Review and Measurements of Topping D50 DAC

[Technobrakes]

"Inpatients" are the people with whom my wife deals with that have been admitted to the hospital.
"Impatience" is when you are driving yourself crazy and must have i

How's it sound?

Phone auto correct at its best, im still waiting for delivery. Just read the D10 review probably could of saved some cash and got that, To late now.

It's a waiting game now probably be a couple of weeks before it arrives

 

[AdrianG]

hi there! do you guys think this would be an upgrade from the internal dac of my hegel H80?

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Just got my Silver D50. WOW this thing is sturdy. I was expecting it to get dragged around by my bulky RCA's. In a pinch, you could use it as a weapon lol they weren't kidding when they said it was made out of a solid brick of aluminum.

It is even smaller than I expected as well, and very sharp looking. The screen quality is also very high. I guess what I am trying to say here is, I am impressed.



Edit: I should also mention, USB power noise is audible as I turn up the volume of my amp. With no music playing, it is audible at listening volumes. When connected to my Oppo HA-2SE portable DAC/amp with line outs to my desktop amp, running off battery power, my amp is silent all the way to max volume. So, a different power supply may be coming.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

Just got my Silver D50. WOW this thing is sturdy. I was expecting it to get dragged around by my bulky RCA's. In a pinch, you could use it as a weapon lol they weren't kidding when they said it was made out of a solid brick of aluminum.

It is even smaller than I expected as well, and very sharp looking. The screen quality is also very high. I guess what I am trying to say here is, I am impressed.

View attachment 11571

Edit: I should also mention, USB power noise is audible as I turn up the volume of my amp. With no music playing, it is audible at listening volumes. When connected to my Oppo HA-2SE portable DAC/amp with line outs to my desktop amp, running off battery power, my amp is silent all the way to max volume. So, a different power supply may be coming.

I read some positive comments but have not tried this yet as I have been using mostly linear supplies. It is a 12 volt sealed lead acid battery with an inexpensive stepdown.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-12V-24V-36V-to-5V-3A-Step-Down-Dual-USB-Buck-Converter-Voltmeter-For-Car/172790004260?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&var=471575705397&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

[Dorian]

Just got my Silver D50. WOW this thing is sturdy. I was expecting it to get dragged around by my bulky RCA's. In a pinch, you could use it as a weapon lol they weren't kidding when they said it was made out of a solid brick of aluminum.

It is even smaller than I expected as well, and very sharp looking. The screen quality is also very high. I guess what I am trying to say here is, I am impressed.

View attachment 11571

Edit: I should also mention, USB power noise is audible as I turn up the volume of my amp. With no music playing, it is audible at listening volumes. When connected to my Oppo HA-2SE portable DAC/amp with line outs to my desktop amp, running off battery power, my amp is silent all the way to max volume. So, a different power supply may be coming.

Hey LG,

Can the volume control of the DAC be disabled? Regarding the power supply, it doesn't have to be a linear one; SMPS will do just fine, just make sure it is low ripple.

 

[raif]

Edit: I should also mention, USB power noise is audible as I turn up the volume of my amp. With no music playing, it is audible at listening volumes. When connected to my Oppo HA-2SE portable DAC/amp with line outs to my desktop amp, running off battery power, my amp is silent all the way to max volume. So, a different power supply may be coming.

You can hear usb power noise in your amp? I don’t think I have ever had that issue with a usb dac over the years. Can you explain that a bit more? It isn’t a ground loop, correct?

I am just concerned because I was all set to pull the trigger on this guy and it would be a bummer that sourcing a linear power supply becomes a requirement for silent operation.

Forgive me if I am missing something.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

You can hear usb power noise in your amp? I don’t think I have ever had that issue with a usb dac over the years. Can you explain that a bit more? It isn’t a ground loop, correct?

I am just concerned because I was all set to pull the trigger on this guy and it would be a bummer that sourcing a linear power supply becomes a requirement for silent operation.

Forgive me if I am missing something.

Wish I could elaborate tonight, but I am working a night shift.

In the morning, I will test the D50 on my laptop (this initial run was done on my desktop) to be sure the issue isn't isolated to the PC. I'm sure I can find a 5V SMPS around the house to try as well. Maybe it is a ground loop I didn't know I had.

 

[zephyros]

Wish I could elaborate tonight, but I am working a night shift.

In the morning, I will test the D50 on my laptop (this initial run was done on my desktop) to be sure the issue isn't isolated to the PC. I'm sure I can find a 5V SMPS around the house to try as well. Maybe it is a ground loop I didn't know I had.

Have you tried sticking tape to the power line of the USB cable port? If the dac does not draw power from the computer it shouldn't hurt to try.

 

[Veri]

Have you tried sticking tape to the power line of the USB cable port? If the dac does not draw power from the computer it shouldn't hurt to try.

Good idea that, I've been wondering if the Power line is required. It might not work because most need at least a handshake, some DACs don't require power beyond that while others don't require it at all.

 

[raif]

I have another question for the more educated in the group. How does the d50 handle volume digitally? Do you have to do any finagling in your computer software to avoid bit truncation(like output at 24 bits when listening to 16/44 or 32 when listening to 24/96)?

 

[amirm]

Are you using the volume control in your player software?

 

[raif]

Typically, no.

 

[Leit]

Would you (anyone here with more knowledge) consider a platform with higher than normal ambient temperature (22 degrees of Celsius) a problem for this dac in a longer run (few hours of listening)? Or to any similar small unit without too much cooling capabilities.

Let's say, placing this dac on a tube headphone amplifier where the surface on the amplifier is somewhere between 45-60 degrees of Celsius. Tubes would be few centimeters away from the dac.

Best would be just to place them next to each other, right. Been wondering this and lifespan of a dac.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Here is what I have found as far as what produces noise in my D50:

1) Power: desktop
Data: desktop
Result: audible noise

2) Power: desktop
Data: laptop
Result: audible noise

3) Power: laptop
Data: laptop
Result: no noise

4) Power: laptop
Data: desktop
Result: audible noise

5) Power: 5v phone SMPS
Data: desktop
Result: audible noise

6) Power: 5v phone SMPS
Data: laptop
Result: no noise

So, my desktop computer seems to be the root of my problems lol a bit problematic as it is where my music library lives. Perhaps it just has very noisy USB ports. I am by no means an expert, so any thoughts would be appreciated, but my thinking is that if it were a ground loop, the issue would persist in the SMPS. My desktop, D50 with the SMPS, and amplifier are all plugged into the same Furman PST-8D power conditioner.

Hey LG,

Can the volume control of the DAC be disabled? Regarding the power supply, it doesn't have to be a linear one; SMPS will do just fine, just make sure it is low ripple.

As far as I can tell, there is no way to completely turn off the volume control. It is at max volume by default.

 

[amirm]

Typically, no.

Then just use a "bit perfect" transfer (WASAPI or ASIO) to the DAC from your player. Once there, there is no changing of the bits in the computer so no setting/config is necessary there.

Did I answer your question?

 

[sejarzo]

Then just use a "bit perfect" transfer (WASAPI or ASIO) to the DAC from your player. Once there, there is no changing of the bits in the computer so no setting/config is necessary there.

Did I answer your question?

I used to think that was a given when I used ASIO with Foobar in WinXP when I started into computer audio, however...my playback chain now is Foobar 2000 on Win7-64 >USB>Original ODAC>headamp>phones, and the volume control in Foobar remains active regardless of the output method. With "WASAPI (Speakers: ODAC)" or ASIO4All with the ODAC as the output device, the Foobar volume control remains active. The onboard sound on my motherboard got funky so I use a Fiio K1 to drive my powered monitors, and it has its own ASIO driver...and whether I select WASAPI or ASIO with the K1, the Foobar volume control remains active.

 

[bhigh]

So, my desktop computer seems to be the root of my problems lol a bit problematic as it is where my music library lives. Perhaps it just has very noisy USB ports. I am by no means an expert, so any thoughts would be appreciated, but my thinking is that if it were a ground loop, the issue would persist in the SMPS. My desktop, D50 with the SMPS, and amplifier are all plugged into the same Furman PST-8D power conditioner.

Have you tried using a powered hub between the desktop and DAC?

 

[raif]

Then just use a "bit perfect" transfer (WASAPI or ASIO) to the DAC from your player. Once there, there is no changing of the bits in the computer so no setting/config is necessary there.

Did I answer your question?

I believe so. If I understand correctly, you are saying to just output bitperfect from the computer usb. Then, when I use the volume controls, the dac will internally handle the volume in a transparent manner?

I guess a better form of the question would have been to ask, "Assuming bitperfect output to the d50, how does the volume control on the dac adjust the volume in a transparent manner?"

 

[Dorian]

Here is what I have found as far as what produces noise in my D50:

So, my desktop computer seems to be the root of my problems lol a bit problematic as it is where my music library lives. Perhaps it just has very noisy USB ports. I am by no means an expert, so any thoughts would be appreciated, but my thinking is that if it were a ground loop, the issue would persist in the SMPS. My desktop, D50 with the SMPS, and amplifier are all plugged into the same Furman PST-8D power conditioner.

As far as I can tell, there is no way to completely turn off the volume control. It is at max volume by default.

I've had the same problem with one of my laptops a few years back and this is what I used to fix it: https://www.poscope.com/product/pousbiso/
Thing is that I don't know if that usb isolator will limit or not the sample rate of the DAC; if you're interested in buying it I think you need to ask them..

 

[amirm]

I believe so. If I understand correctly, you are saying to just output bitperfect from the computer usb. Then, when I use the volume controls, the dac will internally handle the volume in a transparent manner?

Which volume control? The one in the DAC or elsewhere?