Doesn't appear to have a clock chip and HDMI is spec'd at pretty high rates so I reckon it's just a pass-through voltage converter down to CMOS levels.

EDIT: damn, I've just spotted Y1 which appears to be a tiny clock-in-a-can.

Yes, get rid of that SMPS!

I used to run my ultraRendu at 8V. The current Signature Rendu SE has its own low noise power supply.

I never shut it down.

I know 😱 😂

Didn't you have a MRCU one, or is that for something else?

LOL. I use a 7v Audiophonics LPSU, seems to be happy...

I think when you get both running properly it be hard to tell them apart.
Also the zen shutting down the gui in single mode as you found out is another nice upgrade in sound quality
From memory the UltraRendu has the better GUI

Silly me, it's 240V in🙂

Listening across genres the Ultrarendu is an impressive sound. Still sharper though.

That linear power supply complete cleaned up the irritation of earlier!

Qualifying sharper - I think what I'm heading is Ultrarendu resolving a little bit more. That makes it a little bit sharper.
Closest analogy I can find is Spotify.
It's sort of a bit warmer, bit more cuddly, bit more muddy and that makes it sound softer on some tracks.

Bingo, Steve.

This is exactly the message I've been saying for the last three years.  You increase the resolution and it tests everything.  The Rendus do it, so does Qobuz and so do SR Purple fuses.  When you get the system balance right (and it sounds like you have), it's simply exhilerating.

Plumbed it in.

Very easy. Plug and Play.

I played a few tracks fine, various res, and then all I could get on the Playing now screen in Bubble was the time elapsed on track second count flashing at 0.0 and no playback😱
Rendu connected. Gustard is in and had just played fine..
Dac lock light on.

Exiting Bubble UPnP and starting again, it sees Rendu, is connected, same problem.
Tried a few times.

Had a look in Rendu app. Rebooted a few times, had closed Bubble and eXited fully, same problem.
Selecting a different track, or one stored on device, made no difference.

Tried Rendu shutdown and power off, repower a few times.
All lights up as should.

Tried Gustard off / on a couple of times - same flashing 0.0 in Bubble and no playback.

Dac has lock light on. Powered that down and up, no change.

Tried the mode button on Gustard, no difference.

After another power down and Bubble restart, normal playback was resumed! What's that about?

About 3/4 of an hour wasted.

The only time this exact same thing happened with IFI Zen was when I'd forgotten to power up WaveIO..
Once powered up and always on, it never happened again.

So I suspect Rendu to Gustard comms, or just Gustard off cycling somewhere..

Didn't get this problem at all with Rendu/ WaveIO playing all last night.

Then to add insult to injury my All In One remote for Najda died completely 30secs after I got the music going.
Had to get up and change volume😂
I checked that Mike was no where near the premises.. all good!

Found a Nec compatible Humax digi Box spare remote and reprogrammed Najda to it.

Finally could sit down and evaluate.
Been fine for over an hour now.

Sounding mighty fine actually.
Cymbals and high percussion etc are exceptional.
The slight sharpness had gone too, either I'm getting used to it or Gustard had ironed it out?
Very quiet on the digital irritant front, it's a non issue actually!

The exceptional resolution / timing is still there though👍

Interesting..

Will live with it for a few days now (hopefully without the non-playing issue), and then try UFI Zen again, but with the Gustard..

My Rendu to Gustard link is solid. The only issue can be rebooting in the right order, or the Rendu doesn't see internet for a long time and checks out. Day to day, I just walk in, fire up Bubble and play.

The U18 is a DDC and reclocker so it definitely helps with artifacts and resolution.