Gustard R26 Driver
Matilda Equiluz
I am able to play DSD 512 (upsampling via Roon) from my system into my Matrix X-Sabre Pro via it's USB input with no problem. I can play DSD 512 via my upgraded Singxer SU-1 into the Matrix X-Sabre Pro with i2s with no problem as well.
When I try using the same Singxer SU-1 via i2s into my Gustard, it doesn't know what to do with the 512 DSD signal. I borrowed my friend's Gustard thinking that the problem was with my hardware, and his cannot handle the 512 DSD either. I have no problem with the Gustard playing 256 DSD.
In case you haven't solved this yet, or if others might want to know the answer.... Yes, I have it working with SU-1 feeding Gustard X20pro over i2s, DSD512 sounds great. You'll need the latest Holo Spring DAC driver on your PC, along with the latest SU-1 firmware, v2.22. Also, be sure to set SU-1 dip switches correctly for Gustard I2S output, and use as short an HDMI cable as you can get away with. I use 0.3m.
I successfully got my X20u (not pro) to play DSD512 and listened to it that way for several months. I used a third party DIYinHK USB card with the newest Xmos u216 chip and their "signed" driver from Theyscon v3.38 for this card. I removed my USB card (you may also want to do that in case the dac is confused) and then tapped into the I2S lines in the PCIe slot of the vacated USB card slot. The sound was stunning. Now the x20U uses the 9018 ESS chip and the 20 pro uses the 9028 chip so it truly is capable and as pkane above noted it appears to be a driver issue. I was also able to use an unsigned theyscon 3.34 driver with this card and get 512. So the issue must be with the Gustard driver. What version do you use?
One more thought: DSD512 will not work as DoP, your software must be set to native DSD. That's also the reason you need the latest firmware and Holo driver, since the driver shipped with SU-1 and older firmware do not support native DSD.
In my case there is no driver to install. I'm using a SOTM SMS-200 which is is Linux based, so it relies on the Singxer's USB 2.0 identification. My friend has exactly the same setup except is using a Sonore Micro Rendu. Neither one of us can get the Gustard to accept DSD512.
I don't think Linux can do DSD512, I know there is a big discussion on the T+A thread about the uR and it's inability to play DSD512, could be the same with SOTM SMS200, not 100% sure. Pkane has figured it out so I would follow his advice. My route to 512 was pretty complex and no one on the forums followed me down that rabbit hole except Simon, well actually I followed Simon, but his third party USB card was limited to DSD256, mine could do 512.
Are you referring to a driver or firmware version when you mention Gustard? When bypassing the onboard USB on the Gustard (since we are using the Singxer) no driver is used. I've been wondering if there is a newer firmware version to enable DSD512 on my Gustard, as my X-Matrix works fine.
According to Pkane he said to install the Halo springs DAC driver on your PC, That would be for the Gustard, I assume, and make sure you also had the newest firmware on the SU-1 and to make sure you stream native DSD 512, not DoP as 512 is not supported via DoP. There is no new firmware for the X20. Really I got 512 on the older X20 with driver 3.34 and third party USB card, PKane does it with SU-1. The Gustard can do it.
No, Singxer has a version of the firmware (2.22) out that supports native DSD512. No new firmware is needed for Gustard -- it supports native DSD512 over I2S connection. One thing that may look strange is the data rate on the Gustard display -- ignore what it says. For example, it often says 384MHz on mine when playing DSD512. But, this does not affect playback.
Both my friend and I can get our Gustard DACs to "sort of" play with a DSD512 signal; the screen shows 384MHz sometimes, other times (usually after changing to the next track) it shows DSD 2.82MHz. Sometimes the sound is OK, but sometimes it's distorted. At any other rate the display works correctly, and there is never any distortion.
pkane2001, I think it might not be working correctly for you either. The rate displayed on the screen is what the DAC is detecting, so if it can't display the correct rate, then it can't be working 100% in my mind.
pkane2001, I think it might not be working for you correctly either. The rate displayed on the screen is what the DAC is detecting, so if it can't display the correct rate, then it can't be working 100% in my mind.
As an FYI on My X20u when I played DSD512 my display always read DSD512 (100% of the time). I also tapped into the I2S lines but thru the PCIe port which ultimately connect in the same place (as the HDMI input) just before the first LVDS chip on the digital board of the X20. So if the SU-1 shows the gustard at less then 512, I wonder what is going on?
Since I never used a SU-1 does it have a driver or you just need to make sure you have the most recent firmware? If that is the case (firmware only) you need a ASIO driver on your PC for the gustard that can do 512 which is V3.34 or above.
I know that the display is showing garbage, since when it says it's playing PCM, HQPlayer is clearly feeding it native DSD512 and the music is playing perfectly. As I said, others have reported this display behavior, but your point is valid: this is not how it should behave.
If pkane2001 doesn't get the right speed on the screen using a PC and the Holo drivers, then it I don't think it is working 100% in his setup either. Gustard lists DSD512 via I2S in the manual, so I would expect to see it work the same as all the other modes. I can do DSD512 just fine in my system with or without the Singxer into my X-Matrix. My friend's Gustard doesn't work at DSD512 in his sytem either.
it is essentially the same Dac as my original X20u except mine had the ESS9018 chips in it, this is the even more advanced 9028 chips it certainly would be able to do what the 9018 could do and the manual states, I2s DSD512 capable.
To me if the music player (HQP) shows DSD512 output and the dac does not agree I would be very suspicious of what I was hearing, I spent hours and hours trying to get 512 to work and that display always reported what the dac was decoding, Simon had the same experience as me. Don't know if you guys read the Head-fi or Audio Circle or even WBF threads on this dac. When we got it it only did DSD128, several folks/mfg said the 9018 cannot do 512 well it can and did.
I'm not using a PC, as stated above I'm using SOTM SMS-200 Linux based network audio adapter. My friend uses a Sonore Micro Rendu Linux based network audio adapters. Both of these units are DSD512 compatible per the manufacturer. There are no drivers required, Linux recognizes the device as USB Audio 2.0 automatically.
My SOTM plays DS512 directly into the X-Matrix' on-board USB input, or with the Singxer as USB adapter (running firmware 2.22 which is 512 comparable per Singxer). Roon or HQ Player confirms the output to the network audio adapter as DSD512, and that causes the Gustard to do funny things; it will play at times, but it's working correctly.
It is NOT possible for my upstream system to be the problem when it run DSD512 fine with everything EXCEPT the Gustard. Also I have now tried TWO separate Gustard DAC-X20 Pro's, so it's not a case of one unit being defective.
I made the same post on WBF, and there have been no replies. At this stage I am starting to doubt if anyone actually has personal experience of the Gustard working consistently and 100% correctly with DSD512.
I am 100% confident the dac will do 512. Now the issue may be the interaction between the Sotm or uR that the dac does not like. By chance do you have a windows laptop or desktop with enough horsepower to at least do the 2S filters at 512. If so make sure the laptop has the appropriate ASIO driver for your dac, use a trial of HQP and see if you get 512 to play and the display says 512. I know this dac will do it.
I'll hook it up directly to my PC tonight using the Holo drivers for Windows which are supposed to be required. I don't think there is any reason to expect a different result with a PC, as the DAC is blind to what is upstream from the I2S connection coming out from the Singxer. A DAC just receives and processes data from I2S, there is no handshake or identification like there is with USB and HDMI devices. The X-Matrix pro plays 512 fine from that very same I2S signal which the Gustard is apparently unable to handle.
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