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

[camrector]

However you talk exclusively about adding environmental (uncorrelated) noise to the sound you hear. It cause harmonic distortions, responsive for colouration.

Yes the external clock adds jitter which the simplest of jitter (random jitter) will increase your noise floor. More complex jitter makes for all sorts of undesired at frequencies that depend on the music, but at frequencies that are not musical harmonics.

We are talking about 2 separate things.
I’m talking about an external clock causing increases of jitter, and harmonics.
I am not talking about an internal clock, nor am I talking about dither.

. It is why moving the clock outside is beneficial.

I listed a bunch of jitter causing reasons why this is not so.

It is exposed to a noise which is dependant on the sound currently played. Jitter shape is modified accordingly to the sound. Then a modified such way clock signal is used for D/A conversion.

If you are implying here that you can add jitter on purpose to alter a tone to have it sound better, OK sure. You can alter a fixed tone with jitter, and can argue that you like it, but the alteration has to be deliberate for a specific constant tone (including fixed amplitude). You change the tone and the distortion changes... Jitter distortions are an INTERACTION between the clock timing AND THE MUSIC. The last I heard, music is not a constant fixed tone.

Again though we are not talking about the same thing that I have been talking about.

 

[sajunky]

Again though we are not talking about the same thing that I have been talking about.

Yes, there is a complete lack of understanding. But a fact is that noise inside a DAC is not the same as environmental noise outside. A former is much more harmful than a later, because is correlated with sound. This is why we use external clock.

In case of Gustard internal clock quality is suspicious, it was pointed by a reviewer and I fully agree with.

 

[camrector]

But a fact is that noise inside a DAC is not the same as environmental noise outside

I like to keep all external noise out of the Dac that affects the internal D/A conversion.
I’m pretty sure everyone here agrees with that. HotModRod wouldn’t be going to the lengths that he is, Jake wouldn’t be shielding the entirety of the R26 in copper foil, nor would anyone who understands grounding, cables, isolation, etc etc.
Why mess all that up with a jitter injector?

 

[Stellabagpuss]

l think we can agree to disagree chaps... Not sure if this thread is going a bit off subject...

 

[rev92]

Heard the R26 with the dedicated amp at the Munich Show...it was absolutely spot-on. Running the R-10P like a champ.

Damn, need to get the R26 to try...

 

[BShaw]

Heard the R26 with the dedicated amp at the Munich Show...it was absolutely spot-on. Running the R-10P like a champ.

Damn, need to get the R26 to try...

One thing you can't say about this thread is there's a lack of passion, and there's a good reason for there being 6276 posts!

 

[rev92]

One thing you can't say about this thread is there's a lack of passion, and there's a good reason for there being 6276 posts!

Well said indeed!

 

[Jake2]

I like to keep all external noise out of the Dac that affects the internal D/A conversion.
I’m pretty sure everyone here agrees with that. HotModRod wouldn’t be going to the lengths that he is, Jake wouldn’t be shielding the entirety of the R26 in copper foil, nor would anyone who understands grounding, cables, isolation, etc etc.
Why mess all that up with a jitter injector?

For the record I've pressed pause on my shielding... Will return to it, as I reckon it has wheels, but the shorting risk felt more than I was comfortable with, need to take my time with proper insulating electrical tape to hand for a start. May even order some heavier guage copper shields which will be guaranteed to stay put and not flex or unstick and splay across the circuitry which wouldn't be great. Was a fun quick proof of concept / mockup though. To be continued...

 

[OhHeyItsLou]

Battle royale

 

[Jake2]

Battle royale

Cool, this is a comparison that's been a long time coming! Boy Holo gear is stunning design isn't it, it helps being a little partial to copper as I am...

 

[OhHeyItsLou]

Cool, this is a comparison that's been a long time coming! Boy Holo gear is stunning design isn't it, it helps being a little partial to copper as I am...

To be fair to the Spring 3, I'm only about 70 hours into it's infamously long burn-in period of around 500 hours. Right off the bat the R26 leans more neutral-warm with the Spring 3 giving you a much more neutral sonic presentation. The R26 has a slightly wider soundstage however the Spring 3 has better spacial presentation and imaging. The Spring 3 is also noticeably more detailed without being clinical. With R2R DAC's I place a huge emphasis on timbre and a life-like realism sonically. The Spring 3 also bests the R26 here however the Gustard also has excellent timbre and realism. Instrument separation and detail is superior with the Spring 3, giving the listener the ability to pick out an instrument in the mix and never lose it even during busy passages. I'm eager to see what the Spring can do after 500 hours. I still hold to the view that the R26 sounds spectacular at it's price point with a feature set that can't be beat.

 

[rodthebod]

Is he Rod the Mod or Mod the Rod?

I've always considered myself a 'mod'ern man, sorry Dad jokes are back in, as I have my daughter visiting me this weekend!

 

[sajunky]

With R2R DAC's I place a huge emphasis on timbre and a life-like realism sonically. The Spring 3 also bests the R26 here however the Gustard also has excellent timbre and realism. Instrument separation and detail is superior with the Spring 3, giving the listener the ability to pick out an instrument in the mix and never lose it even during busy passages.

This will be interesting if Spring beats R26 in life-like realism. For this feature, you also need to hear Audio GD R8mk2. Regarding instrument separation and details watch whether it is alike Delta-Sigma DACs where it is achieved on a cost of a grass and low level detais during fast transients. But Gustard has also opamps in the audio path, so it will be interesting battle...

 

[labeelen]

This will be interesting if Spring beats R26 in life-like realism. For this feature, you also need to hear Audio GD R8mk2. Regarding instrument separation and details watch whether it is alike Delta-Sigma DACs where it is achieved on a cost of a grass and low level detais during fast transients. But Gustard has also opamps in the audio path, so it will be interesting battle...

Are you sure about your statement “But Gustard has also opamps in the audio path, so it will be interesting battle...” ?
… as to my knowledge the audio-path is fully discrete.

Currawong mentioned it at 17:20 in his video (the Opamp is not in de audio-path but is probably dc-servo):

 

[sajunky]

Are you sure about your statement “But Gustard has also opamps in the audio path, so it will be interesting battle...” ?
… as to my knowledge the audio-path is fully discrete.

I know what Gustard tells you... It is better to verify yourself.

If you look close you will find 2 opamp chips on the ladder module, each next to the red block (WIMA) cap. This is undoubtly analogue output of the ladder. On the photo (attached) traces for the ladder differential output are marked with yellow arrows. Orange arrows point to the traces from the opamp output, in the place one channel meets another.

There are possibly more opamps in the audio path on the main board (like on the A26), it would be difficult to identify at the moment.