[Buckminster]

@xedarius & @Buckminster If you haven't yet you should try Sinc-Mx + LNS15 on PCM768, been enjoying it as my PCM setting of late. After being on poly-sinc-gauss-long per Jussi default for some time.

Thanks for the rec, Jake! I had settled on poly-sinc-gauss-xla and sinc-MGa as my two favorites a while back, but I'll take a closer look at Mx. First impressions are good, maybe a little extra clarity in the treble region vs MGa with great detail and soundstage.

That reminds me: were you ever able to check to see if NOS mode works on your R26 with 705.6/768? Whenever playing those sample rates (and only those), the onboard PCM filters are still active regardless of the NOS setting. Everything operates as expected with 384 and lower. Still sounds great and one can resolve changes in the HQPlayer settings, but it just behaves strangely at those maximum rates.

 

[Jake2]

That reminds me: were you ever able to check to see if NOS mode works on your R26 with 705.6/768? Whenever playing those sample rates (and only those), the onboard PCM filters are still active regardless of the NOS setting. Everything operates as expected with 384 and lower. Still sounds great and one can resolve changes in the HQPlayer settings, but it just behaves strangely at those maximum rates.

I don’t think I’ve tested this sorry. How can you tell if they are still still active or not? Just by ear or some other indicator?

 

[camrector]

Thanks for the rec, Jake! I had settled on poly-sinc-gauss-xla and sinc-MGa as my two favorites a while back, but I'll take a closer look at Mx. First impressions are good, maybe a little extra clarity in the treble region vs MGa with great detail and soundstage.

That reminds me: were you ever able to check to see if NOS mode works on your R26 with 705.6/768? Whenever playing those sample rates (and only those), the onboard PCM filters are still active regardless of the NOS setting. Everything operates as expected with 384 and lower. Still sounds great and one can resolve changes in the HQPlayer settings, but it just behaves strangely at those maximum rates.

Yeah first I’m hearing of this too
I was using NOS for upsampling on 768k with HQplayer. Never had an issue

 

[Buckminster]

I don’t think I’ve tested this sorry. How can you tell if they are still still active or not? Just by ear or some other indicator?

Unlike all other PCM rates, with 705.6/768 switching NOS mode on and off doesn't do anything, and if you set it to ON, you can still cycle through the Fast/Mid/Slow PCM filters just as if you had set it to OFF. Everything is back to normal if you downgrade to 384 or lower.

 

[camrector]

Unlike all other PCM rates, with 705.6/768 switching NOS mode on and off doesn't do anything, and if you set it to ON, you can still cycle through the Fast/Mid/Slow PCM filters just as if you had set it to OFF. Everything is back to normal if you downgrade to 384 or lower.

Oh
Those rates are high enough that it already bypasses the DACs internal over sampling. So it becomes “NOS” by default.

 

[Jake2]

Oh
Those rates are high enough that it already bypasses the DACs internal over sampling. So it becomes “NOS” by default.

I hoped/thought that was the case too whilst in NOS mode + PCM705/768, but at least in PCM705 I'm listening to right now there are both brief discontinuities (clicks + silence) when switching between mid/slow/fast, and more to the point the character of the sound changes in line with the name. I prefer mid which is the default I've left it on pretty much permanently.

@Buckminster - good spot.

 

[rawhit]

Hi All,
I just got this DAC and have set it up with my HTPC. I am able to get it working via USB but haven't managed to get the streaming mode working.
When I put the DAC in LAN mode, it doesn't show up on my network. I've verified that the ethernet jack/cable I'm connecting it to are good as they work. fine on the PC.
Any suggestions on troubleshooting this?

Thanks.

 

[camrector]

Hi All,
I just got this DAC and have set it up with my HTPC. I am able to get it working via USB but haven't managed to get the streaming mode working.
When I put the DAC in LAN mode, it doesn't show up on my network. I've verified that the ethernet jack/cable I'm connecting it to are good as they work. fine on the PC.
Any suggestions on troubleshooting this?

Thanks.

It isn’t going to show up on your network.
You need a player/source.

 

[rawhit]

It isn’t going to show up on your network.
You need a player/source.

Should have clarified. I use JPlay Femto on PC and Minim Server on NAS as media servers and Arcam Music Life on iPhone as the controller. Have even tried Bubble UPNP on android.
I was expecting the Gustard to show up as a renderer in these apps but it doesn't.
Also went to my router to check connected LAN devices to confirm that Gustard got an IP assigned but it doesn't get listed there either.

 

[Jake2]

Should have clarified. I use JPlay Femto on PC and Minim Server on NAS as media servers and Arcam Music Life on iPhone as the controller. Have even tried Bubble UPNP on android.
I was expecting the Gustard to show up as a renderer in these apps but it doesn't.
Also went to my router to check connected LAN devices to confirm that Gustard got an IP assigned but it doesn't get listed there either.

Hmm.. that doesn't sound good. It is normally just plug and play, in terms of basic troubleshooting I'm not sure what to suggest other than trying another cable or restarting it, which I expect you've done.

Are the ethernet lights flashing at the R26 LAN port once you connect the cable?

The basic steps for streaming are normally just:
- ethernet cable to home LAN (to switch or router I recommend, direct connections to servers are more complicated)
- LAN input selected on R26
- select R26 as renderer in streaming software.

For the last step there can be a delay of a few seconds (up to 30 for HQPlayer) before it appears as a selectable network device

I guess to rule out an issue with the Gustarender streaming software, you could try reflashing that per instructions on the first post.

 

[rawhit]

Hmm.. that doesn't sound good. It is normally just plug and play, in terms of basic troubleshooting I'm not sure what to suggest other than trying another cable or restarting it, which I expect you've done.

Are the ethernet lights flashing at the R26 LAN port once you connect the cable?

The basic steps for streaming are normally just:
- ethernet cable to home LAN (to switch or router I recommend, direct connections to servers are more complicated)
- LAN input selected on R26
- select R26 as renderer in streaming software.

For the last step there can be a delay of a few seconds (up to 30 for HQPlayer) before it appears as a selectable network device

I guess to rule out an issue with the Gustarender streaming software, you could try reflashing that per instructions on the first post.

Ethernet lights are not lit on inserting the cable.

I tried to follow the steps for installing the firmware 1.43. But usbimager is not able to see the flashdrive on R26. I did shutdown the power button on back and then connected the usbc cable. Suspecting that the streamer section is just not booting up due to corrupt drive. Is it on an SD card that can be replaced?

 

[Jake2]

Ethernet lights are not lit on inserting the cable.

I tried to follow the steps for installing the firmware 1.43. But usbimager is not able to see the flashdrive on R26. I did shutdown the power button on back and then connected the usbc cable. Suspecting that the streamer section is just not booting up due to corrupt drive. Is it on an SD card that can be replaced?

Yes it is on a MicroSD that can be removed and reflashed externally in an SD card reader and/or you can substitute a newly flashed card as some have done, needs to be 32gB IIRC.

Will see if I can find a link to posts on this, with pics… one mo.

Oh a further thought, try Balena Etcher first, the Gustards are very finicky with firmware/renderer updates .. not all flashing software works.

 

[Jake2]

Here ya go. Good luck.

@searchingtom As a last resort option, you could try the below steps to take the R26 itself out of the card reading & flashing process in case - as seems increasingly likely - it's the problem here:

1. using an SD card reader holding a fresh/second 32GB Micro-SD card*, reader connected directly your computer via USB etc, follow the steps re Balena etc to flash the Gustarender v1.4 firmware to this card i.e. R26 itself not in play here at all.
2. with the R26 turned off/unplugged from power, remove the physical Micro-SD card in the R26 that holds the Gustarender firmware and put this to one side
3. insert new flashed card per 1, switch R26 on and try this
4. If successful, celebrate with Bourbon. If not retry steps 1 & 3 and/or replace with OG card put aside at step 2 and gnash teeth.

*I'm not sure what drive format Gustard use for the card so you may need to try a few. Can anyone else recommend which it should be? Edit - I guess the flashed image probably takes care of this.

 

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

@rawhit Reach out to the seller...for replacement or refund.

 

[jsiets4]

Ethernet lights are not lit on inserting the cable.

I tried to follow the steps for installing the firmware 1.43. But usbimager is not able to see the flashdrive on R26. I did shutdown the power button on back and then connected the usbc cable. Suspecting that the streamer section is just not booting up due to corrupt drive. Is it on an SD card that can be replaced?

When I first tried to install new firmware the r26 did not like the combo usbc/lightning port on my pc I had to use usb a port on my pc to install the firmware.