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

[Stellabagpuss]

What absorbing sheets do you use Jake?
The downside, if you twist the clear cables, you reduce the length, so not so good if your looking to move them further away,or into a box on the side. What definitely works, and l have done inside my unit, apply some copper tape as sheilding, the some sleeving or insulation tape.

l reckon moving the transformers will be a great move.

 

[sajunky]

Thanks for the help. I checked all the connections and they are fine. The CD player doesn't have coax. One thing I noticed, however, is that even though the CD is new there are some missing spots looking in the light. I made a copy of the CD and it plays without the dropouts. It is still puzzling though, because other CDs have the same problem on the Gustard DAC but not on the old DAC. Something is extra sensitive with the Gustard. I will wait for the new transport at this point and see how it goes. The Jay's Audio is supposed to be particularly good with less than perfect CDs. Thanks again.

PS I am playing the CD now and it is dropping out again. So some areas solved but others not

People are reporting dropouts on other connections too. So, it has to with Gustard. Search this thread (or A26), there is something with insufficient RAM and a custom firmware is available with removed unwanted streaming services to make more space for buffers in RAM. To solve a problem Gustard needs to release an upgraded model. I always prefered a separate streamer anyway. Quality streamer plus a plain DAC seems to be optimal.

 

[Jake2]

What absorbing sheets do you use Jake?
The downside, if you twist the clear cables, you reduce the length, so not so good if your looking to move them further away,or into a box on the side. What definitely works, and l have done inside my unit, apply some copper tape as sheilding, the some sleeving or insulation tape.

l reckon moving the transformers will be a great move.

Yeah I'm not up for moving the transformers on the R26, will leave that to someone else. Will have a listen to see if I can detect any difference from the twisting then was thinking of adding a spiralled copper foil tape wrap around each.

Vibration absorbing sheets are fo.Q SH-22K.

 

[Stellabagpuss]

damping sheets are fo.Q SH-22K.

Interesting Jake, never head of that product,l had to Google it. l have quite a bit of Sorbathane kicking around,so l probably experiment with that.

Shame l am in on Holidays, but l am enjoying the updates, really getting inspired on moving transformers into another bolt on compartment, and damping.

 

[rodthebod]

thought you were joking, but here is a lampizator with plenty twisting going on, terrible placement of transformers though, maybe he feels the RF rejection is more important than damping effect of transformer emf, but then external power supplies and batteries are a thing as well or maybe he just wants a one box solution

Just give the AC and DC cables a twist, and listen............. easy to untwist if no real benefit.....

 

[mgsu]

People are reporting dropouts on other connections too. So, it has to with Gustard. Search this thread (or A26), there is something with insufficient RAM and a custom firmware is available with removed unwanted streaming services to make more space for buffers in RAM. To solve a problem Gustard needs to release an upgraded model. I always prefered a separate streamer anyway. Quality streamer plus a plain DAC seems to be optimal.

I had also dropouts, but only with modified firmware.
After switching to original firmware, the dropouts were gone.

R26 has only little RAM, so the modified firmware from fellow HeadFi-er with Roon+Tidal Connect is to much to handle for R26.

 

[Knobstler]

Can anyone please tell me if the i2s out of the smsl po100 pro is ompatible with the r26?

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/digi...2s-spdif-32bit-768khz-dsd512-mqa-p-17036.html

 

[sbgk]

Something like this Rod? The cables are very pliable thanks to what seems to be soft silicon/Teflon (not sure which) sheaths and hold their form well.



Thanks @sbgk for the inspiration.

FYI the assembly instructions that came with my Hypex Nilai power amp instructed one to twist the power supply DC cables. A quick google reinforces this and the advice of Rod and others...

"Compared to a single conductor or an untwisted balanced pair, a twisted pair reduces electromagnetic radiation from the pair and crosstalk between neighbouring pairs and improves rejection of external electromagnetic interference..."

well done on twisting the wires, should have been like that from the start, though wasn't me who suggested it

next step for me - take the whole nasty mains bit out of the box, turn the trannies upside down so can feed output wires through vents in side plate. Was sounding a bit thin, but now side plate is back and with all mains stuff out it sounds clean as a whistle and bass is back.

putting the mains bit in a box next step

 

[Stellabagpuss]

Excellent,so just confirming Gordon, and can't quite make out from the photos, you are feeding the clear wires back though the side casing, where there is a vent ?

 

[rodthebod]

Something like this Rod? The cables are very pliable thanks to what seems to be soft silicon/Teflon (not sure which) sheaths and hold their form well.



Thanks @sbgk for the inspiration.

FYI the assembly instructions that came with my Hypex Nilai power amp instructed one to twist the power supply DC cables. A quick google reinforces this and the advice of Rod and others...

"Compared to a single conductor or an untwisted balanced pair, a twisted pair reduces electromagnetic radiation from the pair and crosstalk between neighbouring pairs and improves rejection of external electromagnetic interference..."

Excellent! I was doing twisting since back in the good old 1980's - it works wonders.......... I'd also put some copper tape around the hole in the vertical aluminium partition and around the clear DC wires (around some heat shrink to keep the wires clean so nothing sticky is making a mess and it's always good practice to make any mods easily reversible).

 

[sbgk]

Excellent! I was doing twisting since back in the good old 1980's - it works wonders.......... I'd also put some copper tape around the hole in the vertical aluminium partition and around the clear DC wires (around some heat shrink to keep the wires clean so nothing sticky is making a mess and it's always good practice to make any mods easily reversible).

I wondered if it's not aluminium, it was very soft when I drilled a new hole for the clear wires

 

[sbgk]

Excellent,so just confirming Gordon, and can't quite make out from the photos, you are feeding the clear wires back though the side casing, where there is a vent ?

yes, there are vents at the top so have used 2 for the clear wires and the blue cable is earth which goes in the hole where the IEC socket was (removed using a dremel to cut the plastic trim on the outside)

 

[rodthebod]

I wondered if it's not aluminium, it was very soft when I drilled a new hole for the clear wires

All aluminium construction on this case no ferrous at all, even the bolts are all stainless which is great to see.

 

[Kent10]

I had also dropouts, but only with modified firmware.
After switching to original firmware, the dropouts were gone.

R26 has only little RAM, so the modified firmware from fellow HeadFi-er with Roon+Tidal Connect is to much to handle for R26.

Thanks for everyone's ideas. I received the Jay's transport today. Have it hooked up via I2S with a cheap HDMI, and there are no dropouts. I have on order a quality HDMI but it isn't here yet. Transport sounding great and it is just going to get better with burn in.

So it seems the Gustard is fine with the HDMI. I went back and forth again tonight with my old DAC and the R26 on optical out and I consistently got the dropouts with the R26 and none with the old DAC. At this point it doesn't matter anymore using I2S.

I am still wondering what the Jay's DAC would bring over the R26 but it looks like I don't have to get it if I like the R26. I haven't found anyone that has compared those two. And I am new to all of this so just going by reviews. Liking what I hear so far though. Just wondering how it can be "better" .

 

[Bryland]

This is my first time posting but have read the entire post. Well actually i have about 10 pages to catch up on. Anyways, I have really enjoyed the community and how knowledgeable and helpful everyone is. I truly appreciate the reading here compared to a couple of other forums I visit. Thanks!!!

I’ve had an r26 for about a month and just now giving the optical converters a go. For some reason my optical setup isn’t working and I’m hoping to find some help. Here are the items I purchased.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125418120804

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XZ7HXMR?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B88ENAG?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I’m using Audioquest Cinnamon Ethernet cable on each side. This was a used purchase so I don’t know for certain if they work or not.

The converter on the router sides light indicators have the 1000m, TP, and power lit up. The TP light is solid not flashing. The manual states network connecting for solid and data transmitting for a flashing light. The converter on the r26 side shows the same thing except the 100m light is lit instead of the 1000m.

It seems that my optical connection is where the problem is. I’m just not sure if I ordered incompatible items or if maybe one of them is faulty. I guess there’s the possibility that I hooked things up wrong but it seems pretty straightforward in that regard. Hopefully you guys can get me straightened out. I was really juiced to hook everything up this morning and hear what the fuss was about, but then nothing.