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Topping D70s MQA Review (DAC)

Skinner001

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Sep 26, 2021
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Like your persistence :). It’s really simple, bring the two DACs at home and audition them in your system to find out which one is a better fit. In my system and to my ears the D70s won by some margin, particularly in the soundstage depth department. Please don’t ask what SS depth means and disqualify my comments. You share your own listening experience without being critical to others.
In my experience the D70 sounds like unicorns farting in a filed of rainbows - if you plug it into my system you orgasm immediately and then you see the face of Zeus.

Does that sound like a statement fit for a forum that attempts to scientifically prove stuff.

If you qualify your statement by saying "my subjective opinion without any objective measurements or blind tests is that I like the D70 more - I have no proof that it does indeed sound different other than my feeling and my imperfect ears after sighted listening" then we're all fine - we all have many reasons to prefer certain things - to the point that we may believe they sound "better". I put better in quotations because, again, we don't all prefer the same thing.

So, you have not demonstrated even the inclination to provide anything apart from anecdotal evidence.
It's the same as commenting on vaccines because you know of a few cases with side-effects - while billions of others have had it and been fine - the numbers tell us what the truth is.

So for anyone reading this - there is no proof to these claims, this person has a preference that depends on a ton of things that have no objective underpinning.
 

Nick5

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In my experience the D70 sounds like unicorns farting in a filed of rainbows - if you plug it into my system you orgasm immediately and then you see the face of Zeus.

Does that sound like a statement fit for a forum that attempts to scientifically prove stuff.

If you qualify your statement by saying "my subjective opinion without any objective measurements or blind tests is that I like the D70 more - I have no proof that it does indeed sound different other than my feeling and my imperfect ears after sighted listening" then we're all fine - we all have many reasons to prefer certain things - to the point that we may believe they sound "better". I put better in quotations because, again, we don't all prefer the same thing.

So, you have not demonstrated even the inclination to provide anything apart from anecdotal evidence.
It's the same as commenting on vaccines because you know of a few cases with side-effects - while billions of others have had it and been fine - the numbers tell us what the truth is.

So for anyone reading this - there is no proof to these claims, this person has a preference that depends on a ton of things that have no objective underpinning.
As mentioned before, I offered that you visit me at home for a quick audition between two DACs and you be the judge. Drinks on me too :)
 

Skinner001

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As mentioned before, I offered that you visit me at home for a quick audition between two DACs and you be the judge. Drinks on me too :)
This all sounds folksy and nice - but I'm not sure if you're trolling or, well, something less charitable than trolling...
As if you do not understand the basic idea of what we are trying to convey - or do not want to understand.
Even if I came to your home, and listened and thought there was a difference - it would still not be proof of anything.

First, show measurable differences.
Second, have a bunch of people, a nice, decent sample so that the test has sufficient statistical power, do blind, well controlled listening tests --> show that differences are audible and statistically significant.

Without those two steps - and you'll notice that for step 2 not much in the way of expensive equipment is required - everything else is fluffy, unproven belief based rubbish.

We require such rigors when people make claims that have no support and any attempt to provide such evidence has failed. Therefore, when making that claim, you can't say "come listen and have a drink" - that's not an argument, nor a good faith attempt to provide one.
 

BittyBatman

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Thanks everyone, I'll likely grab the one with the features I want, which will likely be the d90se. I don't think I could really go wrong either way reading your responses.

Although I'll probably keep looking around just in case before I buy it, the fomo is real.
 

24U

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Awakes this thread, hoping for insights. Looking for a silent and lean DAC, no warmth, no cozyness like tubes, but absolutely no sibilance or harsch highs. The testfigures are one thing, often when getting to the "dirty" invironment we call homes, the interference immunity is stressed by both massive airborne and wireborn noise. To you guys/gals who actually own one, or have significant experience from it, how would you rank the perceived dynamic range/background noise level when connected to your mains and your adjacent gear?
Can you, when gear is running, no source playing and volume up to max, put your ear to the speaker (treble or mid) and there's is no or very, very low hisssss?
I still use the Benchmark DAC-1 AES3. I've tried the RME ADI-2 DAC fs, which sounded better but displayed a very erratic behaviour with HQPlayer Embedded. Encouraging, since it challanged my opinion of poor external SMPSU and lack of a reasonably clean ground.
Anyone listened to both; D70s and the RME? The RME cured a somewhat boomy midbase. The power amp is Benchmark ABH2. Speakers are Marten Parker Trio. Looking forward to your reply :)
 

alpha_logic

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Aug 16, 2021
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Awakes this thread, hoping for insights. Looking for a silent and lean DAC, no warmth, no cozyness like tubes, but absolutely no sibilance or harsch highs. The testfigures are one thing, often when getting to the "dirty" invironment we call homes, the interference immunity is stressed by both massive airborne and wireborn noise. To you guys/gals who actually own one, or have significant experience from it, how would you rank the perceived dynamic range/background noise level when connected to your mains and your adjacent gear?
Can you, when gear is running, no source playing and volume up to max, put your ear to the speaker (treble or mid) and there's is no or very, very low hisssss?
I still use the Benchmark DAC-1 AES3. I've tried the RME ADI-2 DAC fs, which sounded better but displayed a very erratic behaviour with HQPlayer Embedded. Encouraging, since it challanged my opinion of poor external SMPSU and lack of a reasonably clean ground.
Anyone listened to both; D70s and the RME? The RME cured a somewhat boomy midbase. The power amp is Benchmark ABH2. Speakers are Marten Parker Trio. Looking forward to your reply :)
I have the D70s - it's dead neutral - I use it as reference to which I compare my other DACs. If you experience 'sibililance' with this DAC, the rest of the system and/or the recording is the problem, but definitely not this DAC. For the price, I think it's a steal. If you want subjective impressions, look for the soundnews review of the Topping D70s.
 
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NeoArk90

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Dec 29, 2021
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hi, I'm about to buy a d70, but I have the possibility to buy a d70s too, clearly the price goes up ... I don't use either mqa or bluethoot, my question is ... sound level without these features something changes between the two ? because reading it is said that the d70s is better in terms of basses etc etc, but I wonder if the comparison was made on a par, and not between mqa of the d70s and without mqa of the smooth d70! thank you very much for your reply!
 

amarsicola

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I bought the D70s and I'm fully satisfied. Now I am on the verge of buying a Purifi power amp that will be directly fed by the DAC.
I am quite intrigued by the Audiophonics Purifi implementation since it has the option of bypassing the input buffer, this is stated in their website:
"In its bypass configuration, the signal goes directly through the modules (12.8dB). No other gain is applied . The bypass mode is relevant in cases where the Purifi amplifier is used with a strong preamplifier supporting a load of 2 to 4kOhm with a voltage ~ 10V RMS."
Now does our brave D70s support such 2 to 4kOhm load?
With my specific room and speakers, my current power amp (Nad 320 BEE, preamp bypassed) is fed by RCA, and I hardly push the DAC louder than -20db, so it would be not a problem to drive the Purifi just up to 5volts instead of 10.
Is the D70s capable of driving the Purifi with no input buffer?
 

GiFi

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Ho acquistato la D70 e sono pienamente soddisfatto. Ora sono sul punto di acquistare un finale Purifi che sarà alimentato direttamente dal DAC.
Sono piuttosto incuriosito dall'implementazione di Audiophonics Purifi poiché ha la possibilità di bypassare il buffer di input, questo è affermato nel loro sito Web:
"Nella sua configurazione di bypass, il segnale passa direttamente attraverso i moduli (12.8dB). Non viene applicato nessun altro guadagno. La modalità bypass è rilevante nei casi in cui l'amplificatore Purifi viene utilizzato con un potente preamplificatore che supporta un carico da 2 a 4kOhm con un tensione ~ 10 V RMS."
Ora i nostri coraggiosi D70 supportano un carico da 2 a 4kOhm?
Con la mia stanza e gli altoparlanti specifici, il mio attuale amplificatore di potenza (Nad 320 BEE, preamplificatore bypassato) è alimentato da RCA, e difficilmente spingo il DAC più forte di -20db, quindi non sarebbe un problema pilotare il Purifi solo fino a 5 volt invece di 10.
La D70s è in grado di pilotare il Purifi senza buffer di input?
i drive my 50kOhm impedance class D amp with the D70s and there aren't problems. Best Dac D/S of the last two yeras in my opinion
 

guiver

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I have been running the D70S with the Singxer SA-1 for a few months now and am a happy camper. But as is the perils of this hobby nothing is ever good enough and I seem to have taken an interest in DDCs.

Has anyone here perhaps tried feeding the D70S with the likes of a Singxer SU-2/SU-6 or a Gustard U16/U18 via IIS?
 

GiFi

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I have been running the D70S with the Singxer SA-1 for a few months now and am a happy camper. But as is the perils of this hobby nothing is ever good enough and I seem to have taken an interest in DDCs.

Has anyone here perhaps tried feeding the D70S with the likes of a Singxer SU-2/SU-6 or a Gustard U16/U18 via IIS?
Just a curiosity.... has the SA-1 a remote?
 

alpha_logic

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I have been running the D70S with the Singxer SA-1 for a few months now and am a happy camper. But as is the perils of this hobby nothing is ever good enough and I seem to have taken an interest in DDCs.

Has anyone here perhaps tried feeding the D70S with the likes of a Singxer SU-2/SU-6 or a Gustard U16/U18 via IIS?
Yes, I ran it with a Singxer SU-2 KTE, a cheapo Nobsound DDC, and more recently with a Gustard U18 via I2S. Ran fine with all of them, even though the default I2S setting on the Gustard and Nobsound won't work since it will flip the channels (default pin profile on the U18 profile is for Gustard DACs) - one of the four other U18 profiles will work, can't remember which one.
 

guiver

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Yes, I ran it with a Singxer SU-2 KTE, a cheapo Nobsound DDC, and more recently with a Gustard U18 via I2S. Ran fine with all of them, even though the default I2S setting on the Gustard and Nobsound won't work since it will flip the channels (default pin profile on the U18 profile is for Gustard DACs) - one of the four other U18 profiles will work, can't remember which one.
Thanks for the feedback. The U18 seems to be one of the better options at the moment. Would you say that the U18 made a notable improvement to the sound quality of the D70S?
 

alpha_logic

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Thanks for the feedback. The U18 seems to be one of the better options at the moment. Would you say that the U18 made a notable improvement to the sound quality of the D70S?
I use the U18 for a very noisy usb connection, which originates on a workstation with dual nvidia rtx 3090's, on which I do a lot of ML on a daily basis - also the usb cable is 2.5m in length, and picks up a god-awful amount of noise along the way - I have no other option right now, in terms of physical layout. So, yes - I do think that for that scenario the U18 works, but I'll refrain from putting that into subjective terms, since your mileage - specific to your system - will most definitively vary : )
 

EddieFreak

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@guiver I'm thinking of buying the Singxer amp for my D70s. Could you take a picture of them stacked? The measurements are really close but a picture says a thousand words. Thanks in advance.
 

guiver

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@guiver I'm thinking of buying the Singxer amp for my D70s. Could you take a picture of them stacked? The measurements are really close but a picture says a thousand words. Thanks in advance.
20220308_141705.jpg
 

Urbs

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Damn, I love my Topping d70s paired with a Jot2 (balanced) and a TA-30 (RCA). However, the 2.5V RCA output seems to be screwing with a Woo WA6 amp I recently picked up. Amp works fine with normal 2V dac output, but when I connect to the d70s, getting audible hum/crackling. Not end of the world, because the WA6 is for a second bedroom setup, but not ideal either because I like having some flexibility with gear. Just wanted to put this experience out there since it does seem like the hotter ouput voltage of the d70s can have a negative impact with certain tube amps.
 
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