Gustard U18

[doitttt]

if you use usb cable, from laptop to usbdcc.
can adum 4166 usb isolator.
take everything jitter quite effectively, is equipped with a clock,
facts the best of the best, usb isolator with 480mb speed.
then it is cheap
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/1005...martRedirect=y&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt

 

[TheRealDz]

Aune's clock is on sale at Amazon today for $230, so I snagged one along with a $20 50 ohm LMR400 cable.

Eager to see what that will do with my U18...

 

[doitttt]

optimize Gustard u18
amir wrote in about cybershaft review
It is amazing how our intuition leads astray. We assume these clocks are like watches where more accuracy is better. Turns out we are not at all sensitive to absolute pitch as if we were, no one would be listening to analog sources! I can play my music 1% slower or faster (all the time) and you wouldn't know there is anything wrong. What we care about is consistency of "speed" or clock. This type of variation causes jitter. So the fact that an external clock is "above controlled," stack over time, etc. is of no value. What matters is that it doesn't vary over time. As I explained above though, the best way to get consistency is with an internal clock right close to the DAC, not one across feet and meters of cabling. At best, such an external clock can match what is inside. At worst, it will make it perform worse as we see in the case
but not the whole truth
bought Mini-Circuits 141-12BM+ 50ohm cable 12 inch or 300mm
paid 60 dollars for it at mouser
https://www.mouser.dk/ProductDetail/Mini-Circuits/141-12BM+?qs=xZ/P%2Ba9zWqbP1SfIP0oldQ==
https://www.mouser.dk/datasheet/2/1030/141_12BM_2b-1699951.pdf
the coax cable core silverclad on copper
Minimizes signal reflection and VSWR ripple contribution
you take from 10mhz coax output to gustard input coax
this piece of 12 inch coax cable is important with silver clad
optimal connection
Capacitance must be down to 15-18 pf for coax cable of 12 inch
important for the sound
we enter gustard u18
2nd generation clock Synthesizer with ultra-Low noise.
Support external oCxO.
K2 can generate the audio-specific frequency using a 10Mhz clock source with extremely low loss
the less loss, the better the sound
so you can say that 10mhz clock is as good as Accusilicon as338.
but has phase noise and better fs gives better bass midrange and treble
Finds things to put in laptop holo Titanis and iFI Defender puts in external power for
the sound now is fantastic, better bass, the midrange is clear, the treble is top class
much better 3d

 

[duong viet hung]

I'm using a PC to play music via Gustard to the Pegasus DAC via I2S. Play music with roon software. Sometimes there is a phenomenon where when listening to an album and playing songs from another album, the music is stuttering. Turn off Gustard and turn it back on and it's gone. Does anyone have the same phenomenon as me?

 

[DAPpower]

I'm using a PC to play music via Gustard to the Pegasus DAC via I2S. Play music with roon software. Sometimes there is a phenomenon where when listening to an album and playing songs from another album, the music is stuttering. Turn off Gustard and turn it back on and it's gone. Does anyone have the same phenomenon as me?

This has probably something to do with memory buffer rate when you are changing to different sample rates during playback. I don't use Roon but with Audirvana, I did have this small issue with my old setup. In Audirvana settings, there was an option to allocate more PC memory usage for Audirvana so it could decode and change differen track sample rates faster with less lag, otherwise there was an option that could mute or pause the first 1-2 seconds after changing to different files with different sample rates and that fixed the stutter issue in that way.

I know you use Roon but surely there should be some options in the settings for that.

 

[Jake2]

optimize Gustard u18
amir wrote in about cybershaft review
It is amazing how our intuition leads astray. We assume these clocks are like watches where more accuracy is better. Turns out we are not at all sensitive to absolute pitch as if we were, no one would be listening to analog sources! I can play my music 1% slower or faster (all the time) and you wouldn't know there is anything wrong. What we care about is consistency of "speed" or clock. This type of variation causes jitter. So the fact that an external clock is "above controlled," stack over time, etc. is of no value. What matters is that it doesn't vary over time. As I explained above though, the best way to get consistency is with an internal clock right close to the DAC, not one across feet and meters of cabling. At best, such an external clock can match what is inside. At worst, it will make it perform worse as we see in the case
but not the whole truth
bought Mini-Circuits 141-12BM+ 50ohm cable 12 inch or 300mm
paid 60 dollars for it at mouser
https://www.mouser.dk/ProductDetail/Mini-Circuits/141-12BM+?qs=xZ/P%2Ba9zWqbP1SfIP0oldQ==
https://www.mouser.dk/datasheet/2/1030/141_12BM_2b-1699951.pdf
the coax cable core silverclad on copper
Minimizes signal reflection and VSWR ripple contribution
you take from 10mhz coax output to gustard input coax
this piece of 12 inch coax cable is important with silver clad
optimal connection
Capacitance must be down to 15-18 pf for coax cable of 12 inch
important for the sound
we enter gustard u18
2nd generation clock Synthesizer with ultra-Low noise.
Support external oCxO.
K2 can generate the audio-specific frequency using a 10Mhz clock source with extremely low loss
the less loss, the better the sound
so you can say that 10mhz clock is as good as Accusilicon as338.
but has phase noise and better fs gives better bass midrange and treble
Finds things to put in laptop holo Titanis and iFI Defender puts in external power for
the sound now is fantastic, better bass, the midrange is clear, the treble is top class
much better 3d

Sorry, I'm not sure I fully understood you - some of the formatting of your reply is difficult to read. So you're using an external clock with the U18 with the Minicircuits cable you mention? If so which external clock? Are you saying the clock has better phase noise specs than the AS338 and it sounds better than using the U18's internal AS338? Also which DAC are you using with the U18?

I have the U18 and the Minicircuits 141-24BM, which I selected on the basis of very good specs for return loss (VSWR) and transmission loss. I also have the Holo Titanis, it is excellent. I have not tried the12' (12BM) version but compared the 12" and 24" versions of another clock cable but did not hear much if any difference.

 

[jmaranto]

Hi,
I took a quick decision and ordered the new Gustard DCC or USB interface when I heard it was out. I am a fortunate owner of two well working U16's which I find a very-good-value-for-money-performer and not to forget, with the possibility to use with external XO. The U16 uses the regular but very good Accusilicon XO's AS318B and as said, with the possibility to use an external better clock if You have, or are planning to get one. The new U18 uses selected higher spec XO's from the same (Accusilicon) brand and also have a reworked clock synthesizer for the external XO. The U18 also has a well thought through internal galvanic isolation, high performing USB receiver chip XMOS216. So based on my earlier very good experiences I "snatched" one of the very first U18's, I guess. Ordered the 12'th of november and living quite far from China I was almost shocked when the box from China arrived today.

As usual they pack with good protection. I have it put into work, warming up and for burning in for a period of at least two weeks. It is now running on internal XO's and it sounds very good already.

I am using the U18 for the moment replacing my Audio-gd DI20HE, feeding the Audio-gd R7HE Mk2 into my main rig HE7, Master 3 and Master 2's, Quad ESL63+Gradient SW63's. It is a brutal, neutral, revealing rig so it is easy to spot what's going on. Here is a few pictures. To be continued...
/Jan

they have the same fuse values as U16?

 

[doitttt]

clock cable should best values in transfer
Insertion Loss 0.01 10mhz
Return Loss 60db 10mhz
signal reflection and VSWR ripple , as small as possible
Capacitance max 20pf
The cable must have a core of silver braid on copper
as short as possible 12 inch or 300mm
then 2 points are coax output from 10 mhz clock
for coaxing entrance to gustard u18

 

[kopczas]

Question for Pegasus DAC and U18 users with SR Purple fuses in both devices:
how is the sound in this config to your ears?

 

[doitttt]

put redriver in between from laptop to gustard u18
A "Reclocker" performs an UP-shaping of the waveform of the digital signals with additional low output impedance, so that the cables' capacitive
load and any impedance mismatch have no or - at least - minor importance.
The sharper the digital signals are, the more precisely the signal is processed the rest of the way through the DAC. That's what you hear as
result of
https://dk.rs-online.com/web/p/kommunikation-og-tradlos-udvikling/2659953
gives better sound

 

[PeterAES]

Hi everybody, can you pls try to help me with an advice in my particular situation ?

So.. I have RME ADI-2 pro FS which I use for mastering music and I want to upgrade it. Now I use AQ Jutterbug FMJ and Inakustik Referenz USB plugged into it, and it is directly hooked into my Puritan 156 filter. I want to add DDC to it via AES, that will improve the sound quality and later I might add the Hypsos hybrid PSU to the RME.

The only way I can use DDC with the RME is via the AES input. From what I understood so far, U-18 is giving best results when used with the I2S output, and AES might not even make any difference- this is confirmed many times, by different users.

So, what DDCs that you know and you have tested via AES ,will make a significant difference to the sound quality of the RME.. are there any at all ?
I heard very good things about the GD – DI20HE , but some people reported some software difficulties, I am Windows based tho.

What DDCs have you tried via AES that you know will improve dac, from the class of the RME?

I will appreciate if more people join my query !

Thanks !

 

[kopczas]

From what I understood so far, U-18 is giving best results when used with the I2S output, and AES might not even make any difference- this is confirmed many times, by different users.

I would say that I2S sounds best but it doesn't mean that non of improvement can be noticed with SPIDIF or AES.

From my experience compering those scenarios:

1. Source > usb > DAC

2. Source > usb > U18> SPIDF Coax > DAC

3. Source > usb > U18> SPIDF Toslink > DAC

4. Source > usb > U18> I2S > DAC

Those are combinations that I've tested. I don't have AES cable to try this solution.

Now, let's say option 1 is 5/10, option 4 10/10, 2 and 3 would be 7/10.

Many say that AES is superior to Coax or Toslink so I my opinion I'll notice major difference using DDC like U18 especially in studio environment where multiple devices are used which may generate a lot of noise. USB isolation is main advantage of those DDCs' .

 

[PeterAES]

I would say that I2S sounds best but it doesn't mean that non of improvement can be noticed with SPIDIF or AES.

From my experience compering those scenarios:

1. Source > usb > DAC

2. Source > usb > U18> SPIDF Coax > DAC

3. Source > usb > U18> SPIDF Toslink > DAC

4. Source > usb > U18> I2S > DAC

Those are combinations that I've tested. I don't have AES cable to try this solution.

Now, let's say option 1 is 5/10, option 4 10/10, 2 and 3 would be 7/10.

Many say that AES is superior to Coax or Toslink so I my opinion I'll notice major difference using DDC like U18 especially in studio environment where multiple devices are used which may generate a lot of noise. USB isolation is main advantage of those DDCs' .

Thanks for the reply !
I am definitely considering the GD as it is superior in sound to U-18, and a guy that owns it just told me that it sounds equally good via AES

 

[phoneslave86]

I would say that I2S sounds best but it doesn't mean that non of improvement can be noticed with SPIDIF or AES.

From my experience compering those scenarios:

1. Source > usb > DAC

2. Source > usb > U18> SPIDF Coax > DAC

3. Source > usb > U18> SPIDF Toslink > DAC

4. Source > usb > U18> I2S > DAC

Those are combinations that I've tested. I don't have AES cable to try this solution.

Now, let's say option 1 is 5/10, option 4 10/10, 2 and 3 would be 7/10.

Many say that AES is superior to Coax or Toslink so I my opinion I'll notice major difference using DDC like U18 especially in studio environment where multiple devices are used which may generate a lot of noise. USB isolation is main advantage of those DDCs' .

USB>Toslink>AES>I2S. High end I2s is also much better than low end I2s. Tubulus Concentus/Audiolund Truesilver > AVplay300 > Blue Jeans and other HDMI (I've tried about 5 other HDMI cables so far). I'd likely pick my black dragon AES over the regular HDMI. It's pretty dang good but the high end I2s cables are just simply in their own league. They are simply magical. The AVplay300 can be my favorite on certain songs as it can sound just wonderfully silky smooth in certain frequencies but it falls short overall. The Tubulus has amazing control, detail, soundstage and bass. The center is put out farther and is smaller than the Truesilver with a more reference and detailed sense with huge bass. The Truesilver is sweet, warm, smooth and musical plus it comes with a lovely easy to hear midrange that is larger and more in your face and just addictive with plenty of detail. It has plenty of bass but not as much as the Tubulus.

A DDC like the U18 will go as far as you build off of it. I think of the U18 as a platform to expand and upgrade as needed. Masterclocks are amazing with the U18. Masterclocks make less fatiguing more precise realistic sound. This means louder listening level which could mean more immersion. It will remove noise from your system and in turn uncover noise that was hidden before too. Must mention the purple fuse and keep it going about the purple fuse. It's worth the upgrade when wants to go farther. A squarewave masterclock was nice and I got another improvement trading in to a higher end sinewave clock later. Worth the money for sure to me easily. The U18 works with both which is nice.

 

[sbgk]

had posted previously about modifying the U18 - removing IEC socket and fuse, soldering mains cable direct to transformer and output wires to circuit board pins.

That saw some improvement, but the transformer in the case was still next to the circuit board, xmos chip and USB input, so I removed the transformer from the case and the sound has really opened up and detail has improved, would describe the previous sound as compressed. Think having the transformer in the case interferes with it's magnetic fields producing eddy currents and also having it next to the USB input and processing chip is just hobbling it's performance