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Review and Measurements of New Topping D50s DAC

Veri

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maar vertel nu eens hoe klinkt deze dac
DACs aren't complicated. Good DACs are a dime in a dozen. Buy for features, aesthetics, ...

If you want to buy some crazy over-engineered placebo DAC check out magna-hifi stuff like holo spring :rolleyes: this is really just audio jewellery and makes no sense to buy with a rational mind.
 
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tsine

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My first D50S, which I purchased 1.5 years ago, recently died.
I got a new one from the store because it was still under warranty.

I noticed quite a few "improvements" to it.
When you turn on the Dac, it no longer makes the previous click sound.

Also, when changing input, there is no click sound.
Furthermore, when changing inputs, the sounds begin immediately (before I had to wait 1-2sec between inputs to hear music on the speakers)

Another thing to consider is that switching from 384kHz to anything else and vice versa does not produce any strange noises, as many have claimed and as I have experienced.

Also, when pressing keys, the remote was quiet and smooth.
Every button on the remote now makes a very clicky, audible sound.


Is there any chance that they changed it somehow ?
 

Toku

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My first D50S, which I purchased 1.5 years ago, recently died.
I got a new one from the store because it was still under warranty.

I noticed quite a few "improvements" to it.
When you turn on the Dac, it no longer makes the previous click sound.

Also, when changing input, there is no click sound.
Furthermore, when changing inputs, the sounds begin immediately (before I had to wait 1-2sec between inputs to hear music on the speakers)

Another thing to consider is that switching from 384kHz to anything else and vice versa does not produce any strange noises, as many have claimed and as I have experienced.

Also, when pressing keys, the remote was quiet and smooth.
Every button on the remote now makes a very clicky, audible sound.


Is there any chance that they changed it somehow ?
Thank you for reporting the valuable operating status of the D50s. Your report is what I've always wanted to know.
I bought the D50 shortly after its release, but discovered that there was a lot of pop noise when playing PCM 384kHz and immediately reported it to Topping.
I was able to confirm the symptoms with Toppig, but I received a report that it was extremely difficult to take measures. After that, I changed the model to D50s, but the problem of PCM384kHz did not improve.
I was relieved to know that your report has completely resolved the issue.
thanks.
 

Toku

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My first D50S, which I purchased 1.5 years ago, recently died.
I got a new one from the store because it was still under warranty.

I noticed quite a few "improvements" to it.
When you turn on the Dac, it no longer makes the previous click sound.

Also, when changing input, there is no click sound.
Furthermore, when changing inputs, the sounds begin immediately (before I had to wait 1-2sec between inputs to hear music on the speakers)

Another thing to consider is that switching from 384kHz to anything else and vice versa does not produce any strange noises, as many have claimed and as I have experienced.

Also, when pressing keys, the remote was quiet and smooth.
Every button on the remote now makes a very clicky, audible sound.


Is there any chance that they changed it somehow ?
Could you please tell me the first 4 digits of your new D50s serial number?
 

skyfly

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Does your D50s make popping sound on speaker (not the mechanical relay sound inside the chassis) when you change from a song in 44.1 X n to a song in 48 X n or vice versa in Audirvana?

When I send the digital audio to my computer monitor, there is no popping noise when sample rate changes. So I think the cause is D50s, not Audirvana.
 

Toku

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Does your D50s make popping sound on speaker (not the mechanical relay sound inside the chassis) when you change from a song in 44.1 X n to a song in 48 X n or vice versa in Audirvana?

When I send the digital audio to my computer monitor, there is no popping noise when sample rate changes. So I think the cause is D50s, not Audirvana.
With the D50s I was using, switching songs between 44.1 Xn and 48 Xn doesn't cause that symptom. I repeated switching playback tests using 16/24/32bit files from PCM 44.1kHz to 784kHz.

Is the connection to the PC display HDMI?
I think that all the digital audio signals to the PC display were resampled to 44.1kHz or 48kHz in the PC and output fixedly. Therefore, it is not output at the sampling rate being played on the PC.
From my experience, I think the cause is Audirvana.

However, my understanding may be wrong.
 

tsine

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Does your D50s make popping sound on speaker (not the mechanical relay sound inside the chassis) when you change from a song in 44.1 X n to a song in 48 X n or vice versa in Audirvana?

When I send the digital audio to my computer monitor, there is no popping noise when sample rate changes. So I think the cause is D50s, not Audirvana.
where the serial number is located?
 

tsine

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Does your D50s make popping sound on speaker (not the mechanical relay sound inside the chassis) when you change from a song in 44.1 X n to a song in 48 X n or vice versa in Audirvana?

When I send the digital audio to my computer monitor, there is no popping noise when sample rate changes. So I think the cause is D50s, not Audirvana.
no this is not happening any more . Previously i had popping noise and also relay noise .

But now I don't . For the Relay noise I can hear a very very silent click if I put my hear very close to the dac . Previously I could hear it from my chair on the desk easily (Or my hearing got bad or they changed something in the relay)
 

skyfly

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With the D50s I was using, switching songs between 44.1 Xn and 48 Xn doesn't cause that symptom. I repeated switching playback tests using 16/24/32bit files from PCM 44.1kHz to 784kHz.

Is the connection to the PC display HDMI?
I think that all the digital audio signals to the PC display were resampled to 44.1kHz or 48kHz in the PC and output fixedly. Therefore, it is not output at the sampling rate being played on the PC.
From my experience, I think the cause is Audirvana.

However, my understanding may be wrong.

Thanks. Yes, the PC display is accepting HDMI or Displayport. Yes, the cause is Audirvana.

I thought I posted that the issue was resolved by editing my post, but I don't see it. Perhaps, there was internet connection issue when I edited my post.

The cause is Audirvada's SoX upsampling. I had Sox upsampling on. So D50s made popping sound when I change from a 48 X n song to a 44.1 X n song.

The PC monitor accepts signals up to 48kHz. Thus, even when Sox upsampling was on, Sox upsampling did not operate, I guess. Hence, no popping sound on the speakers on the PC monitor.

With SoX upsampling on Audirvana disabled, I do not hear popping sound on speakers through D50s when I change from an 48 X n song to a 44.1 X n song. I tested with a 96 kHz song from Linn records, a 88.2 kHz song from Linn records, and a 44.1 kHz song.
 

skyfly

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no this is not happening any more . Previously i had popping noise and also relay noise .

But now I don't . For the Relay noise I can hear a very very silent click if I put my hear very close to the dac . Previously I could hear it from my chair on the desk easily (Or my hearing got bad or they changed something in the relay)

Thank you. I think mine is after some updates. Of course, there may be further updates after mine was manufactured.
 

doug2761

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Something between the words tells me it's about clock. And perhaps it's using the "low performance" mode or something to get rid of imd hump.
I'm curious that why the noise floor and ps noise is much higher than d50.
There was a thread on the ESS hump topic that had a lot of technical discussion on the solution. Suggest searching and checking that out. In that thread the solution was changing around the value of a few passive components. A hardware solution. The audibility of the hump is quite remote. I'm enjoying my Khadas Tone1 on my office headphone rig. Can't hear any difference between it and my RME ADI 2 using an AKM chip on my living room setup.
 
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Hi all,

Just in case this info is of use... I've been a happy owner of a D50s for 18 months or so. Only used it with optical and USB input as a desktop solution until a few days ago when I decided to add an old mini LG Bluray player to play standard CDs via coaxial. I used a good quality, dedicated coaxial cable but the audio (playing a standard CD) was very unstable, dropping out every few seconds. A search suggested I'm not the only one with a D50s experiencing coaxial connection issues. However, I read that a different cable may solve the issue. I was scpetical, but tried some RCA cables I had to hand (including name brand ones) for the coaxial connection and no signal came through at all (I tried disconnecting, connecting, etc). Then I tried a cheap, short (60cm, shorter than the others) 'Primewire' RCA cable (purchased from Amazon) as a coaxial cable from the same LG player to the D50s and it's working flawlessly! Woohoo! :)
 

JClarkw

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New Issue (I think): My D50s had been working fine for about a year and a half (except for the display, which has gradually become hard to read, but that's not much of a problem). Today, after moving the unit around some and reconnecting it to a new preamp, I suddenly started having trouble getting it to stay on. First I'd press the front-panel button and it would start up but then drop out again in a few seconds. Now it won't turn on at all. (I had been noticing some music drop-outs that I was blaming on the streaming service, but they became more frequent today before it simply shut down.)

I'm wondering if others have had failures with this unit so soon and whether there is any hope of getting repair service from Topping. Or would you advise that I simply give up on this and get a new one -- or maybe there's even something better now for comparable price from a more reliable manufacturer? Any advice much appreciated. -- JClarkW
 

JClarkw

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Contact the distributor you got it from or Topping and hear about warranty?
Will do as I get time, but:
1) Is this a company that produces well-made gear (I know their specs are great) and stands behind it?
2) Have others seen this kind of problem with Topping DACs?
-- JClarkW
 

Majestyk

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New Issue (I think): My D50s had been working fine for about a year and a half (except for the display, which has gradually become hard to read, but that's not much of a problem). Today, after moving the unit around some and reconnecting it to a new preamp, I suddenly started having trouble getting it to stay on. First I'd press the front-panel button and it would start up but then drop out again in a few seconds. Now it won't turn on at all. (I had been noticing some music drop-outs that I was blaming on the streaming service, but they became more frequent today before it simply shut down.)

I'm wondering if others have had failures with this unit so soon and whether there is any hope of getting repair service from Topping. Or would you advise that I simply give up on this and get a new one -- or maybe there's even something better now for comparable price from a more reliable manufacturer? Any advice much appreciated. -- JClarkW

It sounds like a power supply issue.
 

JClarkw

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It sounds like a power supply issue.
Majestyk -- When you're right, you're right! I had checked the light on the power supply a couple of times, but when I finally removed the D50s and it's supply (Topping's linear USB box) from my rig and took it to my workbench, I found that the power plug into the supply had worked partially out of its socket, preventing the supply from coming on. (I guess there are just too many connectors in the system.) Easy fix! Thanks much for your suggestion. -- JClarkW
 

lockheed

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Can someone tell me if when D50s is ON and the power is cut to it (plug is pulled out of the socket) and then it is turned back on, does it return to being ON, or defaults to Standby?
If the latter, then does it turn back on automatically if it gets signal through USB?

Also, on a separate note - has someone have an option on how it compares with Topping DX3 Pro+?
 

Gradius

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Can someone tell me if when D50s is ON and the power is cut to it (plug is pulled out of the socket) and then it is turned back on, does it return to being ON, or defaults to Standby?
If the latter, then does it turn back on automatically if it gets signal through USB?

Also, on a separate note - has someone have an option on how it compares with Topping DX3 Pro+?
It returns to ON, and the config/setup remains.

Yes, after receiving signal from USB it will automatically power on.

As for DX3 PRO+, no idea, I never had that one before, only the D50s.
 

JClarkw

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New Problem (with D50s?) -- New high-frequency crackling noise occurs intermittently for a couple of seconds at a time, usually repeating several times over the course of an hour or two's listening. Does this sound familiar to any of you streaming experts?

The signal chain is Qobuz->Verizon Fios->router->wired Ethernet->BlueSound Node 2i->Topping D50s (via digital coax)->preamp->graphic equalizer->power amp->speakers. I've never heard this kind of noise from my CD player, turntable, or FM tuner, all connected to the same preamp, etc. The Node 2i, preamp, equlizer, amp, and speakers are all relatively new. The D50s and digital coax are the oldest links in this chain, having been in service for a few years. (I've reported other anomalies with the D50s here recently, but they were all resolved satisfactorily.)

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately!) the noise only occurs occasionally and (so far as I can tell) unpredictably, so I haven't been able to troubleshoot effectively. It can be an hour or more before the noise occurs. Today I tried streaming Qobuz directly from the Node 2i audio outputs to the preamp (bypassing the D50s) for an hour or so. I didn't hear any noise, but then I didn't hear any after I put the D50s back in the loop either for perhaps another half hour.

There are many possible sources of this intermittent noise, including Qobuz itself, the Node 2i, the (high-quality) digital coax link, the D50s itself, and the brand new (also high-quality) RCA cables from it to the preamp. If anyone can suggest a likely culprit and an appropriate diagnostic technique, I'm eager to isolate this issue. -- JClarkW
 
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