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Review and Measurements of the Topping D70 DAC

BDWoody

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diegooo1972

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At the moment I have a very old NAD 902 that I love with quite cheap Alesis monitor ONE MKII that I love too that I play through scarlett 2i4. Considering the price I'm very happy with that chain.
But I want to try an upgrade and I'm planning to buy the D70 and 2 Kali LP8.
Is this a decent solution or I'm missing some point ?
 

CTRLM

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Totally agree. Pianos, guitars and voices are perfect for me. Bass is weaker than on d50 though.

Interesting. I actually find the bass on my D50 just a touch bloated or flabby (for want of a better expression) in my setup compared to some other DACs, so that might be a good thing :). I have the D70 on order to compare to my D50 and Qutest.
 

Oukkidoukki

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Interesting. I actually find the bass on my D50 just a touch bloated or flabby (for want of a better expression) in my setup compared to some other DACs, so that might be a good thing :). I have the D70 on order to compare to my D50 and Qutest.
Please let us know how it compares to those!
 

diegooo1972

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I'd like to know if measurements can change using a better power supply. I don't understand if that' s is psychoscience or a matter of fact and measurements. And if possible if for some reason the actual power supply is enough for this product.
I'm quite new to audiophile and I don't like cryogenic cables and ethernet audio grade apparatus.
This site seems to me a lot into scientific side.
Thanks in any case and be patient. I have a lot to learn.
 

chosen_too

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I'd like to know if measurements can change using a better power supply. I don't understand if that' s is psychoscience or a matter of fact and measurements. And if possible if for some reason the actual power supply is enough for this product.
I'm quite new to audiophile and I don't like cryogenic cables and ethernet audio grade apparatus.
This site seems to me a lot into scientific side.
Thanks in any case and be patient. I have a lot to learn.

D70 has built-in power supply.
 

diegooo1972

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Jez I 'm looking too much DACs to decide. Remembering of D50 5v I think.
This is a little expensive for me but it's my favourite atm...
I suppose a good integrated supply is also something more for this product.
Sorry fort the useless question.
 

Moriarty

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Interesting. I actually find the bass on my D50 just a touch bloated or flabby (for want of a better expression) in my setup compared to some other DACs, so that might be a good thing :). I have the D70 on order to compare to my D50 and Qutest.

I can't compare my D70 to D50, but bass played by Topping D70 is definitely better controlled than played by my previous source, Marantz CD6006 wit Cirrus Logic chip, same as in Topping D30 AFAIK. It is deeper too.
 

ceausuc

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I received my D70 last week, I previously used a D50.
First thing I noticed was the much better instrument placement and separation. Then the different tone but I was a little disappointed as there was not a BIG difference as I hoped (all this for 2x the price?).
After a few days I put D50 back and then I realized the main difference: instrument tone + all those instrument “nuances” that D70 extracts from the record were missing. With D50 everything sounds way... simplified and lower-fi so to speak.
There is no going back to D50 for me, that’s for sure. Anyone looking for a like new D50 ? :)

On the negatives side: I think it is a bit “soft" sounding. Playing Jazz at the Pawnshop I miss some of the “energy” I heard on that record with D50. Well.. I suppose I can live with that :)

Of course these are 100% subjective impressions so.. you know, may not match your experience.
(tested USB in - RCA out)
 

Veri

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I received my D70 last week, I previously used a D50.
First thing I noticed was the much better instrument placement and separation. Then the different tone but I was a little disappointed as there was not a BIG difference as I hoped (all this for 2x the price?).
After a few days I put D50 back and then I realized the main difference: instrument tone + all those instrument “nuances” that D70 extracts from the record were missing. With D50 everything sounds way... simplified and lower-fi so to speak.
There is no going back to D50 for me, that’s for sure. Anyone looking for a like new D50 ? :)

On the negatives side: I think it is a bit “soft" sounding. Playing Jazz at the Pawnshop I miss some of the “energy” I heard on that record with D50. Well.. I suppose I can live with that :)

Of course these are 100% subjective impressions so.. you know, may not match your experience.
(tested USB in - RCA out)
This is why subjective reports are confusing. D50 = simplified/lower-fi, but somehow more "energy" ?
 

Moriarty

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There is no going back to D50 for me, that’s for sure. Anyone looking for a like new D50 ? :)
(tested USB in - RCA out)

In my case difference was bigger, I suppose. My Marantz CD6006 with its years-old Cirrus-Logic DAC is probably not as good as D50. To be honest, my first impression was totally different than yours - I simply didn't expect as big progress.

But don't worry - it's very possible someone here will tell you soon:
- you know nothing until comparing them blind ;)
- all DACs cheaper than 1000 USD sound the same :facepalm:
- and you lost your money because Khadas Tone Board is good enough and it's impossible Topping D70 sounds noticeably better :cool:
 

diegooo1972

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@Moriarty I agree on the other points but why not blind auditions ? I think you need to chose the one you like most. It doesn't matter what it is.
And psichology on sound is absolutely strong for many reason.
It's also not strange that it can be harder on similar equipments not to ear the difference.
I also think that people need some time to get use to a new sound when the difference is evident. We adapt to old sound more then we think.
We adapt to strong sounds that our brain tend to exclude after a while. We adapt to lower sound to ear better with some concentration.
But sound around us still stay the same.
In earings psychology and brain play a great role despite of measurements or prices.
That's my point of view but i write it here cause I love to see others thinkings to learn something new.
 

VintageFlanker

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But don't worry - it's very possible someone here will tell you soon:
- you know nothing until comparing them blind ;)
- all DACs cheaper than 1000 USD sound the same :facepalm:
- and you lost your money because Khadas Tone Board is good enough and it's impossible Topping D70 sounds noticeably better :cool:
Sure it will.

The problem with subjective opinion is that anybody can say, anytime, the opposite of your impressions. That the CD 6006 sounds much better than the D70 or the opposite and or the D50 better than D70 and so on...

I saw this on forum a thousand times. You trust somebody, then another come saying this or this sounds like shit, etc, etc. That is why measurements exist here: there is no place for opinion with objective performance.
 

chosen_too

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I saw this on forum a thousand times. You trust somebody, then another come saying this or this sounds like shit, etc, etc. That is why measurements exist here: there is no place for opinion with objective performance.

D50 and D70 measurements are both great, but sound is much different) So we need subjective description of sound - bass, mids, treble and so on.
 

VintageFlanker

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D50 and D70 measurements are both great, but sound is much different) So we need subjective description of sound - bass, mids, treble and so on.
So, nothing relevant from a scientific point of view, I regret. Anybody still may say anything they want about any unit. I guess Head-Fi or others are better places for this kind of "debate".
 

chosen_too

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So, nothing relevant from a scientific point of view, I regret. Anybody still may say anything they want about any unit. I guess Head-Fi or others are better places for this kind of "debate".

Can we see differences in scientific way in case of d50 and d70? How co compare two dacs? How to choose what to buy? They are not equal for sure, but I personally can't see differences in measurements except IMD.
 

VintageFlanker

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Can we see differences in scientific way in case of d50 and d70? How co compare two dacs? How to choose what to buy? They are not equal for sure, but I personally can't see differences in measurements except IMD.
If you're talking about D50 (no S) vs D70: Both reviews are not comparable, as these units have been tested with different instrumentation and tests, apart from SINAD uptated later by @amirm .
 

daftcombo

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Someone please does a controlled, level-match ABX between D50 and D70 or these discussions will never end.

I would love to learn thar I can get a better sound with the D70
 
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