Review and Measurements of Topping D10 DAC

[Blumlein 88]

*camper van/ converted work van / van with a bed and microwave in the back.. , maybe just a van with a sleeping bag and a kettle........

Which do you think is closer to Amir's? A or B?

 

[Thomas savage]

Which do you think is closer to Amir's? A or B?

View attachment 11717

He’d cut a dashing figure serving Kabab Koobideh out of the side window of the pink one, I think he was bourn to own such a vehicle.

 

[amirm]

Which do you think is closer to Amir's? A or B?

It is clear the pink one is in UK from the building. That should have been good enough hint that it is the one that Thomas serves Doner Kebabs from to fund his audio hobby.

 

[Wombat]

DAC backlog solution:

 

[DonH56]

Gives new meaning to the phrase "test drive".

 

[Krunok]

Gives new meaning to the phrase "test drive".

LOOOL

 

[Krunok]

Excellent. Topping has always responded to me in the past, so you should get your answer.

It might take a few days or even weeks, but they have never failed to get back to me with pertinent information.

Just received reply from Topping:

"OPA1612 is better than OPA2134. Though we did not test it before but we believe OPA1612 is a better choice.

The other OPA2134 is for I/V convert. These two OP amp has great impact on performance so we don't want our users to change it."

 

[Michael Guntsche]

Seems nicely built. How much does it cost?

655 usd

 

[Sythrix]

Just received reply from Topping:

"OPA1612 is better than OPA2134. Though we did not test it before but we believe OPA1612 is a better choice.

The other OPA2134 is for I/V convert. These two OP amp has great impact on performance so we don't want our users to change it."

Well that's interesting. Topping themselves think the 1612 is a better choice in the user changeable slot.

I still don't really understand I/V conversion though. From my understanding reading online, it is the first step and takes the raw output from the DAC chip and turns it into an analog voltage and filters the signal. It would seem that they are handling a huge part of the process at sensitive levels.

So do we defer to the initial assessment then? That the user-swappable one is being fed by the OPA2134 and won't change much? It seems silly to have a swappable op-amp that does little to actually affect the signal's characteristics, if true. Why bother?

 

[Krunok]

Well that's interesting. Topping themselves think the 1612 is a better choice in the user changeable slot.

I still don't really understand I/V conversion though. From my understanding reading online, it is the first step and takes the raw output from the DAC chip and turns it into an analog voltage and filters the signal. It would seem that they are handling a huge part of the process at sensitive levels.

So do we defer to the initial assessment then? That the user-swappable one is being fed by the OPA2134 and won't change much? It seems silly to have a swappable op-amp that does little to actually affect the signal's characteristics, if true. Why bother?

After exchanging a few emails with them my impressions is that these guy don't speak English at all and that they are using Google translate to write emails. In that context it is extremely hard to say what exactly they meant by "I/V conversion".

On the other hand, as Armin already has the D10 and the OPA 1612, there is nothing to loose in swapping the OP amp and repeating the measurements. That is, nothing to loose apart from his time of course, so let's think of something that will put him in a good mood and motivate him.

Edit: IMO this sentence means they believe the performance of the D10 will improve if OPA2134 is replaced with OPA1612.
"Though we did not test it before but we believe OPA1612 is a better choice."

 

[duo8]

Personally I've always thought swappable opamp is kinda a gimmick (except in certain designs).

 

[Krunok]

Personally I've always thought swappable opamp is kinda a gimmick (except in certain designs).

I know what you mean, and I partly agree. But here, with a little bit of of Armin's help, we may have a unique chance to learn the true effects of such swap.

 

[Sythrix]

I know what you mean, and I partly agree. But here, with a little bit of of Armin's help, we may have a unique chance to learn the true effects of such swap.

I think Amir's plan was to get a fair amount of them and then test all of them. I sent him 4 different types, but I know of at least one other that he was promised that I am unsure of the arrival on. USPS confirmed delivery of the ones I sent though

Also, I know he still has a bunch of stuff to review, so it may be something that just happens to pop up one day when he has time.

 

[Krunok]

I think Amir's plan was to get a fair amount of them and then test all of them.

LOOL - that definitely reminded me on that joke about old bull and young bull!

P.S. for those who never heard of the joke it's the first one mentioned here: https://aubreygoodman.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/some-dirty-jokes-for-a-sunday-afternoon/

 

[Deleted member 65]

I think Amir's plan was to get a fair amount of them and then test all of them. I sent him 4 different types, but I know of at least one other that he was promised that I am unsure of the arrival on. USPS confirmed delivery of the ones I sent though

Also, I know he still has a bunch of stuff to review, so it may be something that just happens to pop up one day when he has time.

and I donated this to ASR, on its way from Sweden as we speak. Interesting to see measurements from the D10 with these installed.

 

[DataX]

Just bought a D10, mainly because of this review. Thank you Amir for the awesome work.

Also very curious about the opamp measurements, that 994Enh-Ticha costs more than the D10.

 

[amirm]

On the other hand, as Armin already has the D10 and the OPA 1612, there is nothing to loose in swapping the OP amp and repeating the measurements. That is, nothing to loose apart from his time of course, so let's think of something that will put him in a good mood and motivate him.

That's right. Offers of cookies and cream would go a long way toward such motivation.

 

[amirm]

I still don't really understand I/V conversion though. From my understanding reading online, it is the first step and takes the raw output from the DAC chip and turns it into an analog voltage and filters the signal. It would seem that they are handling a huge part of the process at sensitive levels.

That's correct. Most DACs output varying current to input digital samples, rather than varying voltage which is the standard in audio signalling. So an op-amp or discrete amplifier is used to perform this I (current) to V (voltage) conversion. After this there may be another op-amp for buffering.

 

[bhigh]

That's correct. Most DACs output varying current to input digital samples, rather than varying voltage which is the standard in audio signalling. So an op-amp or discrete amplifier is used to perform this I (current) to V (voltage) conversion. After this there may be another op-amp for buffering.

That was my thought too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transimpedance_amplifier

The socketted opamp is probably acting as a unity buffer.

 

[Krunok]

That's right. Offers of cookies and cream would go a long way toward such motivation.

Ok people, nough said - let's hit the man with enough sweets to get the measurements done!