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

[sendler2112]

This hobby is crazy. I had to yank my TPLink wireless router off of the wall in the other room and drag the cable from the modem with it accross the floor into another room in order to connect my laptop through hardwire CAT6 RJ45 cable to it and with another CAT6 going back out to the Gustard R26 LAN in order to try that input. Since my laptop wouldn't allow the connection straight over to the R26 without a switcher in the middle. And it does sound better than my best USB cable by a fair amount. I have been listening to it like this for a couple weeks and walking past the long cable to the modem out my door and all across the floor. The things we are willing to do to get the best sound.

In order to put the TPLink back where it belongs and tidy up its cable once more, I bough a Netgear mesh booster with 4 RJ45 ports available and connected it wirelessly to the TPLink for the internet input and connected the laptop and R26 CAT6 cables to it. I would have been happy just to get the cable off of the floor if it didn't sound any worse. But the Netgear actually has better sonics. It was a bit harsh and thin at first but I have been at this long enough to know not to panic and after a couple days of break in it sounds great. Better ultra low level detail and blacker noise floor lets you hear decay all the way down and also makes the fundamentals stand free from each other and easier to follow.

After hearing for myself that even switchers can sound different, I will now undoubtedly find it irresistible to try a better power supply and take the cover off to look for some simple mods.

If the Gustard N18 high end switcher had a wireless mesh, I would buy one as I'm sure it would be even better. I might still consider it and running another cable through the wall to it if I decide to keep the R26 after my Cyan gets here.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgea...er-and-signal-booster/6405435.p?skuId=6405435

The nice desktop formfactor Netgear is shown sitting on top of the TPLink for quick A/B comparison.

 

[rfgdelion]

Guys! Check this out:

Seems to replace:
- 2 FMC’s
- 2 LPSS
- 2 adapters
- 1 optical cable
- Headache!!!

Why isn’t this the best thing since sliced bread?

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/you...ifier-pro-under-new-silentpower-brand.973159/

 

[BShaw]

Guys! Check this out:

Seems to replace:
- 2 FMC’s
- 2 LPSS
- 2 adapters
- 1 optical cable
- Headache!!!

Why isn’t this the best thing since sliced bread?

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/your-system’s-silent-hero-ifi-launches-lan-ipurifier-pro-under-new-silentpower-brand.973159/

Brilliant if you don’t have a long distance between router and DAC. This is a ReGen killer. I’ve got a very long distance from one end of chain to the other so FMCs are a better option, the bulk of the span is carried by fiber with shorty LAN tails either end.

 

[Buckminster]

Hey all

I have the FMC boxes from page one on the way.

Can someone put up a link to where I can purchase the appropriate Cisco AOC please.

Hi, official name is the Cisco SFP-10G-AOCxM, where the penultimate character is the length of the cable in meters. For a milquetoast networking cable, it's a little mysterious and hard to source. It also looks like it's frequently imitated, duplicated, and pi-rated.

There are server supply places that sell it online, but better deals can be had on ebay. I'd look for someone who can send to NZ, then ask to verify the presence of the green Cisco hologram on one of the ends, and see if they'll supply you with the serial number so you can run a quick check.

Check out Cisco's materials for spotting fakes here:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/legal/brand-protection/identify-counterfeit-products.html

And you can set up an account to run serial numbers here:

https://cway.cisco.com/mydevices/devices

 

[Rockitman]

Hi, official name is the Cisco SFP-10G-AOCxM, where the penultimate character is the length of the cable in meters. For a milquetoast networking cable, it's a little mysterious and hard to source. It also looks like it's frequently imitated, duplicated, and pi-rated.

There are server supply places that sell it online, but better deals can be had on ebay. I'd look for someone who can send to NZ, then ask to verify the presence of the green Cisco hologram on one of the ends, and see if they'll supply you with the serial number so you can run a quick check.

Check out Cisco's materials for spotting fakes here:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/legal/brand-protection/identify-counterfeit-products.html

And you can set up an account to run serial numbers here:

https://cway.cisco.com/mydevices/devices

Thanks so much for clarifying this...
I've been bouncing around threads and links for days getting more confused.

 

[duas2noites]

Hi,

I'll buy a Gustard R26, my region here in Brazil is 220v voltage, I have a dumb question but I need to clarify this, the voltage selector, when I see 220v, is set to 220v? And when I see
110v is set to 110v? Or to Switch to 220v I will see 110v?

Thankyou.

 

[dacwizard]

Hi,

I'll buy a Gustard R26, my region here in Brazil is 220v voltage, I have a dumb question but I need to clarify this, the voltage selector, when I see 220v, is set to 220v? And when I see
110v is set to 110v? Or to Switch to 220v I will see 110v?

Thankyou.

When you see 220v it is set to 220v.

 

[Jake2]

When you see 220v it is set to 220v.

Seconded

 

[jsiets4]

Just added a C16 to the mix to clock the R26 and U18 trying the vivid output first. Also just bought a Cisco SFP-10G-AOC1M off ebay to see how it works in the FMC setup that I have.

 

[MikeLS]

I took out my FMC mod as I felt it sounded too thin and took away some musicality in my system. Of cos this may differ in your setup. I run lan into my A6 streamer and output via usb (with addition of LHY UIP) to the R26.
Found a cheap lan isolator and tried it. To my surprise it gave quite an improvement across the board.
Network security unit module 100M Gigabit network signal isolator Ethernet network cable isolator
https://a.aliexpress.com/_okNM2FM

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

If the sound was thin for you. You could upgrade your SFP module to Cisco SFP-10G-AOC1M (which others are talking about lately).

I believe that the basic FMC mod is hard to beat for its price/SQ. BUT there are also better quality FMC if you want to upscale (Gustard, Sonore, LHY Audio, UptoneAudio etc). To a much lower overall price that you have invested.

Well, if you feel that is the way to do it. For I too sometimes am thinking to go back to USB.

To each his own adventure then, important is your happy.

 

[jsiets4]

Hi, official name is the Cisco SFP-10G-AOCxM, where the penultimate character is the length of the cable in meters. For a milquetoast networking cable, it's a little mysterious and hard to source. It also looks like it's frequently imitated, duplicated, and pi-rated.

There are server supply places that sell it online, but better deals can be had on ebay. I'd look for someone who can send to NZ, then ask to verify the presence of the green Cisco hologram on one of the ends, and see if they'll supply you with the serial number so you can run a quick check.

Check out Cisco's materials for spotting fakes here:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/legal/brand-protection/identify-counterfeit-products.html

And you can set up an account to run serial numbers here:

https://cway.cisco.com/mydevices/devices

Thanks for the links checked and registered my Cisco SFP-10G-AOC1M purchase off ebay!

 

[sendler2112]

I took out my FMC mod as I felt it sounded too thin and took away some musicality in my system. Of cos this may differ in your setup. I run lan into my A6 streamer and output via usb (with addition of LHY UIP) to the R26.
Found a cheap lan isolator and tried it. To my surprise it gave quite an improvement across the board.
Network security unit module 100M Gigabit network signal isolator Ethernet network cable isolator
https://a.aliexpress.com/_okNM2FM

I think bypassing the USB into the R26 by using its LAN is the area of big improvement. But you need a player that can find it.

 

[BShaw]

I think bypassing the USB into the R26 by using its LAN is the area of big improvement. But you need a player that can find it.

The FMCs go out to the R26 via LAN cable, no USB involved.

 

[Jake2]

I think bypassing the USB into the R26 by using its LAN is the area of big improvement. But you need a player that can find it.

The R26’s internal renderer is really excellent. Especially using its HQPlayer NAA fed via nice clean ethernet using FMCs or good switches or both in my case. Awesome bang for buck performance.

For me the LAN input into my R26 reigned supreme for the first 18 months against all challengers incl direct USB from an Ifi streamer or my Mac Mini sever (terrible), via a Holo Titanis USB regenerator (much better but still not great) and via I2S from Gustard and Singxer DDCs (better still, now very good, especially with the Titanis in the mix, but still behind the LAN). However in the last few months when I tried feeding the R26 via USB from high performing USB regenerators like the LHY UIP or cray-cray money Innuous Phoenix I finally bettered my longstanding LAN champ. Good thing is the money spent on the network chain is far from wasted, can still hear changes upstream pretty easily, right down to FMC power supplies etc. Everything matters.