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

[Forgisound]

If the switch is directly connected to the router then damaging electrical noise will find its way to the switch from the router no matter how good the cables are. Try using a wifi extender to connect the switch to the router, you will be surprised how much more musically coherent everything sounds. This principal of keeping the main fileserver and R26 on a clean side from the dirty router side is very important. When I tried this the result is not subtle its...... 'wow' that just sounds much better. When I talk about removing noise it isn't digital noise as such it is like lifting a veil from the sound that makes everything more believable and natural. It's made me realise how much noise is inherent in a router sonically speaking. Power every device on the clean side (network switch and fileserver) with good audio grade linear power supplies or lipo batteries).
Look at what is actually passing to the router, if it involves the switch via a lan cable then just use wifi instead to transfer the data and you're there.

I had that veil when I connected a PC with Roon, or HQ Player, to the system next to the NAS. Which HiFi extender would you recommend? What about its power supply?

 

[rodthebod]

I had that veil when I connected a PC with Roon, or HQ Player, to the system next to the NAS. Which HiFi extender would you recommend? What about its power supply?

I just used an old TPlink Wa855 plug into the wall type, it's job is to connect with the wifi signal of the router and then I used a RJ45 Lan patch cable (cat5 which has no ground wire as standard) to connect with the switch hub that connects the R26 and the file server (Allo USBbridge sparky, or a Rpi3B+ too works well). I used the FMC s to connect between switch and R26 with a short Cat8 and inline Isolator.

 

[Forgisound]

I just used an old TPlink Wa855 plug into the wall type, it's job is to connect with the wifi signal of the router and then I used a RJ45 Lan patch cable (cat5 which has no ground wire as standard) to connect with the switch hub that connects the R26 and the file server (Allo USBbridge sparky, or a Rpi3B+ too works well). I used the FMC s to connect between switch and R26 with a short Cat8 and inline Isolator.

Some say that it is better to use 5GHz WiFi, because there is much less traffic and interference.

 

[BShaw]

Has anyone using the optical input of R26 connected to a CD transport found it worthwhile to use a more upmarket / expensive Toslink cable? I've found a basic $15 optical cable beats my $400 silver coax by a significant margin, and am wondering if an optical upgrade is worth investigating?

This isn’t the first mention of the quality of the optical input, now you’ve got me curious. I never even considered using this connection to my transport, figured it was “good enough for the tv”, but I too have been through three very decent coax cables, currently a Neotech NEVD-2001 pure silver with KLEI Absolute Harmony plugs, and still the LAN connection, with good fiber, LPS, and JPlay leaves my CDT a step behind. I’m going to have to give this a shot!

 

[sajunky]

Some say that it is better to use 5GHz WiFi, because there is much less traffic and interference.

Just separate WiFi traffic (a pair of extenders is a simplest way). A dedicated AP or VLAN with prioritised traffic the other way. Avoid higher band, unless there is a short of dedicated channels in 2.4GHz.

 

[rodthebod]

Just separate WiFi traffic (a pair of extenders is a simplest way). A dedicated AP or VLAN with prioritised traffic the other way. Avoid higher band, unless there is a short of dedicated channels in 2.4GHz.

Agree completely, there's little point in going to the trouble of having a wifi 'filter' installed on the network, then allow extra and unnecessary traffic which will increase 'noise', as you've suggested a lower band (2.4GHz) should be better.

 

[Highfive99]

Some say that it is better to use 5GHz WiFi, because there is much less traffic and interference.

A 5GHz signal is not as good going through walls so the signal strength won't be as strong as a 2.4GHz if it passes through walls to your gear. If your wireless signal doesn't pass through walls then 5GHz would be better to use.

 

[Deleeh]

Hello,
Today I tried the Fmc boxes again on the R26.
I wrote in my previous postings that the mentioned cable from Duffer5 (Finisar) is a bit too dark for my taste.

Well I did a tube change on my amp with the most neutral tubes I have.
Together with the Auteur Og it is at the moment exactly where I can have it.
And still enjoys the full sweetness of the R26 with a wonderful low end.
I will definitely listen to it again, unfortunately a thunderstorm has put a spanner in the works.

I am still thinking about what I will do.
First of all I looked for a normal Cat 6 cable because my current one doesn't know which one it is.
Second thing is that I am still thinking if it makes sense to buy a Sonore Fmc box for the clean side.
Has anyone had any experience with the R26?
Or should I save the money?
I don't know if it can get better or if it will stay the same.

 

[galaxysound25]

Hi All, has anybody tried R26+Holo Audio Bliss KTE combo and can provide feedback please...

 

[rodthebod]

A 5GHz signal is not as good going through walls so the signal strength won't be as strong as a 2.4GHz if it passes through walls to your gear. If your wireless signal doesn't pass through walls then 5GHz would be better to use.

It's not so much about signal but the traffic that's on the signal path. For audio use only a small amount of data bandwidth is really needed. I have always thought, only use as much as is needed when trying to get the full benefit of technical audio perfection. (i.e 2.4Ghz is perfect for audio use, don't bring more torrents of bandwidth into it) Audio only needs a fraction of what the global bandwidth requires so use this wisely.......I'm sounding like Yoda!

 

[mgsu]

Hello,
Today I tried the Fmc boxes again on the R26.
I wrote in my previous postings that the mentioned cable from Duffer5 (Finisar) is a bit too dark for my taste.

Well I did a tube change on my amp with the most neutral tubes I have.
Together with the Auteur Og it is at the moment exactly where I can have it.
And still enjoys the full sweetness of the R26 with a wonderful low end.
I will definitely listen to it again, unfortunately a thunderstorm has put a spanner in the works.

I am still thinking about what I will do.
First of all I looked for a normal Cat 6 cable because my current one doesn't know which one it is.
Second thing is that I am still thinking if it makes sense to buy a Sonore Fmc box for the clean side.
Has anyone had any experience with the R26?
Or should I save the money?
I don't know if it can get better or if it will stay the same.

The streamer is not the last word on SQ imo. As you know ive tried the streamer from external clocked sotm switch and preferred i2s from SU-6, 5% improvement. You still have the SU-2? Get a used SU-6 and go over I2S. I spoke to Jos from Magna Hifi, he confirmed that without external clocking, between SU-6, SU-2 and DI20HE, the SU-6 is the winner. With external clocking DI20HE is better.
I dont recal if you have the Puritan PSM 156, if not get one and hook up your DAC and other gear and you get 10-20% improvement.

 

[Jake2]

The streamer is not the last word on SQ imo. As you know ive tried the streamer from external clocked sotm switch and preferred i2s from SU-6, 5% improvement. You still have the SU-2? Get a used SU-6 and go over I2S. I spoke to Jos from Magna Hifi, he confirmed that without external clocking, between SU-6, SU-2 and DI20HE, the SU-6 is the winner. With external clocking DI20HE is better.
I dont recal if you have the Puritan PSM 156, if not get one and hook up your DAC and other gear and you get 10-20% improvement.

I agree the Puritan PSM156 is excellent, though to fair it costs as much as the R26. Also using Quartz Acoustics signal grounding boxes on my R26 (coax s/pdif input) and Mac Mini (USB input) which have an additive effect of a similar character in lowering the background noise level and glare, increasing dynamics. Superb bang for buck improvements for SGD150 each.

I have an SU6 and U18 and found similar to what you describe:
SU6 > U18 (INT) but U18 (+OCK-1) > SU6
However I still find R26 HQplayer NAA (+OCK-1 + SW-8 & Netgear switches) > U18 (+OCK-1) via I2S.

I’m aware a number of folk prefer USB direct or I2S to the internal streamer so open to tweaking the I2S & USB signal chains to see if i can replicate their results and achieve parity or beat the internal streamer without spending a lot more.

What I2S cable do you use? I have the affordable but highly rated BJC FE. I’ve heard the Tubulus Argentus I2S >> BJC FE, but that’s more than I want to spend.

 

[Forgisound]

Off topic: Today I listened to the setup at a friend's house: Lumen White White Light D speakers, Vaic monoblocks amplifier, Audio Note 4 preamp, Audio Note 4 DAC/ transport. And the Kuzma XL gramophone with Kuzma 4point. One of the best setups I've heard. Especially the gramophone.
We listened to classical music.
I was already delighted with the Accuton diamond tweeter, and now I have confirmed it. That tweeter sounds just right. Unobtrusive, seamlessly connected to the midrange. The driver doesn't draw attention to itself at all, you just hear the music exactly as it should, without the slightest harshness, without the slightest distortion. All other tweeters are HiFi, that Accuton Diamond gives music. All high-end speakers, who want to be high-fidelity, should have this tweeter.

 

[BShaw]

 

[mgsu]

I agree the Puritan PSM156 is excellent, though to fair it costs as much as the R26. Also using Quartz Acoustics signal grounding boxes on my R26 (coax s/pdif input) and Mac Mini (USB input) which have an additive effect of a similar character in lowering the background noise level and glare, increasing dynamics. Superb bang for buck improvements for SGD150 each.

I have an SU6 and U18 and found similar to what you describe:
SU6 > U18 (INT) but U18 (+OCK-1) > SU6
However I still find R26 HQplayer NAA (+OCK-1 + SW-8 & Netgear switches) > U18 (+OCK-1) via I2S.

I’m aware a number of folk prefer USB direct or I2S to the internal streamer so open to tweaking the I2S & USB signal chains to see if i can replicate their results and achieve parity or beat the internal streamer without spending a lot more.

What I2S cable do you use? I have the affordable but highly rated BJC FE. I’ve heard the Tubulus Argentus I2S >> BJC FE, but that’s more than I want to spend.

the Hdmi cable length is controversial, some people prefer shorter cables, some longer cables. Hdmi is also all about impendace matching of the host and client device. Some hosts and clients are 120 Ohm and other are 100 Ohm if i recall correctly. So yeah, its all about tinkering with cable lenghts to avoid reflections. Therefore not every one get the same results with Hdmi.
My Cable is a 2m AQ Chocolate. I want to try later on a shorter Hdmi <50cm and see if it improves or worsen the system.