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Review and Measurements of Topping D10 DAC

dienow

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I use moOde on the rPi 4 and 3 (so much the same) and USB to a D10. I am wondering why the USB signal needs to be cleaned. rPi 4 has better hardware, not that I have ever had problems with the rPi 3 USB iterface to the D10. Modern USB chips do a very good job of buffering and reclocking - so unless the SMSL has a particular problem, why would you need to do this?
Thank you very much. I do not think SMSL M500 has a problem, but this is something you don't know unless you try it. Like when you use 100 USD headphones you don't know hwat you miss until you try 500 USD headphones.
 

dienow

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No. MQA only works over USB. Only latest-generation on-chip decoding DACs like ESS9068AS can decode MQA from any source..
Thank you very much. That I guess solves it for me - no need to do that and I won't include the Topping D10 to my setup. Thank you very much for help.
 

rvsixer

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....but this is something you don't know unless you try it.
USB MEASURED jitter in both of these devices has already been established as inaudible. So even if there was an issue, "trying" it by ear wouldn't show anything.

.Like when you use 100 USD headphones you don't know hwat you miss until you try 500 USD headphones.
Or the other way around lol. Many many tests here show higher cost not to be an indicator of sound quality (as with these two devices).
 

0bs3rv3r

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Thank you very much. I do not think SMSL M500 has a problem, but this is something you don't know unless you try it. Like when you use 100 USD headphones you don't know hwat you miss until you try 500 USD headphones.
USB MEASURED jitter in both of these devices has already been established as inaudible. So even if there was an issue, "trying" it by ear wouldn't show anything.

Yes, I strongly suspect that there is nothing to be gained here. You might even end up tricking yourself into a false conclusion.
 

dienow

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USB MEASURED jitter in both of these devices has already been established as inaudible. So even if there was an issue, "trying" it by ear wouldn't show anything.


Or the other way around lol. Many many tests here show higher cost not to be an indicator of sound quality (as with these two devices).
True that. I was just trying to make the point that in audio you're better off with try first and see for yourself than rely on reviews.
 

rvsixer

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True that. I was just trying to make the point that in audio you're better off with try first and see for yourself than rely on reviews.
Can't recommend relying "trying" or "reviews" done using subjective ears. Again suggest going by reviews done via objective MEASUREMENTS (which is what this site is about, you are in the right place to see those measurements for both the Topping and the SMSL in question right here).

Suggest starting here:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?forums/general-audio-discussions.2/
 
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dienow

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Can't recommend relying "trying" or "reviews" done using subjective ears. Again suggest going by reviews done via objective MEASUREMENTS (which is what this site is about, you are in the right place to see those measurements for both the Topping and the SMSL in question right here).

Suggest starting here:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?forums/general-audio-discussions.2/
I consider myself more best of the both worlds audiophile - i get the measurements and understand their place and take them always into account, but when there are two things that measure good, I will always pick something that sounds better to my ears, no matter the measurements. Thanks again for your advice.
 

dienow

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No need for apoligies, my mistake that I put it in that way, although it was not meant in that way.
 

Aslam77

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I have D10 three year old, working fine still today, yesterday accidently flashing DX3 pro firmware, D10 now shows DX3 pro, dac working still but optical and coaxial output stopped. pls. any one help me to flash to original firmware.
 

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artsky

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I have some problem with D10 and Tidal in exclusive mode. Some tracks plays with corrupted sound, more often when using v5.0 Topping driver. v4.86 works better, but still some sound corruption on some tracks. Disabling exclusive mode solves the problem, but now Windows is resampling the music.

I have the same issue but with D10s. Have you solved this? Using Audirvana instead seems to minimize or eliminate the issue, but my copy of Audirvana is just a trial.
 

MrOtto

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I just restart the song, then sound is ok. Strange. Works better without exclusive mode. Hard to say if driver or Tidal is at fault.
 

Toku

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I just restart the song, then sound is ok. Strange. Works better without exclusive mode. Hard to say if driver or Tidal is at fault.
Exclusive mode is a mode that bypasses the audio engine of the Windows system and outputs directly. If it is not in exclusive mode, it will be output via the audio engine. Therefore, it will play normally even if it is not in exclusive mode.
However, it is output after resampling and compression processing by the Windows system.
 

artsky

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Yeah, that's why it is kinda difficult to isolate. We don't have an idea if either our DAC is defective or something within Tidal app is causing the issue. I am experiencing the same corrupt sound but seems to be minimal or gone when using Audirvana to listen to Tidal.
 

tuandes

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I have been using Topping D10 for 2 years now but suddenly my computer does not recognize D10 (it turns on for a few seconds, came up with three full brightness hyphens, which dimmed a few seconds later, and which then went to a single dimly lit dot point). I tried to connect it to another PC but it still doesn't recognize it. What can I do? Do I need to restore the firmware for the D10? and how? Please show me, thank you.


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