Getting Gustard X20U to work on DSD

Kenny Brant · Oct 27, 2016

This is my first post here so if I do something wrong let me know and I will correct it.

I bought a Gustard X20U a couple weeks ago and have a few observations and questions.

First of all I bought it off of ebay from forexmen and now if you try to buy one he says he is out of stock and the X20U is being replaced by a 2 x ES9028PRO (DAC-X20U PRO) units. When I bought mine he only had silver left and no blacks.

Anyway, I wanted to dip my toes into DSD. I have all my CD's on hard drive and really like the convenience. The X20U does sound good playing 44.1 CD's.

I downloaded some DSD64 free sample music to see if I could play them and what they sounded like. I can get them to play 44.1 PCM but nothing else I do will play them. I am using a Toshiba laptop with Windows 10. I am using Foobar v1.3.13 beta 2. Right now I have the output set for ASIO : XMOS USB audio 2.0 ST 3033 - SACD to PCM setting, only because that is one of the choices that work on 44.1 and DSD64. If someone could help me that knows more than I do about this new to me learning curve I could use the help.

The other output choices I have are:

Null Output
ASIO : ASIO4All v2 – my channel mapping
ASIO : ASIO4All v2
ASIO : foo_dsd_asio
ASIO : XMOS USB audio 2.0 ST 3033
DS : Primary Sound Driver
DS : Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
DSD : WASAPI (push) : Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
DSD : WASAPI (event) : Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
DSD : ASIO : ASIO4All v2 – my channel mapping
DSD : ASIO : ASIO4All v2
DSD : ASIO : foo_dsd_asio
DSD : ASIO : XMOS USB audio 2.0 ST 3033
WASAPI (event) : Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
WASAPI (push) : Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)

Also I cannot get REW to work anymore. I had a Parts Express DAC I used for years before getting the Gustard and REW worked fine for equalizing my speakers in my room. I use a miniDSP for equalizing my system. This is strictly a stereo system I use.

Thanks for the help, Kenny

Quadman · Nov 3, 2016

Kenny, I don't use foobar so I am of no help there but on the head fi forums under dedicated source components check out the gustard x20u thread around post 971 (page 65) some questions were answered there about foobar.

YashN · Nov 3, 2016

Foobar2000 will play DSD but for that you need to install and configure a few additional plugins first.

Additionally, don't use SACD to PCM when listening to DSD, that's not ideal most probably with your DAC: send the DSD as is to the DAC.

If you have the computing power, you could also try up-converting the DSD to higher rate DSD and send that to the DAC as I believe Foobar allows this too.

Kenny Brant · Nov 3, 2016

Thank you for the reply, Quadman, I will check the thread out.

YashN, do you know what plugins I need?

I did get the downloaded songs to play by setting Foobar to [Output = ASIO : XMOS USB Audio 2.0 ST 3033] and [SACD = PCM with PCM Samplerate : 352800]. It shows 352.8k and PCM in the X20U display.

But I couldn't get the downloads to play if SACD is set to DSD. It shows in Foobar that the song is playing (the timer counter is moving) but no output in the little window (graphic bars). Hope that I am explaining it clear enough. Oh, and it shows 44.1k and PCM on the X20U display.

At the bottom of Foobar it shows the song or track as DSD64 - 16934 kbps - 352800 Hz - 6ch - then the timer. No matter what the SACD is set to (PCM or DSD).

What am I missing to get a DSD64 download to output to the X20U as DSD64?

Kenny

Kenny Brant · Nov 5, 2016

I did get the REW to work so I could equalize my speakers using miniDSP. That helped the X20U sound even better. As it sets now I really like the sound of the X20U. I have a U12 coming also.

If I just could figure out the DSD I would be set.

Kenny

YashN · Nov 5, 2016

Kenny Brant said:
YashN, do you know what plugins I need?
Kenny

This may help: http://www.audiostream.com/content/how-play-dsd-file-using-foobar2000#eKKrbh5FR8CFODLj.97

Kenny Brant · Nov 7, 2016

YashN thank you for the direction to that site. I followed the steps and I had all of the plugins already downloaded. The only difference is the foo_out_asio I used is version 2.1.2 instead of 0.6.0 so I don't have the ASIO native choice that I can find anyway. Also all the other plugins are the latest versions.

The song or file plays but no sound and no graphic VU meter visualization. That's when I set SACD to DSD.

I just must be missing something, either a plugin or turning something on or off i should have done. Unless I need a different downloaded song.

I'll keep looking for the problem. It just won't upsample either for some reason. As I understand it, it should take 44.1k and upsample to DSD, is that right?

Kenny

YashN · Nov 7, 2016

Kenny Brant said:
I'll keep looking for the problem. It just won't upsample either for some reason. As I understand it, it should take 44.1k and upsample to DSD, is that right?

Before trying any of this, I would first try to get DSD playing natively.

Kenny Brant · Nov 7, 2016

When I try to play the song or file using SACD setting to DSD it shows on the bottom of foobar that the song is playing DSD64 16934 kbps 2822400 Hz 6ch which is what the properties show the file is downloaded at. But I get no sound or indication on the graphics bar, and it shows on the play bar that it is playing. The X20U shows Source USB PCM and Freq 44.1K.

I set Tools DSD processor to - Input DSD64 - Output as DSD64 - Converter SDM Type D - Sample&Hold - NONE. SACD Output Mode as DSD - Preferable Area as Stereo - DSD Processor as DSD Processor - Tracer is not checked. Output is set to ASIO: XMOS USB Audio 2.0 ST 3033. ASIO - ASIO drivers - foo_dsd_asio - Input DSD64 - Output DSD64 - Converter - SDM Type D - Sample&Hold - NONE - DSD Mode - DSD.

Does the settings seem like I have them set right?

Kenny

YashN · Nov 7, 2016

Can you try setting things up and testing with a simple stereo DSD file?

Kenny Brant · Nov 7, 2016

Sure, where would I get a stereo file on line at. If you could give me a place to get a file or song to download I would try that.

Oh, I forgot to say that in Output - ASIO - ASIO drivers - foo_dsd_asio - that the ASIO Device I chose was XMOS USB Audio 2.0 ST 3033. It also seems to me if in Tools - DSD Processor if Use DSD Processor is checked it bypasses Output - ASIO settings, does that seem how it works? I'm not sure. Or do they work hand in hand together?

As you can tell this is new to me. I appreciate your help and sticking with me on this.

Kenny

Kenny Brant · Nov 7, 2016

OK, I found a place to download a stereo DSD64 song. I'll give it a try and let you know what happens.

Kenny Brant · Nov 7, 2016

OK, I tried playing a stereo DSD64 file. The same thing happens.

Foobar is set to Tools- SACD- Output Mode - DSD. It shows DSD64 - 5645 kbps - 2822400 Hz - stereo and then the timer on the bottom of Foobar. The X20U shows Source USB PCM - Freq 44.1k. The song shows it's playing but no output on the graphic bar and no sound.

If I change Tools - SACD - Output Mode - PCM it shows the same at the bottom of Foobar as it did when set to DSD but the graphic bar is now showing output. The X20U shows Source USB PCM - Freq 352.8K. The song is playing and I get sound.

The only thing I changed to get these results is to change from DSD to PCM in Tools - SACD - Output Mode.

Kenny

YashN · Nov 7, 2016

Don't use DSD Processing.

It could be that the Gustard doesn't work with native DSD for the method of streaming, so try to set it at DoP instead of ASIO native (DSD Playback Method) as in the image in the article at audiostream.

Kenny Brant · Nov 7, 2016

I did change Output - ASIO - ASIO drivers - foo_dsd_asio - ASIO Device - XMOS USB Audio 2.0 ST 3033 - DSD Mode - from DSD to DoP. But it didn't change anything.

The ASIO that I have is different than the one on the article at audiostream. But I think it is because I have a later version.

Maybe I need a flowchart to step me through this. And to make sure I have all the software or plugins I need.

I just think I am missing probably one plugin or foobar programming step. Because no matter what I do when I change SACD to DSD it shows Source USB PCM and Freq 44.1 on the X20U display which doesn't seem right to me.

Kenny

YashN · Nov 7, 2016

Have you installed the necessary drivers for the Gustard on Windows?

It's probably easier to get help on this particular combination in two threads at Head-Fi: the Gustard thread and the Foobar2000 Help thread.

Kenny Brant · Nov 7, 2016

I had a CD that came with the Gustard and it has 2 files on it. But basically the XMOS USB Audio 2.0 ST 3033 is the driver for the Gustard.

I'll ask in Foobar2000 and the Gustard thread and see what comes up.

Thank you for your help.

It will take me a day or two to post as I'm a little burnt out working on this.

I did just purchase JRiver and am playing around with it also. But I'm going to rest for a day or two and then get back into this problem.

At least I can play all my music and this DAC does sound really good to me.

Again thanks, Kenny

YashN · Nov 7, 2016

Kenny Brant said:
I had a CD that came with the Gustard and it has 2 files on it. But basically the XMOS USB Audio 2.0 ST 3033 is the driver for the Gustard.

I'll ask in Foobar2000 and the Gustard thread and see what comes up.

Thank you for your help.

It will take me a day or two to post as I'm a little burnt out working on this.

I did just purchase JRiver and am playing around with it also. But I'm going to rest for a day or two and then get back into this problem.

At least I can play all my music and this DAC does sound really good to me.

Yep, take some time to rest and then tackle this: it's going to be well worth it!

After that if you're comfortable with DIY, check the thread on the Gustard mods by Quadman on Ric Shultz's (spelling?) ideas.

Kenny Brant · Nov 8, 2016

I have a Gustard U12 coming also. It seems like a long wait but probably just anticipation.

Kenny Brant · Nov 15, 2016

As soon as I hooked up the U12 and configured Foobar I got all the files to re-sample to DSD128.

I then configured JRiver to do the same thing and all files or songs output to the U12 as DSD128.

That includes 44.1 as well as 96 and DSD64 or any other.

I hooked the U12 as USB input and IIS (SACD) output into my X20U.

Sounds good.

Thanks for the help.

Kenny

Getting Gustard X20U to work on DSD

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