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DIGITAL POPS WITH HDMI CABLE IN DDC TO DACS CONNECTION

Hello everyone.

I need your help. My setup is as follows: Lumin U1 Mini - USB - DDC Gustard U26 - I2S G to SMSL SU-X and I2S to Holo Cyan 2. I bought the U26 a couple of days ago and haven't been able to find an I2S cable, so I'm using a generic Chinese 8K/UHD HDMI cable, one meter long, while I wait for the Ricable I2S cables (SUPREME HDMI 2.0b MKII, 0.5 meters). I've already checked the connection compatibility and I think it's fine (IIS-G: Fixed Gustard standard protocol, IIS/SMSL SU-X Normal, and IIS: Gustard Mode 4, IIS/Holo Cyan 2). The problem is that the digital pops at the beginning of each track when there's a change in bitrate or format from PCM to DSD are unbearable. My question is: is this a result of using a cheap HDMI cable and will it be resolved with the Ricable I2S, or will it not be resolved...?
I look forward to your response.
Regards.

tutonunez
whart's avatar
whart
3,370 posts
 

I encountered this with DSD files using a DDC to output i2s into the DAC. Switching  to the DOP setting on the file transport eliminated the "pops".

rrboogie
69 posts
 

I had the same clicking and popping issue with the Gustard U26 outputting i2S to a Musician Pegasus II DAC. I have had a Denafrips Gaia and a Laiv uDDC and never had this issue. Although the U26 sounded great I returned it within the 30 day return window. 

lanx0003
1,928 posts
 

I had the same clicking and popping issue with the Gustard U26 outputting i2S to a Musician Pegasus II DAC. I have had a Denafrips Gaia and a Laiv uDDC and never had this issue. Although the U26 sounded great I returned it within the 30 day return window. 

Did I tell you so, Op?  Gustard might be the culprit although, again, I am not sure if we are talking about the same pop / static noise issue without actually hearing it.

tutonunez OP
19 posts
 

Hello everyone.
Problem solved, and there were two causes:
1. I received two Ricable I2S units. One was connected to the HOLO Cyan, and all the intermittent and clicking problems I had with the 1-meter Chinese HDMI cable disappeared immediately. But not with the SMSL SU-X.

2. Finally, after much trial and error, and thanks to ChatGPT who told me to ignore the SMSL website and use the DAC's USB B port (connected to the PC's USB A port), since that was the XMOS's preferred port, I was able to update the firmware... and everything was fixed: the digital pops between songs with different bitrates disappeared, as did the interruptions in DSD files, and the sound remained just as excellent, and I must say, far better than CYAN 2 when always using LUMIN's Leed Processing.

Greetings to all, and I hope my experience helps others.

On a side note: the Gustard U26 is by far one of the biggest upgrades I've made to my gear...

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