[BShaw]

I finally got the Oct firmware update to install, thanks to Super Sonico providing the correct files back on page 107. Was only able to update the system firmware, not the driver update which had "cannot create file" error. But this did not resolve the buzzing, unfortunately. I had to borrow a Lenovo laptop (I use an M1 macbook air), and it went very smoothly, following the instructions provided to the T. I don't know what this update brings, it's just good to be up to date!

 

[BShaw]

https://drop.com/buy/gustard-r26-discrete-decoder-dac

Wow that's a great price.

 

[elnero]

FWIW, I recently asked Aoshida about price matching Shenzhen sale price. They wouldn't but they did allude to Gustard having an approved Black Friday pricing. I have no idea how much though. It looks like I'm going to actually get to hear one of these and compare to a Pontus II on Thursday.

 

[camrector]

FWIW, I recently asked Aoshida about price matching Shenzhen sale price. They wouldn't but they did allude to Gustard having an approved Black Friday pricing. I have no idea how much though. It looks like I'm going to actually get to hear one of these and compare to a Pontus II on Thursday.

I got mine from Aoshida for $1400 for their 11/11 sale.

 

[iSpartan]

.

 

[stoicar]

From After Dark in HK i have offer 1.November on 980$ but I choose to wait for more competition on the r2r / china

 

[iSpartan]

From After Dark in HK i have offer 1.November on 980$ but I choose to wait for more competition on the r2r / china

That's a great price!

 

[stoicar]

Fo sure the quay will be a nice for what to come from China competition between different firms. We just need to show demand and real interest

 

[Jake2]

Last night I also noticed a disturbance in the sound image. TV via optical input. The source of sounds from the left channel appeared quite close to the listening position, 2 m in front of the speaker. Only sounds of approximate frequencies, 200-300 Hz, not sure. A strange feeling when the sound comes from your ear.

Not sure about the root cause of this issue, but I also do this, feed optical from my TV to the R26.

I found the iFi iPurifier S/pdif 2 powered by a spare iFi Power X really improved the sound from that super jittery source. It's effectively a DDC which reclocks the signal so the character of improvements is similar to the OCK-1 but on a smaller scale. Etched edges reduce, voices become more full bodied and natural and bass has more impact and a bit of a soundstage. Just sounds much more hifi. Recommended.*

Incidentally the R26's external clock does not apply to s/pdif optical or coax inputs. There is no effect of toggling the OCK-1 on and off.

*I also have the iFi iPurifier Spdif 1 which also brought improvements with my old KEF LS50W's, but it was much more subtle. Per iFi the v2 has 20db(!) less jitter than the v1.

 

[Jadez]

First time posting, been reading from the start and the thread helped a lot! So my R26 have been running for 300h and the sound is just incredible. I'm not gonna write a review, all I'm saying is that this little box made wanna relisten to all my old music collection and rediscover it! It's like watching and old family photos album but in 4k and 3D
From all the inputs the LAN is clearly the best for me, my Node was sold quite rapidly. I'm using Hify for Spotify and Bubbleupnp for Quobuz, I hope to find some help to get bubbleupnp stream hi res files to R26, this probably a settings problem, although I thing I have tried everything, I can't get the R26 to show more than 44.1x even when playing hd files...

 

[Jake2]

First time posting, been reading from the start and the thread helped a lot! So my R26 have been running for 300h and the sound is just incredible. I'm not gonna write a review, all I'm saying is that this little box made wanna relisten to all my old music collection and rediscover it! It's like watching and old family photos album but in 4k and 3D
From all the inputs the LAN is clearly the best for me, my Node was sold quite rapidly. I'm using Hify for Spotify and Bubbleupnp for Quobuz, I hope to find some help to get bubbleupnp stream hi res files to R26, this probably a settings problem, although I thing I have tried everything, I can't get the R26 to show more than 44.1x even when playing hd files...

Welcome to the club and nice first post, it's an awesome DAC isn't it. Love the 4k/3D analogy, so true. Also like the fact you've ended up in camp internal streamer, there's a few more of us now. Will have to defer to others on your bubbleupnp issue as I've only used it fleetingly.

 

[Forgisound]

Not sure about the root cause of this issue, but I also do this, feed optical from my TV to the R26.

I found the iFi iPurifier S/pdif 2 powered by a spare iFi Power X really improved the sound from that super jittery source. It's effectively a DDC which reclocks the signal so the character of improvements is similar to the OCK-1 but on a smaller scale. Etched edges reduce, voices become more full bodied and natural and bass has more impact and a bit of a soundstage. Just sounds much more hifi. Recommended.*

Incidentally the R26's external clock does not apply to s/pdif optical or coax inputs. There is no effect of toggling the OCK-1 on and off.

*I also have the iFi iPurifier Spdif 1 which also brought improvements with my old KEF LS50W's, but it was much more subtle. Per iFi the v2 has 20db(!) less jitter than the v1.

Optical are not very important to me. Just for a few movies and a match. Music goes through the LAN input. I wait for OCK-1

 

[Jake2]

Optical are not very important to me. Just for a few movies and a match. Music goes through the LAN input. I wait for OCK-1

Fair enough, I should have added the jittery source starting point even after cleaning up is nowhere near music via i2s or the internal streamer, but it is much better, much more enjoyable.

In my use case, realistically TV/Netflix etc may be 40% of the sound that goes through my system so spending a few hundred more to make it far better is a bargain. I expect I'll end up selling my newish but currently unplugged Denon x3700h receiver* as I don't want it anywhere near my R26 signal chain.

Edit- and probably my sidelined Minidsp Flex digital too, R26 making a bunch of my other stuff nervous...

 

[fullbass]

I got mine from Aoshida for $1400 for their 11/11 sale.

I bought for 1265 on Ali at the last sale

 

[565321]

I can't get the R26 to show more than 44.1x even when playing hd files...

It's probably downsampling somewhere.