[markk02474]

I bought my X20u ES9028PRO from topssale. They claim to test units before shipping. It was already set for 115v and included a 3' North American power cord. Still breaking in.

 

[Ric Schultz]

The new ESS DAC chip Is out of this world better than the old one.  I have not even finished level one mod and already I am hearing things on this CD I have never heard before.  Way more information in all ways.  This is a true A/B since the old Gustard was exactly the same except for the DAC chips.  However, stock it is just good.  It really only revealed its magic after doing the AC mods and removing the usb board (I am using coax) and then installing my custom hardwired digital cable between the boards and a couple of other mods.  I was hearing so much information that it made me cry!  I cannot remember this ever happening before.  I cannot wait to do more mods.

 

[markk02474]

Thanks for the update Ric. I did a few mods myself and the sound improved. Removed the transformer bolts and put on two layers of corrugated cardboard. Being the weekend, I wondered if cardboard with air gaps is best, or if cardboard beer coasters might be better? How about cork ones? Seriously, I didn't think it would matter, but my X20pro does sound better with the cardboard. Oh, and I put strips of ScotchDamp in top of the electrolytic caps and copper foil around the fuse. When I find my Molex tools, I'll twist the transformer leads.
 
Poking around, I noticed that the clock board rectifiers are SS34 40v, 3A Vishay Schottkey's with snubbers, while the other is just plain diodes (SMT of 1N4004)- and thus in need of an upgrade. Also, analog VCC for the ES9028 seems to have less of a bypass than other implementations. This is the critical supply to the chip and might be improved. Lots of discussion of this for the Buffalo DAC. The guys who designed ESS DAC chips sell their own DACs (including new ES9028pro one) and use regulator outputs right next to the DAC chip http://www.resonessencelabs.com/shop/invicta/
 
Here are high-res images of their mid-range product with treatment of the es9018 (now es9028pro), on the left side: http://www.hifistatement.net/images/multithumb_thumbs/b_0_0_0_10_images_content_tests_16-04-25_resonessencelabs_2016-04-24_Resonessence-Labs-Veritas_005.jpg
http://www.hifistatement.net/images/multithumb_thumbs/b_0_0_0_10_images_content_tests_16-04-25_resonessencelabs_2016-04-24_Resonessence-Labs-Veritas_006.jpg
 
I tried driving my 300 Ohm Sennheiser HD800 headphones directly from the DAC RCA outs. It worked well and was plenty loud enough at the 0db gain setting. I'm still waiting for my Massdrop Nuforce HA-200 to come, which may sound better.
 
Some details of changes in the new Gustard X20pro are here, in Chinese: http://erji.net/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1957261

 

[Maru10]

Hello,
 
I sadly have another fail story with new X20 pro unit. Out of the box the unit was fine, albeit the volume/selector was a little bit lazy and imprecise - reacted to slow, step-by-step corrections, however completely ignored fast turnings. Dang it, that's not THAT bad, I will use remote, which is much more convenient anyway, I thought.
 
Alas, after few hours the right channel stopped playing. I don't know whether the problem is only with USB (i haven't tried other inputs), however I tried three different computers, two cables, both xlr and rca interconnects (both working on another setup), and finaly both my new Cayin iha headphone and old but gold Gustard h10 with no change.
 
I am really sad, as even without burnin I liked the upgrade it gave me over the old Arcam Irdac (not to mention the ability to play DSD and go above 192/24).
 
And another irk I had... even though I was able to send 4DSD DoP from JRiver to the X20, I wasn't able to convince Gustard dac to accept upsample DSD in native format. Even with asio codec selected, any DSD (no matter whether 8xDSD or 1xDSD) ended in error. Maybe I am not nderstanding it correctly, but I believe the USB should be able to accept at least 4xDSD in native no prob... If anyone could explain to me, I'd be most obliged.
 
Nonetheless, I bought the unit in neighbouring Germany via EBAY and already contacted the seller, who offers 2 years warranty, so hopefully he'll let me know soon how to settle this problem. I am just now thinking whether give another X20pro a try, or shell out a little more for Yulong or LKS. I really like the idea fo x20pro and was looking forward to try IIS, and have good experience with Gustard's h10, so I do not want to give up so easily, however this is huge letdown...
 
Enjoy today's celebrations and all the best in 2017!

 

[wwmhf]

And another irk I had... even though I was able to send 4DSD DoP from JRiver to the X20, I wasn't able to convince Gustard dac to accept upsample DSD in native format. Even with asio codec selected, any DSD (no matter whether 8xDSD or 1xDSD) ended in error. Maybe I am not nderstanding it correctly, but I believe the USB should be able to accept at least 4xDSD in native no prob... If anyone could explain to me, I'd be most obliged.
 

 
This looks like a driver problem if you are using JRiver in Widows

 

[Maru10]

This looks like a driver problem if you are using JRiver in Widows

Many thanks, indeed I am using JRiver under windows. I installed the cmos driver from supplied usb disk. Any tip how to make it working?

 

[GuyUnder]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think XMOS will accept native DSD no matter what you do? That means you're stuck with DSD-128 over DoP.
 
I got a LKS I2S bridge to feed my X20U (no USB version) and the LKS 5V linear power supply to feed it as it doesn't have an AC inlet lol. The LKS uses an Amanero USB board so it can take up to DSD-512 native. Unfortunately, I have yet to make 8xDSD work properly through it. Both the LKS and X20U show DSD-512 on their displays, but there is a regular hissing noise that pulses in the left channel. DSD-256 works like a charm. Originally, it started with a loud hissing noise that calmed down after a few seconds and did this weird volume oscillation things from left to right, and after several tweaks such as using ultra short USB and HDMI cables (1ft), removing the Wyrd and relying on the Jitterbug, powering the LKS from a USB battery bank, etc, I got it to the point where it just does that pulsing hiss noise in the left channel. I have a Supra USB cable and Paul Pang USB v3 card on order, so maybe that will finally allow it to work...
 
BTW, even if it's just DSD-128 DoP (using the Gustard bridge) into the I2S port, the quality improvement is SIGNIFICANT over using USB-to-XLR bridge or PCM into I2S. Now that I've been spoiled by it I find it hard to consider another DAC without I2S and SRC stage bypass like the Gustard.
 
I almost bought the Pro, but I'm going to wait for Ric's mods, and I may just wait for Gustard to release a 9038 Pro version which ought to be even better.

 

[mtoc]

Rumors strongly indicate that ESS is now making some USB chips in secret. They envy XMOS, and they want part of the cake.

There will be Hype.

 

[wwmhf]

  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think XMOS will accept native DSD no matter what you do? That means you're stuck with DSD-128 over DoP.
 
 

 
This seems to be a software/driver related thing.
 
With Daphile, I can upsample my CDs to DSD-128 native by the USB interface of X20 which is based on XMOS. A couple of friends here reported here that they can upsample to DSD-256 native. However, with foobar2000 or jriver in Windows 10, I can only upsample my CDs to DSD-128 by DOP.

 

[PWGuy]

   
This seems to be a software/driver related thing.
 
With Daphile, I can upsample my CDs to DSD-128 native by the USB interface of X20 which is based on XMOS. A couple of friends here reported here that they can upsample to DSD-256 native. However, with foobar2000 or jriver in Windows 10, I can only upsample my CDs to DSD-128 by DOP.

I cannot for the life of me figure out how to upsample PCM to DSD in Foobar2000 with the X20U.  Can someone please enlighten me?  I have the SACD/ASIO components installed but I think it works only for actual DSD files, which I don't currently have.  I really just want to try upsampling PCM to DSD..

 

[wwmhf]

 
I cannot for the life of me figure out how to upsample PCM to DSD in Foobar2000 with the X20U.  Can someone please enlighten me?  I have the SACD/ASIO components installed but I think it works only for actual DSD files, which I don't currently have.  I really just want to try upsampling PCM to DSD..

 
Below is a summary of my experience for setting up foobar2000 to upsampling PCM to DSD, hope it works for you: 
 
 
 
    1. Download foo_input_sacd-0.9.11.zip or later version from 
 
    https://sourceforge.net/projects/sacddecoder/files/foo_input_sacd/
 
    2. Download ASIOProxyInstall-0.9.2.zip or later version from
 
    https://sourceforge.net/projects/sacddecoder/files/foo_dsd_asio/
    
    3. Install "foo_input_sacd.fb2k-component" to Foobar
 
    4. Run "ASIOProxyInstall-0.9.2.exe"
    
    5. In Foobar2000, 
    
    File->Preferences->Output->ASIO->ASIO drivers
    
    then double click "foo_dsd_asio" to show the "ASIO Proxy 0.92" window
    
    6. Then, in ASIO Device drop down menu, choose the driver for your device such as X20U
    
    7. Then for each "Input" frequency or format, choose the desired 
    
    Output, Converter and DSD Mode
    
    by clicking the - symbol in the corresponding column 
    
    For example, for Input with the frequency 44100, we can use
    
    Output: DSD128
    Converter: SDM type C
    DSD Mode: DoP
    
This configuration can do DSD upsampling of CD wave files

 

[wwmhf]

Many thanks, indeed I am using JRiver under windows. I installed the cmos driver from supplied usb disk. Any tip how to make it working?

 
Try the following:
 
1. Tools->Audio->Audio Device->XMOS USB Audio 2.0 ST 3033 [ASIO]
2. Tools->Audio->Audio Device->Device settings->Output: check DSD bitstream in DoP format (I think is not critical because of the next step) 
3. Tools->Audio->Settings->DSP & output format->Output Encoding: Choose 2xDSD in DoP format (requires DSD capable DAC)
4. Tools->Audio->Settings->Bitstreaming->None

 

[mtoc]

Man, something's not right, I took a look at the X20 thread. The CPLD is EPM570T100, the newer X20 Pro has changed to EPM240T100. Obviously EPM570 is more powerful. I guess they did this to reduce the cost. That's a pity.

 

[markk02474]

  Man, something's not right, I took a look at the X20 thread. The CPLD is EPM570T100, the newer X20 Pro has changed to EPM240T100. Obviously EPM570 is more powerful. I guess they did this to reduce the cost. That's a pity.

I have a new X20uPro with ES9028pro DACs and indeed the Altera Max II is the EPM240T100 with fewer Logic Elements and Macrocells. But, so what if software doesn't make use of the extras? Its more power for other stuff on the board.
 
BTW, yesterday my Fred diode order came in to replace the 8 on the DAC/buffer board and they make a huge improvement. My soundstage grew in every dimension. Its a mystery why Gustard put standard M4 SMT diodes on that board when they used low noise SS34 SMT ones on the input/clock board and front panel board. I see 8 more M4's in the buffer circuity along with MELF diodes - anybody know what they are for? Are they local power supplies and I should replace them too?

 

[wwmhf]

 
BTW, yesterday my Fred diode order came in to replace the 8 on the DAC/buffer board and they make a huge improvement. My soundstage grew in every dimension. Its a mystery why Gustard put standard M4 SMT diodes on that board when they used low noise SS34 SMT ones on the input/clock board and front panel board. I see 8 more M4's in the buffer circuity along with MELF diodes - anybody know what they are for? Are they local power supplies and I should replace them too?

 
Would you please let us whether it is easy to take the board out and whether it is easy desolder those M4s? Also, what is the model number of the Fred diodes you put in?