Gustard U16 - the first USB Interface featuring ESS USB chip
Jan 8, 2019 at 6:12 PM Post #362 of 1,697
Wow; that's impressive that U-16 'beats' (superior to) SU-1 Singxer (a respected Spdif Bridge). How it compares to something 250% more expensive (SU-6), is almost irrelevant -as $699. US$ is a fair chunk-of-change !

And at that price (SU-6), a missing LP/S and absent display window (i.e. Input Selected/Fs/etc.) is disappointing.

I'm using the excellent U-12 ($150 US$!) with AQ Carbon USB (1.5m) -and AQ 'Chocolate' HDMi i2S Out) and it sounds spectacular ! (Tried the AQ 'Vodka' HDMi -for i2S duties and it was a terrible 'match')

(My digital is powered by a separate (8-AC Outlet) 800W Balanced Power Supply/Transformer,while Pre/Power on a 1.2KVa BPS/T; essential for extracting high-resolution performance from a hi-fi.
The improvements in clarity, dynamics, resolution, signal speed/articulation; musicality, is considerable. )

I suspect the U-16 may be 'clearly' superior (to the U-12?
I'll order one is someone can provide a decent comparison compared to U-12, or SU-1 Singxer. Without question I'll order another AQ Chocolate' for i2S duty.

(BTW, a recent DH Labs USB cable (1.5m) purchase simply annihilated a 3m WW Starlight 7 USB -that although "rich/analog" sounding is ultimately deeply veiled/colored in comparison.
If speed, resolution/articulation -accuracy- is preferred, the DH Labs USB or AQ 'Carbon' wold be recommended.
Currently, I've evaluating the AQ 'Coffee' (0.75m) USB -with near 100-hours logged, it's proving disappointing.)

The U-12 -with Carbon USB/Chocolate i2S- sounds much, much better. (Don't bother with Shunyata (Venom) USB if 'speed/resolution' is desired -it is one of the worst I've heard.)

I remain and continue to be mightily impressed with computer audio (via a simple SBC 'player' no less) -and Internet Radio !
The days of ****ty sounding 128-320 kb/s streams is over, and nothing short of impressive -when transmitted using the best, current "Converters/Compression Algorithms".

I can't wait to store my CD's on a various Hard-Drives/SS Drives (WAV of course) -and listen in this manner. Today's 'digital' can be brilliant !

Sooooo .... if anyone has some interesting 'insight' into the U-16 Gustard, please share -it would be appreciated. Thx,
(Standard 'performance'/ Fs is all that is of interest to me with the U-16; DoP, DSD matters not.)

Thanks in advance,

pj

There is a thread on xu208 ddcs started by rb2013 two years ago. He went from the Gustard u12 to the di-u8 to the f-1 and stated he prefered the singxer f-1 to the di-u8, which itself he prefered to the u12. And it’s been stated that when fed optimally, the su-1 and f-1 are pretty much equal, @DACLadder did mention this.

The singxer offerings are reputed since their original release as beating the u12 by a clear margin.

As for the u16 vs the f-1, IMHO: the f-1 is clearly beaten.

See the xu208 thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/xmo...gen-has-arrived.803111/page-234#post-12867965
 
Jan 8, 2019 at 9:12 PM Post #363 of 1,697
Yeah, DHl Express free shipping....even faster than domestic Postal service or UPS LoL.....


It is an awesome investment for $285. I had been waiting for something else that is not XMOS or FPGA with ugly firmware and algorithm like Amanero for too long X_X, and I had to grab this U16 LOL

The sound quality with PCM is a huge upgrade accross the board, everything from much better bass articulation with greater dynamic, more airy and better upper frequencies

Oh man, those are the words that speak magic to me !

(RE: " ....everything from much better bass articulation with greater dynamic, more airy and better upper frequencies".

The bass articulation/resolution being particularly telling -of an excellent/accurate design !

Ever go on sale (U-16), say for $249-$269 ?
(I realize $299. (US$) is VERY fair, but converted to the crappy/weak CA$ currency, it adds about another $100..... Argghh )

pj
 
Jan 8, 2019 at 9:14 PM Post #364 of 1,697
There is a thread on xu208 ddcs started by rb2013 two years ago. He went from the Gustard u12 to the di-u8 to the f-1 and stated he prefered the singxer f-1 to the di-u8, which itself he prefered to the u12. And it’s been stated that when fed optimally, the su-1 and f-1 are pretty much equal, @DACLadder did mention this.

The singxer offerings are reputed since their original release as beating the u12 by a clear margin.

As for the u16 vs the f-1, IMHO: the f-1 is clearly beaten.

Wow. Excellent. Thank you for that/and link.

pj

See the xu208 thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/xmo...gen-has-arrived.803111/page-234#post-12867965
 
Jan 9, 2019 at 10:17 PM Post #366 of 1,697
The allo usbridge together with the u16 and the mentioned chinese hdmi 2.1 cable sound splendidly together. I feed the usbridge with a pair of ultra-low noise chinese lps i got off ebay. I run Volumio. My dac is the audio-gd r-7. We are talking first grade transport IMO. I also have an intona between the usbridge and u16, i should try without at some point out of curiosity,

If the sounds remains as it has been for the last 3 nights, i would say my setup won’t change for a very long while, not for the basic ingredients at least. I now hear distinctly details that were muffled before. The sound is smooth, relaxed, dynamic. Imaging is accurate, bass, piano and drums, listening to Bill Evans, are all awesome! For the Bill Evans’ fans, this is it! He is in the room as i like to say. Creating this illusion is my reason for having this hobby.
 
Jan 10, 2019 at 4:49 AM Post #367 of 1,697
Hello !
I am very interested in the U16.

I have a few questions :

Is it working with android ? I use my phone as a digital source. Do you need the 5v tension for the U16 to work ? I mean : do you need a powered usb connection to U16 for it to work as is the case with SU1.

Do you know what is the connection convention for denafrips products ? Do you have to reverse L/R on a denafrips DAC with standard firmware V1.4 on U16?

Thanks for any information.
 
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Jan 10, 2019 at 5:19 AM Post #368 of 1,697
Hello !
I am very interested in the U16.

I have a few questions :

Is it working with android ? I use my phone as a digital source. Do you need the 5v tension for the U16 to work ? I mean : do you need a powered usb connection to U16 for it to work as is the case with SU1.

Do you know what is the connection convention for denafrips products ? Do you have to reverse L/R on a denafrips DAC with standard firmware V1.4 on U16?

Thanks for any information.
Phone as a source? :ksc75smile:

U16 doesn't need USB power as stated few posts before.
I2S is fully configurable so no reversed LR channels. Also cleared before in thread.
 
Jan 10, 2019 at 5:28 AM Post #369 of 1,697
Phone as a source? :ksc75smile:

U16 doesn't need USB power as stated few posts before.
I2S is fully configurable so no reversed LR channels. Also cleared before in thread.

Yes phone as a source :wink:. If I understand well upsampling can be done by my dac and in this situation the source is not important once the reclocking has been done by U16.
Also a phone has an advantage on a computer : low voltage operation meaning less noise...

From what I understood in previous posts denafrips uses the same hdmi cabling as ps audio (not so sure) in this case v1.4 firmware means reversed L/R.
I don't intend to flash another firmware unless it corrects the reported problems in this topic. Firmware V1.4 seems to be the most stable.

So has someone tried to connect an android device to the U16 ?
 
Jan 10, 2019 at 8:25 AM Post #370 of 1,697
Is it working with android ? I use my phone as a digital source.
Works problemless in PCM & DSD Native modes with my Honor 10 (via Hiby Music player), but sound isn't so good as for Gustard ASIO driver for Windows, imo.
DSC00616.JPG
DSC00614.JPG
 
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Jan 10, 2019 at 8:47 AM Post #372 of 1,697
I am still using 1.4 and have zero (0!) problems. Music flows, full nirvana with any type of file resolution...

+1 on the "full nirvana" :ksc75smile:
after reading of these problems I specifically retried a few 176k and 88k PCM playlists (within the same album, no switching file types within the playlist).
WIN Server 2012, JPlay with KS, i2s HDMI to NOS7
No problem using the original PS Audio configured firmware.
Display on the U16 corresponds to the file resolution.
 
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:08 AM Post #373 of 1,697
........ I now hear distinctly details that were muffled before......

Yep... this is the exact way to describe what I am hearing..
I previously used; modded SU-1, Tanly, U12, Melodious , W4S, and 3 different Audio-GD model DDC's.
It is actually easy to compare - even from years back - because some of these low level musical elements layered in the soundfield (especially in the midrange) I am definitely hearing for the first time in songs I have listed to hundreds of times... prior they must have been mashed together in the mix and not noticed.
And it is not like hitting a few DB EQ in the specific band, it is more like pulling apart the sound elements and isolating them within a front/back layer so that they can be understood within the relationship to the other stuff...
 
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:33 AM Post #374 of 1,697
Great !

I believe the sound quality should not be lesser in android if you send bitperfect signal to the U16 and let the dac do the oversampling.
You wrong. The source matters for sound quality. It doesn't matter if it's digital.
You may just accept, is what it is, and that's fine. But it wont be the hi-end sound.
 
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:44 AM Post #375 of 1,697
You wrong. The source matters for sound quality. It doesn't matter if it's digital.
You may just accept, is what it is, and that's fine. But it wont be the hi-end sound.

Bits are bits though I admit there may be high end ones :D

For people wondering about hdmi cables quality :
http://archimago.blogspot.com/search?q=hdmi

But there may also be high end sounding ones...
 

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