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

[Deleeh]

Use optical if possible. I2S will just return you here with connection problems. If there are differences at all, they are miniscule. And what's wrong with the Eversolo's DAC?

I looked at the Eversolo A6 Master Edition, it doesn't have I2S, but HDMI output.
Which means you could connect it to a Dolby amplifier theoretically.
In that case you can only connect to the R26 via coax or usb out (audio).
You would have to ask the Eversolo threath or room community if it would be possible to use Roon in such a way that the Eversolo can be integrated into the network as an integrated streamer.
If so, you could integrate the R26 into a zone and operate it conveniently with a smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC.
If the Roon app is installed.
Otherwise it would only be possible to connect coax or usb out audio, but I don't know if the internal dac of the Eversolo will intervene or not.

 

[SpursForEver]

Or just run the R26 with it's built-in streamer. One box less to worry about. Sell one of them and buy music instead.

 

[LarsHP]

Regarding optical connection, Currawong (well known Head-Fier and reviewer) said it was the best input to his ears. The R26 is allegedly sensitive to electrical noise from the source, which I why many here uses fiber media converter to the LAN input of the R26.

 

[Jake2]

Regarding optical connection, Currawong (well known Head-Fier and reviewer) said it was the best input to his ears. The R26 is allegedly sensitive to electrical noise from the source, which I why many here uses fiber media converter to the LAN input of the R26.

I’d agree from my experience the R26 is sensitive to the quality of the source signal it is fed, a function of electrical noise and jitter, so is very responsive to efforts to minimise these.

With optical you have 100% galvanic isolation from direct transmission of electrical noise, however the jitter performance of the synchronous s/pdif audio stream will still be only as good as the quality of the device feeding it. Extreme example to illustrate: my TV’s toslink out direct to R26 via a good 300 strand glass fibre cable playing back Tidal audio via its native app. This was thin and bright with no depth, weight or body. I put that down to the very noisy electrical environment and sub-optimal-for-audio oscillators of your average TV. Minor improvements by toggling PCM NOS OFF to ON, but the R26 was unable to make a silk purse out of a Sow’s ear.

Inserting an ifi s/pdif ipurifier2 reclocker into the chain (Toslink or Coax out to R26) brought major improvements - a bigger, more dynamic and full bodied sound. Improving the power supply to the s/pdif ipurifier2 by adding a Power X, improved things further, if still not at the level of my long-standing best sounding R26 input - it’s HQP NAA internal renderer (fed by a noise reduced Ethernet chain including a fibre gap). Which was in turn eventually bettered by high quality regenerated USB (with galvanic isolation via latest gen Analogue Devices chip).

YMMV with Toslink, as mine did, depending on the jitter performance of the device feeding it, a function of its electrical noise level and oscillator quality.

 

[giteshb]

I sold my Pontus2 and didn’t buy the Venus2 I was auditioning. The R26 beat them both.
My Pontus2 was great, but did not have the level of detail, bass weight and clarity, air and transparency. Maybe the Pontus had a bit wider soundstage but it wasn’t as accurate of a sound stage.
The Venus2 was very very close but I felt that R26 had a bit more bass weight.
The Venus 2 was $1500 more expensive and didn’t have a streamer.
The R26 became a value proposition for me at that point. It was too close to justify the expense of the Venus2 and also allowed for a nice streamer to exit my system.

My A/B test sources had the Pontus and Venus connected by i2s (Ricable Supreme) directly to a Silent Angel M1T streamer.
The R26 was connected via its LAN input and internal streamer.
( same network using fiber media convertors and linear power supplies on switch, FMCs, and Silent Angel streamer).
That last part is important. The R26 LAN input is amazing.
All the reviews I’ve seen are not basing their SQ impressions off this input, which imho and many people here is the best input for the R26.(maybe some high end DDCs challenge that)
Amp is a Yamaha AS2200 all DACs were connected by balanced XLR.
Speakers used were Css audio 1TDX and Elac Unifi reference.

I personally like how the Denafrips DACs process DSD as compared to the R26. Even with a pretty large DSD collection that is not enough to change my opinion in anyway. I’m happy to convert to PCM.
If DSD was super important to me or I upsampled everything to DSD I would look elsewhere and not get a R2R dac period.

I will say that my DAC search is over for a long time. For me the DAC upgrade path from the R26 starts at $6000. I feel that all other components in my system would need to be upgraded first to see the benefit of a more expensive DAC.
Hope I helped and sorry for the rant.

Hello . I plan to purchase gustard r 26 and use it’s streaming as well as dac functions . Once gustard r 26 is connected to lan network and using airplay what will be the approximate distance it will connect wirelessly to my iPad ? I am asking as someone suggested that link iPad to gustard using Bluetooth and then use airplay but then the range will be very limited !

 

[nobela]

Use optical if possible. I2S will just return you here with connection problems. If there are differences at all, they are miniscule. And what's wrong with the Eversolo's DAC?

What an advice is it?

Asynchronous USB is the way to go if you wish to use your DAC's (probably) superior clock.

 

[Deleeh]

Hello . I plan to purchase gustard r 26 and use it’s streaming as well as dac functions . Once gustard r 26 is connected to lan network and using airplay what will be the approximate distance it will connect wirelessly to my iPad ? I am asking as someone suggested that link iPad to gustard using Bluetooth and then use airplay but then the range will be very limited !

Well, if you connect the R26 to the network via Lan and control Airplay via the Ipad, then it depends on how good your WLAN is.
If that's what you mean?
Then you can use Airplay throughout the house with a good connection.
With Bluethooth it depends on your ipad, you can only try that, because variables such as the thickness of the walls in your home and other things have an influence, and nobody can tell you that in advance.

 

[snico]

I was challenged by @Keysee to improve Tidal Connect on Android devices. I put in some time and finally I can say, I DID IT!

I tested on a tablet with Android 10.0 and a phone with the latest TIDAL Music: HiFi, Playlists 2.107.0 APK and it works without any problems.
Below is the link to the firmware.

R26_Gustarender_1v43_Tidal.MAC_fix.zip

As before, this is the original 1v43 firmware containing my 2 fixes: restoring a static MAC address and the ability to control the R26 with Tidal Connect on Android devices.

I hope it works for you too.

Hello, I installed this firmware and Tidal Connect works nicely with my android phone. Thank you for that ! Just one question: the Tidal app is setup to play the file in max resolution, but I don't get any high res output in the R26, only 44.1 khz. Is it by design or did I miss something?
Thanks again !

 

[Deleeh]

Hello, I installed this firmware and Tidal Connect works nicely with my android phone. Thank you for that ! Just one question: the Tidal app is setup to play the file in max resolution, but I don't get any high res output in the R26, only 44.1 khz. Is it by design or did I miss something?
Thanks again !

Hello,
No is fixed, because tidal max only provides 16/44.1/48 and no more.
If you want more you need the USB audioplayer app in the playstore where you can then upscale.

 

[urban ladder]

I tried to update the firmware to R26 FW 1.43 and followed the steps as mentioned in the instruction manual available in the first page. I got the message "Flash completed" 1 successful target. Yet when I switch ON the DAC, I still see the menu in short font and the year of firmware also showing 2022 at the start.

Tried this several times, still no success. I don't think it is USB wire fault as I am able to connect and also run the firmware. Could someone throw some light on what could be the potential issue here?

I also tried the small update exclusive on the font size, that being the exe file, not sure how to run them. On my windows PC, nothing happens double clicking them, even after keeping the antivirus off. I thought the 1.43 version would have taken care of this font size as well! Please clarify. Thanks

 

[snico]

Unfortunately, it's true that hi-res only works on TIDAL certified devices. Since April, everyone has access to hi-res, but it has been blocked from working on unofficial software. Everyone using streamers on Raspberry Pi has a similar problem. I don't believe that Gustard will reach an agreement with TIDAL and provide official support.

Hello,
No is fixed, because tidal max only provides 16/44.1/48 and no more.
If you want more you need the USB audioplayer app in the playstore where you can then upscale.

Tidal provides High Res trough Roon, trough Bubbelupnp, in my phone,.. I think it has something to do with Tidal Connect.

 

[Deleeh]

Tidal provides High Res trough Roon, trough Bubbelupnp, in my phone,.. I think it has something to do with Tidal Connect.

Yes Roon,Audirvana ect is something else again.
Tidal connect limits its output here and delivers lossless, unfortunately it cannot be upsampled, at least it would be new if it did.

 

[jsiets4]

I tried to update the firmware to R26 FW 1.43 and followed the steps as mentioned in the instruction manual available in the first page. I got the message "Flash completed" 1 successful target. Yet when I switch ON the DAC, I still see the menu in short font and the year of firmware also showing 2022 at the start.

Tried this several times, still no success. I don't think it is USB wire fault as I am able to connect and also run the firmware. Could someone throw some light on what could be the potential issue here?

I also tried the small update exclusive on the font size, that being the exe file, not sure how to run them. On my windows PC, nothing happens double clicking them, even after keeping the antivirus off. I thought the 1.43 version would have taken care of this font size as well! Please clarify. Thanks

There is a separate update for the display see the first post page 1 also the update procedure is different so follow those instructions.

 

[urban ladder]

There is a separate update for the display see the first post page 1 also the update procedure is different so follow those instructions.

Yes there is one exe file for display. But it does not do anything on my windows Pc. Will look again, thanks.

 

[jsiets4]

Yes there is one exe file for display. But it does not do anything on my windows Pc. Will look again, thanks.

I also used a windows pc to install the update windows tried to block it as an unknown app so I had to tell it to run anyway check your security settings for running unknown apps.