pro with foobar2000(1.6.6), Win10 Pro, ASIO through USB. Tried all of .dsf(DSD), .flac, wav, .iso and everything is playing flawlessly and no hiss or noise of what so ever when turning off/on DAC with or without input cables. I never have DSD on DAC's display whenever turning it on. Always says PCM when turned on. While, when playing DSD files it states DSD (for, example: DSD 2.82MHz)

I'm running a proper tower PC. I've also tried to run USB output on a Macbook pro and no noise either. Although, only was able to play DSD files by means of DoP. In windows It's also possible to output all of system's sound through x26pro (though it'll go through Windows' sound system and wouldn't be bit perfect as in Foobar2000, but for watching movies it doesn't matter)

Try checking you USB output hardware and then also the correctness of installed drivers and plugins in foobar2000. I believe other players also need some plug-ins to work with DSD files. I just like foobar2000 most of all.
 

taner

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Is there anyone experiencing noise issue using Mac or Windows? Asking this because there is a possibility that this issue may related with Linux based streamers, embedded devices and PC's.

I'm a Linux user for instance.
 

vassago

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so far my trick seems to work but i hope gustard fixes the problem with a firmware update
 

foxtrot

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It turns out that this X26pro problem has already been raised on this forum. All the same, the question is in the insufficient hardware noise immunity of the USB input.
The problem was solved like this - https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...with-nuc8-rock-and-new-gustard-x26-pro.22808/.

However, no one knows how much jitter this additional device introduces into the signal. Why then pay for K2 ??? Manufacturer, answer !!!
 

foxtrot

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In windows It's also possible to output all of system's sound through x26pro (though it'll go through Windows' sound system and wouldn't be bit perfect as in Foobar2000, but for watching movies it doesn't matter)
Unfortunately, foobar2000 versions greater than 1.0 do not have absolute sound quality. The sound has a synthetic coloration and is rather sluggish.
Try foobar 0.8.3 and you will be surprised. If you have advanced ears.
 

Veri

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Unfortunately, foobar2000 versions greater than 1.0 do not have absolute sound quality.
Considering most of this entire forum, if they use foobar, are using a more current version that's a pretty crazy statement. "Absolute sound quality", how does one quantify that :D

It turns out that this X26pro problem has already been raised on this forum. All the same, the question is in the insufficient hardware noise immunity of the USB input.
The problem was solved like this - https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...with-nuc8-rock-and-new-gustard-x26-pro.22808/.

However, no one knows how much jitter this additional device introduces into the signal.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s-of-intona-usb-isolator-for-audio-dacs.2616/ older review but an isolator shouldn't impact jitter, if it works.
 

foxtrot

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Do you know anything about anything? Although what I mean - don't feed the troll ))

foobar2000 0.8.3 and foobar2000 versions above 0.9 are completely different players. They have a different basis. A completely different SDK.
))
 
Last edited:

foxtrot

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:D advanced ears

There was such a scientist Darwin. It is about the fact that people differ from each other in terms of their capabilities. There are even cases that people are very different in different possibilities. But many people are unaware of this. Why, ask Darwin )
 

Katji

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And so are you implying that you have "advanced ears"? How do you know? ...Some kind of test/s, or...?
 

Veri

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They have a different basis. A completely different SDK.
))
SDK's are audible now? This changes everything :p I wonder on what SDK the music we listen to is mastered and recorded on!

Anyway. This is audio science review. You call me/us trolls, but something like " The sound has a synthetic coloration and is rather sluggish. " belongs on audiophilestyle or head-fi. Here people might laugh.
 

Katji

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I wondered about that, how the SQ had become worse, after years of development and millions[?] of users...but then the SDK....that was too much for me, my mind had to move on.
 

gustard

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Guys, silent Gustard is coming~

We are following the thread everyday. The bugs from your posts are recorded and related tests are arranged.

The DSD 24.5+ noise problem should be caused by the Volumio. By default, Volumio will put XMOS in a wrong mode.

Don't panic, a new firmware has already been arranged, we need more feedback from different combinations and platforms. Current reports on a few platforms (such as Volumio) are not enough for us to address the problem accurately. My suggestion is to summarize your bugs into an independent thread and leave this one to other discussions.
 

taner

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Guys, silent Gustard is coming~

We are following the thread everyday. The bugs from your posts are recorded and related tests are arranged.

The DSD 24.5+ noise problem should be caused by the Volumio. By default, Volumio will put XMOS in a wrong mode.

Don't panic, a new firmware has already been arranged, we need more feedback from different combinations and platforms. Current reports on a few platforms (such as Volumio) are not enough for us to address the problem accurately. My suggestion is to summarize your bugs into an independent thread and leave this one to other discussions.

Thank you for good news. I have to notice that I've never used Volumio. Probably problem is related with Linux kernel and ALSA drivers which are common components on all Linux based setups.
 

Zimbalo

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Guys, silent Gustard is coming~

We are following the thread everyday. The bugs from your posts are recorded and related tests are arranged.

The DSD 24.5+ noise problem should be caused by the Volumio. By default, Volumio will put XMOS in a wrong mode.

Don't panic, a new firmware has already been arranged, we need more feedback from different combinations and platforms. Current reports on a few platforms (such as Volumio) are not enough for us to address the problem accurately. My suggestion is to summarize your bugs into an independent thread and leave this one to other discussions.

If it helps I have timed the sequence of events that I notice in my setup.

DAC turn ON (Display shows PCM 44.1)
Raspberry Pi4 (USB connected) + Volumio turn ON (Time 0)
Display shows PCM 44.1 until the time +30 sec.
Time +31 sec. Display shows DSD 24.5 until the time +50 sec.
Time +51 sec. Display shows PCM 44.1 >>> ∞ (even though there is no any playback)
No noise problem
 

Red@

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Guys, silent Gustard is coming~

We are following the thread everyday. The bugs from your posts are recorded and related tests are arranged.

The DSD 24.5+ noise problem should be caused by the Volumio. By default, Volumio will put XMOS in a wrong mode.

Don't panic, a new firmware has already been arranged, we need more feedback from different combinations and platforms. Current reports on a few platforms (such as Volumio) are not enough for us to address the problem accurately. My suggestion is to summarize your bugs into an independent thread and leave this one to other discussions.
Most of the users who raised this issue don't use volumio.
I myself have DSD displayed by default. I use Android 11 (OxygenOS 11), and iPadOS 14 / 15 Beta
 

vassago

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Guys, silent Gustard is coming~

We are following the thread everyday. The bugs from your posts are recorded and related tests are arranged.

The DSD 24.5+ noise problem should be caused by the Volumio. By default, Volumio will put XMOS in a wrong mode.

Don't panic, a new firmware has already been arranged, we need more feedback from different combinations and platforms. Current reports on a few platforms (such as Volumio) are not enough for us to address the problem accurately. My suggestion is to summarize your bugs into an independent thread and leave this one to other discussions.

Where I can find new firmware?
 

dmidu

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I've tried to use Linux xUbuntu 20.04 and everything worked quite OK. I tried on Deadbeef and Jriver. ALSA output through PulseAudio server. Although, all of DSD files were streamed to DAC (x26pro) in PCM. On DAC's screen it was written PCM 44,1KHz (or 48 KHz). I couldn't enable pure DSD streaming in such a way that a DAC would show DSD 2.56 MHz on its screen.

This way everything was playing just by means of PCM. Although, when playing .dsf files DeadBeef did display in its lower part correct DSD info of a played file. Just like Foobar2000 in Windows.

I tried digging deeper and tried to disable PulseAudio for the USB device which is my DAC. Details here: https://jamielinux.com/blog/tell-pulseaudio-to-ignore-a-usb-device-using-udev/

After having done this and rebooting a machine, on DAC's screen appeared DSD 24.5 MHz. When I tried to play some of .flac or .dff files in DeadBeef or Jriver nothing was playing. I had to remove the config file that was made to make PulseAudio ignore the USB device (DAC).


I can only suspect, that in Linux the problems are related to PulseAudio. Linux requires time to configure and those of you who use it could try to find a way to bypass PulseAudio and stream directly to a USB device. That requires some deep digging.

Android or iPad users should just better use bluetooth.

P.S I could not hear any noise in Linux described by some users
 
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