Review and Measurements of New Topping D50s DAC

[Gradius]

Well, here is the last driver version (v4.86) updated.

It seems the topping's guys are too lazy to update the "FB2K DSD Components" folder so I did anyway.

I also added Release Notes, as they are very important since you can see what changed, added, and implemented.

The driver is from July 7, 2020 and it was recently made public by topping.

Enjoy:
https://mega.nz/file/b0gjBbCR#RQSIiMAFYKZxzcRSc5L2CnSh61J64xrN5Gj0akdbGgU

Digital Signature:
Thesycon Software Solutions GmbH & Co. KG
‎Tuesday, ‎July ‎7, ‎2020 3:24:18 AM

 

[kkeretic]

Well, here is the last driver version (v4.86) updated.
It seems the topping's guys are too lazy to update the "FB2K DSD Components" folder so I did anyway.

As stated in the SACD plugin changelog, the last version that supports direct DSD for ASIO is 0.9.6. Since version 0.9.7 both of my Topping DACs (D50s and D70) behave in such a way that when changing PCM audio tracks of higher frequencies or DSD tracks, a different frequency is displayed for a moment on the screen of the device and then changed to the real frequency of the track that is playing. This also causes occasional pops when changing tracks on the D70 and also unnecessary screen wake-up on the D50. So I am still on version 0.9.6 that works flawlessly. Not a single pop or screen wake-up with this version. So I do not intend to update any time soon.

 

[Gradius]

As stated in the SACD plugin changelog, the last version that supports direct DSD for ASIO is 0.9.6. Since version 0.9.7 both of my Topping DACs (D50s and D70) behave in such a way that when changing PCM audio tracks of higher frequencies or DSD tracks...

Which plug in?

I use HQplayer for anything related to DSD/SACD, so I never had such problem.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Which plug in?

I use HQplayer for anything related to DSD/SACD, so I never had such problem.

The FB2K DSD component you "updated".

 

[kkeretic]

Which plug in?

foo_input_sacd

 

[beanxinh]

Don't know if this is the right play to ask but I have a problem.
Today for the first time I used the D50s with Bluetooth input connect the D50s with Android 10 phone (Xperia XZ premium) and I couldn't adjust the volume using the volume control on the phone. I didn't encounter that issue with other Bluetooth dongle.
So are there anyway to fix that?
Thanks.

 

[Jimbob54]

Don't know if this is the right play to ask but I have a problem.
Today for the first time I used the D50s with Bluetooth input connect the D50s with Android 10 phone (Xperia XZ premium) and I couldn't adjust the volume using the volume control on the phone. I didn't encounter that issue with other Bluetooth dongle.
So are there anyway to fix that?
Thanks.

If you look at the other volume sliders in android , is one of them BT?

 

[beanxinh]

If you look at the other volume sliders in android , is one of them BT?

Yes it showed the Bluetooth icon but slide it changed nothing.

 

[Gradius]

foo_input_sacd

This is odd because the light use I have with foobar (before HQplayer) and SACD got no problems at all.

 

[kkeretic]

This is odd because the light use I have with foobar (before HQplayer) and SACD got no problems at all.

As I wrote before, the SACD plugin since version 0.9.7 do not support/output native DSD, it actually outputs DoP. It is obvious, at least with both of my Topping DACs and numerous different computer/laptop/Topping driver/FB2K version & plugin combinations including DSDTranscoder, ASIOProxy or SACD plugin DSD Processor, that these Topping DACs react to DoP as I described before. While this actually do not represent a problem, it is rather a slight annoyance.

 

[LarryRS]

Please excuse me if this has been mentioned in a previous post and I missed it. I am using Roon on an iMac running Catalina 10.15.6 with a D50s connected via USB, No matter what the resolution of the file that is playing, the D50s display always says 44.1KHz. I'm sure that the computer is capable of outputting different resolutions because the indicator lights on my Dragonfly Red report higher resolutions. Does anyone have any idea what the issue is? I have tried changing the resolution through the D50s menus but to no avail. Thanks i advance for any information/insight/advice.

 

[Veri]

Please excuse me if this has been mentioned in a previous post and I missed it. I am using Roon on an iMac running Catalina 10.15.6 with a D50s connected via USB, No matter what the resolution of the file that is playing, the D50s display always says 44.1KHz. I'm sure that the computer is capable of outputting different resolutions because the indicator lights on my Dragonfly Red report higher resolutions. Does anyone have any idea what the issue is? I have tried changing the resolution through the D50s menus but to no avail. Thanks i advance for any information/insight/advice.

You need to open the MIDI configuration panel in OSX. There you can set your OS rate.

 

[LarryRS]

Thanks very much. I set it to 192 - which is the highest I ever use. It reflected that when I played a 192KHz file. It stayed at 192 when I played a source that Roon reported to be a CD. So I assume the D50s display shows the maximum available rather than reflecting the source.

 

[Veri]

Thanks very much. I set it to 192 - which is the highest I ever use. It reflected that when I played a 192KHz file. It stayed at 192 when I played a source that Roon reported to be a CD. So I assume the D50s display shows the maximum available rather than reflecting the source.

It's more complicated than that, what you'd need is a player to dynamically switch the fed sample rate for each varying file. But honestly, OSX has a very good resampler and setting it at the highest you'd need is perfectly fine. On windows the resampler is a little worse and I'd recommend native rates.

 

[LarryRS]

I see. I just kind of assumed the D50s would detect the file parameters and adjust accordingly. Thanks again.

 

[Veri]

I see. I just kind of assumed the D50s would detect the file parameters and adjust accordingly. Thanks again.

The D50s just decodes what it is fed, it's the software that needs to adjust accordingly the most audiophile approach is to use an "exclusive mode" player using WASAPI(windows) or ASIO, on OSX there is something like BitPerfect for iTunes if I recall correctly. But honestly simply setting it to your highest required rate saves you a lot of headaches.

 

[LarryRS]

Avoiding headaches is always a good thing. I think I'll stick with that strategy for now.

 

[Awesome Donkey]

I suppose there isn't a way to force exclusive ASIO for PCM for this Topping DAC, is there?

on OSX there is something like BitPerfect for iTunes if I recall correctly. But honestly simply setting it to your highest required rate saves you a lot of headaches.

On macOS you can use CoreAudio in exclusive mode if the media player you're using supports it, and it works for bit-perfect audio output.

 

[kkeretic]

I suppose there isn't a way to force exclusive ASIO for PCM for this Topping DAC, is there?

It seems so.

 

[LarryRS]

OK. That's helpful. Does the D50s support the use of CoreAudio in exclusive mode? I have set Room to use exclusive mode but, regardless of what is being played the display reads PCM 192KHz. I'm working with an analog mind - much more comfortable adjusting azimuth.