Gustard U12 USB Interface 8 Core XMOS chip

[ppataki]

  Wow. Awesome.
But i can't prove it now because i don't have driver to install Gustard U12 ( stupid seller ). Maybe someone can help me with the driver. Ironic isn't it. Have a good device but can't use it. lol.

 
I am using this driver:
http://pan.baidu.com/s/1ntNXwN3

 

[rb2013]

I have also ordered a Gustard U12, arrived 3 days ago from China
It sounds brilliant, bass became somewhat more elemental while the mids and highs are now more detailed
I can only recommend it!

notes: I have replaced a CM6631A based USB powered Chinese board (which also sounded way better than the on-board SPDIF out of my PC) with the Gustard
IMHO both the CM6631A and the Gustard U12 sound much better than the Nuforce U192S (I had that one before the CM6631A)

Great to hear! Mine should be here in another week or so. And thanks for the driver link

 

[rb2013]

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/15-universal-serial-bus-industry-standard-cables-connectors-and-communications-protocols-between-computers-and-electronic-devices-spdif-converters-shootout-15327/


Great USB interface shootout.

Interesting the 'winner' the Berkeley Alpha Design $1890 unit uses the same XOMS chip and similar crystal clocks. Of course they do the isolation thing extremely well.

I've had the highly ranked Audiophilleo 2 and a tweeked EVO (not with the EVO clock though). The linear ps fed Musiland 3.0 was better then each. Can't wait to see if the U12 beats them.

My ebay seller sent me to the same Bidu site to download the drivers (thank you Google translate! As it's in Chinese). So all set there. You can also get the an evaluation expanded driver set by signing up on the XMOS site. It beeps every 5 minutes after 60. But would be fun to play with.

 

[rb2013]

http://www.xmos.com/applications/usbaudio

 

[Chodi]

I modified the full version of the xmos driver 2.23 including the spy tool for the Gustard U12. I do not have a U12 to test it so one of you guys will have to try it and report back. I posted it here:
 
http://speedy.sh/RXMDH/Luckit-2.23-for-Gustard-U12.rar
 
It had to be based on the full driver from another vender to use the full license. So...it will appear as the WaveIO driver but it will properly identify your device. This includes all the tools but you will have to go into the installed folder and create a link from the tools to your desktop so you can run them whenever you choose.
 
Please let me know if this works for you.

 

[rb2013]

I modified the full version of the xmos driver 2.23 including the spy tool for the Gustard U12. I do not have a U12 to test it so one of you guys will have to try it and report back. I posted it here:

http://speedy.sh/RXMDH/Luckit-2.23-for-Gustard-U12.rar

It had to be based on the full driver from another vender to use the full license. So...it will appear as the WaveIO driver but it will properly identify your device. This includes all the tools but you will have to go into the installed folder and create a link from the tools to your desktop so you can run them whenever you choose.

Please let me know if this works for you.

Thanks! Is this based on the full multi channel version? Does it give the ability to adjust latency like that version?

 

[Chodi]

Thanks! Is this based on the full multi channel version? Does it give the ability to adjust latency like that version?

As far as I know this is a two channel version. To be honest, I know nothing about any multi-channel version. This is the full version as provided by Thescyon to their paid subscribers. If there is a different multi-channel version that is unknown to me. I am only into two channel stereo for headphone use.

 

[rb2013]

As far as I know this is a two channel version. To be honest, I know nothing about any multi-channel version. This is the full version as provided by Thescyon to their paid subscribers. If there is a different multi-channel version that is unknown to me. I am only into two channel stereo for headphone use.

The link to XMOS I provided has a data sheet comparing the different versions. I'm not intetested in the multi channel feature, but the ability to adjust the latency. In my experience this can effect many areas of performance from drop out or unlock frequency to sound quality. The Musiland driver has this ability.

 

[Chodi]

The link to XMOS I provided has a data sheet comparing the different versions. I'm not intetested in the multi channel feature, but the ability to adjust the latency. In my experience this can effect many areas of performance from drop out or unlock frequency to sound quality. The Musiland driver has this ability.

The version I uploaded does allow you to set the latency as well as other settings. It is the full version. It also includes the spy tool which lets you know exactly what is going on. That is why I took the trouble to modify it and upload it for your use. I just can't test it on the U12 and I have the U10.

 

[rb2013]

The version I uploaded does allow you to set the latency as well as other settings. It is the full version. It also includes the spy tool which lets you know exactly what is going on. That is why I took the trouble to modify it and upload it for your use. I just can't test it on the U12 and I have the U10.

That's great! A very big thank you for doing that for us U12 owners. :bigsmile_face:

Mine is still a week away, will try the modded drivers and report the results.

Again much appreciation!

 

[Chodi]

That's great! A very big thank you for doing that for us U12 owners.

Mine is still a week away, will try the modded drivers and report the results.

Again much appreciation!

After install you will need to go into the install folder and create a link/shortcut for the two tools so you can run them from the desktop whenever you want. The tools can be active while the driver is in use. That is really the best function of the spy tool as it allows you to see what is happening in real time.

 

[rb2013]

The Gustard U12 arrived today! Right out of the box I love the sound of this usb interface!!!

I've been listening all morning to my system, so when I switched over to the U12 the sound change became quite noticeable. Sweeter first off, more dynamic. A natural, musical flow to the tunes. Nice. Very nice.

I'm running the stock drivers that came with it 2.23. Took just a little tweeking in Foobar to get up and running. Using the Kernel Streamimg KS: xCore USB Output. It doesn't play well with JPlay, not to surprising. Good news, I didn't have to uninstall the Musiland drivers, including their ASIO. Same for JPlay.

My heavily modded PCM1704 Lite DAC 60, is a true R2R ladder 24 bit dac. With Foobar output set at 32bit before with the Musiland 3.0 USB it worked fine. But not with the Gustard. I had to reset it to 24 bit, then the DAC locked on. Since the DAC can only handled 24 bit, it makes me a little suspect of what actual bit depth the Musiland was outputing. The screen shows the sample rate, but not the bit depth. Could have been 16 bit? Or some kind of dithered 32 bit??

All I know is the sound has improved noticeably. Tomorrow I'll try some better power cords to see if that changes the sound. And will run in for 100 hours before doing any critical evaluation. Aslo update the drivers and try Chodi's modded XMOS driver.

I think I'll order another for my other system.

Cheers!

 

[rb2013]

The version I uploaded does allow you to set the latency as well as other settings. It is the full version. It also includes the spy tool which lets you know exactly what is going on. That is why I took the trouble to modify it and upload it for your use. I just can't test it on the U12 and I have the U10.

The modded driver works great Thanks! Don't notice a sound difference but it has more controls - like the balance control I need to correct for room issues.

My friend Victor mentioned an older Thesycon driver sounding better. Don't know how much better, as what I'm hearing is incredible. The older driver is the ASIO 1.6.1. He tried to send it to me uncompressed but was to large. He said you heard it and liked it. What's your thoughts. Right now I don't have ASIO as an option only KS and WASAPI. Maybe I need to uninstall the Musiland drivers and reinstall the XMOS ones.

 

[Chodi]

The modded driver works great Thanks! Don't notice a sound difference but it has more controls - like the balance control I need to correct for room issues.

My friend Victor mentioned an older Thesycon driver sounding better. Don't know how much better, as what I'm hearing is incredible. The older driver is the ASIO 1.6.1. He tried to send it to me uncompressed but was to large. He said you heard it and liked it. What's your thoughts. Right now I don't have ASIO as an option only KS and WASAPI. Maybe I need to uninstall the Musiland drivers and reinstall the XMOS ones.

Glad to hear that the modded driver works. I couldn't test it on a U12. I am not surprised that you don't hear any difference using ks or wasapi, The difference would be found in the asio driver. The one I sent to you is clearly better in asio than the older version. They have also made corrections to the driver so that the newer version works with usb3. In fact, I use my U10 with usb3. I don't know about your dac but I thought all current dacs support asio. I guess I was wrong. Whatever you do, do not use asio4all. I guess you tried the WaveIO asio driver I included and it doesn't work for you? That is what I am using with my U10. Does it not show up as an option for you to select as a driver? Are you using Jriver or foobar?
 
Ps: I just caught your comment about the Musiland drivers. You may very well have a driver conflict. I would uninstall all drivers for your dac and only install the driver I provided. More than one driver installed for your dac could cause a problem. You may have to use a driver cleaner to get it all unless you are handy at that sort of thing.

 

[rb2013]

Glad to hear that the modded driver works. I couldn't test it on a U12. I am not surprised that you don't hear any difference using ks or wasapi, The difference would be found in the asio driver. The one I sent to you is clearly better in asio than the older version. They have also made corrections to the driver so that the newer version works with usb3. In fact, I use my U10 with usb3. I don't know about your dac but I thought all current dacs support asio. I guess I was wrong. Whatever you do, do not use asio4all. I guess you tried the WaveIO asio driver I included and it doesn't work for you? That is what I am using with my U10. Does it not show up as an option for you to select as a driver? Are you using Jriver or foobar?

 
Ps: I just caught your comment about the Musiland drivers. You may very well have a driver conflict. I would uninstall all drivers for your dac and only install the driver I provided. More than one driver installed for your dac could cause a problem. You may have to use a driver cleaner to get it all unless you are handy at that sort of thing.

Well the WaveIO setup stalls when trying to recognize a U12 is connected. Keeps asking me to 'plug in the device or unplug and replug'

Which I've done numerous time, even giving it the stand 20 countdowm. I've uninstalled Jplay and the Musiland drivers, reboot, doesn't work. Same for the 1.6.1 Thesycon driver I got from Victor. Stalls also at the ASIO install - not detecting a device.

My dacs don't recognize any driver, they are straight rca spdif inputs. It's the Gustard that needs to revognize the ASIO. Once installed, the WaveIO.dll in tbe foobar component sub dir takes care of the rest. It'll then show up as an output option.

I need to find a way to get the WaveIO install to recognize the U12, to complete the install.