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General question re data

DavidM1

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I’m impressed with how many new DACs have essentially flat frequency response measurements, no audible distortion and tremendous dynamic range.

However, a frequent comment in reviews elsewhere is that Topping and SMSL DACs have different characteristic sounds, with Topping being oriented to more high end detail and livelier response and SMSL having more warmth and body, especially around mids and bass.

For DACs that measure almost the same is this simply misguided listening with a dash of expectation bias or is this a legit view of the two product lines?

I’m not trying to stir the pot but I’m genuinely curious about this because I will need to buy a DAC online.
 

Blumlein 88

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Almost surely misguided listening. If distortions are low enough to be a non-issue and FR is flat, then what about the signal is perceptively different? People with these claims can never answer that question.
 

Inner Space

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... with Topping being oriented to more high end detail ...
Bias comes from literally everywhere, even the most subtle detail ... like the brand name. Topping ... *via inevitable linguistic association* = HF emphasis. SMSL, in itself a softer, mellower sound mostly because of the hummed "M" = warmth and body. If the parent company had called the brand "Solid" instead of "Topping", would the scuttlebutt be the same?
 

GXAlan

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This can easily be tested with null testing.

Even the Sony TA-ZH1ES is transparent at -86 dB SINAD to a true digital reference using PK metric.
 

Blumlein 88

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Maybe Topping should ditch numbers. The Topping Serene DAC sounds nice. Or the Topping Placid headphone amp/DAC.

Then you could add numbers or letter. Serene A1, and A2, and A2 improved. So on and so forth.
 
OP
DavidM1

DavidM1

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Thanks.

It seems to me the starting point is blind A/B testing. If listeners can consistently identify a difference with greater than random success then it would point to sound characteristics that are not caught by the current web of measurements.

I’m surprised there aren’t more reviews that do this.
 

ThatGuyYouKnow

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I've heard a lot of DACs and often find myself perplexed by reviewer sentiments. The most recent is someone calling the Topping E70 relatively "soft and smooth," which made me wonder if the reviewer's ears were full of wax that day.

Personally, I've found that mood and how long I've been up can noticeably alter my perception of sound even when using the same equipment. There are many variables in effect.
 

Anonamemouse

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Thanks.

It seems to me the starting point is blind A/B testing. If listeners can consistently identify a difference with greater than random success then it would point to sound characteristics that are not caught by the current web of measurements.

I’m surprised there aren’t more reviews that do this.
There is a good reason this is not done. It would prove that they basically all sound exactly the same.
 
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