jeremya
(Jeremy Anderson, founder of Hi-Fi Foundations)
1
System Details:
Dual Xeon Silver CPUs, 48GB RAM
Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 22H2 19045.3930
64-bit Roon Server (2.0 build 1382)
Gustard ASIO driver (5.50 from 12/2022).
direct USB cable to the Gustard x26pro DAC
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What’s happening?
I'm having trouble with my DAC, speakers, streamer, etc.
What best describes the issue with your audio device?
Other
Roon doesn’t give a Native DSD option for the Gustard x26pro DAC (using the latest firmware and ASIO drivers available). Native DSD is required to make use of its DSD512 playback. Without it, Roon will only allow up to DSD256, which means Roon downsamples instead of providing bitperfect playback. Please work with Gustard (if necessary) to provide a Native DSD and DSD512 support for the x26pro when using their ASIO driver.
You don’t state what operating system you’re using on the device connected to the DAC or what the device is if not a PC of somekind.
On windows to achieve native DSD and such a high rate you will need an ASIO driver installed from the manufacturer Roon doesn’t work with Gustard to achieve this, it’s up to them. You also need to enable the ASIO drivers output in the audio settings menu for the dac.
If on MacOs then you won’t get Native DSD as MacOs doesn’t support it only DoP with max rate being DSD256.
If your on Linux variant then the dac needs to have been patched in the Linux Kernel to support Native DSD by the manufacturer or some other willing participant. If not it will fall back to USB Audio Class 2 defaults which is DoP and will only pass the max of DSD256.
To get higher than DSD256 over DoP your dac needs a PCM rate of higher than 768khz.
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jeremya
(Jeremy Anderson, founder of Hi-Fi Foundations)
5
You’re correct, I left the OS out.
I’m using Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 22H2 19045.3930 with the latest 64-bit Roon Server (2.0 build 1382) and the latest Gustard ASIO driver (5.50 from 12/2022).
The interface to my DAC is USB.
The DAC supports up to DSD256 via DoP and DSD512 via Native DSD. I can only realize DSD256 via DoP at this point (and I know that’s the ceiling for DoP on this DAC).
Native DSD is not selectable (which is why I’ve opened the bug), but curiously some “Initial dCS” scheme is (even though it doesn’t work at all).
Show your signal path so we can see if Roon is using the ASIO driver. If it is then you need to reach out to Gustard as it’s not working as it should. Have you tried any other apps to see if they can achieve native and 512. Does the DAC have a readout so you can check what it’s receiving to be sure it’s getting what you think.
Q: Am I using any kind of DSP or Volume adjustments?
A: No, the DAC’s volume is set to Fixed and I bypass Roon’s DSP.
jeremya
(Jeremy Anderson, founder of Hi-Fi Foundations)
9
I haven’t yet had luck with outputting DSD via HQP 4 (I can get it to scale PCM just fine), but it’s on my list of things to figure out.
While I don’t like the idea of using as a bypass because it imparts a buffering delay, if it gets me past Roon’s inability to talk to my DAC in Native mode, it might be the best interim workaround.
As to speaking with Gustard, they are reportedly, almost notoriously difficult to discuss anything with as an English speaking / USA-based customer. I thought Roon would have better luck as it is in Gustard’s vested interest to play nice with them.
(Speaking of which, Gustard also isn’t mentioned as a DAC maker in Roon, so I can’t pick the pretty line-style icon of my DAC in its configuration. That’s neither here nor there, but I’m hoping that at some point Roon and Gustard become more well acquainted. Consider this thread as my “forcing function” (albeit lacking much force))
It really sounds like their driver isn’t right. It’s up to them to sort it as it’s not working as advertised. Roon follows what os/driver tells it, they also don’t chase manufacturers if they are not in the Roon Tested or Roon Ready programme it’s up to oems to want to join the programme.
I see autocorrect got the better of you. Does it to me all the time.
1 Like
jeremya
(Jeremy Anderson, founder of Hi-Fi Foundations)
14
Ah! Very cool. Nice that they’re hosting their own now. Shenzhen Audio’s driver forum used to be the “best” source and they only have the 5.50 driver. I’ll try the 5.68!
jeremya
(Jeremy Anderson, founder of Hi-Fi Foundations)
15
@AMT thank you for the sharp eyes and the link to the 5.68 driver! It solved my issue. I can select Native and 512 now.
I’m gonna have to let Shenzhen Audio know that their driver archive is out of date… it’s been the ‘go to’ place for drivers and firmware for these DACs for years.
