Gustard U12 USB Interface 8 Core XMOS chip

[Greggo]

 
Well I have many DAC's - some with USB and others without.  My best DAC's do not.  I like the flexibility to change DAC's and USB interfaces separately.  If you read the thread starting page - I mentioned all the USB interfaces I have tried.  The U12 is the best sounding I have owned so far.
 
I'm not familiar with the U12 optical SPDIF, or HDMI, as I use the coax SPDIF only.  Maybe others can comment.
 
Good Luck!

Thanks!  and thank you for the reply.  I will keep reading about the U12 as it sounds like it would be a worthwhile purchase even if I do nothing else but use it as a USB converter to run SPDIF into my miniDSP 4x10 Hd.

 

[Benny-x]

  New to this thread and have just skimmed through it all... still having trouble wrapping my head around applications for U12 other than just providing USB conversion to SPDIF?  Curious as I just got a Gustard H10 amp and I am now considering a X12 DAC as well.
 
...
 
Does this all make sense?  Would the U12 be a good way to feed USB audio into my miniDSP and also run to the X12 (future purchase, currently using NAD D1050 as a DAC)?  Kind of like a digital audio stream router?

I think that's a pretty odd use scenerio and not what the convertor was meant for. And to confirm, the U12 does send to all outputs all the time, so you'd be turning off gear somewhere in your chain unless you wanted to hear music coming from different set ups all at once.
 
The X12 you're talking about has the same USB input board as the U12; though it's a scaled down version that can only send the converted digital signal via internal I2s to the X12's ESS9018 DAC chip. Besides looking to extend how far away you could place the X12 by running AES vs. USB, there's no real reason to get the U12 for it. 
 
Then you also just mentioned it'd be cool to compare 2 pieces at the same time, and that's possible, but you'd also run into having to compare the different outputs of the U12 against non-matching inputs on the DACs. So it wouldn't be a real 1 vs. 1 type thing because the not only would the DACs be different, but the broadcasting and receiving protocols would be too.
 
And then even besides that, I don't think it's common practice to run multiple outputs from a convertor connected to gear at the same time. Amps and pre-amps, yes, but not USB to whatever convertors as many manufacturers say it either adds noise to the signal or strains the power output of the device. 
 
Oh, and lastly, I have USB input on my PS-Audio PWD Mkii, and it's known to be a pretty decent one at that. However, the USB on the U12 uses the most current USB audio chip by XMOS, has the 2nd most recent Thesycon drivers, and also has HDMI-I2s output, which is regarded as the best input on my DAC. The Gustard U12 also offers a separated, isolated, powered, and contained USB to whatever system that I can tweak and modify to hopefully perform at higher levels that I could do with the internal USB on my DAC as it's integrated into the component. 

 

[Greggo]

Thanks so much for the detailed reply.  Since I do have a need for USB conversion to the miniDSP 4x10 Hd driving my main stereo system, it would be cool to just have the one extra output to run to my headphone rig half way across the room.  If I end up going with the X12, then I still use the onboard USB input when I have my laptop with me, but I could then use the digital coax cable from U12 to X12 when I want to use the iMac as a source for the headphone rig.
 
Does the U12 allow you to turn each output on or off, or are they all always on?  I will have to find out if having both toslink optical and AES/EBU plugged in at the same time will pose any compromise.  The priority for me would be U12 to miniDSP first and foremost, as having U12 to headphone rig's X12 or X20 would just be frosting on the cake.

 

[sbgk]

been running the u12 for nearly a week and it's sounding better by the day, think it's superb, wouldn't have believed it could make such a difference. using aes into nad m51.
 
was running off normal power supply and there was a big step up when plugged into my conditioned supply, so must be sensitive.

 

[rb2013]

  been running the u12 for nearly a week and it's sounding better by the day, think it's superb, wouldn't have believed it could make such a difference. using aes into nad m51.
 
was running off normal power supply and there was a big step up when plugged into my conditioned supply, so must be sensitive.

Good Feedback - your NAD had built in USB? Which conditioner are you using?

 

[phile1]

hi sbgk,
thanks for your report.
You used directly the usb input of the n51 before using the u12 or you already used the aes input ?
the usb input of the n51w is said to be not as good as the aes/coax, thus switching from usb to aes can explain partly the improvement.

 

[sbgk]

 
Good Feedback - your NAD had built in USB? Which conditioner are you using?

yes nad has usb, but always use external convertors mf vlink 192 and cuinas
 
conditioner is a trichord power block 1000, no longer available
 
the xmos chip seems to be a bit of a breakthrough in sq, I'm quite surprised. Am going to get the x12 to use the i2s connection and dsd.

 

[sbgk]

hi sbgk,
thanks for your report.
You used directly the usb input of the n51 before using the u12 or you already used the aes input ?
the usb input of the n51w is said to be not as good as the aes/coax, thus switching from usb to aes can explain partly the improvement.

 
came from cuinas using coax, never used the nad usb as it was so poor.

 

[phile1]

Thanks sbgk.
sorry, i just see you already mentioned it in your previous post... i should have put my glasses on

 

[rb2013]

  yes nad has usb, but always use external convertors mf vlink 192 and cuinas
 
conditioner is a trichord power block 1000, no longer available
 
the xmos chip seems to be a bit of a breakthrough in sq, I'm quite surprised. Am going to get the x12 to use the i2s connection and dsd.

+1 I'm with you there - the Gustard has surprised me as well.  It seems to have greater detail and very smooth presentation versus my previous best USB interfaces the Musiland USB 03.  And the Musiland's were better then the M2Tech Hiface and Evo, and the Audiophileo2 I had owned before.
 
I have a very nice analog rig to directly compare against as a reference point.
 
I'm wondering if the Gustard U12 is so good, it can not be improved on much with today's technology.
 
I did a few upgrades internally, and swapped the power cord for a Shunyata Venom.  I have it plugged into a Richard Gray Pro400.  I might try a few other conditioners.  Of course it also has responded (mostly better clarity and smoothness) to better USB and Coax SPDIF cables (I won't anymore on that sore subject!

)

 

[sbgk]

 
+1 I'm with you there - the Gustard has surprised me as well.  It seems to have greater detail and very smooth presentation versus my previous best USB interfaces the Musiland USB 03.  And the Musiland's were better then the M2Tech Hiface and Evo, and the Audiophileo2 I had owned before.
 
I have a very nice analog rig to directly compare against as a reference point.
 
I'm wondering if the Gustard U12 is so good, it can not be improved on much with today's technology.
 
I did a few upgrades internally, and swapped the power cord for a Shunyata Venom.  I have it plugged into a Richard Gray Pro400.  I might try a few other conditioners.  Of course it also has responded (mostly better clarity and smoothness) to better USB and Coax SPDIF cables (I won't anymore on that sore subject!

)

 
using a spare trichord power lead I had
 
don't know about smooth - that indicates loss of detail to me, whereas I am hearing more detail, I would say it just sounds effortless which allows the music to be enjoyed more.
 
what has changed from the u10, is the xmos chip different in the u12 ?
 
would be interested in more details about what components to remove/upgrade to improve the ps, have a teradak 9 v supply which could be used and have swapped capacitors before.

 

[Gibalok]

Definetely, such a sensitive components like DACs and convertors need clean power supply. Power amps need also clean power supply but in addition to "clean" it should be enough to power the amp.
 
Im using Isotek Premium Cable for U12 (not much pricey) but good enough and isolated from external RF noise. And it is connected to separated 200W channel of my power system. (another 1700w and 500w are used for Power amps and DAC accordingly).
 
Here is my setup. 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ckq328AIwtI&feature=youtu.be

 

[sbgk]

I just use a printer cable at the moment
 
I would say the U12 has turned my nad m51 into a mini lampizator, almost a warm sound and very good snap and focus that's just great to listen to and which I'd been struggling to hear before. Think I'm just going to remove the transformer from the housing as that's worked for me before and is half way to an external ps.
 
the ifi nano uses the same xmos chip, has anyone with a u12 heard an ifi nano, how do they compare ?

 

[conquerator2]

  I just use a printer cable at the moment
 
I would say the U12 has turned my nad m51 into a mini lampizator, almost a warm sound and very good snap and focus that's just great to listen to and which I'd been struggling to hear before. Think I'm just going to remove the transformer from the housing as that's worked for me before and is half way to an external ps.
 
the ifi nano uses the same xmos chip, has anyone with a u12 heard an ifi nano, how do they compare ?

I have not.
 
And I am still waiting for my U12. If it does to my setup the same thing it does to yours, then that's be amazing as that's exactly what I'd want. I'd then even keep my NFB-7, because all it needs is a bit of warmness.

 

[sbgk]

  I have not.
 
And I am still waiting for my U12. If it does to my setup the same thing it does to yours, then that's be amazing as that's exactly what I'd want. I'd then even keep my NFB-7, because all it needs is a bit of warmness.

 
don't think I'm saying anything different to what others have already said/found, so it should be a revelation to you.