Topping DM7 8-Channel DAC Review

[suttondesign]

Could do the LX 521 which requires 8 DAC channels.

where would you apply dsp for each channel?

 

[dartinbout]

Order Placed! Adapter reckz? TRS to XLR?

 

[mdsimon2]

where would you apply dsp for each channel?

Via software on the USB host (PC, mac, RPi, etc).

MIchael

 

[balletboy]

Interesting product. I really hope a similar product that take HDMI input with ARC function. Also can do DSP/EQ via mic measurement like what a HDMI receiver does. This way I can then hook the 8-channel DAC with Genelec system for great movie experience. Come on Topping you can do it!

I think you would have liked Topping to have made a useful product rather than a usb multi-channel DAC in a box with no software and minimal connectivity. If the focus is on good measurements from basic engineering of a good DAC chip, and what I suspect is a very healthy profit margin, this is what you get. For an AV product with practical features that cost money to implement, I suspect you will have to look elsewhere.

If it is for gamers to plug into their PC at a games station, why the need for such good measurements anyway?

 

[TJVA]

Exemplary performance as we've come to expect. Sure it is a hair off the top offerings, but if you only use USB as an input and can do with having only TRS outputs, this is such a steal even within Topping's own range.

This could be a great studio tool for 7.1, multiple powered monitor setups, using powered subwoofers and doing A/B(C/D) testing and so many more interesting use cases. Well done!

 

[Whoareyou]

Has anyone dealt with Apos audio lately? I've found them to be reliable but getting response from them was very slow and challenging. Ultimately, they quickly resolved my issue, but getting response took constant follow up. So, anyone have recent dealings with them?
Also, I would like to see the user manual for the DAC but can't find anywhere. Anyone happen to see one on the website? I'm particularly interested in seeing if Topping has recommendation for converting balanced to unbalanced, such as floating pin 3.

 

[raif71]

Has anyone dealt with Apos audio lately? I've found them to be reliable but getting response from them was very slow and challenging. Ultimately, they quickly resolved my issue, but getting response took constant follow up. So, anyone have recent dealings with them?
Also, I would like to see the user manual for the DAC but can't find anywhere. Anyone happen to see one on the website? I'm particularly interested in seeing if Topping has recommendation for converting balanced to unbalanced, such as floating pin 3.

Manual for dm7 is here

 

[Trell]

I think you would have liked Topping to have made a useful product rather than a usb multi-channel DAC in a box with no software and minimal connectivity. If the focus is on good measurements from basic engineering of a good DAC chip, and what I suspect is a very healthy profit margin, this is what you get. For an AV product with practical features that cost money to implement, I suspect you will have to look elsewhere.

The product is useful for those that quite simply needs/wants an excellent performing eight channel USB DAC with balanced output along with a remote and all-channel volume control, at a reasonable price. The device even has trigger in/out: very nice. It wouldn't satisfy my needs/wants and I'm not that arrogant to say it's useless.

If it is for gamers to plug into their PC at a games station, why the need for such good measurements anyway?

You should broaden your horizons, balletboy.

 

[mdsimon2]

Order Placed! Adapter reckz? TRS to XLR?

I am a big fan of World's Best Cables from Amazon -> https://www.amazon.com/Foot-Balanced-CUSTOM-Neutrik-NC3MXX-B/dp/B00XQUC92I/.

They have a variety of lengths and use high quality Mogami wire with Neutrik connectors.

Michael

 

[Whoareyou]

Manual for dm7 is here

Thanks! Who would have thought of looking on the Topping site I got single minded about finding it on the Apos site.

 

[Interference]

I think you would have liked Topping to have made a useful product rather than a usb multi-channel DAC in a box with no software and minimal connectivity. If the focus is on good measurements from basic engineering of a good DAC chip, and what I suspect is a very healthy profit margin, this is what you get. For an AV product with practical features that cost money to implement, I suspect you will have to look elsewhere.

If it is for gamers to plug into their PC at a games station, why the need for such good measurements anyway?

The absence of a comprehensive and user-friendly software DSP platform (edit: on the market) is not Topping's fault though.

If we think about having embedded DSP, the requirements can change a lot depending on the application. Equalisation and crossovering with IIR filters are "easy" but, for example, FIR processing for room correction or FIR crossovers are much more demanding (especially at high samplerates).

 

[Trell]

Manual for dm7 is here

From the manual "1. The output jacks shall not be grounded or short-circuited" (ugh, the PDF is an image, can't copy/paste text).

Does this mean that TR connectors can not be used? How should one then connect to unbalanced equipment?

The "Standby power consumption of < 1.5W" is very high for a device with no network functionality and should run afoul with EU regulations.

 

[Trell]

The absence of a comprehensive and user-friendly software DSP platform (edit: on the market) is not Topping's fault though.

If we think about having embedded DSP, the requirements can change a lot depending on the application. Equalisation and crossovering with IIR filters are "easy" but, for example, FIR processing for room correction or FIR crossovers are much more demanding (especially at high samplerates).

Topping decided that it, along with with the needed GUI, would be too costly to implement to hit their target price. It's a completely understandable decision as that is quite costly. Have a look at the RME ADI-2 DAC/Pro with comprehensive DSP and GUI to get a feel of the cost increase. (I own the RME ADI-2 DAC FS).

 

[CedarX]

I found the "ESS IMD Hump in one channel but not in the others" finding interesting. It is suspected that the low-level configuration (registers...) of the ESS DACs may have some impact on the ESS hump--see DX5 review where the hump issue was addressed with a new FW from Topping (no HW change whatsoever). Some of the ES9038Pro features are common to all 8 channels, e.g. one THD compensation vector for all channels. Having a small IMD hump on one or two channels may be part of the DAC configuration tradeoffs; it would be masked on a Topping D90 where the 8 channels of the ES9038Pro are paralleled and/or randomized.

 

[gvl]

Just set the hifimediy as your capture device and the DM7 as your playback device and enable async resampling and rate adjust and CamillaDSP will bridge the clock domains. Poor man’s Okto at half the price.

There is no need for ASRC with the OKTO.

 

[Trell]

There is no need for ASRC with the OKTO.

I recall that post you replied to but a DAC with only USB for input should be able to handle all common sample rates with no problem at all with no need for an added ASRC. Am I missing something here?

 

[sarumbear]

For home studio, 2 pair of monitors, 1 pair for headphone, 1 spare. If it has a routing interface.

In what scenario you may need a router in the DAC? Shouldn’t the DAW has a router to assign the channels anyway?

 

[Trell]

In what scenario you may need a router in the DAC? Shouldn’t the DAW has a router to assign the channels anyway?

RME has that in their (audio) interfaces and the GUI for using that is called TotalMix but it's just a front end to the hardware capabilities. It's very handy and useful. I'm using it in video calls where one mic output is delayed 300ms for lip synch while monitoring is in real time. No DAW needed or wanted, and would just be a hassle. With 10ms increments it's not that useful for multi channel setups.

The functionality is not free, though, but a major selling point.

 

[pos]

A balanced 8 outputs USB DAC with SOTA performance, this is an unexpected surprise!
One question: is it free from any form of noise/click/thumb on its outputs (even slight) in any circumstances? (PC on/off, USB plug/unplug, sample rate change, etc.)

Another question, which hopefully @JohnYang1997 can answer:
Is it DC-coupled, and if so what kind of DC offset performance can we expect?

The two questions (clicks and DC offset) are of high importance if the DAC is to be used to feed tweeters or compression drivers in an active multiway setup.

 

[sarumbear]

I get that, and that's great for anyone with the patience, but it strikes me as a rather kludgy approach. It reminds me of the early 2000s when we broadcasters had to put together an over-the-air digital TV infrastructure to meet FCC deadlines for getting something on the air tout suite. We had to deal with many multiple vendors to cobble together something that would work. It was far from a turnkey project. What the world needs is a "popular priced" 7.1.4 AV switcher/processor with DAC performance that approaches this box and that supports Dolby Atmos. I've been limping along with the pre-outs of a dodgy Pioneer AVR for that for too long.

It is not a device suitable for the scenarios you listed. There are other scenarios where this device is required. Just because you don’t know those doesn’t make this a kludgy solution.