Dacs
- Lindsayt
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Re: Dacs
Does the Topping do anything, sound quality wise that the $6.38 AliExpress Chinese DAC doesn't?
And if so, what?
And the way that I look at it, is not so much that the Topping is a bargain. It's more that there's a lot of overpriced digital sources out there.
And if so, what?
And the way that I look at it, is not so much that the Topping is a bargain. It's more that there's a lot of overpriced digital sources out there.
- Fretless
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Re: Dacs
The Topping D30 will give a full and detailed sound without any digital glare or unpleasantness. Also you get USB connectivity and hi-res playback up to 32bit/192KHz plus DSD (absurdly high-spec for a budget DAC).
I don't know how they do it for the price but it is a great little unit, solidly built and with a sound that has audiophile pretensions. They aim to make good-sounding products and succeed.
The cheapo thingies are just a few components put together primarily for use with TV's and will be fine for that. The one I had sounded flat and 'audio' while it worked. The D30 blew it away.
I don't know how they do it for the price but it is a great little unit, solidly built and with a sound that has audiophile pretensions. They aim to make good-sounding products and succeed.
The cheapo thingies are just a few components put together primarily for use with TV's and will be fine for that. The one I had sounded flat and 'audio' while it worked. The D30 blew it away.
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- Lindsayt
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Re: Dacs
That's interesting. The cheapo Chinese Dac never sounded flat when I heard it in Richard's system. And he hated flat sounding audio components.
Makes me wonder if the internal bits have varied in the cheapo chinese ones, or if the quality control isn't briliant?
Makes me wonder if the internal bits have varied in the cheapo chinese ones, or if the quality control isn't briliant?
- savvypaul
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Re: Dacs
The £5 Chinese DAC needs the LPSU to sound worthwhile imo.
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=49039
Then you're up to about £55 to £60. Tomasz told me that the £5 DAC was prone to failure - Richard bought them a few at a time to loan out and just binned any that went pop.
Not heard one, but Topping can now be bought direct in the UK from Electromod. Handy if you need to return it for any reason.
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=49039
Then you're up to about £55 to £60. Tomasz told me that the £5 DAC was prone to failure - Richard bought them a few at a time to loan out and just binned any that went pop.
Not heard one, but Topping can now be bought direct in the UK from Electromod. Handy if you need to return it for any reason.
- CN211276
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Re: Dacs
Have not heard any of the cheepos but the Topping E30 offers 32Bit/765kHz with six subtle filter options. It can also be used with a remote in pre amp mode with a slight dip in SQ. I have compared it with the more expesive Chord Mojo and AQ DF Red in my second system. To my ears, in DAC mode, it runs the Mojo close and is superior to the DF. The later two are of course primarily designed for head phone use and are now exclusivey used for that purpose, at home and out and about. Though small and used with a power pank, I do not consider the Topping to be portable and it does not have a head phone socket. All three DACs are in regular use.
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Re: Dacs
The inners differ. The left one is the one sent to me by Lordie: Rich full sound! The right one is another I bought. Sounding a bit like the Arkless even with LPSU. You can't see it from the outside and the sellers don't show the inners. So I don't know how to find the proper ones.Lindsayt wrote: ↑Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:25 pm That's interesting. The cheapo Chinese Dac never sounded flat when I heard it in Richard's system. And he hated flat sounding audio components.
Makes me wonder if the internal bits have varied in the cheapo chinese ones, or if the quality control isn't briliant?
- These users thanked the author Hannes-Gregor for the post (total 3):
- Fretless (Fri Nov 13, 2020 9:58 am) • Lindsayt (Fri Nov 13, 2020 10:17 am) • savvypaul (Fri Nov 13, 2020 10:31 am)
- TheMadMick
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Re: Dacs
I had a revelation from a knowledgeable mate some years ago. Apparently, when chips are made the producer marks those that fail and once the failure rate drops, the chip is redesigned. The only thing a chip manufacturer will guarantee is the functionality.
Here we all know that sound quality can be very subjective. So ordering a certain chip, unless it is NOS, does not necessarily mean you get what you think you're getting.
Here we all know that sound quality can be very subjective. So ordering a certain chip, unless it is NOS, does not necessarily mean you get what you think you're getting.
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- Lindsayt (Fri Nov 13, 2020 10:21 am)
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Re: Dacs
I messed up the picture on Imgur, so here it is again:Hannes-Gregor wrote: ↑Fri Nov 13, 2020 9:42 amThe inners differ. The left one is the one sent to me by Lordie: Rich full sound! The right one is another I bought. Sounding a bit like the Arkless even with LPSU. You can't see it from the outside and the sellers don't show the inners. So I don't know how to find the proper ones.Lindsayt wrote: ↑Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:25 pm That's interesting. The cheapo Chinese Dac never sounded flat when I heard it in Richard's system. And he hated flat sounding audio components.
Makes me wonder if the internal bits have varied in the cheapo chinese ones, or if the quality control isn't briliant?
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Re: Dacs
That's a massive difference - I wouldn't be best pleased to get the inferior one from new
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LDA MCJ3 phono,Schiit Freya plus pre amp, NAD M23, Audiolab 9000 CD transport, Denafrips Pontus 2 DAC, Mano Ultra2 streamer, Cisco switch, Audio Technica ATH 70 cans, Serhan Swift Mu2 mk2 speakers & NSNO W48.5 speaker cables