U16

About the U16

The Gustard U16 is a USB digital interface (DDC) designed for audiophiles seeking high-resolution digital audio playback. It features the latest ESS ES8620 USB audio interface chip, supporting PCM up to 32bit/768kHz and DSD up to DSD512 in both DoP and native DSD formats. To ensure superior digital audio quality and minimal clock jitter, the U16 employs up to three FPGAs for USB audio interface clock management, an external 10MHz clock input, and an independent linear power supply. It offers a variety of outputs including coaxial RCA S/PDIF, optical fiber, XLR AES3, and HDMI for I2S signals with LVDS output level, facilitating easy integration with various DACs. The device supports Windows 7 and newer (with drivers), and is driverless for Mac OS and Linux. Its chassis is made of sandblasted aluminum, available in silver or black. Dimensions are approximately 220mm x 50mm x 170mm, weighing about 2.5 kg. Power consumption is under 15W with AC 115V/230V 50/60Hz supply. The U16 is noted for transparent, detailed sound with a large soundstage, though some firmware versions have reported issues with high sample rate PCM playback. Overall, it is a competitively priced, well-built USB digital interface for high-end audio systems.