[FredA]

4 hours later.... The sound stage is huge and the precise layering impresses... This box is full of surprises, Wow!/J

4 hours is the magic delay. I would have bet...

 

[DACLadder]

Music to my ears!

 

[FredA]

Dying to receive mine. 24 to 48 hours...

 

[PLGA]

Hello @darren700 and @JaMo
Are you using any external OCXO for your DI-20s?

How would you describe the main differences against the U16?

By the way, I have the U16 with an external OCXO and its hard to imagine a much better device for similar money! Ahhh... Tempations, temptations!!

 

[darren700]

Hello @darren700 and @JaMo
Are you using any external OCXO for your DI-20s?

How would you describe the main differences against the U16?

By the way, I have the U16 with an external OCXO and its hard to imagine a much better device for similar money! Ahhh... Tempations, temptations!!

No external clock for me. However If audio-gd ever releases one I would consider it. remember the Accusilion 90/98 in the DI-20 is no slouch!

The main differences to me vs the U16 in the DI-20 so far are:

• Perfect black background
• increased micro-details
• wider soundstage
• deeper bass that also has better texture
• no sound glitches or dropouts
• doesn't restart on its own randomly like the U16

Also note my U16 is already up for sale.... https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649570574-gustard-u16-ddc/

 

[JaMo]

Hello @darren700 and @JaMo
Are you using any external OCXO for your DI-20s?

How would you describe the main differences against the U16?

By the way, I have the U16 with an external OCXO and its hard to imagine a much better device for similar money! Ahhh... Tempations, temptations!!

HI @PLGA,
Too early for me to answer. But yes I am using/trying OCXO for the moment and it works just fine. Any comparison to the internal XO's (Accusilicon 90/98) isn't possible yet. Give me/it at least 2 weeks of power on. @darren700 pretty much nailed the impressions I got fresh start and first hours yesterday eve.
/Jan

 

[PLGA]

Thank you both for the answers and yes, of course, I will wait (if I can ) for your impressions and for the opinions of another DI-20 owners in this forum, before deciding as my Gustard U16 sound very nice and my wallet has suffered this last couple of years!

Kingwa said to me that as I have the standard R8 and M1 (not the HE versions), he may suggest the standard DI-20.

I also have a dedicated AC line, a Holton DC Blocker and an Audioquest Niagara 1200 Power Filter on its way, so may I will take the shot on the regular DI-20.

 

[JaMo]

24 hours of power on. This box will not leave my home. Ever! That's it. It claims its space with indisputable clarity.The performance. Yesterday I listened to HDMI almost all the evening. I just tested the SPDIF (both regular and and ACSS) with a high quality cable. Yesterday the sound from those SPDIF's gave a slight noise.(Pink Noise-ish) I am familiar with this from earlier experiences with new gears. "It will fade away". And Yes, Now the noise is completely gone as expected. The sound quality of the SPDIF is very good. I have to test more after a full and good sleep...but the ACSS SPDIF can be compared with the I2S via HDMI. This is early in the burn in journey and the sound fluctuates from "nothing special" to "Nice" to "Very nice, Hmm" to "Full-blossom-high-end-performance". Up and down. I play a wide varity of music material (genres) and resolutions and formats. This pure joy. More to come...
/Jan

 

[FredA]

24 hours of power on. This box will not leave my home. Ever! That's it. It claims its space with indisputable clarity.The performance. Yesterday I listened to HDMI almost all the evening. I just tested the SPDIF (both regular and and ACSS) with a high quality cable. Yesterday the sound from those SPDIF's gave a slight noise.(Pink Noise-ish) I am familiar with this from earlier experiences with new gears. "It will fade away". And Yes, Now the noise is completely gone as expected. The sound quality of the SPDIF is very good. I have to test more after a full and good sleep...but the ACSS SPDIF can be compared with the I2S via HDMI. This is early in the burn in journey and the sound fluctuates from "nothing special" to "Nice" to "Very nice, Hmm" to "Full-blossom-high-end-performance". Up and down. I play a wide varity of music material (genres) and resolutions and formats. This pure joy. More to come...
/Jan

Holly cow! Mine is out of the customs.

 

[JaMo]

Should be possible then! Fingers crossed for You!

 

[PLGA]

24 hours of power on. This box will not leave my home. Ever! That's it. It claims its space with indisputable clarity.The performance. Yesterday I listened to HDMI almost all the evening. I just tested the SPDIF (both regular and and ACSS) with a high quality cable. Yesterday the sound from those SPDIF's gave a slight noise.(Pink Noise-ish) I am familiar with this from earlier experiences with new gears. "It will fade away". And Yes, Now the noise is completely gone as expected. The sound quality of the SPDIF is very good. I have to test more after a full and good sleep...but the ACSS SPDIF can be compared with the I2S via HDMI. This is early in the burn in journey and the sound fluctuates from "nothing special" to "Nice" to "Very nice, Hmm" to "Full-blossom-high-end-performance". Up and down. I play a wide varity of music material (genres) and resolutions and formats. This pure joy. More to come...
/Jan

Hi JaMo
Great posts on the Di-20HE.

Wich DAC and preamp do you have? And the rest of the system? Do you have any AC treatment (dedicated line, power regenerator, power filter, etc)?

 

[JaMo]

Hi JaMo
Great posts on the Di-20HE.

Wich DAC and preamp do you have? And the rest of the system? Do you have any AC treatment (dedicated line, power regenerator, power filter, etc)?

Thanks. Well, I am a weak person regarding this music reproduction gears.. I have way too much audio equipment, but that is another story..

In this case I am using my R2R7 that soon will be a R7 with the OS-NOS choices on the face plate. I also have a very rare TDA1541AS2 dac. This one is a HE and it is huge (25kg!). Along these I also have a NFB27.77(ESS dac). The latter is powered off to not mess up the comparison. I alter between the R2R7 and the TDA feeding different inputs. This is a pretty hard work week so I don't have unlimited (well slept) time to compare.

The Pre is a Master 1 with knobs. It has OPA2140 servo's as also the R7 and the 27.77 have. Power amps are 1 x Master 3 and 2 x Master 2's. Speakers are Quad ESL63's with Gradient SW63's. The M3 feeds the Q63' and M2'sfeeds the SW63's. Power condition is done by a Riello Medical grade UPS that produces a very clean power to the Pre and Dac's. The powerline is in general very good here. No heavy industries or such. Perfect for enjoying, for a guy like me, living with music all time I can.

For listening to headphones I usually use NFB28.38. Headphones Fostex T50RPIII modded, HE500, HE6, lately Blon B8 and HF580 (my own mod)
/Jan

 

[PLGA]

Thanks. Well, I am a weak person regarding this music reproduction gears.. I have way too much audio equipment, but that is another story..

In this case I am using my R2R7 that soon will be a R7 with the OS-NOS choices on the face plate. I also have a very rare TDA1541AS2 dac. This one is a HE and it is huge (25kg!). Along these I also have a NFB27.77(ESS dac). The latter is powered off to not mess up the comparison. I alter between the R2R7 and the TDA feeding different inputs. This is a pretty hard work week so I don't have unlimited (well slept) time to compare.

The Pre is a Master 1 with knobs. It has OPA2140 servo's as also the R7 and the 27.77 have. Power amps are 1 x Master 3 and 2 x Master 2's. Speakers are Quad ESL63's with Gradient SW63's. The M3 feeds the Q63' and M2'sfeeds the SW63's. Power condition is done by a Riello Medical grade UPS that produces a very clean power to the Pre and Dac's. The powerline is in general very good here. No heavy industries or such. Perfect for enjoying a guy like me, living with music all time I can.

For listening to headphones I usually use NFB28.38. Headphones Fostex T50RPIII modded, HE500, HE6, lately Blon B8 and HF580 (my own mod)
/Jan

Wow, very impressive system. Thanks for sharing.

I'm still deciding between the regular DI-20 or the HE version. The price difference is not small.

Kingwa has suggested me the regular version as I have the non HE versions of the R8 DAC and M1 preamp and I also have a dedicated AC line, a Holton DC Blocker and a soon coming AudioQuest Niagara 1200, so I guess the power feeding my system must be pretty clean.

I have the money, what I'm trying to convince is my consiounce!

 

[JaMo]

Wow, very impressive system. Thanks for sharing.

I'm still deciding between the regular DI-20 or the HE version. The price difference is not small.

Kingwa has suggested me the regular version as I have the non HE versions of the R8 DAC and M1 preamp and I also have a dedicated AC line, a Holton DC Blocker and a soon coming AudioQuest Niagara 1200, so I guess the power feeding my system must be pretty clean.

I have the money, what I'm trying to convince is my consiounce!

I know the feeling. Be sure of that. I am sure also the nonHE is very good. Pick the HE if You have 1. A long term plan to upgrade the whole chain 2. the funds 3..problems to live with to pass it..

My rig. I have been building up this for years. Fell in love with the speakers in the 80's. Have been saving up and worked hard to be where I am today. Music is important for me, have always been. It has my priority higher than travel and other expensive stuff..
/Jan

 

[Toni-Mang]

Thanks you for your post and your impressions. A very cool system...
I am waiting for my DI20 90/98, shipped on the 18.11. And my broken U16 is also back again. It had a warranty repair, took long (incl. shipping and tax cost), but Gustard was helpfull. So it is possible for me to compare both "new" with the PS Audio PWT.
As mentioned before, i have two HDMI Cards on my R8, and the PS Audio PWT sounded much better as the U16 DDC (both via I2S). Hope, the DI20 comes closer...
Stefan