I’d like to share my experience with the R26 and Tidal Connect in case others ran into the same problem — and possibly found a workaround.
I originally used an Apple TV 4K (latest gen) with Apple Music as digital source, connected via Toslink to the Gustard R26. However, due to the Apple TV’s limitation to 48 kHz output via optical, I looked for a higher-quality streaming solution.
Since Tidal Connect is advertised as supported, I tried the following:
Test setup: R26 (FW 1.43) connected via LAN cable; Main Router + Mesh-Network: 2x Asus ZenWiFi Pro ET12; All multicast/IGMP/WMM etc. features enabled; Bonjour & mDNS visible (Gustard shows up in Wireshark + Bonjour browser); Gustard renderer shows up as Gustard R26-xxxxxxxx._tidalconnect._tcp.local on port 2019
Works: DLNA streaming via mConnect from iPhone → plays flawlessly; Tidal Connect from Windows 11 PC → works, R26 is visible and selectable
Does not work: Tidal Connect from iPhone (iOS 18.4) → device is visible but not selectable; Tried same subnet, WiFi only, even a dedicated network using a WiFi bridge – same result; Turned off all firewalls (on iOS, PC, and router), tested with static IP → no difference
Tried: MAC Layer Transparent bridge config; Direct LAN connection to main router and mesh node; IP and MAC reservation, no VLANs, IGMP v3; DNS rebinding enabled, no mDNS filtering; iPhone connected to same AP as Gustard
I have opened a ticket to Gustard Support and the response was: The R26 uses an open-source Tidal Connect SDK. Tidal no longer provides official SDKs to third-party manufacturers. Recent Tidal updates have broken compatibility with the existing SDK. Reinstalling firmware or downgrading won't help, as the issue is at service level. Recommended workarounds: use DLNA (e.g., mConnect), Roon, AirPlay, or USB.
Question:
Has anyone here successfully used Tidal Connect to stream to the R26 directly from an iPhone?
Is this issue affecting everyone on iOS or just some setups?
I’d really prefer to control playback from my iPhone in the living room – the PC is in another room, so not a usable daily solution.
Thanks in advance!