Gustard X20?

orientalexpress · « **Reply #20 on:** 26 Feb 2016, 08:56 pm »

Quote from: ACHiPo on 25 Feb 2016, 11:11 pm

Hmm from the remote I don't remember having "slow" as an option, just 50 kHz, 60 kHz, and 70 kHz. Its default was 50 kHz I think and I changed it to 70 kHz, so maybe I can drop it to 50 and improve smoothness.

Hmm on mine,i have 2 setting ,sharp or slow.i use usb for my input on mine.

ACHiPo · « **Reply #21 on:** 26 Feb 2016, 09:55 pm »

Sounds like they must have changed the firmware. I have not done anything with the drivers on the CD other than load them onto my computer. Not sure if that has anything to do with it? I'm running an Aurender S-10 via USB into the X20U. The filter choices are 50 kHz, 60 kHz, and 70 kHz. I tried different settings last night and this morning and didn't hear much difference, but it's already starting to smooth out very nicely.

ACHiPo · « **Reply #22 on:** 27 Feb 2016, 03:36 pm »

Quote from: orientalexpress on 26 Feb 2016, 08:56 pm

Hmm on mine,i have 2 setting ,sharp or slow.i use usb for my input on mine.

OE,
I figured it out. I've been listening mostly to DSD which has the 50, 60, 70 kHz filters. Last night I listened to PCM and saw the filter names you've mentioned. I switched to "slow", but haven't done much critical listening since then.

AC

ACHiPo · « **Reply #23 on:** 27 Feb 2016, 04:21 pm »

Ok, so NOW we're gettin' somewhere!

Let's see, about 56 hours in, and finding that I prefer the "sharp" PCM filter to the "slow" setting. The brightness and edginess continue to soften, but the detail remains. The "slow" setting seems to soften things a bit too much at first blush, but will continue to experiment.

Musicality continues to keep my toe tapping. I'm listening to Heart "Dreamboat Annie" this morning and it sounds great--not an audiophile recording by any means, but good tunes. Will break out some of my more minimalist recordings this weekend and report on the results.

ACHiPo · « **Reply #24 on:** 28 Feb 2016, 05:36 pm »

At 80 hours of break in, the DAC just seems to get out of the way. Had a great session last night (~72 hours) with Coltrane, Miles, and Pepper cranked way up. Definitely prefer the DSD to even the higher rez PCM from a somewhat limited sample (most of my DSD files are on HDDs awaiting my MS3 to return from the PC hospital). Regardless, any unnatural sibilance was gone--Jimmy Cobb's cymbal work on "So What" was natural and sparkly. One thing that continues to jump out at me is percussion--I noticed hearing the stick hit the cymbal, not just the shimmering sound of the cymbal. Same thing on drum hits--the "thwack" is distinct, and the tone of the drum is more noticeable than before (at least it seems--this stuff is very subjective, and I realize that once you notice something it can be "everywhere")

Anyway listening to a variety of HRX classical and pop (24/176.4) this morning and it sounds really grand. Smooth, effortless, very enjoyable.

nc42acc · « **Reply #25 on:** 28 Feb 2016, 06:27 pm »

Just gotta love finding these little jewels. Sorry I am late to the party.

Phil A · « **Reply #26 on:** 28 Feb 2016, 08:52 pm »

Does the company have a website (I see a storefront on Amazon only)? I'm interested in seeing if there is a downloadable manual and whether they have a USB driver for Windows.

jhm731 · « **Reply #27 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 12:51 am »

Quote from: Phil A on 28 Feb 2016, 08:52 pm

Does the company have a website (I see a storefront on Amazon only)? I'm interested in seeing if there is a downloadable manual and whether they have a USB driver for Windows.

ContacT:

http://www.worthyaudio.com/gustard/

mresseguie · « **Reply #28 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 02:12 am »

Phil,

I ordered mine from Worthy Audio. It will be in Aldcol's hands by tomorrow. Worthy's price from the website is $799 - you get to bypass Amazon's fees. Easy as pie to order.

Michael

Phil A · « **Reply #29 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 02:18 am »

Quote from: mresseguie on 29 Feb 2016, 02:12 am

Phil,

I ordered mine from Worthy Audio. It will be in Aldcol's hands on tomorrow. Worthy's price from the website is $799 - you get to bypass Amazon's fees. Easy as pie to order.

Michael

Thanks. I'd assume as I noted in my question that there is a Windows USB driver somewhere? Probably over the next few months I may sell my DAC and music server in the secondary system as I'm probably going to go NAS and an upgraded music server for the main system.

ACHiPo · « **Reply #30 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 02:45 am »

Quote from: Phil A on 29 Feb 2016, 02:18 am

Thanks. I'd assume as I noted in my question that there is a Windows USB driver somewhere? Probably over the next few months I may sell my DAC and music server in the secondary system as I'm probably going to go NAS and an upgraded music server for the main system.

Phil,
The DAC came with a mini-CD with a driver. I loaded it onto my desktop PC (thought it might have a manual, but it appears to just be a driver).

Evan

ACHiPo · « **Reply #31 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 03:18 am »

Oh my goodness! Art Pepper "So in Love" in DSD is absolutely divine--detail, smoothness, liquid. Air and ambience. Stunning!

I guess I'm at about 96 hours of burn-in at this point. The Gustard is definitely hitting its stride.

Phil A · « **Reply #32 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 03:18 am »

Quote from: ACHiPo on 29 Feb 2016, 02:45 am

Phil,
The DAC came with a mini-CD with a driver. I loaded it onto my desktop PC (thought it might have a manual, but it appears to just be a driver).

Evan

Evan - thanks - is it an ASIO driver?

orientalexpress · « **Reply #33 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 04:18 am »

Quote from: ACHiPo on 27 Feb 2016, 03:36 pm

OE,
I figured it out. I've been listening mostly to DSD which has the 50, 60, 70 kHz filters. Last night I listened to PCM and saw the filter names you've mentioned. I switched to "slow", but haven't done much critical listening since then.

AC

you are correct ,I have my DSD over PCM turn off on the Aries ,now I see more filter setting.sound sweeter by the day.

ACHiPo · « **Reply #34 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 01:43 pm »

Quote from: Phil A on 29 Feb 2016, 03:18 am

Evan - thanks - is it an ASIO driver?

Phil,
Not sure if it's ASIO. The computer I installed it on isn't connected to the DAC. The file is an XMOS USB audio driver if that helps. Once I get my MS3 back I may be able to find out more info.

Here's what I found on the XMOS website:
USB: 2 high resolution channels OUT
• PCM up to 384 KHz (44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352.8, 384) sample rates
• Asynchronous Isochronous transfer from host
• Native DSD, DoP64 and DoP128
· CODEC: I2S or DSD
• 16, 24, or 32 bit PCM
• DSD64 and DSD128

Evan

aldcoll · « **Reply #35 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 06:01 pm »

Quote from: mresseguie on 29 Feb 2016, 02:12 am

Phil,

I ordered mine from Worthy Audio. It will be in Aldcol's hands by tomorrow. Worthy's price from the website is $799 - you get to bypass Amazon's fees. Easy as pie to order.

Michael

Well as the task master mresseguie has mentioned I have been asked to receive and burn in his new Gustard X20n as he is out of the country but just steps away from the factory

With just two tracks on the unit I am liking it over my personal DAC that has been my weak piece of my system.

Unfortunately I have 44.1K for the vast amount of my library. I do have a few higher PCM tracks that I will wait for a while to give a run through.

The upside is we have the stereo on 6-10 hours a day so this should be a quick burn in.

Alan

P.S. If anybody need the boring and tedious burn in done I am reasonable to work with

Equipment

Gill Alana Pre Amp The Gustard will be inserted in this task also
Modwright KWA 150 SE
Daedalus Pan speakers with Daedalus Boulder cables
Squeezebox touch Boulder modded
Wywires Blue for the rest of the work.
Furman Elite 20 power

ACHiPo · « **Reply #36 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 08:08 pm »

Quote from: aldcoll on 29 Feb 2016, 06:01 pm

Well as the task master mresseguie has mentioned I have been asked to receive and burn in his new Gustard X20n as he is out of the country but just steps away from the factory

With just two tracks on the unit I am liking it over my personal DAC that has been my weak piece of my system.

Unfortunately I have 44.1K for the vast amount of my library. I do have a few higher PCM tracks that I will wait for a while to give a run through.

The upside is we have the stereo on 6-10 hours a day so this should be a quick burn in.

Alan

P.S. If anybody need the boring and tedious burn in done I am reasonable to work with

Equipment

Gill Alana Pre Amp The Gustard will be inserted in this task also
Modwright KWA 150 SE
Daedalus Pan speakers with Daedalus Boulder cables
Squeezebox touch Boulder modded
Wywires Blue for the rest of the work.
Furman Elite 20 power

Alan,
Enjoy the process--it was pretty interesting listening as it changed over time. You should be able to run the DAC 24/7--the stereo doesn't need to be on, just the computer/server and DAC.
Evan

aldcoll · « **Reply #37 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 08:23 pm »

Quote from: ACHiPo on 29 Feb 2016, 08:08 pm

Alan,
Enjoy the process--it was pretty interesting listening as it changed over time. You should be able to run the DAC 24/7--the stereo doesn't need to be on, just the computer/server and DAC.
Evan

Never Ever will I say to the wife that the speakers don't need to producing sound. And I have all the people on this board to back me up RIGHT

As I have looked around and I don't find a manual for the X20. I did post a question on the manufactures web page.

ACHoPo I did read about your preference for the DSD files. Did you install the DSD Driver?
DSD plug-in Download:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/sacddecoder/files/?source=navbar

And the USB driver that appear to be a universal third party for XMOS
Windows XP/Vista/7/8 Driver：
http://pan.baidu.com/s/1ntDUtqp

And no driver need for the MAC Folks

nc42acc · « **Reply #38 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 08:35 pm »

Hopefully we will have another convert in aldcoll. Leave it on 24/7. No issues.

aldcoll · « **Reply #39 on:** 29 Feb 2016, 08:37 pm »

I sleep better to music.