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

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

Roon has best user experience.
Foobar is free.

 

[LucianoBadoe]

@Kent10 take the Jplay app (an old ipad/iphone can support) and a Qobuz/Tidal account as my two cents.

No PC is necessary and it can bring a good smile to your face.

 

[BShaw]

@Kent10 take the Jplay app (an old ipad/iphone can support) and a Qobuz/Tidal account as my two cents.

No PC is necessary and it can bring a good smile to your face.

+1 for Jplay, it was the best of the UpnP apps I tried before I went to Roon. You could always buy a cheap used iphone, Google Pixel, Samsung etc and run it from there: https://jplay.app/
They have versions for both iOS and Android, and it works really well. This makes your phone the controller but the music doesn't actually travel through the device, it's routed directly from your router to the R26. Next best thing to Roon. Worked great with Qobuz for me.

 

[Kent10]

Thanks LucianoBadoe and BShaw. Sounds really good. I'll take a look.

 

[Knobstler]

+1 for Jplay, it was the best of the UpnP apps I tried before I went to Roon. You could always buy a cheap used iphone, Google Pixel, Samsung etc and run it from there: https://jplay.app/
They have versions for both iOS and Android, and it works really well. This makes your phone the controller but the music doesn't actually travel through the device, it's routed directly from your router to the R26. Next best thing to Roon. Worked great with Qobuz for me.

I cant find any android version for jplay?!

 

[BShaw]

I cant find any android version for jplay?!

I apologize I thought they had a version for Android but maybe it’s just Windows and ios,but you could find an ipad pretty cheap and run it from there, or from your existing laptop if it's a PC.

 

[flyte3333]

Bodiebill will also compare the A26 to his Merging Hapi with Ravenna.
Just imagine if the A26 outperforms the Hapi…

Was there update on this?

 

[dacwizard]

Ive been spending a few days comparing LAN sound quality to Optical. LAN has been using Qobuz via Jplay. Optical using Qobuz via WIIM. Well, as a bit of a surprise to me, I’ve got to say there is no discernible difference between the two.

I do like the Jplay app/interface, but why am I having to pay a subscription to use this? I also get a bit of stuttering intermittently. Also I find the Jplay app can drop the Gustardrenderer connection when you switch the r26 away from the LAN input, this is a right pain as reestablishing the connection seems a convoluted art!!

This is great news to me as it means I don’t need to bother getting my network wired properly to make this connection possible long term (currently I have a 25m Cat6 wire running from the router across a bedroom, upstairs hallway, downstairs, entrance hall and lounge to connect up the R26), or subscribe to the Jplay app. R26 via Optical sounds great already, I just wanted to see what I was missing by not using LAN…nothing it seems.

 

[Dandoudou]

Was there update on this?

Yes.
Bodiebill replaced his Merging Hapi by the A26.
A few months later, in the beginning of the year, he upgraded from the A26 to the Teac UD-701N, and he keeps using it, since then.

 

[Dandoudou]

I apologize I thought they had a version for Android but maybe it’s just Windows and ios

JPlay for iOS, and for Windows are two different players who just have the same name.
There was no version of JPlay for Android.

 

[camrector]

currently I have a 25m Cat6 wire running from the router across a bedroom, upstairs hallway, downstairs, entrance hall and lounge to connect up the R26

This is a big reason why you aren’t hearing a big difference from LAN.
26m Ethernet cable snaking through your home is not good for SQ.
Suffice it to say you are missing out on a greater improvement on sound quality until you get your foundation sorted.

 

[BShaw]

This is a big reason why you aren’t hearing a big difference from LAN.
26m Ethernet cable snaking through your home is not good for SQ.
Suffice it to say you are missing out on a greater improvement on sound quality until you get your foundation sorted.

(cough)F(cough)M.......C?

 

[BShaw]

JPlay for iOS, and for Windows are two different players who just have the same name.
There was no version of JPlay for Android.

I don't think so Dan they're both here: http://jplay.eu/

 

[dacwizard]

This is a big reason why you aren’t hearing a big difference from LAN.
26m Ethernet cable snaking through your home is not good for SQ.
Suffice it to say you are missing out on a greater improvement on sound quality until you get your foundation sorted.

(cough)F(cough)M.......C?

well possibly, or maybe…

Both sources show the R26 at its max potential.!!

Certainly the optical source guarantees no electrical noise.
The LAN source should, in theory, reduce potential jitter compared to the above, however we know most jitter in modern DACs is well below audible levels. The LAN source could introduce more ground noise, but that would be dependent on my environment.

I guess it’s possible that the Jitter in optical and the noise in LAN could be equitable, but even here I would expect the different issues to manifest in different audio artefacts, however I hear no difference. I certainly wont be faffing about with FMC on the off chance it makes any difference when my Optical source already sounds fantastic.

 

[camrector]

well possibly, or maybe…

Both sources show the R26 at its max potential.!!

Again with a properly set up system for LAN streaming, you would clearly see/hear the difference and understand why the LAN input is preferred for SQ without spending thousands on a DDC.