Review and Measurements of New Topping D50s DAC

[Awesome Donkey]

Yes, CoreAudio in exclusive mode works for me using JRiver Media Center 26 on macOS. Both PCM and DSD (via DoP) works just fine this way. Not sure about Roon, I've never used it before.

I'm guessing you set 192 kHz as the default in the Audio MIDI Setup app in macOS?

It seems so.

Bummer. I guess I'll keep using WASAPI exclusive then.

 

[LarryRS]

Yes, CoreAudio in exclusive mode works for me using JRiver Media Center 26 on macOS. Both PCM and DSD (via DoP) works just fine this way. Not sure about Roon, I've never used it before.

I'm guessing you set 192 kHz as the default in the Audio MIDI Setup app in macOS?


Yes, I did. Should it be set differently for the D50s to accurately reflect the input? The documentation for the D50s is less than detailed.

 

[Awesome Donkey]

Personally, I have the default set to 32-bit/44.1 kHz in Audio MIDI Setup.

I also tested and went through multiple types of content (16/44.1, 24/48, 24/96, 24/192 and DSD64 via DoP) in JRiver Media Center 26 with CoreAudio (exclusive mode enabled) and can verify the media player is outputting the audio correctly. The DAC's LCD display also displays the correct sample rates when switching between the different types of content, so it's not doing any resampling.

If the DAC's LCD always says 192 kHz when playing back media in Roon, chances are it's resampling it somewhere, and you may need to double check your settings (which settings, I don't know, as I've never used Roon).

 

[ado]

Any one using the Topping P50 linear power supply with this DAC? I see a mention of the ground loop and using transformers. I compared this setup with the RME ADI-2 and could not detect any audible differences in sound using various flac and DSD files in various sample rates. It’s an awesome DAC! Thank you for the review and measurements.

 

[Racheski]

Any one using the Topping P50 linear power supply with this DAC? I see a mention of the ground loop and using transformers. I compared this setup with the RME ADI-2 and could not detect any audible differences in sound using various flac and DSD files in various sample rates. It’s an awesome DAC! Thank you for the review and measurements.

I have in the past and had no issues with ground loops. Amp was A50.

 

[RaphTim]

If I do not need bluetooth do you think the topping E30 would be a better choice for me ?

 

[raistlin65]

If I do not need bluetooth do you think the topping E30 would be a better choice for me ?

Or the D10S if you don't need optical input. Save another $30. They're also accurate, they're all going to sound the same.

 

[Sukie]

Or the D10S if you don't need optical input. Save another $30. They're also accurate, they're all going to sound the same.

No remote with the D10s. Not essential but might be useful. SQ is the same with D50s/E30/D10s.

 

[Toku]

If I do not need bluetooth do you think the topping E30 would be a better choice for me ?

I think the choice is good.
I bought multiple E30s and sold off the D50s and DX3Pro.

 

[RaphTim]

I think the choice is good.
I bought multiple E30s and sold off the D50s and DX3Pro.

Thanks for the assurance ! Still wonder why people spends so much money on high-end DAC

 

[RaphTim]

Or the D10S if you don't need optical input. Save another $30. They're also accurate, they're all going to sound the same.

I'd need optical so I think E30 fits the bill

 

[frogmeat69]

The E30 will be just as good. It even measures a hair better than the D50s in SINAD, not that you will notice. And for $120 less, you should notice that, .

 

[Gradius]

Well D50s uses BT5 (CSR8675) and is still expensive.

E30 has no BT.

Besides, D50s uses 2x ESS ES9038Q2M, while E30 uses a single AK4493EQ.

There are other small differences too. So there you have the price difference.

 

[tsine]

Hi to the community .A newbe here.
I read debatable posts in forums about op amp rolling .

I am thinking of trying it my self so I can get some kind of better vocals (more forward in a sense lucking currently ) out of my d50s but keeping bass and high as detailed as they are .

I see many good review about sparkos .But for an experiment 70+ euro is very risky .

I would like your suggestion on some of the more budget options like muse 8920 / 8820 or opa1622 or muse 02(arround 30 euro) . That is my price range I willing to invest for experimentation .

Also is there a posibility of ringing or other unexpected behavior .
In other post they are saying that op amp rolling should only take place in addition with a scope to do percise measurments of before and after, so that you know the difference you hear is not from incopatability or something else . Also they say op amp effect has a positive or negative effect in the surrounding circuit because it was build specificaly for the op amp installed by the factory.

Any suggestion or explanation would be helpful

 

[kkeretic]

I read debatable posts in forums about op amp rolling .
I am thinking of trying it my self so I can get some kind of better vocals (more forward in a sense lucking currently ) out of my d50s but keeping bass and high as detailed as they are .

Honestly? Save the money and forget about opamp rolling. The D50s is already transparent dac that reproduces sound accurately. With opamp rolling all you will do is color the sound, also possibly introduce distortions and disrupt its linearity in frequency response. Believe me, was there, luckily learned a lesson by following this forum. Now couldn't be happier with this little dac in its stock form. Search for better recorded music or try to use equalizers if you don't like the sound.

 

[Killingbeans]

I am thinking of trying it my self so I can get some kind of better vocals (more forward in a sense lucking currently ) out of my d50s but keeping bass and high as detailed as they are .

Sounds like EQ'ing? Why use a hammer for a spanner's job?

IMO, op-amp rolling is for tinkering and nothing more. Definitely not for SQ.

In other post they are saying that op amp rolling should only take place in addition with a scope to do percise measurments of before and after, so that you know the difference you hear is not from incopatability or something else . Also they say op amp effect has a positive or negative effect in the surrounding circuit because it was build specificaly for the op amp installed by the factory.

That's correct. In addition, if you take the time to do op-amp rolling the proper way, you'll quickly realise that there's practically nothing to gain

 

[Toku]

Hi to the community .A newbe here.
I read debatable posts in forums about op amp rolling .

I am thinking of trying it my self so I can get some kind of better vocals (more forward in a sense lucking currently ) out of my d50s but keeping bass and high as detailed as they are .

I see many good review about sparkos .But for an experiment 70+ euro is very risky .

I would like your suggestion on some of the more budget options like muse 8920 / 8820 or opa1622 or muse 02(arround 30 euro) . That is my price range I willing to invest for experimentation .

Also is there a posibility of ringing or other unexpected behavior .
In other post they are saying that op amp rolling should only take place in addition with a scope to do percise measurments of before and after, so that you know the difference you hear is not from incopatability or something else . Also they say op amp effect has a positive or negative effect in the surrounding circuit because it was build specificaly for the op amp installed by the factory.

Any suggestion or explanation would be helpful

I tried the MUSE series on other devices instead of the D50 / D50s. Immediately after the replacement, I had the impression that something had improved, but when I returned to the original OP amplifier, I realized that nothing had changed.
I tried several other op amps, but my conclusion was the same.
Maybe you're just like me who wouldn't be convinced if you didn't experience it yourself. So please try the replacement. The MUSE series is not very expensive.

 

[tsine]

Honestly? Save the money and forget about opamp rolling. The D50s is already transparent dac that reproduces sound accurately. With opamp rolling all you will do is color the sound, also possibly introduce distortions and disrupt its linearity in frequency response. Believe me, was there, luckily learned a lesson by following this forum. Now couldn't be happier with this little dac in its stock form. Search for better recorded music or try to use equalizers if you don't like the sound.

Honestly? Save the money and forget about opamp rolling. The D50s is already transparent dac that reproduces sound accurately. With opamp rolling all you will do is color the sound, also possibly introduce distortions and disrupt its linearity in frequency response. Believe me, was there, luckily learned a lesson by following this forum. Now couldn't be happier with this little dac in its stock form. Search for better recorded music or try to use equalizers if you don't like the sound.

Did you managed to fix somehow maybe eq the Vocals ?
Mostly in rock music and hard rock like AC/DC , QUEENS , ERIC CLAPTON the vocals are not very pronounced (compared to dac magic 100 with the same surrounding equipment ).
I will say "inaudable " in some cases .
That is my problem so far ,pushing me to op amp rolling

Also in many elvis presley songs i can report the same.
Likely I bought 2 d50s (one for me and one for another friend) . So I also tried his d50s for comparison and was the same .
Because at first place i tought my unit was broken or something

 

[Killingbeans]

Have you done any in-room measurements? It's not something I've dabbled in myself, so I don't know if it's a good approach. But if something was wrong I wouldn't start trying to fix it without first finding out exactly what the problem was.

 

[tsine]

Have you done any in-room measurements? It's not something I've dabbled in myself, so I don't know if it's a good approach. But if something was wrong I wouldn't start trying to fix it without first finding out exactly what the problem was.

I had the dac magic 100 . Respectable dac .
Currently i am running 2 setups . On my desk office I have Presonus eris 5 and in the leaving room T50 polk audio with an integrated amp denon
With dac magic 100 in both setups the sound was ok Vocal was ok but in my opion was not as detailed.

Now in both setups with the d50s the sound quality is 100% better but vocals are lucking . In the studio monitos Eris 5 the vocal are not so great (not as good as dac magic, alive is the correct word ) also in the leaving room with polk audio T50 in hard rock songs give me the feeling that music organs (electric guitar drams bass guitar etc ) to play be louder than the singer voice making the vocal not as pronounced and detailed.
I went back and forth plugging and unplugging d50s and dac magic 100 and the difference was there.

In the other hand jazz music songs with vocals and pop songs are 100% legit and great sounding .