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Review and Measurements of New Topping D50s DAC

Thanks BDWoody ... I do use headphones but it's hard to say how good it sounds ... I have no other source (only the HP laptop) to compare.
I'm actually planning to do an entire system upgrade.

Currently I have:
The HP Notebook Mini running Windows 7 Starter.
JRiver Media Centre Version 19 (which I find quite satisfactory) plays my ripped CDs (FLAC) and downloaded high res files.
Spotify Premium
NAD 1755 receiver (early 80s model)
Krix Equinox speakers on stands
Grado SR80 headphones

I enjoy the functionality of this setup. It's easy enough to load new files/albums onto the notebook with a usb stick. Navigating the JRiver interface using a mouse and small display is intuitive and just "works". Spotify takes forever to load and generally runs frustratingly slow on the notebook but no big deal really.
My main motivation for upgrading is that I suspect this setup is not doing justice to the sound potential of the speakers. I've been "making do" for financial reasons but have recently managed to accumulate roughly $4000USD for a new system. A computer/usb or at least digital based system is what I'm after ... no desire or motivation for physically dealing with spinning discs of any sort.
I suspect that the weakest link in terms of the current system's sound quality is the headphone jack/RCA receiver inputs thing ... and probably the listening room acoustics but that is more or less unchangeable.
So that has brought me to considering an external DAC ... to at least exclude that as a potential Sound quality inhibitor.
The research process had me getting close to settling on a Schiit Gungnir Multibit. But that's a big chunk of the budget and based entirely on reviews. I have no opportunity to audition Schiit products (or other DACs for that matter) where I live.
Hence the interest in something more affordable.
I've had the opportunity to listen to my speakers connected to a Cambridge CX series streamer/CD transport/amp combo at my local hifi store. They sounded great but I'm not sure a streamer is for me. I also heard a pair of PMC Twenty. 22 speakers hooked to the Cambridge equipment while I was there and they sounded fantastic to my ears. Quite a bit richer and clearer than my Krix pair. Which encourages me to think that gains can be made within my budget.
 
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If i bought this can I use my sony phone as transport using Ldac? Sony Xz - d50s - head amp - audeze.?
Basically losing the raspberry pi digione transport?

H
 
^
Don't know about that specific phone but my Oppo works fine as a source for D50. I have used Tidal app.
 
gregmacc said:
Thanks BDWoody ... I do use headphones but it's hard to say how good it sounds ... I have no other source (only the HP laptop) to compare.
I'm actually planning to do an entire system upgrade.

Currently I have:
The HP Notebook Mini running Windows 7 Starter.
JRiver Media Centre Version 19 (which I find quite satisfactory) plays my ripped CDs (FLAC) and downloaded high res files.
Spotify Premium
NAD 1755 receiver (early 80s model)
Krix Equinox speakers on stands
Grado SR80 headphones

I enjoy the functionality of this setup. It's easy enough to load new files/albums onto the notebook with a usb stick. Navigating the JRiver interface using a mouse and small display is intuitive and just "works". Spotify takes forever to load and generally runs frustratingly slow on the notebook but no big deal really.
My main motivation for upgrading is that I suspect this setup is not doing justice to the sound potential of the speakers. I've been "making do" for financial reasons but have recently managed to accumulate roughly $4000USD for a new system. A computer/usb or at least digital based system is what I'm after ... no desire or motivation for physically dealing with spinning discs of any sort.
I suspect that the weakest link in terms of the current system's sound quality is the headphone jack/RCA receiver inputs thing ... and probably the listening room acoustics but that is more or less unchangeable.
So that has brought me to considering an external DAC ... to at least exclude that as a potential Sound quality inhibitor.
The research process had me getting close to settling on a Schiit Gungnir Multibit. But that's a big chunk of the budget and based entirely on reviews. I have no opportunity to audition Schiit products (or other DACs for that matter) where I live.
Hence the interest in something more affordable.
I've had the opportunity to listen to my speakers connected to a Cambridge CX series streamer/CD transport/amp combo at my local hifi store. They sounded great but I'm not sure a streamer is for me. I also heard a pair of PMC Twenty. 22 speakers hooked to the Cambridge equipment while I was there and they sounded fantastic to my ears. Quite a bit richer and clearer than my Krix pair. Which encourages me to think that gains can be made within my budget.
Click to expand...

I would almost suggest something like the dx3, which would give you a nice clean signal to your receiver, and would also give you a really good headphone amp. They are under $200 or so.

For just a DAC, the new D50s looks very good, has bluetooth and a remote, and is a little more but same ballpark price. No headphone amp. You don't need to spend a lot on a DAC to get top level performance.
 
^^
I have D50 ( = usb ), but D50S is on it's way and i should get it in a few days.
 
Yes, I am an admitted novice ...I have an ORB Audio Mod2 system in family room for TV and casual listening. The D50s indicates compatibility with Android (I have Pixel 3) and was wondering if I can go from USB-C to the coax and see appreciable improvements. I am currently running AQ Dragonfly Red into ORB aux. Is the Android compatibility only to Bluetooth inclusion? I tried hooking up to D50...no signal whatsoever.
Many thanks in advance!
 
BDWoody said:
I would almost suggest something like the dx3, which would give you a nice clean signal to your receiver, and would also give you a really good headphone amp. They are under $200 or so.

For just a DAC, the new D50s looks very good, has bluetooth and a remote, and is a little more but same ballpark price. No headphone amp. You don't need to spend a lot on a DAC to get top level performance.
Click to expand...

I can't say I have much need for Bluetooth or a headphone amp so the D50 would probably suffice ... or even the D30 perhaps? ... how does it's sound compare with the D50?
 
gregmacc said:
I can't say I have much need for Bluetooth or a headphone amp so the D50 would probably suffice ... or even the D30 perhaps? ... how does it's sound compare with the D50?
Click to expand...

I would say then that the D30 would be a great choice. They each will give exemplary performance, and would be almost impossible to distinguish between under any listening conditions. That's true of virtually all competent DAC's. Computers can have issues that relate more to the power supply and the rest of the signal chain, not with the DAC itself in the computer.
 
Nice! Just bought one on the Drop. Also picked up a JDS Atom and a pair of Sennheiser 6XX. Can't wait!
 
Arrived today along with P50 power supply - definitely sounds less "humpy" than Khadas Tone Board.

but when listening to whale song something seems to be missing...

D50S, D50 & Atom.jpg
 
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BDWoody said:
I would say then that the D30 would be a great choice. They each will give exemplary performance, and would be almost impossible to distinguish between under any listening conditions. That's true of virtually all competent DAC's. Computers can have issues that relate more to the power supply and the rest of the signal chain, not with the DAC itself in the computer.
Click to expand...

I do not hear any noise/interferance issue on my PC sound card ( sound blaster z ) would getting the D50S still give me a distinguishable audio quality improvement?
 
EarlZ said:
I do not hear any noise/interferance issue on my PC sound card ( sound blaster z ) would getting the D50S still give me a distinguishable audio quality improvement?
Click to expand...

Honestly...Probably not.
 
ripvw said:
Arrived today along with P50 power supply - definitely sounds less "humpy" than Khadas Tone Board.

but when listening to whale song something seems to be missing...
Click to expand...

The hump is missing.
 
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