Topping DM7 8-Channel DAC Review

[MacCali]

How do you propose an SPDIF signal to transfer 8-ch from your TV? Where is that "huge miss" please enlighten us.

connect it to your tv, which has spdif out? would it not decode the sound from the tv or something? am I missing something here. I do know you cant get more than 5 channels from your tv, but that would a quick convenient set up, correct me if im wrong I am not an audio expert[clearly]

 

[MacCali]

For all of you wanting this to be the DAC 8 Pro, I will be selling mine as soon as I integrate my DM7 and burn in the 6" TRS to XLR cables for a few hundred hours to lift the Topping veil, widen the sound stage and get the USB to work on my Amiga.

​

I got two avr's, but I am a measurement chaser so if this was far simpler I would of went this route real quick.

 

[mdsimon2]

I read the first 5 pages and gave up LOL, I see what you are saying. Seems like a mission from hell when you can basically get an AVR for around 1000 with all these features yet not the same measured performance, like a denon

That is fair, signal to noise ratio in this thread is not exactly high.

To me a multichannel DAC is great if you want a stereo system, whether that is 2.1, 2.2 or active 3 way + sub. This is very easy to do with a stereo SPDIF source as mentioned previously.

A multichannel DAC as an AVR replacement gets very complicated and expensive in a hurry and I don't think it is worth it. If you are starting from a LPCM HDMI source you can do it for around $2000 with a Meridian HD621 (~$600 used) + U-DIO8 ($400) + DM7 ($600) + RPi4 ($55). However if you are starting from a Dolby 5.1 / 7.1 source I do not know of a good way to decode it and turn it in to 4x AES / SPDIF, maybe someone more knowledgeable in that area knows of something but I am sure it won't be cheap.

Michael

 

[Trell]

How do you propose an SPDIF signal to transfer 8-ch from your TV? Where is that "huge miss" please enlighten us.

If only TVs had ADAT as 8 channels of 24 bits 48 kHz is plenty.

 

[mdsimon2]

About how long did it take you to learn that? and your source is a PC?

Haha far too long but you can learn from my mistakes. Although I've used DSP for 15+ years I had avoided software DSP as I didn't like the idea of being tied to a computer. But with CamillaDSP on a RPi4 you can setup something that is very reliable, works with all sorts of different sources and basically acts just like a standalone DSP.

With the DDRC-24 it actually doesn't work with a PC as source but the DDRC-24 also has TOSLINK and analog inputs which work great.

This thread has some info on how the DDRC-24 / M4 setup works -> https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s-usb-port-as-output.19976/page-2#post-851178. Basic signal path is stereo TOSLINK (or analog) source -> DDRC-24 -> bi-directional USB -> RPi4 running CamillaDSP -> multichannel USB DAC. The link in my signature has info on how to setup CamillaDSP on a RPI4.

If you want more info feel free to shoot me a PM.

Michael

 

[mdsimon2]

If only TVs had ADAT as 8 channels of 24 bits 48 kHz is plenty.

This would be awesome. Or if a cheap HDMI to ADAT converter existed.

Michael

 

[sarumbear]

am I missing something here.

Yes, you have no idea why this device exists even though you feel you can critique it.

 

[edechamps]

connect it to your tv, which has spdif out? would it not decode the sound from the tv or something? am I missing something here. I do know you cant get more than 5 channels from your tv, but that would a quick convenient set up, correct me if im wrong I am not an audio expert[clearly]

It's problematic. You can't even get 6-channel lossless PCM using S/PDIF - you have to use lossy compression (e.g. Dolby Digital a.k.a AC3). Technically that works, but ugh. I mean, come on, it's 2022, why should I settle for a transport medium from the 90's that requires lossy compression over 1 meter of cable?

To add insult to injury, if the content is not already encoded in one of these lossy formats (e.g. video games always work in PCM), the source has to lossy-encode it on-the-fly (assuming that's even supported). Again, yikes!

 

[Trell]

It's problematic. You can't even get 6-channel lossless PCM using S/PDIF - you have to use lossy compression (e.g. Dolby Digital a.k.a AC3). Technically that works, but ugh. I mean, come on, it's 2022, why should I settle for a transport medium from the 90's that requires lossy compression over 1 meter of cable?

To add insult to injury, if the content is not already encoded in one of these lossy formats (e.g. video games always work in PCM), the source has to lossy-encode it on-the-fly (assuming that's even supported). Again, yikes!

ADAT, the pro version SPDIF via TOSLINK, supports up to 8 channels 24 bits 48 kHz downto stereo 24 bits 192kHz. Some optical recorders supports both with auto switching. About equally old.

One reason for no consumer adaption of ADAT is copy protection due to multi channel support, I guess.

With ADAT you would’ve a large selection of multi channel audio interfaces or DACs to choose among.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

It supports no codecs or subwoofer filtering. You have to do all of in the host computer.

Whatever niche this product fills us thus diminished by around 95%, at a guess.

The vast majority of people who require multi-channel decoding will have Blu-ray Disc/UHD Disc players, or streaming media players, all with HDMI and no USB. The small number who have PC based systems will have a PC with HDMI out. Re-configuring to USB audio out but HDMI picture out will be difficult at best.

Those tech heads who have this facility will almost certainly also have 7.2.1/7.4.1 Atmos systems requiring 10 or 12 channels.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Dirac Live PC suite does not have active crossovers.

DLBC does.

 

[sarumbear]

So many people have no idea what this device is but still they feel confident enough to post on a public forum, dissing the device and making a fool of themselves.

 

[edechamps]

The small number who have PC based systems will have a PC with HDMI out. Re-configuring to USB audio out but HDMI picture out will be difficult at best.

Uh?

On Windows it's literally two clicks to switch the default audio output. In fact the Windows computer I am writing this on uses HDMI for picture but a multichannel USB DAC (similar in principle to the one reviewed) for audio out. Works like a charm.

 

[AudioJester]

Some of you guys have ridiculously complicated signal pathways with way too many devices/boxes.

For an active setup (the main purpose of this multichannel dac) it should be easy:
PC - DM7 - Amps - Speakers. Computer based xovers, dsp, curve presets etc. is way more poweful than dirac. Lots of options as well.

 

[sarumbear]

Re-configuring to USB audio out but HDMI picture out will be difficult at best.

Have you ever used such a computer, or do you assume that to be difficult?

 

[razamanaz]

Now it is the cheapest DAC with a trigger out?

 

[dualazmak]

Don't attempt DIY if you don't know what you are doing.

This is applicable to every audio cabling issue and hence it is not a DM7 issue.

I am wondering whether "correct, safe, acceptable" TRS-to-RCA adaptor or cable, with minus(-) signal line floating (not connected) would be commercially available, or not.

If you know/find such commercially available one (you need to confirm and validate it by a tester, as I suggested), please share the link here in this thread...

 

[Whoareyou]

I am wondering whether "correct, safe, acceptable" TRS-to-RCA adaptor or cable, with minus(-) signal line floating (not connected) would be commercially available, or not.

If you know/find such commercially available one (you need to confirm and validate it by a tester, as I suggested), please share the link here in this thread...

Try https://www.proaudiola.com/
If they don't have what you want, they'll make a very good cable for you at reasonable cost.

 

[dualazmak]

@amirm if you still have the device can you spot check the performance with an XLR to RCA converter?

If that would be the case, @amirm should use "correct, safe, acceptable" TRS-to-RCA adaptor or cable, with minus(-) signal line floating (not connected) as I suggested.

And, we need to know the details of grounding treatment(s) inside DM7 as we have already discussed.

 

[dualazmak]

Try https://www.proaudiola.com/
If they don't have what you want, they'll make a very good cable for you at reasonable cost.

I myself have no intention at all of using DM7 since I have DAC8PRO.

My (and our) discussion on TRS(balanced)-to-RCA(unbalanced) conversion is for rather naive people who would like to use DM7, instead of DAC8PRO, for PC-based DSP (XO/EQ) and multichannel sync DAC processing, and would like to feed analog signals into amplifiers having only unbalanced RCA inputs (no balanced XLR inputs).

Consequently, for those people, "exact link(s)" to fully tested and validated commercially available "correct, safe, acceptable" TRS-to-RCA adaptor or cable, with minus(-) signal line floating (not connected) would be indispensable, I believe.

I assume it would be the best solution if Topping could provide such TRS-to-RCA adaptor produced by Topping for their customers.

Just for our reference, BENCHMARK provides BENCHMARK's XLR(balanced)-to-RCA(unbalanced) cable of minus(-) line floating for their customers.
I also purchased four of Emotiva's short adaptor XLR(balanced)-to-RCA(unbalanced) cable of minus(-) line floating cable which I fully tested and validated that XLR's pin3 mimus(-) line is floating (not connected).

So far, however, I could not find "exact links" to fully tested and validated TRS-to-RCA adaptor or cable, with minus(-) signal line floating (not connected)