[anroj]

+1. I'm also using a U16 with my Audio-GD R8 with firmware v1.4PSA, which Kingwa recommends. If you are on one of the later firmware versions (1.61) you can toggle the left button by pressing and holding it down for the various supported DACs via I2S.

 

[Albrecht]

My PCM life with the U16 has much improved since using the ASIO driver with buffer setting of 512 samples for 44.1Khz (Win 10). Still has a few idiosyncrasies but the amount constant operational issues reduces dramatically and very rare. Used 1.4 psa firmware for months but have recently been using 1.61.

The U16 sound quality is superb with the recently upgraded Audio GD R7 and S7 DACs. And like it even more than a month old Singxer SU-6. The U16 is more liquid but the SU-6 is very good and still running in.

Thank you very much for your comparison of the U16 with the SU-6. I am very curious to know how the SU-6 will compare after some run-in time has passed. Please keep us updated. (I only use the U16 with simple SPDIF, and I've not ever touched it since Day 1). All i know is that it is significantly better than the F-1 and the Matrix-2. But if the SU-6 turns out to be a significant set up from the Gustard, - I'm there. Have you also upgraded the power supply on the SU-6?

 

[PLGA]

Hello guys
I have the Gustard U16 connected with a 0.5m HDMI cable to my R8.
I listen to all of my music streaming Tidal PCM 44.1 kHz and my U16 has PS Audio 1.4 firmware and the sound is superb.
When I got the U16 (about 2 month ago) it played smoothly all the time, but now when I start playing music, at the begining of the day, it makes something like pink noise or static.
I have to restart it, or change from Asio driver to Wasapi or viceversa in my Notebook, or restart Audinirvana several times to get it work.
Once it starts to play music with out noise, it continues that way all the time until I Turn it of.
Does anyone of you have a similar problem?

 

[anroj]

Hello guys
I have the Gustard U16 connected with a 0.5m HDMI cable to my R8.
I listen to all of my music streaming Tidal PCM 44.1 kHz and my U16 has PS Audio 1.4 firmware and the sound is superb.
When I got the U16 (about 2 month ago) it played smoothly all the time, but now when I start playing music, at the begining of the day, it makes something like pink noise or static.
I have to restart it, or change from Asio driver to Wasapi or viceversa in my Notebook, or restart Audinirvana several times to get it work.
Once it starts to play music with out noise, it continues that way all the time until I Turn it of.
Does anyone of you have a similar problem?

I don’t have that exact issue but I am using the v1.4PSA firmware and I get popping and cracking sounds when playing DSD512. I was initially able to play DSD512 with my R8, but now I get the noise. I experimented by trying DSD256 and it plays perfectly.

 

[Toni-Mang]

@PLGA what is the firmware on the R8? V3A? Sync on or off? What happens, if you change input 4 IIS to 5 and back to 4?

 

[jazzbug]

At this point it's just an annoyance for me. For $300 this thing has no right to sound as good as it does. So I'm willing to put up with some of these quirks. To give you some context, I sold my Sonore Signature Series Rendu last year ($2900 MSRP) and while the sound signature of each of these devices is different, I find the U16 sounds just as good as that device in most ways. The Sonore SSR sounded a bit cleaner than this device (probably due to its overkill power supply), but the U16 sounds smoother and more musical to my ears. I'm hoping they fix the driver issues, but as it stands now I'm definitely going to keep my U16

Hi Seegs108,
I went through this topic and understood you pair U16 with you PS DSD DAC.
Would you please advise if the U16 works for WAV/FLAC/24192/DSD128 HiRez on I2S to PS DSD so far? Or is it still buggy?
Is it channel swapped/phase polarity issue on DSD, and the HDMI pin 15 covered still? - for this issue I have exactly the same with another product of Aune S5. The pre emphasis flag on PS DSD unless HDMI p15 covered. And then DSD polarity is totally wrong. The manufacturer's tech just keeps ignore my request of fixing the issue.

I'd like to opt for U16 than SU6 for the price and SQ, unless U16 is no buggy above...
Thx ahead

 

[Seegs108]

Hi Seegs108,
I went through this topic and understood you pair U16 with you PS DSD DAC.
Would you please advise if the U16 works for WAV/FLAC/24192/DSD128 HiRez on I2S to PS DSD so far? Or is it still buggy?
Is it channel swapped/phase polarity issue on DSD, and the HDMI pin 15 covered still? - for this issue I have exactly the same with another product of Aune S5. The pre emphasis flag on PS DSD unless HDMI p15 covered. And then DSD polarity is totally wrong. The manufacturer's tech just keeps ignore my request of fixing the issue.

I'd like to opt for U16 than SU6 for the price and SQ, unless U16 is no buggy above...
Thx ahead

As far as I can tell the only issue was the pre-emphasis flag sent if pin 15 wasn't covered. I have no issues with PCM up to 24/192 and double rate DSD.

 

[PLGA]

@PLGA what is the firmware on the R8? V3A? Sync on or off? What happens, if you change input 4 IIS to 5 and back to 4?

Hello Toni
I have V3A firmware with Sync off (0 value) and OSx8.
Nevertheless, yesterday I changed the clocks to Accusilicons and I placed the V2 boards and the problem got solved, unless for now. The U16 works perfectly, just like it did before.
By the way, I've been listening only a few hours with Accusilicons and V2 boards and I cannot believe the sound! Incredible! I will post my impressions on the R7/R8 thread this weekend, after giving it some more hours of listening, but Im amazed by the sound quality.

 

[Toni-Mang]

Perfect, that sounds promissing! I´m waiting for the V2 Boards...the Clocks are already in. After some reservation about the u16, i really like it.

 

[MrCypruz]

I've been on the fence to get the Gustard U16 USB interface for quite sometime mainly because of all the reported firmware issues but I think I'll take the plunge with this Massdrop/Drop drop at $260 - https://drop.com/buy/gustard-u16-usb-digital-interface

 

[Jabba]

I have connected the u16 to a Mac with audirvana, then by toslink to parasound d/ac1500.
Using Tidal, all hifi files sound excellent.
But I have issues with MQA, I get no sound at all.
Tried to set audirvana to Max 96khz and 24 bit, and non MQA compatible dac
Still no sound.
With Chromecast to dac I have no problem with MQA.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Asimov-kln]

Hi
I am going to have my unit day after tomorrow.
I have 230 volt local voltage.
Is there any toggle switch there to change the voltage in between 115v and 230v?
Please let me know how to select the 230v.
Thanks

 

[FredA]

Hi
I am going to have my unit day after tomorrow.
I have 230 volt local voltage.
Is there any toggle switch there to change the voltage in between 115v and 230v?
Please let me know how to select the 230v.
Thanks

Very easy. On the left side of the on/off rocker switch, there is a sliding switch indicating the selected voltage. Slide it to the opposite direction using a flat screwdriver if the wrong voltage is selected. See this picture :

https://cdn.head-fi.org/a/10205397.jpeg

 

[JaMo]

Hi
I am going to have my unit day after tomorrow.
I have 230 volt local voltage.
Is there any toggle switch there to change the voltage in between 115v and 230v?
Please let me know how to select the 230v.
Thanks

Hi,
I don't think we have a problem. The Gustard guys seems to check where to deliver and what power (voltage) situation rules. If it is wrong anyway... make sure the fuse is suffient for the job.
This matter is addressed earlier in this thread but. 230V @ 15 watts requires a fuse of 65 mA but should have a margin.. so 100 mA slow blow will work fine.
The 115V setting will need 130mA fuse and with a decent margin the value should be 150 to 200 or even 250 mA, slow blow, You are well protected.

Some of us wants to squeeze out more performance and higher values are then selected. This causes "fuse elimination" which means "fuse role out of function". Gear will be burned out and be bricked.
I stay on healthy fuses.
Jan

 

[Asimov-kln]

Very easy. On the left side of the on/off rocker switch, there is a sliding switch indicating the selected voltage. Slide it to the opposite direction using a flat screwdriver if the wrong voltage is selected. See this picture :

https://cdn.head-fi.org/a/10205397.jpeg

Yeah! Seems very easy. Thanks a lot for your help.