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Topping DACs: feature comparison

Semla

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Reading the E50 review made me curious about the many DACs Topping is currently offering, but I couldn't find a good comparison table. There is the review index which lists DACs by SINAD but the differences are unlikely to be audible. So I made a table comparing some of the features and price to help me select one:

index.php


Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a better way to insert a proper table. Links to reviews:
Edit: updated prices - thanks @JohnYang1997!
Edit 2: E30 and D50s have remotes - thanks @holbob!
 

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daftcombo

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Very nice, but if there's no difference between D70 s and D90SE, why the price difference? ;)
 

Eneko

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Cool! As a minor suggestion, I think that for the devices with HP out, it would be very informative to add the output power (instead of Y/N)
 

muslhead

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This is extremely helpful. Thanks for your effort.
This is exactly what topping's marketing dept should be doing to help potential buyers sift through the cluttered and confusing product roadmap (hint hint @JohnYang1997 - well at least he provided some corrections LOL))
 

JohnYang1997

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This is extremely helpful. Thanks for your effort.
This is exactly what topping's marketing dept should be doing to help potential buyers sift through the cluttered and confusing product roadmap (hint hint @JohnYang1997 - well at least he provided some corrections LOL))
We do have that for headphone amps with more details. For DACs, probably would do that in the future. But honestly for most people only care about balanced output or not matters, unlike headphone amplifiers which has more differences.
 

muslhead

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We do have that for headphone amps with more details. For DACs, probably would do that in the future. But honestly for most people only care about balanced output or not matters, unlike headphone amplifiers which has more differences.
Fair enough and i get your reasoning, but my comment was about having it all in one place and accessible for buyers. If not for the list above, i would not have known about ALL the Dacs you have available and would have missed a couple which may or may not have lost you a sale. I had been in marketing for electronic chips (likely ones that you use in your boards) for 20 years and putting a simple list together similar to the one above, especially as the offering grows in size and complexity, helps your customers navigate your products and helps sales. If you have more sales than you need or can support, then my suggestion is moot.
 

JohnYang1997

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Fair enough and i get your reasoning, but my comment was about having it all in one place and accessible for buyers. If not for the list above, i would not have known about ALL the Dacs you have available and would have missed a couple which may or may not have lost you a sale. I had been in marketing for electronic chips (likely ones that you use in your boards) for 20 years and putting a simple list together similar to the one above, especially as the offering grows in size and complexity, helps your customers navigate your products and helps sales. If you have more sales than you need or can support, then my suggestion is moot.
I had been thinking about that. A guide to select the correct product.
 

muslhead

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I had been thinking about that. A guide to select the correct product.
Now that is thinking like a marketing guru, not a guru designer :cool:
And just for that i think i will go buy a d30pro that i did not know about until i saw on @Semla table above
 
OP
Semla

Semla

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I had been thinking about that. A guide to select the correct product.
I'm toying with the idea of creating something like this for the "forum darlings". Specify a headphone, get a list of dac/amp combinations that can drive them at a specified price point and feature set.
 

Lupin

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Very nice, but if there's no difference between D70 s and D90SE, why the price difference? ;)
DAC chips (AKM vs. ESS) and of course most importantly the couple dB SINAD difference ;)
 

muslhead

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I'm toying with the idea of creating something like this for the "forum darlings". Specify a headphone, get a list of dac/amp combinations that can drive them at a specified price point and feature set.
You can set up a subscription fee to access, only $9.99 a month;)
 

HiFidFan

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Thanks OP, very nice effort.

But honestly for most people only care about balanced output or not matters, unlike headphone amplifiers which has more differences.

Is that true?. For those looking to integrate with active monitors/powered speakers more data would be helpful. Don't you personally use iLoud MTM's?

I agree that output power and volume control/knob is very helpful info to be included in a comparison.
 

JohnYang1997

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Thanks OP, very nice effort.



Is that true?. For those looking to integrate with active monitors/powered speakers more data would be helpful. Don't you personally use iLoud MTM's?

I agree that output power and volume control/knob is very helpful info to be included in a comparison.
Yeah. I think people using headphones is already in the majority.
Like I mentioned, I have been thinking about a guide for selection.
During the time the MTM are on my working desk, I was using ADI-2pro. The volume knob is indeed very useful.
Now they are in my bedroom connected to D30pro but volume at fixed -27dB. I now use Spotify on the phone to control volume. A remote would do the job too.
 

Walter

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Most models have a remote. So I think it'd be ok without a knob. But I guess if you prefer a knob, it can be important.
For desktop use, very much so. Remotes are a very poor substitute. They get in the way, the batteries go dead, and I feel ridiculous using one to control a device that is within reach. It is the one and only reason why I was massively disappointed by the otherwise undeniably excellent E30. They are also inconvenient. In all seriousness, next time you receive a phone call at your desk when you are really busy and concentrating on your work and need to quickly turn down the music, see how much time you waste figuring out which pile of papers the remote is under, and then picking it up and finding the volume down or mute button.
 
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HiFidFan

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For desktop use, very much so. Remotes are a very poor substitute. They get in the way, the batteries go dead, and I feel ridiculous using one to control a device that is within reach. It is the one and only reason why I was massively disappointed by the otherwise undeniably excellent E30. They are also inconvenient. In all seriousness, next time you receive a phone call at your desk when you are really busy and concentrating on your work and need to quickly turn down the music, see how much time you waste figuring out which pile of papers the remote is under, and then picking it up and finding the volume down or mute button.

^^^This.

But audio interfaces like Motu or Focusrite exist, albeit with some features I'm not interested in (ADC).
 
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