Topping Owners & Discussion Thread

[Addicted to music]

Get this,

 

apparently the most expensive of the Topping range so far.  They have a cheaper version of this but it’s with the AKM 4493 and lacks the XLR support.  What’s interesting with the Dxpro3 and the D70 is Bluetooth support.   Stream directly from a mobile device wireless.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Topping-D70-dac-decoder-XMOS-XU208-AK4497-chip-coaxial-usb-Bluetooth-optical-IIS-input-Balance-xlr/32953945356.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.7.51e461f6TT70QP&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_3_10065_10068_10130_10547_319_317_10548_10696_10192_10190_10924_453_10084_454_10083_10618_10920_10921_10922_10307_10820_10301_10821_10303_537_536_10059_10884_10887_100031_321_322_10103,searchweb201603_51,ppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=51df551a-1d7b-4a30-8aed-35f554829e99-1&algo_pvid=51df551a-1d7b-4a30-8aed-35f554829e99

 

 

[Misternavi]

What amazes me with the topping gear is the size. I will have to get one of their DAcs one day.

[wanta911]

I bought the D50 to rotate with my other DACs for kicks....the build quality (at least externally) and sound is exceptionally good for the money. These guys seem to be on the ball right now and this new D70 has me intrigued.

[Addicted to music]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-the-topping-d70-dac.7694/

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/i/264339969039?chn=ps

 

Not bad and for $500US. 

 

Check out the measurements......wicked!  Now that's what you need if you're looking to buy equipment,  products the measure well and do what it should....not like some run of the mill stuff that can possible be fatal to use.  Notice the certification too. Its independently Certified!

[was_a]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.... But measurements don't tell you how good a product sounds. Buying something solely based on measurements is folly.

[sir sanders zingmore]

4 minutes ago, was_a said:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.... But measurements don't tell you how good a product sounds. Buying something solely based on measurements is folly.

At that price you can take a punt and it’s not a lot of folly. 

I did exactly that with their $100 dac and it took me off the crazy roundabout that we talk ourselves into hopping onto. 

[was_a]

I completely disagree. The vast majority of content on the AudioScienceReview forum is merely about measurements. Absolutely nothing about sound quality. It's hilarious. Most modern equipment measures well - aided by the latest chip technology. But that's only a small part of the story. It's all about implementation - and experimentation - on the part of the manufacturer. This is an art form, if you like, and just as important as the engineering. 

 

Edited August 17, 2019 by was_a

[Jonny]

My Topping DX7s sounds better than DAC's I've owned that are 4 times the price. 

[Ittaku]

2 minutes ago, Jonny said:

My Topping DX7s sounds better than DAC's I've owned that are 4 times the price. 

I use one for my headphone system for exactly the same reason.

[Addicted to music]

5 minutes ago, was_a said:

The vast majority of content on the AudioScienceReview forum is merely about measurements. Absolutely nothing about sound quality. It's hilarious. Most modern equipment measures well - aided by the latest chip 

 

 its objective as you can get, what measures well will work well.  its the only site that's independent of any other BS and paid for review.   How may reviewers can say they used a AP555 to do measurements on a piece of equipment?  The AP555 isn't cheap, its around  $30-40K US.  

If you're paying maga $$$ for a piece of equipment, you better hoped it measures better than ones that's  $100, if its not why pay mega $$ even if you "think it sounds better? 

[TheWretchedWorld]

Recently took delivery of mine, listening to it now. Very happy with it. A very well designed and great performing product at an excellent pricepoint. I was going to get the RMA ADI2 DAC but this is a third of the price with equivalent/superior performance. Makes the decision a heck of a lot easier.

[Addicted to music]

https://m.shenzhenaudio.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Topping+D70&search-button=

 

Currently discounted to $399US 21% off from $499.   2 days to go at this price.  It looks like it’s free delivery internationally, but I stand corrected if I’m wrong! 

 

Edited: be around $570AU  delivered in any case.

Edited July 19, 2019 by Addicted to music

[wanta911]

Got mine on Thursday after ordering the previous Friday from Shenzhen, so the free post was express. Of course mine is better than the ones on sale now because it cost USD 100 more 

 

There is one immediate thing I don't like - the inability to turn the display off as I leave my DACs on 24/7. Three brightness settings and none of them are off, I'm not sure why they didn't do it as they did with the D50?

 

I've been doing a bit of A/B comparison against my Qutest since Thursday night and I've replaced the Qutest with the D50 this morning to see how the two Topping products compare.

 

Edit: I'm running in DAC mode to my integrated amp

Edited July 21, 2019 by wanta911

[wolster]

@wanta911

Will be interested in how you think the 70 compares with the Qutest.

Cheers

[Addicted to music]

1 minute ago, wolster said:

@wanta911

Will be interested in how you think the 70 compares with the Qutest.

Cheers

Come on @wolster  that’s not a fair comparison  

[wanta911]

Well the D50 is out of my little comparison. As decent as it sounds, I have a long history of not getting on with ESS Sabre DACs when it comes to prolonged listening. I just can't ignore the tell-tale little ear ache that comes after a while even with well recorded dynamic material. Maybe it's just me or maybe it's a form of bias psychosis? Whatever the reason, I don't get it with the D70 or my other two DACs. 

 

I originally took my Pavane out to just compare the non R2R NOS DACs but it's back in now and all 3 DACs are connected to my integrated amp being fed from the Allo Digione Signature via the MiniDSP for a little room correction:

 

 

Basically I have 3 very prominent filters 

 

 

[Gordon Macfarlane]

Hi guys , got to hear one of the Topping dacs D50? and wasn't that impressed. For lowish prices I recommend the Stars Audio dacs such as this listing :

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32847730999.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.306.60fe4feaiejvss&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0%2Csearchweb201602_1_10065_10130_10068_10547_319_317_10548_10696_453_10084_454_10083_10618_10307_537_536_10131_10132_10133_10059_10884_10887_321_322_10103%2Csearchweb201603_52%2CppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=92deab90-064b-477c-ad72-87d8e1d45b66-47&algo_pvid=92deab90-064b-477c-ad72-87d8e1d45b66

They also have a 4497 variant. Just make sure to get them with Talema transformers as the ones with green (Chinese) are only rated at 220v. The blue Talemas are rated fro 230v.

These seem to be well designed and use genuine quality caps etc.

 

[Nada]

53 minutes ago, wanta911 said:

..... I have a long history of not getting on with ESS Sabre DACs when it comes to prolonged listening. I just can't ignore the tell-tale little ear ache that comes after a while even with well recorded dynamic material. Maybe it's just me ........

Your certainly not alone.  Sabre DAC's well implemented should sound fantastic but ......

[was_a]

On 21/07/2019 at 3:51 PM, Ozcall said:

Hi guys , got to hear one of the Topping dacs D50? and wasn't that impressed. For lowish prices I recommend the Stars Audio dacs such as this listing :

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32847730999.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.306.60fe4feaiejvss&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0%2Csearchweb201602_1_10065_10130_10068_10547_319_317_10548_10696_453_10084_454_10083_10618_10307_537_536_10131_10132_10133_10059_10884_10887_321_322_10103%2Csearchweb201603_52%2CppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=92deab90-064b-477c-ad72-87d8e1d45b66-47&algo_pvid=92deab90-064b-477c-ad72-87d8e1d45b66

They also have a 4497 variant. Just make sure to get them with Talema transformers as the ones with green (Chinese) are only rated at 220v. The blue Talemas are rated fro 230v.

These seem to be well designed and use genuine quality caps etc.

 

Yes, I bought the Sabre version (below) for a little more money. (Bundle 3 with the better op-amps).

 

It really sounds nice, more powerful dynamics than the Topping D50 (I've not heard the D70), with an accurate yet natural sound quality.

ES9038pro DAC

Edited August 17, 2019 by was_a

[Gordon Macfarlane]

1 minute ago, was_a said:

Yes, I bought the Sabre version (below) for a little more money. (Bundle 3 with the better op-amps).

 

It really sounds nice, more powerful dynamics than the Topping D30 and D50 (I've not heard the D70), with an accurate yet natural sound quality.

ES9038pro DAC

I don't think that one is made by Stars but glad it sounds good.

[was_a]

Oh, right. Yes, it does the trick for a PC audio/ TV setup. I think at the $500 price-point it's pretty hard to go wrong. For the next step up ($2000+) I'd be looking at Geiseler's latest offering.

[Gordon Macfarlane]

This is the dac that replaced my custom dual 4495 dac from Stars : https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32796691110.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.28.584c38b7a0fH8c&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0%2Csearchweb201602_1_10065_10130_10068_10547_319_317_10548_10696_453_10084_454_10083_10618_10307_537_536_10131_10132_10133_10059_10884_10887_321_322_10103%2Csearchweb201603_52%2CppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=3d3f3740-4396-46f3-8b55-19ab0824f544-4&algo_pvid=3d3f3740-4396-46f3-8b55-19ab0824f544

It can be built for less than $500 as it only requires 3 5v psu and a usb input card. Performance is the best yet in my system.

 

 

Edited July 21, 2019 by Ozcall

[sloper]

Goodaye all

 

Just received a D50 and am very happy, it replaced a a JDS labs El dac.

Bass is a tighter, and sounds clean and crisp.

Once again its connected via Toslink, the cable clicked in nicely.

l see it as good value.

 

l did consider the D70 but decided to leave it until there are more out there and there are more user opinions.

Probley get  a minor revision anyway.

 

The El dac is off to the garage where it will still get lots of work.

 

regards Bruce

[Addicted to music]

@wanta911

 

any updates as preference?

[wanta911]

 

1 hour ago, Addicted to music said:

@wanta911

 

any updates as preference?

 

Well the D70 sounds great and there is no hint of the mild fatigue that I get with the D50 after prolonged listening. I'm still not discounting some sort of personal subconscious bias against ESS Sabre here 

 

My thoughts on subjective listening against the Qutest were that they were both nice and clean in their reproduction with the D70 being just a touch more liquid, perhaps a little more musical?

 

Then I organised a casual blind test using speakers with both DACs connected to my integrated via RCA and instantaneous remote switching being done by my son. I didn't technically level match but my ears and an SPL meter indicated that they were very close, if not identical volume levels. The Qutest was on the 2V setting. The changing of inputs on my integrated amp is seamless most of the time with no indication or tell tale noise that the change was made. I failed this test miserably with the results being no better than a flip of a coin, so the subjective sighted differences evaporated (LOL).

 

So that's a win for the "all decent DACs sound the same crowd" but good news for those wanting to get a very good DAC with lots of features including both balanced & RCA outputs and save money over something like a Qutest. Personally I'll keep the Qutest as I like it's quirky looks and my subjective listening suggests that there's a bit more difference between it and my Pavane compared to the D70 and the Pavane. I will continue to keep 2 DACs in my setup - I like the option of being able to choose between R2R NOS and newer technology depending on the material I'm playing and my mood.

 

Edit: I compared both DACs on their default filter settings - filter 1 on the Qutest & filter 3 on the D70

Edited July 29, 2019 by wanta911