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Topping D90SE Review (Balanced DAC)
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SoupRKnowva
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I also received mine in the mail this Monday, and so far it is mostly fine.
But, like others have said, I am having issues with dropouts when using it with my LG OLED tv via optical. I was expecting this since people mentioned it, but I wasn't prepared for how frequent they are, typically like once a minute or so it drops out for a split second.
What I wasn't expecting was similar dropouts when using I2S out of my pi2aes board. They are much less frequent, but still present, like maybe once an hour or so.
The only dropout free input is the USB from the same raspberry pi 4 I have the pi2aes plugged into.
But, like others have said, I am having issues with dropouts when using it with my LG OLED tv via optical. I was expecting this since people mentioned it, but I wasn't prepared for how frequent they are, typically like once a minute or so it drops out for a split second.
What I wasn't expecting was similar dropouts when using I2S out of my pi2aes board. They are much less frequent, but still present, like maybe once an hour or so.
The only dropout free input is the USB from the same raspberry pi 4 I have the pi2aes plugged into.
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I'm sorry to hear you're having problems. I'm using a Raspberry Pi 4 for streaming, outputting its USB to the D90SE, and I haven't experienced any issues whatsoever. Just wonderful music.
I don't mean to pry, but why are you using a
Pi2aes?
I don't mean to pry, but why are you using a
Pi2aes?
Loving this DAC! My god the detail, the transarancy. Simply fantastic. (Especially with Dirac room correction) ... But I am having a problem with what seems like buffer errors since upgrading to the latest driver (v 5.2) for Windows 10. When I use Windows WASAPI I get that digital 'skipping sound' errors, but when I switch to the ASIO driver it stops. I'm using a USB connection and never had this buffer problem before on my home-built ASUS i5 computer... Any ideas? (Remember I am running everything through Dirac's Windows standalone Processor. (WDM). - Thanks for any help. 
---- P.S. I actually have 2 similar systems and this issue does not happen on the other one. WASAPI works on the other system. (Windows Exclusive).
---- P.S. I actually have 2 similar systems and this issue does not happen on the other one. WASAPI works on the other system. (Windows Exclusive).
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SoupRKnowva
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I already had the pi2aes setup and it allows for easy comparison since it drives all the outputs simultaneously. It has also been measured to have pretty low jitter, so I am surprised that it is having issues with the i2s. I will try the AES and RCA outputs into the D90SE as well.
I am just surprised it is having so much trouble, I've never had any trouble with dropouts with it on other DACs.
Like I said, it works perfectly via USB, but it's disappointing the other inputs are this unreliable. My other DAC is a Schiit Gungnir, the original delta sigma model, which even has a light that turns on if your source has bad jitter and it has to use a different PLL, and I have never seen that turn on with any of these devices either.
I am just surprised it is having so much trouble, I've never had any trouble with dropouts with it on other DACs.
Like I said, it works perfectly via USB, but it's disappointing the other inputs are this unreliable. My other DAC is a Schiit Gungnir, the original delta sigma model, which even has a light that turns on if your source has bad jitter and it has to use a different PLL, and I have never seen that turn on with any of these devices either.
Eddy H.
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Mine only took 33 days to get from Apos. Lol
Yesterday I wrote:Loving this DAC! My god the detail, the transarancy. Simply fantastic. (Especially with Dirac room correction) ... But I am having a problem with what seems like buffer errors since upgrading to the latest driver (v 5.2) for Windows 10. When I use Windows WASAPI I get that digital 'skipping sound' errors, but when I switch to the ASIO driver it stops. I'm using a USB connection and never had this buffer problem before on my home-built ASUS i5 computer... Any ideas? (Remember I am running everything through Dirac's Windows standalone Processor. (WDM). - Thanks for any help.
I have the impression that when playing music on a tidal, there is a slight jump in the sound at times, literally sounding like a distortion, I exclude a given track - I rewound a few times and if it appears at a different time than before. Do you have that too?
Same driver, could this be the same problem you have?
Yes, your problem sounds like mine. I wonder if anybody else is experiencing issues with the new 5.2 ASIO driver being used in Windows in WDM mode? (I am also streaming Tidal and up-sampling to 24\176.4 over USB on a fast computer) Everything worked fine with the previous driver.
Barryfromholland
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Same problem here with Samsung tv 2020 the frame. Frequent drop outs via optical. HDMI is NOT possible. Via bluesound node 2021 no problem with optical input, also MQA. TV output via Node HDMI no problems.
Waiting for usb output update for Node.
Topping d90se Balanced output sounds better than Bluesound node internal dac.
Waiting for usb output update for Node.
Topping d90se Balanced output sounds better than Bluesound node internal dac.
I'm doing an A/B comparison of Topping D90 vs D90SE using a transparent XLR switch connected to Topping D30 A30 Pro headphone amplifier and I hear volume differences between them at the same voltage measured with a multimeter. The closest I could get their output voltage (with digital attenuation of source signal of D90SE of -0.1dB), measured at XLR output converted to RCA and into a multimeter is D90 at 2.01 volts and D90SE at 2 volts and I'm certain that D90SE sounds a bit louder with music and clearly audible with 1kHz sine. This makes it hard to compare sound quality, I wonder could output impedance difference be responsible for that? D90SE specs state 100Ω output impedance, but could not find info for D90.
Is there a good way to measure or calculate what voltage I need for precise volume matching between both when connected toD30 A30 Pro so I can do a proper A/B comparison?
@JohnYang1997 - I'd appreciate your input as the omnipresent helpful Topping expert here!
Edit: Yes, I meant A30 Pro not D30 Pro.
Is there a good way to measure or calculate what voltage I need for precise volume matching between both when connected to
@JohnYang1997 - I'd appreciate your input as the omnipresent helpful Topping expert here!
Edit: Yes, I meant A30 Pro not D30 Pro.
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You can try measure at the output of A30pro(I think this is what you meant). The 4pin XLR and the 6.35mm are wired directly together so you can measure either output and match the voltage this way.
@JohnYang1997 Do the 4v and 5v XLR output settings on the D90SE translate to proportional voltage changes to the RCA outputs as well? - I've been using the 5v setting but I am using the RCA outputs to my Marantz Model 30 integrated amp. Will this pose any danger to the preamp inside my amp? I don't hear any distortion and the amp sounds punchier at the higher voltage.
Thanks, this worked great! Now I'm finally struggling to hear the differences between both (as expected), but will keep trying
1, Yes.
2, Usually no. But...I just check on the manual of Marantz Model 30, it only takes in 220mV for the line input. So I'm not sure. If you hear any difference after volume matching(you have to volume match), then it must be distortion from the preamp.
Thanks John... So are you saying that I should use the 4v setting with my Marantz amp? Or that it doesn't matter? - I only 'think' I'm hearing a volume increase. I'm probably imagining it.
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If 4V works then I don't think we need to worry further. But according to the spec, you probably should attenuate 30dB on the DAC.
I suggest direct connecting D90se to the power amp section.
Thanks John! - So since I'm new at this please let me ask you how to do this... You mean I should use the DAC's preamp and set it to a certain value? - So how do I then change volume after decreasing to 30db? - Could you please tell me what to do. Thank you very much.
Ok forget the second part about connect directly.
What I meant was according to Marantz's spec, theoretically you probably should attenuate the DAC 30dB-40dB before going to the preamp.
Thanks for clarifying John... So you mean 'theoretically' not that I would actually do it, right? - So then what would be your final recommendation with the D90SE and the Marantz Model 30? - Use the DAC's preamp or Marantz preamp? 4v or 5 v? - Thanks, and I won't ask anymore questions tonight. (Toronto Canada)
Without actually measuring it, I wouldn't have a definitive answer.
In the end if you can enjoy the music with the system then it's not doing it wrong.
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