Gustard U16 - the first USB Interface featuring ESS USB chip

[allhifi]

Gustard U16 vs Singxer SU-1. Gustard win, imo





Signal path: Asus laptop (Win10 + Foobar2000 in DSD native mode via ASIO driver) - > USB - > Converter - > I2S - > Denafrips Pontus Dac

The first video (Singxer SU-1 ?) sounds waaaaay better !

Same cables, power cord ?

pj

 

[allhifi]

Gustard U16 vs Singxer SU-1. Gustard win, imo





Signal path: Asus laptop (Win10 + Foobar2000 in DSD native mode via ASIO driver) - > USB - > Converter - > I2S - > Denafrips Pontus Dac

Test # 6 = so much better (sounding) !

pj

 

[allhifi]

Received mine today after almost a month of hold by customs. Anyways, the difference even from my puny SMSL M8A via TOSLINK/Coaxial was outright mind numbing. I am not going back to USB again.
I will test out the I2S output to Holo Spring tomorrow. That will be some fun!

And, find/use an Audioquest 'Chocolate' HDMi/i2s for even more fun !

pj

 

[rafabro]

yes, but current PSA firmware version only works for HDMI/I2S output. all other outputs have a strange/crackling sound, see my posts above.

so, to be more precise:

a working firmware for PSA/AudioGD please

But if you use other than I2S outputs you don't need use PSA firmware. You can use Gustard option and should work fine, right?

 

[Whitigir]

Using U16 with LKS004 now! Excellent ! DSD512 is a good thing to have. I may be just so greedy and buy another PCI-E USB card to own both interfaces ? LoL

 

[soundlogic]

Hello; I have reached out to a few, via PM asking this question, which I will now pose to the group:
Has anyone compared a highly modified SU1 to a stock U16? I have a “Kitsune Tuned” SU1. Info here: https://kitsunehifi.com/product/kte...6-dop-free-shipping-with-coupon-code-singxer/
With all the talk here about the difference in chip designs, I was wondering just how/what sonic differences...if any...were heard between the two units? Thanks in advance for your contributions.
Tim

 

[asaifa]

Just a heads up for those with the Job Integraged amp. I have had it with the U16 for about a week now and the improvement is significant, using the Job's inbuilt dac. I had the Schiit Eitr before and it made little difference with the Job but this is completely different. The soundstage is much better and there is more clarity. It was a bit rough in the trebble initially, but that is wearing off, and I am using a PC with the Jcat USB card but no extra isolation.

 

[batfier]

But if you use other than I2S outputs you don't need use PSA firmware. You can use Gustard option and should work fine, right?

beside of the audiogd have other dacs to feed... so it should work in parallel for me.

fw 1.4 plain at least works, beside off swapping l/r on the amp, not sure about other side effects. so having a firmware for audiogd, where all other output works as expected, would be great.

 

[Whitigir]

With LKs004 firmware, it is now great again!!

 

[peteg]

I have a modded Singxer U1 but looking for a silver Gustard U16, have they come out yet.

 

[DACLadder]

I received the Gustard U16 (black) today. Ordered on Ebay, saved over 10%, and arrive in the USA in only 5-days after ordering. Updating firmware to v1.4 PSA and loading the driver which took about 5 minutes.

I have a SIngxer SU-1 that is modified for external +5V power supply (not Kitsune though). And use HDMI I2S on Input 5 of both my AGD R7 and M7S DACs. I also have Singxer F1s mounted internally for Input 6 on both DACs. So I am flush with SIngxers on multiple inputs. Essentially the SU-1 and F1 sound and perform the same on my AGD DACs.

The Gustard U16 has potential soundwise. With HDMI I2S I can immediately hear more dynamic bass with the U16. Vocals and trebles seem smoother and with less grain. Midrange is very good. But I don't yet have the same depth and soundstage as the well used SIngxers. So U16 has some breaking in to do but, so far, pleased with the sound quality.

Now the bad news... The U16 has some operational issues. I realize the U16 firmware (v1.4 PSA) is freshly minted with minimal bake time but DSD64 had some noise until I started and stopped playback a few times. Also jumping from PCM 88kHz to 192kHz I had a lot of noise. But later played 192kHz OK. Also heard a few squeaks and squawks at the beginning of some songs with sampling rate changes. At 176kHz I can detect dropouts in the audio like samples are missing?? 44.1, 88.2, and 96Khz file seems just fine. Anyway, more firmware to come I am sure. The old Gustard U12 had similar issues when jumping around random tracks. In comparison the SIngxers work flawlessly and never any issues. So if Gustard is monitoring this thread please note the operational issues.

 

[rafabro]

U16 doesn't make any noise for me. I use Gustard DAC and obviously standard V1.4. As I read about similar observations with U16 I am assuming issues are with other than standard firmwares.
Su-1 makes noise when switch from DSD to pcm and other way

But so far our conclusions and observations are mostly the same.

 

[DACLadder]

176kHz PCM files sound OK after changing Foobar output "buffer length" from 1900 ms to 3300 ms. So working through configuration and start up issues.

 

[Whitigir]

The clocks is very important to these devices, and the clocks inside the U16 is much superior to the one in Singxer

 

[DACLadder]

The clocks is very important to these devices, and the clocks inside the U16 is much superior to the one in Singxer

I agree. ESS USB implementation versus Xmos as well perhaps.

The U16 and my PC have settled down and called a truce. I remembered I have a similar issue with the older Gustard U12 where switching between dedicated sound file playback via Foobar and Windows soundmapper (games, news, Spotify, Youtube, etc) is not so smooth. So now, like the U12, Foobar HDMI I2S goes in one input on the DAC and only used for this purpose. Windows stuff is used with the another internal USB input. Keeping these functions separated and now have consistent music file playback with the U16. And I just simply switch inputs on the DAC for Windows or Foobar. It is a quirk of my PC, Windows, and the Gustard drivers maybe for whatever reasons. The U16 front panel showing mode (PCM/DSD) and sampling rate is a nice feature and helped me localize this issue with my system.

Gustard U16 sounds great with the Audio GD R7 DAC (HDMI I2S). AGD's latest firmware V3A sounded on the bright side and a little grainy with the Singxers SU-1 and F1 (I2S). Swapping to the U16 and better balance. Sound is crisp with excellent pace and rhythm. Grain/ glare is much less. Vocals are good with the right amount of sibilance. Bass and treble dynamics/ attack increased (a lot). With just a few days run-in depth and width have improved so hopefully those will continue positive as well. Enjoying the changes brought by the U16!