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Review and Measurements of the Topping D70 DAC

Viper Necklampy

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The Frequency Response:20Hz-20kHz(±0.9dB) has triggered me a little, there is 1dB of loss there, too much for me unfortunately, who know how much it will traslate into 50khz or 100khz?

Also, do you think SMSL D1 would be a little bit better sonically?
 

Viper Necklampy

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Jitter is pretty boring as soon as it hits 'very good' range honestly. As soon as the worst offender spikes are at or under -120dB, they are already below audible jitter!! But if we want to make it a measurement contest here you go.

Fourth place, RME ADI-2 with its proprietary SteadyClock FS. Very clean, note lack of spikes entirely.
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3d place, AK4118 receiver with good clocks as seen in the D70. Spikes visible due to very low noise floor.
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(pretty sure this graph's comment was meant to say -120dB)

Second place, OKTO DAC8 with heavy ESS jitter suppressing using ASRC and once again good clocks. Two tiny blips.
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First place goes to SMSL VMV D1. It has an Altera cyclone FPGA with sole purpose being reclocking, uses the same AccuSilicon clocks as the D70
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-170dB at its lowest point, and very, very clean looking at the replacement board (shown in blue).

But like I started off my post. This is measurebating to the extreme. NONE of all four have any excessive spikes at all! You can't hear this!!
Please sorry my questions, this is an spdif measurement? I'll use optical port mostly, the altera cyclone FPGA from D1 is Also with spdif? And ak4418 from d70 too?
I mean, if jitter shown by you is same with Spdif..
 

Veri

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I'll use optical port mostly, the altera cyclone FPGA from D1 is Also with spdif? And ak4418 from d70 too?
I mean, if jitter shown by you is same with Spdif..
You will need to look at the separate reviews and check if amir did jitter measurement of different inputs.
But on a good DAC it won't matter. AK4418 will have same performance on all its inputs. D1 too...
 

typericey

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Finally got mine and it’s been playing problem free for 5 hours. Trying hard not to wax poetic about how it sounds, but let me just say it’s quite possibly the best DAC I’ve ever heard, better than D50 and certainly better than the *Rotel RA-1572’s built in DAC. Sorry no blind ABX to back it up.

Awesome build quality and the OLED display looks better in person than in photos. Nitpick: remote batteries not included. Will post another update after I spend more time with the unit.

*IMO the Rotel’s DAC is poorly implemented and it’s soo obvious with vocals sounding gritty. Which is unfortunate because the amp is pretty good.
 

777

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A little mod...
 

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Viper Necklampy

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Your using it on filt
Finally got mine and it’s been playing problem free for 5 hours. Trying hard not to wax poetic about how it sounds, but let me just say it’s quite possibly the best DAC I’ve ever heard, better than D50 and certainly better than the *Rotel RA-1572’s built in DAC. Sorry no blind ABX to back it up.

Awesome build quality and the OLED display looks better in person than in photos. Nitpick: remote batteries not included. Will post another update after I spend more time with the unit.

*IMO the Rotel’s DAC is poorly implemented and it’s soo obvious with vocals sounding gritty. Which is unfortunate because the amp is pretty good.
You're using it on filter 3? And d50 5?
 

daftcombo

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Your using it on filt

You're using it on filter 3? And d50 5?

D50 has the ESS hump, this could be audible also.
If we don't accept someone hearing differences when the measurements differ, we never will!!
 

Viper Necklampy

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D50 has the ESS hump, this could be audible also.
If we don't accept someone hearing differences when the measurements differ, we never will!!
Could you explain me what ESS hump is? Isn't that if ess hump is from - 20dB to - 30dB , if you put digital volume on the dac at that level (-25 example), you'll get worse sound, and if you put at 0.0dB sound will be cleaner?

Or ess hump or general hump there is making sound more saturated without scount?
 

daftcombo

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Could you explain me what ESS hump is? Isn't that if ess hump is from - 20dB to - 30dB , if you put digital volume on the dac at that level (-25 example), you'll get worse sound, and if you put at 0.0dB sound will be cleaner?

Or ess hump or general hump there is making sound more saturated without scount?

All notes of a recording aren't at the same volume. If your volume is maxed at 0 dBFS, you can still have sounds at -30 dB or less.
 

Viper Necklampy

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All notes of a recording aren't at the same volume. If your volume is maxed at 0 dBFS, you can still have sounds at -30 dB or less.
Okay thanks for explaining... But if the source music/audio is heavely compressed at like 6db of dynamic range, if i got 0.0db on dac, and the ess hump is at - 20dB, i will get the ess hump on my chain?
 
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daftcombo

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Okay thanks for explaining... But if the source music/audio is heavely compressed at like 6db of dynamic range, if i got 0.0db on dac, and the ess huno is at - 20dB, i will get the ess hump on my chain?
Correct, in that case you won't have the hump. But you won't have hi-fi neither since the "fidelity" to any existing sound combination in nature is lost with heavily processed music. No judgement here, it is what I listen to most of the time as well.
 

typericey

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You're using it on filter 3? And d50 5?

Filter 3 on the D70 and filter 1 on the D50. I used balanced outputs on the D70 so that may have also given it an advantage.

I think if one is in the market for a DAC the D50 should no longer be an option, with the D50s already out. Unless there's a good deal on a used D50. Topping should also reduce the price of the D50 or stop selling it altogether.
 

Viper Necklampy

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Filter 3 on the D70 and filter 1 on the D50. I used balanced outputs on the D70 so that may have also given it an advantage.

I think if one is in the market for a DAC the D50 should no longer be an option, with the D50s already out. Unless there's a good deal on a used D50. Topping should also reduce the price of the D50 or stop selling it altogether.
I'm using filter 5 on D50, linear phase fast roll off, i can't change it, i feel is the best (Same as filter 3 on d70)
There is no used d50 on ebay, when i'll take a balanced dac (Smsl d1 or D70) in very few months i'll put it on selling, along with Atom :)
 

Bronco

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What would be the preferred method for connecting an iPhone X to this DAC?
 

imagidominc

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samshaver

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So, can this actually change the phone while streaming to the D70?!?

That’s the only complaint I have with my adapter, is you can not charge it and digital stream from it at the same time.

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/...c23cc857d19dc9b9b90f04422e3594aa27a51d96bb79c
 

Bronco

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I have an iPhone and a D70 and this adapter works great. I prefer to buy genuine apple products because 3rd party stuff can get iffy (I've bought bootleg Mac chargers that have actually melted in the past).
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK0W2AM/A/lightning-to-usb-3-camera-adapter?afid=p238|sxGOcO7Q8-dc_mtid_1870765e38482_pcrid_246386725857_pgrid_14874603490_&cid=aos-us-kwgo-pla-btb--slid-----product-MK0W2AM/A

Thank you for the confirmation.
So, can this actually change the phone while streaming to the D70?!?

That’s the only complaint I have with my adapter, is you can not charge it and digital stream from it at the same time.

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/...c23cc857d19dc9b9b90f04422e3594aa27a51d96bb79c

Correct, the larger one that imagid linked to allows you to charge the phone at the same time.
 
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