Review and Measurements of New Topping D50s DAC

[Toku]

The features of Topping's new D50 lll are that in addition to the 12V trigger, the remote control is now BT wireless instead of infrared, and it is equipped with a 10-band EQ.
Furthermore, the IC chips used are the latest version ES9039Q2M and XMOS XU-316. MQA continues to be excluded.
Personally, I'm attracted to the small but heavy cases of the D50 series, which are CNC-machined from aluminum blocks.
The control is a small joystick that seems unreliable at first glance, but from my experience with the D50/D50s, it's very easy to operate.

 

[Jimster480]

The features of Topping's new D50 lll are that in addition to the 12V trigger, the remote control is now BT wireless instead of infrared, and it is equipped with a 10-band EQ.
Furthermore, the IC chips used are the latest version ES9039Q2M and XMOS XU-316. MQA continues to be excluded.
Personally, I'm attracted to the small but heavy cases of the D50 series, which are CNC-machined from aluminum blocks.
The control is a small joystick that seems unreliable at first glance, but from my experience with the D50/D50s, it's very easy to operate.

Outside of the EQ I am not sure if there would be a reason to upgrade from an original D50S because the performance wouldn't matter. Anyone who needs a 12V Trigger wouldn't be using a D50S anyway I would imagine but it does expand the market of where these products can be used.

 

[Awesome Donkey]

Topping has announced the release of new models D50 lll and A50 lll, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they evolve.
D50 III and A50 III are priced at US$229 and US$199.

If the D50 III's ASIO driver supported exclusive mode for PCM, this would be an instant buy for me.

 

[Human Bass]

You forgot the best part imo: the balanced output

The features of Topping's new D50 lll are that in addition to the 12V trigger, the remote control is now BT wireless instead of infrared, and it is equipped with a 10-band EQ.
Furthermore, the IC chips used are the latest version ES9039Q2M and XMOS XU-316. MQA continues to be excluded.
Personally, I'm attracted to the small but heavy cases of the D50 series, which are CNC-machined from aluminum blocks.
The control is a small joystick that seems unreliable at first glance, but from my experience with the D50/D50s, it's very easy to operate.

 

[srkbear]

Outside of the EQ I am not sure if there would be a reason to upgrade from an original D50S because the performance wouldn't matter. Anyone who needs a 12V Trigger wouldn't be using a D50S anyway I would imagine but it does expand the market of where these products can be used.

I think the EQ is quite a thing with this unit! I’ve been aching for a DAC that has some simple tone modeling other than the RME—I already have an amp and don’t need a second one. What I can’t seem to confirm is whether this is a DSP or ASP EQ—if it’s the latter I’m hoping that they’ll implement this tech into a unit with XLR outputs and I2S, both of which I use. If only they’d upgrade my d90se with this feature, dammit!

 

[srkbear]

I think it’s awfully interesting how Topping, SMSL et al have been eschewing MQA of late. The cynic in me wonders how beholden to Tidal these DAC manufacturers are—is it a coincidence that now that Tidal has gone FLAC MQA is going by the wayside as well, or is it just because MQA went belly up?

 

[Toku]

If the D50 III's ASIO driver supported exclusive mode for PCM, this would be an instant buy for me.

Exclusive mode settings are made on the PC side, not on the Topping driver side.