Topping Centaurus R2R DAC Review

[VientoB]

Does this have Holo's DSD converter as well?

 

[kemmler3D]

"The customer is always right" and Topping has done enough to save them from themselves in this case, I guess.

 

[Killingbeans]

There are other companies that replace an AKM chip with a mediocre ESS DAC chip and add another few gimmicks to the DAC and promote this product as the greatest invention on earth. Of course, they charge significantly more for this „brand new“ product.
These are the companies that should be criticized or ignored in this forum, due to zero innovation.

They replaced the AKM chips with equivalent ESS chips because one of the AKM fabs burned down, causing a critical shortage.

Nothing to do with creativity.

All of the DAC manufacturers offer a whole range of imaginary "flavors", because that's what people want. Supply and demand.

 

[antcollinet]

I consider an achievement a design that matches required specifications and performance

That is exactly what they have done. Part of the specification was R2R.

 

[Robbo99999]

Some people do. You are not everyone. Nor am I.

If this is as stupid a product as you believe, it will achieve no sales.

I wouldn't buy one. I have no illusions regarding the value of R2R. However as an engineer, I can also admire the engineering achievement of meeting the product managers goal of an R2R dac that performs this well. Bear in mind is it not the engineers who decide what product will be developed.

I can't even get on the small band wagon of engineering achievement when it's based on trying to make a "sub standard" technology into something adequate for an otherwise expensive cost vs other DACS, it's just silly.

 

[Robbo99999]

As an engineer, I consider an achievement a design that matches required specifications and performance with the least possible effort, complexity and cost (both in design and production). Fancy esoteric gimmicks have nothing to do with engineering, they are more akin to building Eiffel tower models from matchsticks: impressive and competitive, but short-lived, expensive and useless.

Exactly!

 

[Robbo99999]

That's for the bare minimum.
By the same school of thought Shah Jahan could shovel a 2 x 3 m hole to throw Mumtaz in it and be done with that.
He built Taj Mahal instead.

Audio is a hobby,it's fun!What you describe is suit for necessities where the bare minimum is an achievement.
Show me any other hobby where the bare minimum is enough and I will correct myself at once.

Silly analogy that doesn't hold water. Burying the dead can be done in different ways and paying the utmost respect requires going to the greatest lengths, but this has nothing to do with audio, analogies are so stupid most of the time when people are trying to prove a point that it was barely worth me pointing out the flaw in your analogy anyway.

 

[antcollinet]

it's just silly.

From your point of view perhaps. From a business perspective, not so.

Topping will have done market research. R2R will have come in as a market demand. Remember their home market is China/SE Asia - a market that is as subjective as any, and more so than many.

Businesses who fail to deliver what the customer is asking for, gifts those customers to the competitors. They can't survive that way.

 

[Robbo99999]

From your point of view perhaps. From a business perspective, not so.

Topping will have done market research. R2R will have come in as a market demand. Remember their home market is China/SE Asia - a market that is as subjective as any, and more so than many.

Businesses who fail to deliver what the customer is asking for, gifts those customers to the competitors. They can't survive that way.

Exactly, but ASR is here to make us see the wood for the trees, which means "not respecting" this just adequate & expensive DAC.

 

[Kuma]

Seems like a fine implementation of R2R. But why? It objectively measures worse and costs more than its non-R2R cousins.

 

[amirm]

Seems like a fine implementation of R2R. But why?

Look at the step response in my speakers. I have no use for them, nor do I think they help anyone with anything. But enough people asked enough times that it is less work to put it in, than to respond again why it has no value.

 

[Kuma]

Look at the step response in my speakers. I have no use for them, nor do I think they help anyone with anything. But enough people asked enough times that it is less work to put it in, than to respond again why it has no value.

Similar to satisfying a demand for vinyl? No objective benifit, but it pulls at certain consumers heartstrings so the manufacturer gives it to them?

By the way, I have no problem with people enjoying vinyl or tube amps or whatever they want. I just didn’t realize R2R was in a similar category…if it is. The technology doesn’t seem old enough to hold any nostalgic value like vinyl, tubes, etc.

Edit: Or is it just an appreciation for the engineering? As someone before me mentioned, similar to a mechanical watch over quartz? Which I get. I love mechanical watches. Even though they’re objectively inferior timekeepers, I do prefer them and pay a premium for the engineering alone.

 

[pkane]

I just didn’t realize R2R was in a similar category…if it is.

It is, and has been for many years. R2R is older than delta-sigma, and like many old, simpler to understand, outdated technologies it seems to be the one that audiophiles gravitate to.

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

For 799 it would be an awesome thing. For 999, I'm not so sure anymore.
Anyway...

 

[NTTY]

People here used to see R2R doing 70's SINAD probably sticked to that without looking around.Nope.There's obviously lots of ways to reach the same point.

Not that bad
The Marantz CD-73 achieved 87dB SINAD with its 14bits DAC

 

[Sokel]

Silly analogy that doesn't hold water. Burying the dead can be done in different ways and paying the utmost respect requires going to the greatest lengths, but this has nothing to do with audio, analogies are so stupid most of the time when people are trying to prove a point that it was barely worth me pointing out the flaw in your analogy anyway.

I admit it's the second time this month I use one,and as far as I have observe myself I only do it at hopeless situations.
So nope,not again.

 

[antcollinet]

Seems like a fine implementation of R2R. But why? It objectively measures worse and costs more than its non-R2R cousins.

From your point of view perhaps. From a business perspective, not so.

Topping will have done market research. R2R will have come in as a market demand. Remember their home market is China/SE Asia - a market that is as subjective as any, and more so than many.

Businesses who fail to deliver what the customer is asking for, gifts those customers to the competitors. They can't survive that way.

 

[Sokel]

Had a run around forums about this stuff and I was surprised to see that this new R2R gear are probably not targeting old audiophile crowds but rather new,mostly headphone users.
Interesting.

 

[welwynnick]

Look at the step response in my speakers. I have no use for them, nor do I think they help anyone with anything. But enough people asked enough times that it is less work to put it in, than to respond again why it has no value.

Please keep doing it.

Many thanks, Nick

 

[KSTR]

Look at the step response in my speakers. I have no use for them, nor do I think they help anyone with anything. But enough people asked enough times that it is less work to put it in, than to respond again why it has no value.

You could off-load all the extra work by simply publishing the Impulse Response Data. That would make ASR a world-class database with exceptional value.