new D90 III discrete in preamp mode

[Italian Job]

I need a new dac and thought of getting this one but I owned the D90LE and eventually got rid of it because it was practically unusable in preamp mode.
It had that issue of loud popping noises when sampling rate changed.

Anyone with the d90 III who could please confirm the issue is fixed?

cheers!

 

[Italian Job]

Nobody?

 

[antcollinet]

You probably need to give people more time to see your post than overnight.

Bear in mind the number of members who actually own that particular device will be small (especially given it has not been reviewed here) - and most likely won't be on line ever hour (or even every day).

 

[Italian Job]

I will wait patiently

 

[Roland68]

I need a new dac and thought of getting this one but I owned the D90LE and eventually got rid of it because it was practically unusable in preamp mode.
It had that issue of loud popping noises when sampling rate changed.

Anyone with the d90 III who could please confirm the issue is fixed?

cheers!

This information wouldn't really help you, as there are many D90LE owners who don't have this problem.

Crackling and popping noises when switching inputs and changing volume almost always occur in conjunction with other components in the system. This is partly due to grounding issues, and partly due to the gain and sensitivities of the devices throughout the entire chain.
Balanced cabling can help, but it's not guaranteed.
If the DAC is connected via USB, galvanic isolation can help, for example, using a USB DDC with an optical connection to the DAC, or a USB isolator.
But even that might not solve the problem.

Ultimately, the only way to be sure is to test it in your system.
In my circle of friends and acquaintances, the SMSL D200 hasn't caused any problems so far. In preamplifier mode, this DAC differs primarily in its analog and channel-matched volume control with an additional output stage. Just like a real analog preamplifier.

 

[Jmsent]

I need a new dac and thought of getting this one but I owned the D90LE and eventually got rid of it because it was practically unusable in preamp mode.
It had that issue of loud popping noises when sampling rate changed.

Anyone with the d90 III who could please confirm the issue is fixed?

cheers!

I use my D90III Discrete to directly drive the active crossover on my Linkwitz LX521's. Works fine. Has lots of output. No noise noticed once I upgraded the firmware. I'm sure later units already come with the updated firmware. The bluetooth remote is a bit "wonky" especially at turn on, but it does work and the DAC performs very well. You have the choice of 4 or 5 volt on the balanced output, so plenty of gain, that you can control in half dB steps. I no longer use my Pass XP12 preamp, because I only use streaming these days, and I found the preamp redundant.

 

[Italian Job]

This information wouldn't really help you, as there are many D90LE owners who don't have this problem.

Crackling and popping noises when switching inputs and changing volume almost always occur in conjunction with other components in the system. This is partly due to grounding issues, and partly due to the gain and sensitivities of the devices throughout the entire chain.
Balanced cabling can help, but it's not guaranteed.
If the DAC is connected via USB, galvanic isolation can help, for example, using a USB DDC with an optical connection to the DAC, or a USB isolator.
But even that might not solve the problem.

Ultimately, the only way to be sure is to test it in your system.
In my circle of friends and acquaintances, the SMSL D200 hasn't caused any problems so far. In preamplifier mode, this DAC differs primarily in its analog and channel-matched volume control with an additional output stage. Just like a real analog preamplifier.

Thanks for the insight! I have to say when I reported the issue, at that time many people had moved to a dedicate preamplifier to solve the issue.
I could hear a loud pop wheneven the dac changed sample rate because of a different album, not when changing volume.
I was using short balanced cabling to a marchaudio p262.
I was streaming tidal through USBapp on a Samsung tablet connected via USB to the D90.
Before the topping I had an smsl, and I never had that issue.

 

[Italian Job]

I use my D90III Discrete to directly drive the active crossover on my Linkwitz LX521's. Works fine. Has lots of output. No noise noticed once I upgraded the firmware. I'm sure later units already come with the updated firmware. The bluetooth remote is a bit "wonky" especially at turn on, but it does work and the DAC performs very well. You have the choice of 4 or 5 volt on the balanced output, so plenty of gain, that you can control in half dB steps. I no longer use my Pass XP12 preamp, because I only use streaming these days, and I found the preamp redundant.

That sounds reassuring. Thanks for sharing.

 

[amper42]

There are a lot of DACs you can buy for that amount.
Topping would not be my recommendation.
I had several Topping DACs and sold them due to substandard remotes and poor quality control. I would be more inclined to recommend an RME ADI-2 DAC FS is you can find one on the used market. It's the best DAC/Preamp implementation I have ever used. They are built like a tank and last many years. The Loudness control and the ADI-2 software app provide amazing flexibility not found elsewhere.

 

[Italian Job]

There are a lot of DACs you can buy for that amount.
Topping would not be my recommendation.
I had several Topping DACs and sold them due to substandard remotes and poor quality control. I would be more inclined to recommend an RME ADI-2 DAC FS is you can find one on the used market. It's the best DAC/Preamp implementation I have ever used. They are built like a tank and last many years. The Loudness control and the ADI-2 software app provide amazing flexibility not found elsewhere.

I couldn't agree more. I'm also contemplating to buy a streaming dac with a proper preamp stage like the eversolo A8.
The RME ADI-2 DAC FS would be my first choice! I absolutely love that unit.
I talked to the UK distributor and they told me that its out of production, I couldn't find any anywhere in the UK.

 

[Bisa3d]

Hey @Italian Job - A bit late, and you probably already made a decision, but here's my take.

I have the D90 III Discrete paired with Topping B200s and the CSS Criton 1TD-X. It's a pretty great chain. It gives you a nice, thumby bassline, decent soundstage width and depth, and tons of detail without relying on an artificial treble lift. If you're looking for a natural tone rather than a cold, "analytical" sound, it’s a very good fit. Overall, the DAC's internal preamp mode is pretty serviceable too, with a perfectly black background and no weird noises.

The only thing it slightly misses is midrange weight, as it can sound a bit lean—but that's subjective and likely due to the pairing with the hyper-neutral B200s. It’s a minor nitpick, though. I might pick up a Ladder Bach II preamp during the next sale to flesh that out, but I don't feel any real urgency.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with this setup.

 

[Italian Job]

Hey @Italian Job - A bit late, and you probably already made a decision, but here's my take.

I have the D90 III Discrete paired with Topping B200s and the CSS Criton 1TD-X. It's a pretty great chain. It gives you a nice, thumby bassline, decent soundstage width and depth, and tons of detail without relying on an artificial treble lift. If you're looking for a natural tone rather than a cold, "analytical" sound, it’s a very good fit. Overall, the DAC's internal preamp mode is pretty serviceable too, with a perfectly black background and no weird noises.

The only thing it slightly misses is midrange weight, as it can sound a bit lean—but that's subjective and likely due to the pairing with the hyper-neutral B200s. It’s a minor nitpick, though. I might pick up a Ladder Bach II preamp during the next sale to flesh that out, but I don't feel any real urgency.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with this setup.

Great to hear you're not getting any of those problems, perhaps because you're pairing it with a topping power amplifier?
I owned that model of D90 and eventually had to stick a passive preamp in the chain to stop the popping noise, but I remember loving the way the system sounded.
I didn't know Topping made class AB monoblocks! I recently bought a quad artera, It sounds very sweet and on the warmish side but I could have saved some cash!