[DacBuddha]

Thanks allhifi very nice of you.
yes 1990, I bought the best I could at the time and never got round to upgrading, at the time Arcam had their black box but I fell for the Cyrus DAC,
During this Christmas I popped into a hifi shop and enjoyed a few systems, they suggested I popped in again and compared my old DAC with new...this I did thinking my trusty DAC would stand up well...sadly my DAC sounded like there was a duvet over each speaker, so flat, dull and uninteresting.
That night the reading began to try and understand a little more, liked what I found re ES9018 chip...
This lead me to your forum where the trail guided me to the x20pro then talk of a 9038, didn't find much on the x22 but the way you were all talking it had to be the one I went for...
ordered last week and delivery date said to be 24.01 to 05.02.18... this morning I had a message for a pre payment to the courier so fingers crossed I get it soon.
thanks again to you all on here passing information as you stopped me saving for the £3000 DAC I heard which is already 4 yrs into sales. I was in china in November so if only I knew then....

Thanks re burn in, I read on here to run it, let it cool then run again which is advice I shall follow for sure
Digital filters is something new to me and I shall have a play. Reading above in the thread the balanced out's seem better so I have ordered some new XLR outs. really looking forward to enjoying some fine music.

DB

 

[Byang]

Mod's (to X-22) ?

You know, I received my X-20PRO just yesterday -pop'd off the top (gently) ...and peeked inside. To my amazement was the absolute micro-architecture of its internal components -I suspect this would be the 'look' of any modern DAC.
In any case, making "modifications" to such micro-circuits is a recipe for disaster; one would require advanced tools, machinery and without question some major magnification to see anything !

Words of wisdom .." stick to stock".

pj
P.S. For those that may 'visions' of 1970's gear (and messing with its design/parts), it ain't the same as twenty-first century (digital) circuits -particularly of today.

For anyone knows some fundamental audio design, it is always some cost effective way to improve the "stock" circuitry, due to the fact that manufacture has to make profit so that they can not use top quality components in the circuit.
That including Ic (eg. Costly bb 627), audio quality Teflon bypass capacitors etc. Those could really easily be exchanged for large sound improvement. The is why high end tube amplifier sounds better than high end solid state amps most of the time.
As mod x22 goes,$250 level of 1 mod put x22 above any $4000 or less developed i have ever heard except modified oppo 205 used as dac.
Please do not make any silly comments on mod if you don't at least have masters degree in EE.....

 

[peteg]

peter
P.S. What Clk (Clock) and Filter setting do you use/prefer ?

My settings for now: Clock "Auto", PCM filter "APODIZING", DSD 70k.

 

[peteg]

As mod x22 goes,$250 level of 1 mod put x22 above any $4000

Byang, any pictures of your work.

 

[Byang]

Byang, any pictures of your work.

There are mod on both sides of print board. I don't want to unsold front side silver mica caps
Which are bypassing digital power supply. There are hidden changes on analogue stage at back side. I can take snapshot of front side this week end.

 

[allhifi]

For anyone knows some fundamental audio design, it is always some cost effective way to improve the "stock" circuitry, due to the fact that manufacture has to make profit so that they can not use top quality components in the circuit.
That including Ic (eg. Costly bb 627), audio quality Teflon bypass capacitors etc. Those could really easily be exchanged for large sound improvement. The is why high end tube amplifier sounds better than high end solid state amps most of the time.
As mod x22 goes,$250 level of 1 mod put x22 above any $4000 or less developed i have ever heard except modified oppo 205 used as dac.
Please do not make any silly comments on mod if you don't at least have masters degree in EE.....

You know, the following words/sentiments reminds me of some clown who basically said the same things as you, something like:

" As mod x22 goes,$250 level of 1 mod put x22 above any $4000 or less developed i have ever heard except modified oppo 205 used as dac."

In fact, I'd bet you (as this other chap) probably said something similar, say when the original X-20 (Gustard) became available, then the next model and so forth. And in no time flat, some poor guy who fell for such ridiculous (hack) "mod's" not only paid (big dollars) for their DAC to be destroyed, but what was once touted to them as " Killer DAC man, better than the best " (with said 'mod's of course) is both no longer supported (by said hacker) and now finds he can't even sell his DAC for a fraction (20-25%) of monies spent ! (I would like to warn audiophiles of such snakes -presenting it politely). In fact, I'll find some photo's of one particular hack job (on a Gustard X-20, I believe) and provide a link so readers can determine for themselves the workman ship on offer.

Do you even realize how 'tiny' much of the X-20pro circuits/parts are ? (If you think you can go "in-there" for some precision "modifications", no doubt you must have some precision equipment (highly specialized tools) available

Could you give Head-Fi readers a short list of some of the equipment/precision tools you must own in order to accomplish this (modification process) successfully ?

pj

 

[DacBuddha]

give the USB input a try, that's what people told me, and set the digital vol to -1 or -2 dB

I will do some research and see if I can send my NAS straight to the DAC via USB / Audiostation and miss my streamer, I only have lossless files nothing high res.

 

[rafabro]

You know, the following words/sentiments reminds me of some clown who basically said the same things as you, something like:

" As mod x22 goes,$250 level of 1 mod put x22 above any $4000 or less developed i have ever heard except modified oppo 205 used as dac."

In fact, I'd bet you (as this other chap) probably said something similar, say when the original X-20 (Gustard) became available, then the next model and so forth. And in no time flat, some poor guy who fell for such ridiculous (hack) "mod's" not only paid (big dollars) for their DAC to be destroyed, but what was once touted to them as " Killer DAC man, better than the best " (with said 'mod's of course) is both no longer supported (by said hacker) and now finds he can't even sell his DAC for a fraction (20-25%) of monies spent ! (I would like to warn audiophiles of such snakes -presenting it politely). In fact, I'll find some photo's of one particular hack job (on a Gustard X-20, I believe) and provide a link so readers can determine for themselves the workman ship on offer.

Do you even realize how 'tiny' much of the X-20pro circuits/parts are ? (If you think you can go "in-there" for some precision "modifications", no doubt you must have some precision equipment (highly specialized tools) available

Could you give Head-Fi readers a short list of some of the equipment/precision tools you must own in order to accomplish this (modification process) successfully ?

pj

It is not your business what people do with them own equipment so stop this bull...

 

[DacBuddha]

Today has turned into an exciting day.....Just had a call from work. I have a delivery.....
My X22 has been delivered and is now waiting for me to take it home...It should be set up tomorrow afternoon. I can't wait

 

[peteg]

Today has turned into an exciting day.....Just had a call from work. I have a delivery.....
My X22 has been delivered and is now waiting for me to take it home...It should be set up tomorrow afternoon. I can't wait

You're going to love it.

 

[DacBuddha]

You're going to love it.

Just turned on already sounds so much more theni was expecting and prepared for and the unit is still cold. Really makes my old dacmaster look tired
No instructions so i dont know re clock or filters yet. But hey i am enjoying baselines I didn’t know were ever there

 

[peteg]

No instructions so i dont know re clock or filters yet.

You should have gotten a small disc with an PDF manual on it.

 

[DacBuddha]

You should have gotten a small disc with an PDF manual on it.

Ahha yes i have a small disc. I will take a look on monday. I don’t think i can put it in my Mac drive

 

[peteg]

Ahha yes i have a small disc. I will take a look on monday. I don’t think i can put it in my Mac drive

The Mac should take it, most drives have a smaller intercircle in them.

 

[DacBuddha]

DB: Hello -and welcome. Though I'm not sure I've been here long enough to extend the welcome, I take the opportunity to do so anyway ! lol

My, my, 1990, that takes me back (sadly) to the days of disappointing digital sound (and that's being gracious).
Perhaps not your set-up, but in general -those were sad, sad, days. But not anymore !

Congratulations on your recent purchase -I believe a wise choice selecting the X-22 (Gustard). I very recently acquired the X-20pro, removed the top plate (that is both 1/8" think and weighs 703 grams/ 1.8.8 Lbs. ! itself) to discover a fit-n'-finish commensurate with those lovely photo's showing the neatly arranged and executed circuit design(s).

It stands to reason that the X-22 will be clearly (in meaningful, audible ways) superior than the X-22pro; each subsequent model has received glowing comments and noted improvements over its predecessors. But, February 5 (2018) ! Why so long a wait ?

In any case, today's DAC's are light-years ahead of those from the turn of the 21-st century, let alone 10-years earlier -you should love your new DAC.
(Remember to 'sample' the available Digital Filter options - Clk (Clock) set to 'Normal'; Auto the other option (x-20pro).

You may/not realize this, but a certain length of 'run-in time' (from when new) is required before the internal parts "settle". I believe the 200 hour mark is the consensus for the X-20 pro; the X-22 may in fact require a bit less due to its more streamlined circuit architecture.

Look forward to hearing your initial impressions once received.

pj

I have taken your advice and x22 has been playing constantly from 6pm Friday evening with 30 minutes switch off’s in both mornings and evenings, so running at about 42 hrs at this moment
Friday evening I felt fatigue listening but since last night the smoothness is really showing