Topping D90 Balanced USB DAC Review

[Oukkidoukki]

Out of subject but wanna put this out .........we have made these tests with many systems here and cd is clearly better than stream from tidal....mqa or not........so why we worry about dacs or mqa cause there is something fundamentaly wrong in delivery and affects end result much more than any dac......do the comparison....this must be fixed.

 

[pLudio]

Out of subject but wanna put this out .........we have made these tests with many systems here and cd is clearly better than stream from tidal....mqa or not........so why we worry about dacs or mqa cause there is something fundamentaly wrong in delivery and affects end result much more than any dac......do the comparison....this must be fixed.

Do you know that your Yamaha WXC-50 has a karaoke DSP that resamples to 48 kHz?

 

[Oukkidoukki]

Do you know that your Yamaha WXC-50 has a karaoke DSP that resamples to 48 kHz?

We made the test in many systems....roon, cambridge audio azur 851, usb player pro....end result was the same......streaming suprisingly cant get to cd level when comparison is properly made and this needs to be fixed

 

[Veri]

streaming suprisingly cant get to cd level when comparison is properly made and this needs to be fixed

How? Why?

 

[Oukkidoukki]

Why i pay for hifi....why i buy new dac.....makes no sense if source cant deliver.....i can take the cheaper tidal then i guess cause hifi cant get there anyway

 

[BDWoody]

we have made these tests with many systems here and cd is clearly better than stream from tidal..

Can you reference these tests?

 

[Oukkidoukki]

I encourage you to do the test and post your opinion ......if 100 does the test and 80 says cd was better...its pretty clear......listen same song from cd and tidal................

 

[BDWoody]

I encourage you to do the test and post your opinion ......if 100 does the test and 80 says cd was better...its pretty clear......listen same song from cd and tidal................

Sorry...
I thought you were referencing actual tests.

 

[Oukkidoukki]

Can you reference these tests?

Lets do it here.... so i dont have to reference......do meter here......cd vs tidal.........everybody listens and then posts results....we can get thousands opinions....thats enough double blind for you

 

[pLudio]

Lets do it here.... so i dont have to reference......do meter here......cd vs tidal.........everybody listens and then posts results....we can get thousands opinions....thats enough double blind for you

No, it is your claim so you do the tests but don't pollute this thread.

 

[Koeitje]

What are you trying to say? That Tidal differs from CD? That's no surprise really, could be different masters or some other processing.

 

[BDWoody]

Lets do it here.... so i dont have to reference......do meter here......cd vs tidal.........everybody listens and then posts results....we can get thousands opinions....thats enough double blind for you

Let's start with one that is actually done properly. You do that one first, actually demonstrating your ability to discern between them using good controls, then we'll work together for the rollout.

Until then, it's just more claims without evidence. You have a thread on this, let's keep this side-topic there going forward please.

 

[auronthas]

Lets do it here.... so i dont have to reference......do meter here......cd vs tidal.........everybody listens and then posts results....we can get thousands opinions....thats enough double blind for you

To add on, make sure the blind test via similar external DAC for apple/apple comparison.

a) Digital source 1 - CD player <> external DAC (digital output (coaxial/SPDIF/Toslink)) <> analogue out to headphone or speaker
b) Digital source 2 - Network media plater <> external DAC (similar digital output as above, don't use USB) <> analogue out to headphone or speaker

 

[Sturosen33]

Dumb question from a new user - I have and love my Topping D90 fed by my Roon Nucleus and connected to my Denon AVR-4300H. No preamp In my chain.

I understand from the thread that some think putting the D90 in DAC mode brings a real SQ benefit. Given my simple setup and given that I control volume through my Denon, is there an advantage to getting the A90 and shifting the D90 into DAC mode or, put another way, is there any risk to my equipment from a volume control perspective, to simply put the D90 into DAC mode without a preamp?

I’d happily go for the A90 if it improved sound quality, but wondering if simply moving D90 to DAC mode will do the trick with no risk.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

 

[Jimbob54]

Dumb question from a new user - I have and love my Topping D90 fed by my Roon Nucleus and connected to my Denon AVR-4300H. No preamp In my chain.

I understand from the thread that some think putting the D90 in DAC mode brings a real SQ benefit. Given my simple setup and given that I control volume through my Denon, is there an advantage to getting the A90 and shifting the D90 into DAC mode or, put another way, is there any risk to my equipment from a volume control perspective, to simply put the D90 into DAC mode without a preamp?

I’d happily go for the A90 if it improved sound quality, but wondering if simply moving D90 to DAC mode will do the trick with no risk.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

Your Denon is performing the role of preamp and power amp in one box. Its integrated. DAC mode of the D90 is the same as "preamp" mode where the output is variable but turned to full. Adding an a90 (or any separate pre amp) will serve no purpose other than emptying your wallet. Turning the D90 to DAC mode will have no impact on the sound compared to variable mode turned to max.

 

[Sturosen33]

Terrific - thanks!

 

[gryffe]

Received the D90 today and so far very impressed with the results.

However I have a problem with the remote and wondered if anybody else has encountered the same?

The remote control only works at a distance of 3 or 4 feet. My sitting position is about 8ft away from the D90, and from this distance the remote will not work. I am using brand new batteries so this cannot be the problem.

I have emailed Topping but their office is closed till 19th February.

 

[Sturosen33]

I do find it not reliably responsive from 8’ - 10’ away. Sometime yes but often not.

 

[gryffe]

I do find it not reliably responsive from 8’ - 10’ away. Sometime yes but often not.

Interesting, thanks for the reply. I have several remotes that I use from my seating position and they all work fine, so disappointing that distance is possibly an issue for this remote. I would perhaps understand if I was using the remote at a distance of 20 ft, but surely 8ft is reasonably common?

 

[Nicolaas]

Received the D90 today and so far very impressed with the results.

However I have a problem with the remote and wondered if anybody else has encountered the same?

The remote control only works at a distance of 3 or 4 feet. My sitting position is about 8ft away from the D90, and from this distance the remote will not work. I am using brand new batteries so this cannot be the problem.

I have emailed Topping but their office is closed till 19th February.

At ten feet the D90 only responds when I point the remote accurately. So it is not very responsive indeed. After 1 year I am kind of used to it....