Gustard R30 Reference R2R Ladder Dac and Streamer Premap

The Gustard R30 is a flagship R2R DAC that redefines high-fidelity audio. Engineered with a fully discrete, self-designed 27-bit R2R ladder network, it delivers an absolutely analogue natural, lifelike sound free from the artifacts of delta-sigma designs. Supporting native DSD1024 and PCM up to 768kHz, the Gustard R30 ensures ultra-precise conversion with exceptional signal-to-noise ratios and ultra-low distortion.

Beyond its core DAC capabilities, the R30 serves as a versatile hub—offering Roon, AirPlay, and Spotify streaming, along with comprehensive digital inputs including USB, AES, coaxial, optical, Bluetooth, LAN, and I²S HDMI. Its fully balanced design, powered by dual toroidal transformers, ensures pristine analog output via both RCA and XLR connections.

Ideal for audiophiles and discerning listeners, the Gustard R30 combines cutting-edge technology with timeless analog purity, delivering an immersive listening experience that stands at the pinnacle of modern digital audio.

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Gustard R30 DAC – Pure Reference-Level Audio

The Gustard R30 is a flagship-grade DAC engineered for uncompromising sound reproduction. Built with dual AK4499 DAC chips, a high-precision FPGA clock system, and a fully balanced analog design, it delivers an extraordinary listening experience with rich detail, expansive dynamics, and lifelike musicality. Every component is carefully selected to ensure true high-fidelity performance that meets the expectations of audiophiles and professionals alike.

Key Features:

Dual AK4499 DAC Chips – Ensures ultra-low distortion and exceptional resolution for natural, transparent sound.
Independent Power Supply Design – Multiple low-noise linear power supplies with fully shielded toroidal transformers for clean, stable energy delivery.
Advanced FPGA Clock System – Proprietary femtosecond crystal oscillator and FPGA processing for precise jitter control and time-domain accuracy.
Native High-Resolution Support – PCM up to 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 playback for true studio-quality audio.
Fully Balanced Analog Stage – Discrete Class A circuitry with both XLR and RCA outputs, delivering pristine signal integrity.
Versatile Connectivity – USB, I²S, AES/EBU, Coaxial, Optical, and Bluetooth 5.0 with LDAC for flexible integration into any system.
Premium Build Quality – CNC-machined aluminum chassis with excellent shielding and vibration resistance.
Experience the Gustard R30 – a masterfully crafted DAC that blends cutting-edge digital technology with refined analog design, unlocking the full potential of your music collection.

Self-Designed Discrete R-2R Module

R-2R Ladder Network Gustard R30 DAC converts digital signals into analog signals through resistor network switching. Compared to the high-frequency 0-1 switching used in modern delta-sigma DACs, its conversion method is more pure and direct, resulting in natural sound.

However, this architecture demands extremely stringent precision in the resistor network, making it not only costly but also technically challenging to achieve optimal performance.

True-1 Bit Decoding

True-1Bit DSD D/A Converter with native support for DSD1024 (via I²S interface), delivering an oversampling ratio 16 times that of SACD-standard DSD64 and 1024 times the data density of CD format.

In DIRECT DSD mode, DSD signals are directly processed by the 1-bit switching array decoding circuit, completely bypassing PCM conversion. This pure hardware solution achieves direct translation of DSD bitstreams into analog signals, fully preserving the temporal characteristics and micro-details of the original pulse density modulation.

Digital Filter & OCXO Clock SC-Cut Crystal with Exceptional Thermal Stability, Stress Resistance & Precision Accuracy

The next-generation digital filtering technology, built upon a high-performance hardware processing architecture, employs multi-order adaptive algorithms to intelligently upsample digital audio signals while performing precision noise shaping.
This technology effectively eliminates in-band aliasing distortion inherent in conventional digital-to-analog conversion processes, significantly enhancing audio resolution and dynamic range without compromising signal integrity. The result is purer, more natural sound reproduction.

Quality LInear Power Supply & Passive Analog Preamp

This design grants greater tuning freedom: key parameters such as differential stage current, compensation capacitance, and output stage bias can be adjusted on demand to precisely control harmonic characteristics and transient performance. Therefore, the discrete architecture demands extreme rigor in layout and component matching, requiring careful attention to parasitic effects on high-frequency response and thermal stability impacts on operating points. Through meticulous component pairing and iterative tuning, an optimal balance between objective measurements and subjective perception can be achieved, delivering personalized sonic solutions for R-2R decoders.

Passive Analog Preamplifier
The passive analog preamplifier features R-2R relay-based volume control for lossless attenuation, with an optional preamp-bypass direct output. It can be directly connected to active monitoring speakers or pure power amplifiers, enabling convenient remote-controlled operation.

GCLK-02 Clock Module

The Gustard R30 uses The GCLK-02 clock module incorporates advanced PLL technology, achieving 1Hz-level locking precision to deliver ultra-high-precision clock signal processing capabilities.

This PLL technology adjusts output frequency through precise feedback mechanisms, ensuring exceptional stability and accuracy in both frequency and phase of the clock signal.

External connection of a high-quality 10MHz clock further enhances audio quality. Interface: BNC, Input impedance 50 Ohm, 0dBm–20dBm. CMOS square wave 0.2V–3.3V, Sine wave 0.5V–3.3V.

Analog LPF Circuit and FPGA Programmable Logic Chip

Analog LPF Circuit

The discrete Class-A LPF circuit of the Gustard R30 is specifically tailored for R-2R DACs, unlocking the full potential of individual components. Unlike integrated op-amps, each transistor, resistor, and capacitor can be independently optimized: Through precise adjustment of operating points and local feedback, it achieves finer frequency response control and nuanced tonal refinement.

FPGA Programmable Logic Chip

A digital integrated circuit capable of constructing self-defined logic functions. Exclusive technologies including clock management, 2nd PLL digital shaping, DOP demodulation, and PCM/DSD depop switch lay a solid foundation for exceptional sound quality.

Network Bridge System

A fully self-developed network bridge system created in collaboration with CelWare

Hardware dedicated to music playback architecture, removing all non-audio related components to restore musical authenticity.
Built on CelWare 3.x playback system, featuring I/O-specific hardware/software integration. Hardware design incorporates a deeply optimized Linux kernel for I/O operations, enabling dynamic music playback with hardware-level priority scheduling to minimize audio data forwarding latency and jitter while enhancing playback capability.
Software-level playback application supports disabling non-essential bridge services to maximize system efficiency for music playback.

SPECIFICATIONS

Digital performance
- PCM: up to 1536kHz (I²S), 768kHz (USB)
- DSD: up to DSD1024 (I²S), DSD512 (USB)
- Digital filter modes: Linear Sharp, Minimum Slow, Super Slow
Analog output
- Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz / ±0.2dB
- Dynamic range: >123dB
- SNR: >121dB
- Crosstalk: –139dB @10kHz
- THD+N: ≤0.00145% @1kHz
- IMD: ≈0.002% @ –1dBFS
- RCA: 2.5Vrms fixed, 100Ω
- XLR: 5.1Vrms fixed, 100Ω
Clocking
- Internal: SC-cut crystal OCXO with ultra-low jitter
- External clock input: 10MHz BNC, 50Ω, 0–20dBm
Digital inputs
- USB (XMOS XU216)
- Coaxial
- Optical
- AES/EBU
- Dual I²S (adjustable pinout)
- LAN (100/1000 Mbps, Roon/AirPlay/UPnP/NAA/Spotify)
- TF card reader
Outputs
- XLR balanced L/R
- RCA unbalanced L/R
- Trigger in/out
General
- Power: AC 115V/230V, 50/60Hz
- Consumption: <35W
- Dimensions: 16.9 × 11.8 × 3.1in (430 × 300 × 80mm; incl. feet 94mm)
- Shipping dimensions: 20.9 × 15.7 × 7.1in (530 × 400 × 180mm)
- Weight: 22lbs (10kg)

Support

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