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

[Dandoudou]

I have a question. I noticed you have Holo Audio RED and R26. Since both of these devices have a LAN port, could you please tell me what is the difference in sound. I realize that there is a difference but is it clearly noticeable or a marginally small difference. Thank you for your help.

The Red is a polyvalence device that can be used as a streamer (USB or I2S/AES/SPDIF…) or a DDC.

I have several streamers that all work with GentooPlayer/Diretta. The sound with all of them is more refined than the sound with the built-in streamer of the R26. The Red, when configured as a Diretta Target, sounds best of all. The difference in SQ with the Red vs the LAN input of the R26 is important. This is the case with GentooPlayer/Diretta. I did not bother comparing with the Red OS, because the sound with it is not at all at a similar level of quality.

But I stopped using the Red as a streamer, a few weeks ago, and I'm using it as a DDC with a USB streamer, and with USB fiber. The improvement that this tweak brought is huge.
I posted a report about it on the Ali thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/aliexpress-cables.963919/post-17641225

 

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

Thanks. What I was practically searching now for a while.

 

[LucianoBadoe]

It may be better.
When I got the R26, I compared it to all the external streamers that I have, and that all work with GentooPlayer/diretta.
My PI2AES beats with all its outputs, the internal streamer of the R26.

Here the R26 streamer sound better than PI2AES. More clarity, stage, instruments separation,.etc.

Wifi -> FMC'S+LPS -> iSilencer -> R26

 

[Dandoudou]

Here the R26 streamer sound better than PI2AES. More clarity, stage, instruments separation,.etc.

Wifi -> FMC'S+LPS -> iSilencer -> R26

I'm using PI2AES in optimal conditions.
It benefits from separate LPSs for the HAT, and for the Rpi3. (12v from a Keces P8, and 5v from a Allo Shanti).
It runs as a Diretta Target with GentooPlayer, and CLTO kernels.
The x86 Host runs with GentooPlayer Xtreme, and CLTO kernels. (Powered by 19v from a Keces P8.)

The PI2AES and the R26 benefit from the same optical isolation, same Ethernet cables.

 

[Sound Eq]

I just loosened all the screws on the bottom of my R26 and the improvement in top end and micro detail was impressive. Thank you to all who recommended it.

now that is something I need to try, what screw driver do I need to buy to loosen those screws and avoid damaging the screws

so you say the difference is that noticeable, I am bit concerned that adding more detail in the highs is not welcomed from my side, I think a more welcome change would be adding more weight to the mids and bring them a bit more forward.

 

[mgsu]

now that is something I need to try, what screw driver do I need to buy to loosen those screws and avoid damaging the screws

so you say the difference is that noticeable, I am bit concerned that adding more detail in the highs is not welcomed from my side, I think a more welcome change would be adding more weight to the mids and bring them a bit more forward.

You need a hex tool/Allen Key. Look for it in your Ikea tools leftovers.

As for sound improvements you will get a more spacious presentation, a tad more details, better controlled mids and highs, insofar that you can crank up the volume knob of your amp by 10-15% to have the same listening levels as before.

The differences between tightened chassis screws and untightened chassis screws are quite remarkable. This is a tweak that everyone should try imo.

Edit: there are manufacturers that have a floating PCB in they'r devices to better control vibrations. Because vibrations are transferred from the chassis to the PCB where you have critical components such as clocks that are sensible to vibrations.

So, another tweak that can be done in this regard is to loosen also a tiny bit the PCB screws.

 

[matthia]

But I stopped using the Red as a streamer, a few weeks ago, and I'm using it as a DDC with a USB streamer, and with USB fiber. The improvement that this tweak brought is huge.

Do you know if it is possible to use the Red as a DDC with USB input to USB output?
Thanks

Matt

 

[Dandoudou]

Do you know if it is possible to use the Red as a DDC with USB input to USB output?
Thanks

Matt

DDC=Digital to Digital Converter.
There's no conversion if you input USB, and output USB.

 

[matthia]

DDC=Digital to Digital Converter.
There's no conversion if you input USB, and output USB.

Yes, I agree, let me clarify:
Would it also work like a reclocker for USB, so USB in to USB out?

Matt

 

[Dandoudou]

Logically, it would clock the first asynchronous transfer, because it is the master for this transfer. Then, the DAC would clock the second transfer.
But I don't think that the Red was designed for USB regeneration.

 

[Ray79]

I am releasing a new version of unofficial firmware 1.42 + Tidal connect.
R26_Release_1v42+Tidal.img.gz.zip (831MB)
Where it came from and how to do it is described HERE.

The description of changes in version 1.42 looks minor. An interesting fact is the change of the linux operating system to the "bookworm" version. This release started as a copy of "bullseye", and is currently in a state called testing. But the most important change is with the UPnP Media Renderer. Instead of upmpdcli based on MPD it is now GMediaRender and basically gmrender-resurrect (unless I'm wrong). No wonder, but GMediaRender is a project from 2007 "resurrected" in August 2022 on GitHub. It currently has 3 releases. All I know about this project is that it is a "resource efficient UPnP/DLNA renderer, optimal for Raspberry Pi, CuBox or a general MediaServer. Fork of GMediaRenderer to add some features to make it usable.”
Anyone can read it for themselves, links above.

Hi Wikaudio, thanks for sharing this file with us! Tidal Connect works fine on my Windows laptop and Iphone, streaming to R26. Unfortunately there seems to be a problem using Android devices. On Android devices the R26 shows up in the list of available devices (after installing your modified firmware) but playback won't start when selecting the R26. Is this a known issue? Any idea how to fix it?
Thanks in advance for your respons!

 

[mgsu]

Hi Wikaudio, thanks for sharing this file with us! Tidal Connect works fine on my Windows laptop and Iphone, streaming to R26. Unfortunately there seems to be a problem using Android devices. On Android devices the R26 shows up in the list of available devices (after installing your modified firmware) but playback won't start when selecting the R26. Is this a known issue? Any idea how to fix it?
Thanks in advance for your respons!

Did not tried the FW without Roon you refer to so i can not speak for this firmware, but I like to give my two cents about the altered firmware 1.42 + Roon+Tidal Connect

I respect the efforts of Wikaudio for putting Tidal Connect into the Gustard firmware but i experienced a worsened SQ with the LAN streamer of R26. Tidal Connect sounded awful in my listening test. Roon was little bit better, but not on par with stock firmware. So i downgraded back to stock firmware 1.30

I was using 1.42 + Tidal Connect + Roon. Maybe it is to much overload for R26 limited RAM to handle this various streaming protocols because i had experienced not only deteriorating SQ but also dropouts.

 

[Sound Eq]

Did not tried the FW without Roon you refer to so i can not speak for this firmware, but I like to give my two cents about the altered firmware 1.42 + Roon+Tidal Connect

I respect the efforts of Wikaudio for putting Tidal Connect into the Gustard firmware but i experienced a worsened SQ with the LAN streamer of R26. Tidal Connect sounded awful in my listening test. Roon was little bit better, but not on par with stock firmware. So i downgraded back to stock firmware 1.30

I was using 1.42 + Tidal Connect + Roon. Maybe it is to much overload for R26 limited RAM to handle this various streaming protocols because i had experienced not only deteriorating SQ but also dropouts.

greetings

so is the stock firmaware 1.3. If I install it can I not use r26 as endpoint in roon

 

[LucianoBadoe]

I'm using PI2AES in optimal conditions.
It benefits from separate LPSs for the HAT, and for the Rpi3. (12v from a Keces P8, and 5v from a Allo Shanti).
It runs as a Diretta Target with GentooPlayer, and CLTO kernels.
The x86 Host runs with GentooPlayer Xtreme, and CLTO kernels. (Powered by 19v from a Keces P8.)

The PI2AES and the R26 benefit from the same optical isolation, same Ethernet cables.

Ok, really in another condition, but, with a lot of another devices to reach this. In my case, day after day the R26 surprises in a very positive way. I was waiting a great DAC and it was showed easily but the streamer has become a very important item too to improve my SQ and make the things more clean.Wifi and FMC's was another very effective improvement - thanks guys!

 

[mgsu]

greetings

so is the stock firmaware 1.3. If I install it can I not use r26 as endpoint in roon

TBH i dont know which stock firmware i have now running on R26 because i am far from home. Could be 1.30 or 1.32.
either way, it is weird that you can not run Roon.

Select LAN Mode in R26, then in the Roon remote app go to settings, go to Audio, you should see "Gustarender" as an audio device.

Your streamer and R26 should be connected both to a router or ethernet switch.

If you are using a direct LAN connection from your PC to R26 then you need a crosslinked LAN cable. A normal LAN cable does not work in that case.