GUSTARD DAC-R26 Balanced Decoder R2R+1Bit Dual Native Decoding Music Bridge

[comzee]

I loath MQA, and think it's a cancer on the hifi market. With that said, I respect others wants, and connected my laptop + tidal app to test for you guys.

Playing normal non MQA track on tidal, it displays PCM.
Playing MQA track on tidal, it displays MQA.

I only have base Tidal subscription, so nothing over 44.1Khz, but I assume this is a good enough test to say it supports all MQA over USB.

Cheers

EDIT:

Somebody already asked me on Discord, so I assume someone will ask here.
YES! MQA does work over the internal LAN Roon bridge. Just make sure you have the endpoint setup in Roon for full MQA support.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Thank you for your time and effort.

You can further download free MQA, DXD and DSD test files at this classic ripository:

http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html?

Edit: The above page is no longer maintained.

A better alternative is Sound Liaison's Compare Format 2.0. No MQA however.

 

[Giangi]

I loath MQA, and think it's a cancer on the hifi market. With that said, I respect others wants, and connected my laptop + tidal app to test for you guys.

Playing normal non MQA track on tidal, it displays PCM.
Playing MQA track on tidal, it displays MQA.

I only have base Tidal subscription, so nothing over 44.1Khz, but I assume this is a good enough test to say it supports all MQA over USB.

Cheers

EDIT:

Somebody already asked me on Discord, so I assume someone will ask here.
YES! MQA does work over the internal LAN Roon bridge. Just make sure you have the endpoint setup in Roon for full MQA support.

And disable MQA core decoder, right?

 

[comzee]

You can further download free MQA, DXD and DSD test files at this classic repository:
http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html?

Edit:

And disable MQA core decoder, right?

Didn't see this, but yes, disable core decoder.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Could not find the Japanese site that has free DSD512 samples.
But NativeDSD have a sampler pack of 7 DSD512 tracks that cost $5.
https://www.nativedsd.com/product/ndsd017-nativedsd-music-free-starter-pack/

Just for kicks.

Edit: Found that DSD512: https://wechdomi.org/M333/o5dsd512.zip

And a DSD1024: https://wechdomi.org/musicdata/WDCD-0018_Tr5_Upsampled48kHzXDSD1024.zip

 

[comzee]

Edit: Found that DSD512: https://wechdomi.org/M333/o5dsd512.zip

And a DSD1024: https://wechdomi.org/musicdata/WDCD-0018_Tr5_Upsampled48kHzXDSD1024.zip

DSD512 does play, but that specific test track started breaking up about 30 seconds into playing.
Repeatable issue, if I stop and play the song again, gets about 30 seconds in before breaking up.

Roon does not detect that DSD1024 track. I'm not sure if it's Roon, or that specific test track. But since Roon cannot read it, I cannot try to play it back on R26.
Probably wouldn't work, since it appears R26 can't even handle DSD512 from LAN.

Too lazy to test this with USB, I think DSD is dumb, I'll leave it at that.

edit:

The same website that had MQA also has DSD up to dsd256.
The R26 played this dsd256: http://www.lindberg.no/hires/test/2L-038_MQA2016-11289k-1b_01.dsf.zip
9 minute track without issue.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Again thank you for testing. At least we know its capabilities so far.

Nice test files page the 2L got right? Using it to test my hearing too if I can detect differences on various bit rates and depths.

On Gustard's product page, it says it can support DSD512 but in Native mode via LAN.

R26 maybe ROON ready but NOT certified. On the renderer options/settings you can't set DSD to Native, ONLY in DoP. Hence upto DSD256 only. Just speculating. But I think this is the case. Maybe same too with other protocols (UPnP)? Only in DoP?

 

[PeteJ]

So I had my R26 showing up on the doorstep this morning, only running for about 1h while I was working so not critical listening yet but really great initial impressions so far coming from Topping D90SE.

Just testing MQA from Tidal via USB, in settings it must be set to "exlusive mode" otherwise its just PCM. Tested Patricia Barber - Clique (352.8k) looks like it's working as expected for all MQA fans reading it

 

[OdSF]

So I had my R26 showing up on the doorstep this morning, only running for about 1h while I was working so not critical listening yet but really great initial impressions so far coming from Topping D90SE.

Just testing MQA from Tidal via USB, in settings it must be set to "exlusive mode" otherwise its just PCM. Tested Patricia Barber - Clique (352.8k) looks like it's working as expected for all MQA fans reading it

Looking forward to hear your impressions as I am thinking of going from an older DX7 Pro to the R26!

 

[comzee]

I notice your digital VC (volume control) is set at -40dB.
The R26 actually has a really cool feature in the menu for this:

When there is no independent pre-amp, the DAC is directly connected to high-gain amplifier or high-gain active speakers, so it is very likely that a large digital volume attenuation (for example, -40dB) will be used to listen to music at a proper volume, which will bring big impact to the sound quality.
This function is designed for this kind of application.
When this feature is on, a very good analog attenuator provides a gain of -30dB.
For a global gain of -40 dB, only -10 dB digital attenuation is required when using this function. That provides a much better DNR performance.

TLDR: If you are regularly running at -40dB and more, turn attenuation ON in the settings.

 

[comzee]

R26 maybe ROON ready but NOT certified. On the renderer options/settings you can't set DSD to Native, ONLY in DoP. Hence upto DSD256 only. Just speculating. But I think this is the case. Maybe same too with other protocols (UPnP)? Only in DoP?

Not sure if your firmware isn't updated, but I can set R26 LAN endpoint in Roon, to native DSD.
That is how I was playing DSD.

And yes, the R26 did play DSD512 from LAN, but as I mentioned, it starts breaking up after awhile. Like the R26 doesn't have enough processing power or something to handle it, or the buffer is too short. Could have been that specific DSD512 track, not sure.

 

[comzee]

X26 and R26 side by side, was doing ABX last night, and will continue for a few days to post impressions.

Test bed:
Ethernet -> Allo Signature -> USB -> Hydra-Z -> I2S -> X26 -> AVC (abx switch) -> AMP -> Driver
Ethernet -> R26 -> AVC (abx switch) -> AMP -> Driver

Both devices "grouped" in Roon to output at the same time.
The AVC works as the ABX switch.

Last night I was comparing with a Pentode headamp + HD800.
Today I'm using Elekit 8600S + Omega speakers.
Tomorrow I try it with Quad 909 amp + Solstice speakers (comparing to Zodiac DAC as well)

I only have one impression right now for X26 vs R26:

X26 is warmer than R26. It's actually an aspect I liked about X26, it sounded more analog because it had a slight warm tilt, but that's just it.
It's a technique that attempts to make something analog sounding, but it's not actually that.
R26 sounds analog, but not warm, big difference.
The treble on R26 really sparkles because of it.
It feels alive, while the X26 by direct abx comparison sounds muted and boring.

I still like X26, I think it's tonality over other ESS implementations is amazing. I'd much prefer a bit boring ESS sound, than the harsh treble sibilant sound that most other ESS dacs have. But reiterating, it's more like a band-aid fix for ESS, the R26 doesn't* need such fixes. The tonality and timbre is a gem. Analog sounding without being warm, treble sparkle without being harsh or sibilant. Timbre natural and engaging.

 

[PeteJ]

I notice your digital VC (volume control) is set at -40dB.
The R26 actually has a really cool feature in the menu for this:



TLDR: If you are regularly running at -40dB and more, turn attenuation ON in the settings.

Thank you. I'll try it tomorrow and compare with Burson VC as well, I did like my Burson in volume bypass mode in my previous setup, need some time to play with it... and read the manual perhaps, see what other useful tips I can find. Thanks @comzee .

 

[milkdudd]

When you said "it's more like a band-aid fix for ESS, the R26 does need such fixes" did you mean to say the r26 doesn't need such fixes? Sorry if it's me failing to keep up with the conversation

 

[comzee]

When you said "it's more like a band-aid fix for ESS, the R26 does need such fixes" did you mean to say the r26 doesn't need such fixes? Sorry if it's me failing to keep up with the conversation

Correct, typo, I did mean "it's more like a band-aid fix for ESS, the R26 doesn't need such fixes"