[omni94]

Yes - all outputs are active. I am running multiple dacs out of mine.

Thanks for the clarification, much appreciated !

 

[NoNameNPC]

My problem not gone.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vK9bQtTprcj3CpOT4uyx0eaPLAsf-XNq/view?usp=sharing
Listen fragment between 16:20-16:30, it appear on 16:26.
How can fix this problem? Seems like a malfunction.

 

[NoNameNPC]

Update.
Problem appears every 50min precisely, I have Windows 11, maybe problem in driver?

 

[zukem]

Tried to read through this monstrous thread but I just wanted to ask, is there truly a downside of a Topping U90 instead of the U18? I much prefer the form factor of the U90 to stack with my A90. I know the Gustard would plug in easier with my R26 but I just don't like the way the U18 looks.

 

[zukem]

Tried to read through this monstrous thread but I just wanted to ask, is there truly a downside of a Topping U90 instead of the U18? I much prefer the form factor of the U90 to stack with my A90. I know the Gustard would plug in easier with my R26 but I just don't like the way the U18 looks.

I guess having no mclk is a pretty decent downside in terms of future proofing. Will keep looking

 

[motberg]

Tried to read through this monstrous thread but I just wanted to ask, is there truly a downside of a Topping U90 instead of the U18? I much prefer the form factor of the U90 to stack with my A90. I know the Gustard would plug in easier with my R26 but I just don't like the way the U18 looks.

I would think that the synergy of Gustard to Gustard via i2s would be a benefit...

 

[milkdudd]

That's the way I looked at it. Using Gustard C18/U18/A22 with Gustard BNC cable and Blue Jeans HDMI cable for i2s. Extremely pleased with the results

 

[kopczas]

Has anyone had opportunity to check real life differences between C16 and C18?

 

[phoneslave86]

I guess having no mclk is a pretty decent downside in terms of future proofing. Will keep looking

If I had an R26 and that was my one DAC I'd just go for an LHY SW-10 and use optical isolation. It has a nice -115 Db masterclock in it with an LPS already integrated and acts as the switch. Yes it's not cheap but it avoids a much more expensive rabbit hole of cables, several LPS and DC power cables, external clock, DDC, streamer, fuses, and switch + LPS is still needed too. Because the R26 has the lan/streamer built in I wouldn't go the DDC route. If you are willing to spend way more eventually or have more than one DAC the DDC/external clock starts making more sense.

 

[fortunate son]

I enjoyed using the U18 with the Rohm dac chip SMSL D300 for a while then I switched to a TDA 1541 dac and things got a whole lot better.

 

[fortunate son]

This worked with no driver installed for a while. I thought "cool" it is plug and play. Wrong! The U18 eventually lost its connection with my PC and I had to download the Windows driver.

 

[ray12345]

I use a re-furbished HP laptop PC with Windows 10.

Of course, the PC is restarted each time a Windows update is installed which is fairly often.

My U18 had to be unplugged and plugged back in a number of times after each restart in order to get my PC to connect to it. It took a lot of jiggling of cables and time to do this. I could not live with that and was about to return it and buy a Singxer SU-6.

Then I read the 6moons review of the SU-6. It indicated that Singxer recommended installing the Windows driver that was available for the SU-6.

I recalled seeing a mini-cd in the bottom of the box for my U18. Was this a Windows driver?

Rather than fiddle with a mini-cd, I did a google search and found the U18 Windows driver on the shenzhenaudio website. I downloaded it to my PC and (knock on wood) that cured my problem. My PC now connects immediately to my Gustard U18 after every restart.

I didn't even know one could have sound without installing the U18 driver !! BTW, since you are at it, try playing around with the buffer settings in the driver, it affects the smoothness of the sound, I like the sound with sample size setting in the middle, too high sample size it sounds too sharp and too low it sounds blurry.

 

[fortunate son]

I didn't even know one could have sound without installing the U18 driver !! BTW, since you are at it, try playing around with the buffer settings in the driver, it affects the smoothness of the sound, I like the sound with sample size setting in the middle, too high sample size it sounds too sharp and too low it sounds blurry.

Good tip. I switched to a lower sample size setting and the sound is definitely more to my liking now.

 

[sanvara]

Good tip. I switched to a lower sample size setting and the sound is definitely more to my liking now.

I didn't even know one could have sound without installing the U18 driver !! BTW, since you are at it, try playing around with the buffer settings in the driver, it affects the smoothness of the sound, I like the sound with sample size setting in the middle, too high sample size it sounds too sharp and too low it sounds blurry.

What sample size setting sounded best for you?

 

[ray12345]

What sample size setting sounded best for you?

I used the middle setting, there are altogether 7 settings I think, I chose the 4th one. That is not the most analytical setting, but that setting gives the ambiance and atmosphere of jazz music which no other settings can give.

It is not difficult to try, just try all 7 and see which one is more to your taste.