Review and Measurements of Topping D50 DAC

[rh0Negative]

Thanks boss
Installation and set up was 10min flat ,this will replace Modi (tube amp source)and after listening for about an hour I can tell that this DAC is top notch ,there definitely more detail ,highs are nicely extend it with some sparkle on top , sound-stage is noticeably wider then Modi /more revealing..a bit on the dry side
I'm getting little interference/ floor noise at about 60~70% amp-volume pot which is about 10% earlier then on Modi ,will try different USB cable but I don't think it will make a difference ,running via USB hub help tho

Edit; can't figure out how to set Optical for DSD,PCM works at 192kHz tho

 

[weikagen]

Hi there. They do look nice. Alas, kind of pricey. I need a few more forum donations to justify buying it right now. Otherwise hang in there a bit and I will purchase it in the future.

Hi Amir, both Aune S6 & S7 are just listed today on Massdrop.
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/aune-s7-balanced-headphone-amp

Each unit is $399 USD, but buying both is $750 USD (+$350). I decided to make the purchase on both considering retail is almost $600 USD for each.

 

[amirm]

Thanks. I ordered the s6.

 

[rh0Negative]

Replaced USB DC cable with iFi iPower 5v /2.5A today ,was expecting some improvement but it's a jaw dropping improvement ,pitch black background ,no more floor noise !
Happy camper here

 

[lotse888]

Replaced USB DC cable with iFi iPower 5v /2.5A today ,was expecting some improvement but it's a jaw dropping improvement ,pitch black background ,no more floor noise !
Happy camper here

Please elaborate what kind of power supply that you were using before. Thanks!

 

[rh0Negative]

D50 comes with 2x USB cables ,one is (5v/1A) DC USB cable which is power via USB and second USB cable for data,I was using USB DC cable supplied by mnf. before switching to aftermarket iPower
Cheers

 

[lotse888]

Thanks! I misunderstood. So you changed the power supply from a USB 5 V output of your computer (using the power cable supplied) to the iPower.
Just curious whether you have tried using a 5V battery as the power supply before switching.

Regards,

 

[sejarzo]

Thanks! I misunderstood. So you changed the power supply from a USB 5 V output of your computer (using the power cable supplied) to the iPower.
Just curious whether you have tried using a 5V battery as the power supply before switching.

Or a phone charger.

 

[weikagen]

I find the power supply topic very interesting and did some digging. Here's an interesting article on measuring and comparing ripple on different power supplies:
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/31119-power-supply-8-group-test-lps-and-smps/
and USB power filter article:
http://andybrown.me.uk/2015/07/24/usb-filtering/

If the noise is making an audible difference, I'm interested in purchasing the following LC filter (used for removing DC ripple interference on drone video displays) and attaching male/female DC power connector ends to it.
DC-DC (3.3V-25V) LC filter:
https://www.amazon.com/Kangnice-3-3...id=1524780502&sr=8-5&keywords=lc+power+filter
or
https://www.banggood.com/3_3V-25V-D...Interference-p-1136802.html?cur_warehouse=USA

Power Connector:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071LQFQ1...90b1-d4a72df4ba13&ie=UTF8&qid=1524783148&sr=4

Would cost around $10 to make and can use with existing power supplies (3.3V to 25V) than purchasing one of the above mentioned separate supplies that costs more than $50. But I'm still curious to see if this is sufficient in removing the floor noise you're noticing done with the iFi iPower though. Another thing we can tinker with.

Update: Decided to make a cable for USB too, by buying a USB 2.0 A-B cable and splicing out the power/gnd wires and adding in the LC filter.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I find the power supply topic very interesting and did some digging. Here's an interesting article on measuring and comparing ripple on different power supplies:
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/31119-power-supply-8-group-test-lps-and-smps/
and USB power filter article:
http://andybrown.me.uk/2015/07/24/usb-filtering/

If the noise is making an audible difference, I'm interested in purchasing the following LC filter (used for removing DC ripple interference on drone video displays) and attaching male/female DC power connector ends to it.
DC-DC (3.3V-25V) LC filter:
https://www.amazon.com/Kangnice-3-3...id=1524780502&sr=8-5&keywords=lc+power+filter
or
https://www.banggood.com/3_3V-25V-D...Interference-p-1136802.html?cur_warehouse=USA

Power Connector:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071LQFQ1...90b1-d4a72df4ba13&ie=UTF8&qid=1524783148&sr=4

Would cost around $10 to make and can use with existing power supplies (3.3V to 25V) than purchasing one of the above mentioned separate supplies that costs more than $50. But I'm still curious to see if this is sufficient in removing the floor noise you're noticing done with the iFi iPower though. Another thing we can tinker with.

Update: Decided to make a cable for USB too, by buying a USB 2.0 A-B cable and splicing out the power/gnd wires and adding in the LC filter.

The varying output between different types and designs of power supplies is interesting, but whether it has an effect on sound is impossible to judge from measurements of just the power supply.
One's equipment is connected one to the other by the analogue connections and to speakers or headphones. If the DAC and amp are well engineered they will reject power supply noise and ripple well before it gets to the analogue output, and equally, if the power supply in question sends noise back into the mains power supply, if other equipment plugged in to the mains is properly engineered, these will not carry the noise through to the analogue output either.
These sort of measurements are of academic interest, and there are plenty of devices on the market now sold as reducing noise at sometimes eye watering prices, but the fact is it is only the analogue output of your equipment that matters since that is the only thing connected to what you are listening to.
A test such as this may be interesting if it included the effect of the different power supplies on the analogue output of a devices they are powering, or maybe two, one known to be well engineered and another susceptible to passing noise through or grounding problems, so one could see whether the power supplies were actually making any real difference.

 

[Veri]

I find the power supply topic very interesting and did some digging. Here's an interesting article on measuring and comparing ripple on different power supplies:
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/31119-power-supply-8-group-test-lps-and-smps/
and USB power filter article:
http://andybrown.me.uk/2015/07/24/usb-filtering/

My problem with the computeraudiophile article, is that the one with the best results, the iFi power, has been used in tests by amir before and actually measured terribly:

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...asurements-of-sonore-microrendu-streamer.577/

 

[PyramidElectric]

I have firsthand experience of the iPower, used with a Chord Mojo into a Naim amp. If you listen via headphones (direct from Mojo/dac), the the iFi iPower is great, the problem is that the iPower kicks a ridiculous amount of audible noise back into the mains, which will probably be picked up by whatever amp you're using. Assuming you're using amp & speakers; it basically solves one very small problem and creates a very big problem.
I tried various chargers with the Mojo, and the best overall seemed to be the regular 1A Apple iPhone charger.

 

[rh0Negative]

My problem with the computeraudiophile article, is that the one with the best results, the iFi power, has been used in tests by amir before and actually measured terribly:

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...asurements-of-sonore-microrendu-streamer.577/

Hahaha,I purchased this iPower without doing any research just want to try stand alone PSU ,picked iFi since it was sold via Amazon Prime ,if I didn't like it it would end up going back ..was amused with a lot of the users reviews .."major sonic improvement ","just buy it.",etc but my ears don't lie ,it cleaned up background noise like a boss ..so this measurement makes me scratch my head WTF

 

[Wombat]

Hahaha,I purchased this iPower without doing any research just want to try stand alone PSU ,picked iFi since it was sold via Amazon Prime ,if I didn't like it it would end up going back ..was amused with a lot of the users reviews .."major sonic improvement ","just buy it.",etc but my ears don't lie ,it cleaned up background noise like a boss ..so this measurement makes me scratch my head WTF

Connectivity problem?

 

[Veri]

Hahaha,I purchased this iPower without doing any research just want to try stand alone PSU ,picked iFi since it was sold via Amazon Prime ,if I didn't like it it would end up going back ..was amused with a lot of the users reviews .."major sonic improvement ","just buy it.",etc but my ears don't lie ,it cleaned up background noise like a boss ..so this measurement makes me scratch my head WTF

Well the post above claims that the iFi contaminates(?) your mains for some reason, if really true that may be a problem depending on your set-up.

With a D50+dedicated amp set-up I personally wouldn't want to use the iFi though, plain USB power works fine according to amir's measurements, and while battery-based or linear power supply-based 5V supply could offer mild improvements to the noise, the range this noise occurs in shouldn't really make for audible differences. Which makes me question if it's really worth investing in some exotic power equipment, the Topping D50 is what, €200? Why invest in €50+ of power supply when your average laptop USB port is really, fairly clean all things considered?

 

[Wombat]

I have firsthand experience of the iPower, used with a Chord Mojo into a Naim amp. If you listen via headphones (direct from Mojo/dac), the the iFi iPower is great, the problem is that the iPower kicks a ridiculous amount of audible noise back into the mains, which will probably be picked up by whatever amp you're using. Assuming you're using amp & speakers; it basically solves one very small problem and creates a very big problem.
I tried various chargers with the Mojo, and the best overall seemed to be the regular 1A Apple iPhone charger.

" ... kicks a lot of audible noise back into the mains, which will probably be picked up by whatever amp you're using."

Nonsense.

By the way, I am a Power Systems Engineer but my mind is open, persuade me.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

" ... kicks a lot of audible noise back into the mains, which will probably be picked up by whatever amp you're using."

Nonsense. By the way, I am a Power Systems Engineer but my mind is open.

When you say "nonsense" are you referring to just the i-power, or switching supplies in general?

 

[Wombat]

When you say "nonsense" are you referring to just the i-power, or switching supplies in general?

Elaborate.

 

[PyramidElectric]

" ... kicks a lot of audible noise back into the mains, which will probably be picked up by whatever amp you're using."

Nonsense.

By the way, I am a Power Systems Engineer but my mind is open, persuade me.

It may not make sense to you but I promise the noise was very real. Without music playing and the Naim amp turned up full you can hear the affect of the USB charger on the mains feeding the amp. Whilst the different phone chargers I tried all had slightly different character (with the Apple one being the quietest/best), when the iFi was plugged in it the speakers emitted a hum/buzzing way way louder than even the worst phone charger I tried. I also tried this experiment in another room with the Mojo and some Mackie active speakers, results were the same.

 

[Wombat]

It may not make sense to you but I promise the noise was very real. Without music playing and the Naim amp turned up full you can hear the affect of the USB charger on the mains feeding the amp. Whilst the different phone chargers I tried all had slightly different character (with the Apple one being the quietest/best), when the iFi was plugged in it the speakers emitted a hum/buzzing way way louder than even the worst phone charger I tried. I also tried this experiment in another room with the Mojo and some Mackie active speakers, results were the same.

I am not questioning that you heard a noise. I question your assumption as to how it occurred. Not personal, I assure you.