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

[Stellabagpuss]

That's the one. I know, it's ridiculous but go big or go home right? You really should hear the R26 paired with it, hot damn. I read the Phoenix USB thread end-to-end last night and there's a few May owners with it - even the May with its fancy Titanis 2 USB isolation board gets a >20% improvement from the PhoenixUSB. Other DACs and servers that folk used it with, most at least twice as expensive as the R26, benefit even more. I'm not looking forward to the withdrawal symptoms when I have to give it back in a few weeks...

What Streamer or method are you are you using Jake? l take it you you have Streamer running into the Phoenix, then USB into R26?

 

[Keysee]

Wikaudio, is it possible to run qobuz connect? I was also thinking about something like auto off, i.e., after 5 minutes without a signal, switching to standby mode. maybe if you have access to the developers, let them know about such ideas.

 

[Jake2]

What Streamer or method are you are you using Jake? l take it you you have Streamer running into the Phoenix, then USB into R26?

Hi Damien, in terms of streamers used just the Zen Stream (with iFi Power X + DC iPurifier2) and direct from my Mac Mini M1 (stock SMPS, but tempted by the Teradak LPS). Both the Phoenix and LHY make a huge improvement over USB direct to R26, and to a lesser but still material extent the R26 internal streamer. The Mac-as-USB-source sounds better, a more expansive and full bodied sound. But to be fair to the Zen the Mini has a grounding box attached and some vibration damping and RFI shielding measures I haven't yet bothered moving across to the Zen Stream. Will see if I can get the Afterdark Rosanna up and running as a streamer too (currently just moonlighting as a fancy pants - and most excellent sounding - FMC).

Getting lots of questions about both the LHY UIP and the Phoenix USB but other than my initial impressions holding off a few days before commenting in detail. For now let's just say the new owner of the Phoenix has done well and the LHY punches well above its weight.

 

[Jake2]

FYI I’ve set up a dedicated thread for the LHY UIP USB isolator at the request of a few folk. Will share listening impressions of the LHY incl vs the Innuous PhoenixUSB over there in the coming days-week.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/lhy-uip-usb-audio-isolator.972463/

@MikeLS if, when you are ready to do so, if you cared to share (or link to) your experience over there as well as here I’m sure there’d be a few interested folk.

 

[Stellabagpuss]

Thanks Jake, l'll follow with interest. The lnnuos was once on my radar, and for a long time, l was a USB guy. Then the discovery of how good the R26 was, and how using FMCs took it further heights,plus the added bonus all my files are PCM WAVs l abandoned the USB route, and added PSU upgrades "Farad Super 3" on my NUC and LB clock. My R26 isn't stock, moving the PSU into another compartment, and adding and separating sections inside the R26 really transforms things, you know this already.
Anyway l'm waffling now, l'll enjoy following the new thread.

 

[MikeLS]

FYI I’ve set up a dedicated thread for the LHY UIP USB isolator at the request of a few folk. Will share listening impressions of the LHY incl vs the Innuous PhoenixUSB over there in the coming days-week.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/lhy-uip-usb-audio-isolator.972463/

@MikeLS if, when you are ready to do so, if you cared to share (or link to) your experience over there as well as here I’m sure there’d be a few interested folk.

Will do Jake. I’ll post my comments after another 100 hours or so. Now burning in 24/7 with music playing

 

[Jake2]

Thanks Jake, l'll follow with interest. The lnnuos was once on my radar, and for a long time, l was a USB guy. Then the discovery of how good the R26 was, and how using FMCs took it further heights,plus the added bonus all my files are PCM WAVs l abandoned the USB route, and added PSU upgrades "Farad Super 3" on my NUC and LB clock. My R26 isn't stock, moving the PSU into another compartment, and adding and separating sections inside the R26 really transforms things, you know this already.
Anyway l'm waffling now, l'll enjoy following the new thread.

So coincidentally this Mu Metal sheet I ordered months ago finally arrived today. Gave it a go, as you do, making a shroud for one of the R26’s toroidals and… WOW. Bigger, juicier, more flowing sound with less glare/hardness the standout impression after a couple of ABs incl a noticeable difference adding the hat, which is temp, will shape to be a round cap. I mean I added extra copper shielding between the LPS section and the digital section a while back but got nothing like this change. Damn, just shows what magnetic fields can do.

I keep saying this but that’s gotta be the best $25 I’ve spent in recent times, and there’s half left to do the other toroidal.

TBC…

 

[LucianoBadoe]

Very good @Jake2, this is some that I can do. This metal sheet is Ali?

 

[duas2noites]

Does someone knows the weight of R26 without package?

 

[BShaw]

Very good @Jake2, this is some that I can do. This metal sheet is Ali?

You can buy a similar shielding directly from amazon. It’s close in composition to mu metal but doesn’t suffer the loss of effect from bending like mu metal does. I’ve tested it with a very good EMF meter and it’s incredible. Also a lot cheaper. I’ll find a link

 

[LucianoBadoe]

Thank you @BShaw.

 

[Stellabagpuss]

So coincidentally this Mu Metal sheet I ordered months ago finally arrived today. Gave it a go, as you do, making a shroud for one of the R26’s toroidals and… WOW. Bigger, juicier, more flowing sound with less glare/hardness the standout impression after a couple of ABs incl a noticeable difference adding the hat, which is temp, will shape to be a round cap. I mean I added extra copper shielding between the LPS section and the digital section a while back but got nothing like this change. Damn, just shows what magnetic fields can do.

I keep saying this but that’s gotta be the best $25 I’ve spent in recent times, and there’s half left to do the other toroidal.

TBC…

Interesting Jake, l'm always up for trying a different approach. Just moving the transformers to a different enclosures made a difference, l am currently using a copper tape and Mesh combo, my theory, that one transformer can interfere with each other. Early days... Do you have a AliExpress link to the metal?

 

[Jake2]

Very good @Jake2, this is some that I can do. This metal sheet is Ali?

Here’s where I got it from.. the cheapest Mu Metal I could find from a seemingly reputable source. Quite thin and cheap so you could do multiple layers. Very slow shipping unfortunately.

https://diyhifisupply.com/product/f...ding-sheet-0-15mm-305-x-203mm-or-12-x-8-inch/

You can buy a similar shielding directly from amazon. It’s close in composition to mu metal but doesn’t suffer the loss of effect from bending like mu metal does. I’ve tested it with a very good EMF meter and it’s incredible. Also a lot cheaper. I’ll find a link

Hopefully the gentle arc /bend of the 8cm diameter / 25 cm circumference doesn’t impact it much, and if it has goodness positive audible effect effect even with that and just this thin piece is that great. I’ll test it with my magnetic field meter, see the delta on vs off the transformer.

Will be interested to see the stuff you’re referring to. I recall coming across an iron material elsewhere and CDA on the grounding thread has referred to a Ti material.

 

[Stellabagpuss]

Thanks Jake... l'll look forward to playing with the stuff. ls this the same stuff as Ultraperm 80, l only ask as you can pick it up for around £10ish from ebay via China

 

[BShaw]

Found it: https://lessemf.com/product/magnetic-shielding-foil/