Recommended Settings and other knowhow for HiFi players/playback

From specifications that Gustard DAC- X16 is coming close to the Neo X Audio Panel. I have some doubts about the PSU section, the Analog section and it is not using the ES9038 PRO. Using 2 cheaper ES9068AS DAC chips for left and right is controversial. Further it has no quality headset amplifier build-in.

 

i use this setup. my amp despite its age, the Wolfson WM8740 DACs inside still produce fairly acceptable sound. not tried usb dacs though, dont know how they would compare.

 

I think you need to listen more to your music rather than quote specs - judging by the numbers sold together with the volume of positive reviews the Gustard isn't going to be phased by the seriously expensive Neo X, which I doubt it comes close. Dare I mention that most live music is in front of you not around you and I'd calculate 99% of studio recordings are in Stereo. MCH to me is a gimmick and unnatural.

 

Try Dark Side of the Moon in its original Quadraphonic mix

 

Gimmickery even if Waters, Gilmore etal produced it

 

The legendary Alan Parsons in 1973.

 

"legendary"? No way can you describe his Quadraphonic achievements in the same breath as his stereo ones, which is why I didn't mention him earlier. Yes some of his work stereo-wise is excellent and his original Stereo engineered DSOTM is one of the greatest albums of all time, spending over 8 years in the US Billboard charts. I've listened to just about all the recordings since but they don't stand up - sorry. Whilst EMI commissioned the original Quadraphonic recording it was not released as Parsons himself thought it pants. The subsequent 2003 5.1 effort, which I've heard was IMHO similarly pants and not engineered by him, but by some guy called Guthrie IIRC. So sorry Mark, it isn't often someone on these forums doesn't agree with you but in the case of MCH, with regard to this album, which I bought on Vinyl, the week it came out in 1973 I think and which I revere so very much, I do not agree. Sensational when it came out and still is - this masterpiece should not be mucked about with, it was a stereo production and it should stay so.

 

Everyone has an opinion. That is why it is a good idea to listen to the experts.
Dr Floyd Toole is an expert in sound reproduction.
I highly recommend anyone setting up a home audio system to read his book "Audio Reproduction".
One of the many subjects discussed in the book is the number of speakers required to produce a proper sound field.
The science identified that 5 or more speakers were needed.

 

DSOTM sounds awesome in surround. When listening to Quad or 5.0 or 5.1 I prefer to upmix to 7.0 or 7.1.

 

I'll simply say that these are not what Parsons originally intended and are gimmick-recordings. If you like these that's up to you, I prefer to listen to recordings as they were laid down originally - each to their own.

Not sure I like your patronising opening comment to be honest with you. Yes I've read much about Dr Floyd Toole over the years - he takes the view that speakers should not be played around with and as long as they are well made then you ought to be able to get decent sound from them, irrespective of the "gimmickery descriptions" they are sold with. Neutrality is the name of the game he once said. I'd like to read what he actually said (and in context) regarding the the number of speakers required to produce a proper sound field. I'll wager this has nothing to do do with MCH at all but rather how to set up a decent DSP to replicate the ambience of the studio / concert hall in which a particular recording was made.

When it comes to Home Theatre then that is a completely different ball game and multi-channel surround sound adds much to the sound stage. For Music Reproduction however, as I mentioned before, 99% of all recordings are and have been produced in Stereo and that is how, in my opinion, they should be listened to. I'm certainly not trying to inflict my opinions on anyone nor should anyone else do similar.

 

Can we please stop this off-topic discussion.
No sense to discuss matters of taste/preference as these are personal. Lucky we are not all equal.

Updated "Chapter-9: Internal versus External USB DAC" with the choice of using the Gustard DAC- X16 or Gustard DAC-X18 External DAC via USB. Did not hear those myself but should be good. These for sure are a serious alternative.

Will be nice to hear the practical experiences using Gustard DAC- X16/X18/X26 as an External DAC. Would go personally for the X18 model which competes with a Neo X regarding DAC panel design.

The X16 is regarding design closer to a Neo S and the more expensive X26 about the top one can build using standard available market components. That X26 uses 2 Es9038 PRO modules for separated channels L/R with all components per channel which is debatable on final audio results as it may also cause tiny differences in sound as a side effect.

 

apology in advance if this is off-topic for this thread. what i found is that older recordings dont usually sound v good in my system. for those who are interested in mch sound, wonder if they have ever considered concert blurays. with loseless hd audtio, ive come across a few recent productions that are fairly listenable.

 

There you go again - making unresearched opinion and without auditioning - absolutely your right of course as is my right to challenge. You are obsessed with the DAC Chips to the exclusion of all else. But you are wanting to promote Zidoo products to the exclusion of others, probably because you receive "review samples" from Zidoo? This has more than clouded your judgments IMHO these days. I shall of course continue to read your posts as you do make valuable contributions to this forum but I shall constructively contradict you when I deem it appropriate. For information I see current prices here in the UK, excluding delivery and almost certain import duties (currently 20%) as follows: -

Zidoo Z1000 Pro £360
Gustard X-16 £500
Gustard X-18 £750
Gustard X-26 Pro £1500 (note this is now in Pro version)
Zidoo NEO S £1100
Zidoo NEOX £1940 (can you currently get one?)

IMHO it's a bit like HiFi Separates - ultimately it is easier and cheaper to upgrade. I think Zidoo have a massive job on to compete outside of China with their high-end (NEOS and NEOX) models. At these prices, they aren't going to be mainstream units so auditioning will be near impossible - let's face it, are most people going to buy one without doing so? External DACs are the way to go and for much less outlay you'll get almost the same or better performance. A no-brainer for me.

Given the way I have responded, please "expand" what @Nice Monkey originally said to read all my responses, which are in "blue".

 

May I wish all members a really happy and prosperous New Year

 

Only can say both Gustard and Zidoo produce very high value /money ratio products but can't be compared price wise directly as they are functionally very different boxes only having a quality DAC on an Audio panel in common. Comparing Apples with Pears is not useful and I do like both fruits.

No I don't scan the market for new DAC products and never will. I only keep track of top media players at affordable prices and nothing else.
You may read my Dune Vision Series and Egreat evaluations if one thinks I am biased on Zidoo media players (Xtreamer/Himedia even before that). Probably a bit addicted yes.
Media Players are typically used for movie/serie/streaming watching using a TV with a soundbar and some using projectors and full HT Audio setup's. Music listening is only a secondary application and very few media player owners with a pure High Quality Stereo only setup.

The real Audiophiles use almost always a dedicated additional Stereo Audio installation spending a lot more money on that one alone. Many dedicated forums and magazines with in depth measurements and listening reviews for that market. Not my piece of cake and neither have those amounts of money to spend.

Happy New Year also from me.

 

While reading your previous post I thought we were in mid January

 

Updated the music streaming services chapter with the alternative using your snartphone or tablet and streaming the audio via BT LDAC to a Neo player with DAC direct BT input in HiFi formats. Also see my Neo X review Chapter-8 for more details.

 

Hello, I heard that through Kodi or ZDMC it's possible to tune up the passthrough of DSD via HDMI. Though I have not succeeded to do it by myself it sounds quite feasible. So, if it's true maybe it is also feasible that the Ziddo team could add this possibility into the native music player? It would be great since native music player understands SACD and I think this option will be cheered by many fans of HIFI music

 

If KODI can do it on RTD1619DR with Android also other APP's can do it as it is not a HW restriction then.
Please anybody confirm and share it with us and above all Zidoo if so. I am still sceptic here.
Looked at it and lot of talk about OpenElec (Linux).

 

Unfortunately, I was misled and the guy who talked about DSD passthrough had not realized that it was decoding.
I successfully tuned up Kodi to play multichannel DSD, but it's decoding to DD and it's not interesting for me. The only case that remains it's Onkyo playback. Some Onkyo users claim that they have DSD passthrough to their receivers through a native app. But I have Denon, so I can't check this assertion. Maybe if there is somebody here with the Onkyo receiver they could check it?