[ewacchau]

Spotify and Tidal works flawlessly, but for Tidal on Android you need to install an old app version (I'm using 2.42.2 apk) with this old apk version Tidal works well.

thx for the info

 

[amrutmhatre90]

Hi guys

I'm buying Shanling ET3 CD transport soon, wanted to connect the r26 and et3 via i2s cable to upsample or use et3 to it's full potential.
Bummer is that r26 has a different i2s pin layout, where can I get such cable.

Adding a screenshot of both pin layouts, hope they are right.

Never mind, made a custom cable for myself.

 

[pbarata]

Decided to upgrade R26 renderer firmware from version v1.4 to v1.42, but things got very weird….

My system is based on a Raspberry Pi 4 with a HiFi Berry Digi+ Pro board (https://www.hifiberry.com/blog/hifiberry-digi-pro-our-most-advanced-digital-audio-interface/), running Volumio OS (https://volumio.com/en/) for music playing from a Synology NAS.

For the optical connection I’ve DSD over PCM (DoP), because of the limitations of HiFiBerry card.

I also use Audirvana Studio app (https://audirvana.com/) on Windows do play directly to the R26 renderer using the network (LAN).

With renderer firmware version 1.4 everything worked fine. Had only some clicks/lags when changing music.

Using the optical and coaxial connection (SPIDF) I was able to reproduce:

• PCM files limited to 192 KHz;
• DAC played DSD files (DSD64-2,8MHz) with DoP, via optical/coax interface with no problems;
• The DAC display the correct protocol (DSD, PCM and sample rates).
• The DAC did not recognize MQA files and played them as PCM files.

Using the USB interface, I was able to reproduce:

• DSD files (DSD64, DS128 and DSD256) with no problem;
• All PCM bit rates
• MQA 352,8kHz encoded files.
• The DAC display the correct protocol and sample rates (PCM, DSD and MQA).

Using the renderer via network (LAN), I was able to reproduce:

• DSD files (DSD64, DS128 and DSD256)
• All PCM bit rates
• MQA 352,8kHz encoded files.
• The DAC displayed the correct protocol and sample rates (PCM, DSD and MQA).

Tried the latest official version of the renderer firmware v1.42 and using PCM, DSD and MQA, confirmed that DSD is not recognized using LAN via Audirvana Studio. Also notice that:

1 - Using optical with DSD64 files I get a huge noise on speakers and the display repeatedly changes from PCM to DSD!
2 - Using USB interface with DSD and MQA encoded files, the following happens:

DSD64-2.82Mhz shown as PCM 352,8k​

DSD128-5.64Mhz shown as PCM 384k​

DSD256-11.28Mhz shown as PCM 384k​

MQA 352.8kHz shown as PCM 44.1k​

Did a downgrade to version 1.4 and DSD files are now playing via LAN and display show the correct format (PCM, DSD, MQA). But using the optical interface the noise did not disappear (for DSD files) and the display is changing from PCM do DSD, like previously stated. Again, using USB with DSD and MQA encoded files, the following happens:

DSD64-2.82Mhz shown as PCM 352,8k​

DSD128-5.64Mhz shown as PCM 384k​

DSD256-11.28Mhz shown as PCM 384k​

MQA 352.8kHz shown as PCM 44.1k​

Furthermore, using the LAN, instead having a MQA in display I’ve now OFS 352.8k (Please see picture Display_Playing_MQA_file_using_Streamer.jpg).

Any clues how to solve this? (I would like to be able again to reproduce both DSD and MQA files from USB and DSD files using the optical interface as with version 1.4).

I think I’ve found the root cause of the problem with DSD and MQA, over both optical and USB interfaces, which is not R26 related!

Volumio OS went through a major update to support new Raspberry Pi 5 and naturally, as all other upgrades, I got the new version. Everything else is the same in my setup.

So, just to be check, I decided to downgrade to previous version v3.546 from 27 Sep 2023.

Everything worked fine as before.

Tried again with current version 3.569, with a new SD card and the DSD and MQA problems show up again.

Definitively there are some issues with new version, probably related with the drives for the interfaces HiFiBerry boards and USB ports.

 

[nobela]

Well, there is SOME need for sending music to the streamer somehow... unless it reads your mind and immediately plays whatever you are thinking of... in which case, hook me up with whatever you're using. The selection of what music to stream to the Node has to come from somewhere, and if there's a PC involved, you can probably figure out a way to DSP the channel balance in there somewhere.

I agree that I avoid DSP and EQ because they do degrade the sound to different degrees, but for some people it's critical.

"The selection of what music to stream to the Node has to come from somewhere, and if there's a PC involved"

You obviously don't know how a streamer works Nothing is involved between the LAN cable and the streamer. You can remotely CONTROL it with a phone or tablet or PC, but it has nothing to do with the stream itself. Especially not if someone uses the digital output of the streamer (as I do because of the sound quality).

 

[data2ooo]

Yesterday I connected the sub, Rel HT1510, instead on the pre-outs of the musical fidelity m6si directly to the RCA outs of the Gustard R26. R/L out goes to R/L in. XLR is connected to the amp.

For some reason the sub was working much, much deeper and louder on the gustard compared to the pre outs of the M6si.

Anyone has an idea what is the reason for this massive difference?

Thank you.

 

[BShaw]

Yesterday I connected the sub, Rel HT1510, instead on the pre-outs of the musical fidelity m6si directly to the RCA outs of the Gustard R26. R/L out goes to R/L in. XLR is connected to the amp.

For some reason the sub was working much, much deeper and louder on the gustard compared to the pre outs of the M6si.

Anyone has an idea what is the reason for this massive difference?

Thank you.

My guess is the line outs on the Gustard are hotter, higher voltage. You can probably look it up in the specs of both pieces of gear.

 

[Termineyter]

Hello Everyone, i'm in the process of ordering a gustard R26, will pair it with a cayin ha-3a. The dac is mainly for use on my pc, music on qobuz.
Would a clock like the c18 or the usb interface U18 add more to the system? The headphones i'm using is mostly hd800s. What would be the smarter choice , the c18 or u18?
I don't really want to throw money out but if it gives me an improved sound i would gladly pay the price for another addition.

 

[Deleeh]

Hello Everyone, i'm in the process of ordering a gustard R26, will pair it with a cayin ha-3a. The dac is mainly for use on my pc, music on qobuz.
Would a clock like the c18 or the usb interface U18 add more to the system? The headphones i'm using is mostly hd800s. What would be the smarter choice , the c18 or u18?
I don't really want to throw money out but if it gives me an improved sound i would gladly pay the price for another addition.

Hello,
I would listen to the R26 as it is without a clock.
You can always add it later.
Trying out the USB and Lan function like this and weighing up whether it is sufficient is the wisest thing to do at first, as you will hardly recognise the difference before you have got to know the Dac a little.

 

[Jake2]

Hello Everyone, i'm in the process of ordering a gustard R26, will pair it with a cayin ha-3a. The dac is mainly for use on my pc, music on qobuz.
Would a clock like the c18 or the usb interface U18 add more to the system? The headphones i'm using is mostly hd800s. What would be the smarter choice , the c18 or u18?
I don't really want to throw money out but if it gives me an improved sound i would gladly pay the price for another addition.

If it is primarily for Qobuz music streaming with occassional other use (eg. Games or YouTube audio) I'd instead suggest starting with fibre media converters per the sticky on the first post of this thread to use and optimise the R26's internal streamer/renderer for music and pick up a cheaper DDC than the U18 (eg. Douk U2 Pro) to clean up USB audio for your other sources.

 

[Termineyter]

Ok, let's just see how much improvement it gives by itself coming from a d90 topping.

 

[ohcrapgorillas]

Finally got 10Gtek converters for my headphone rig. I am using a Topping P50 PSU and streaming the "cleaned" ethernet to the Pi2AES with a Supra ethernet cable.

I can't say the difference is immediately obvious or night-and-day, but perhaps this needs some burn-in time. I will do some A/B tests after about a week or so of listening with the FMC mod exclusively and report back with impressions.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Why not plug-in your FMC directly to R26? And use the built-in streamer.

 

[ohcrapgorillas]

Why not plug-in your FMC directly to R26? And use the built-in streamer.

Pi2AES over AES sounds better than the internal streamer, more refined with better fine detail retrieval

 

[camrector]

Pi2AES over AES sounds better than the internal streamer, more refined with better fine detail retrieval

You should revisit the internal streamer now with FMCs. It’s a different ballgame.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

My thoughts exactly.