Review and Measurements of Topping D50 DAC

[deniall83]

When connecting the D50 to an external amp can you fix or disable the volume control?

 

[CTRLM]

I just leave it on 00.0dB....which is 100% (no attenuation) and use my integrated amp volume.

 

[andreasmaaan]

When connecting the D50 to an external amp can you fix or disable the volume control?

I'm not sure what you mean by "fix"?

There shouldn't be any need to disable the volume control because it's the ESS onboard digital volume control. So it won't corrupt the signal in any way to have it enabled and set to 0dBfs.

 

[deniall83]

I'm not sure what you mean by "fix"?

There shouldn't be any need to disable the volume control because it's the ESS onboard digital volume control. So it won't corrupt the signal in any way to have it enabled and set to 0dBfs.

I mean fixed as in a fixed line out as to not cause problems when running through another volume control.

 

[andreasmaaan]

I mean fixed as in a fixed line out as to not cause problems when running through another volume control.

Ok cheers. Same answer - setting the volume at 0dB on the DAC will not affect the sound quality in any way

 

[rdodev]

It is amazing that there is a DAC that is $249 that when measured is far superior to DACs costing 10-20X more. Boy, something is really wrong in the audio industry. I am so glad I found this forum. Kuddos Amir!

Indeed. As said in a different thread. Nothing gives me the heebee-jeebees in the audiophile stack than DACs (specially at the high end). Lots of snake oil rhetoric and marketing speak going on.

 

[vincent_emerald]

Tried updating the firmware. Before the upgrade it showed v6F2. After upgrade its showing the same version. Am I doing anything wrong. Firmware file says 1.8G

 

[derp1n]

Tried updating the firmware. Before the upgrade it showed v6F2. After upgrade its showing the same version. Am I doing anything wrong. Firmware file says 1.8G

Unless you saw an error during update, it worked. That's the expected behavior, unfortunately.

 

[vincent_emerald]

Unless you saw an error during update, it worked. That's the expected behavior, unfortunately.

It didnt give any error, it said firmware upgrade successful...

 

[derp1n]

It didnt give any error, it said firmware upgrade successful...

You're good to go then.

 

[gvl]

Tried updating the firmware. Before the upgrade it showed v6F2. After upgrade its showing the same version. Am I doing anything wrong. Firmware file says 1.8G

Likely v6.F2 is the revision of the actual hardware, it is not going to change. Is there a diagnostics screen on the DAC itself?

 

[vincent_emerald]

Likely v6.F2 is the revision of the actual hardware, it is not going to change. Is there a diagnostics screen on the DAC itself?

i doubt, checked in the DAC menu, couldnt find any...

 

[CTRLM]

Mine's still sounding great, the only minor issue is that it doesn't display the bitrate - it's always on 00Bit.

I have a Chord Hugo 2 to audition over the next couple of nights so it's going to be interesting to do an informal comparison.

 

[vincent_emerald]

Mine's still sounding great, the only minor issue is that it doesn't display the bitrate - it's always on 00Bit.

I have a Chord Hugo 2 to audition over the next couple of nights so it's going to be interesting to do an informal comparison.

Same issue with my unit as well.. Displays 00Bit

 

[Toku]

Mine's still sounding great, the only minor issue is that it doesn't display the bitrate - it's always on 00Bit.

My two D50s are the same. (S / N-1710 & S / N-1807)

 

[Peib]

Finally it arrived

Im amazed how little is the dac

Good sound and 0 problems for now

 

[Ron Party]

Are you seeing the 00Bit on the front display of the D50?

I'm playing a SACD rip of Shostakovich Symphony No. 8 right now. Mine states DSD64, 2.8 MHz, 1Bit, just as it should.

 

[Toku]

00Bit display is only for PCM Optical / Coaxial connection. It does not occur with USB connection.

 

[CTRLM]

00Bit display is only for PCM Optical / Coaxial connection. It does not occur with USB connection.

Well that explains it, I'm using PCM & coax.

 

[Toku]

The second D50 ordered to Aliexpress arrived, and we compared two D50s immediately. I ordered from the Takstar Audio Store again this time, but the item arrived in just 4 days from the order. It is early. Massdrop took three weeks to deliver SMSL SU - 8 to me.

The SN of the first D50 bought in March is 1710xxxx, and the firmware has already been updated. The SN of the second D50 delivered this time is 1807xxxx.

The two D50s should have exactly the same behavior, but when comparing it is not the same with the connection in USB ASIO (Native) mode.
The noise that occasionally occurred in PCM 768 k or DSD is not generated at all in D50 of new SN 1807 x x x x. Obviously there are differences in the behavior of the two D50s. I do not know the cause, but I imagine that some changes have been made to the hardware as well.