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Topping Centaurus R2R DAC Review

Rate this R2R DAC:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 18 6.5%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 69 24.7%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 138 49.5%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 54 19.4%

  • Total voters
    279
Or is the measured performance of this unit such, that these changes in perfection will or should remain below audible
I would say, yes the time- and temperature-variations will probably not be audible unless you are unlucky. So, why care? Simply, because for less money you can have a device which corrupts the signal even less and which is mostly impervious to time and temperature. Why pay more for worse?

is the engineering here as good as it gets currently?
This DAC is not as good as it gets. Performance better than this, for less money has been available for more than a decade.
 
I would say, yes the time- and temperature-variations will probably not be audible unless you are unlucky. So, why care? Simply, because for less money you can have a device which corrupts the signal even less and which is mostly impervious to time and temperature. Why pay more for worse?


This DAC is not as good as it gets. Performance better than this, for less money has been available for more than a decade.
I have an excellent DAC at a much lower cost that is dual ES9038Q2M with Amanero USB Card etc. and this chip was released in 2020. Some people rave about AKM chips, but such is the price performance now, that with patience doing a comparison will not exactly be requiring much of a raid on the piggy bank should I wish to. I'm sure all the arguments here apply where it comes to the latest sabre vs AKM - pointless comparisons they are all so perfect in terms of performance. Perceptual bias probably involved in one over the other.

In fact we are seeing 'dual chip' devices appearing where switching to sabre or AKM becomes like a filter... I've never had much truck with filters... just provide one that works.

However engineering wise, this R2R implementation seems to be at the higher end of things (quality of engineering wise for R2R). And, if I take some of the other features, quality of the unit, power supply, PEQ facility, the selection of this over a Sabre version for example, just gets slotted into "interesting" for me. Fun. Hobby etc. I might have fun with this regardless, alongside my other.

Your analysis of the actual electronics involved - how it works etc. V. interesting. I had no idea.
 
I have an excellent DAC at a much lower cost that is dual ES9038Q2M with Amanero USB Card etc. and this chip was released in 2020. Some people rave about AKM chips, but such is the price performance now, that with patience doing a comparison will not exactly be requiring much of a raid on the piggy bank should I wish to. I'm sure all the arguments here apply where it comes to the latest sabre vs AKM - pointless comparisons they are all so perfect in terms of performance. Perceptual bias probably involved in one over the other.

In fact we are seeing 'dual chip' devices appearing where switching to sabre or AKM becomes like a filter... I've never had much truck with filters... just provide one that works.

However engineering wise, this R2R implementation seems to be at the higher end of things (quality of engineering wise for R2R). And, if I take some of the other features, quality of the unit, power supply, PEQ facility, the selection of this over a Sabre version for example, just gets slotted into "interesting" for me. Fun. Hobby etc. I might have fun with this regardless, alongside my other.

Your analysis of the actual electronics involved - how it works etc. V. interesting. I had no idea.
I can buy the RME ADI-2 DAC FS for an identical price where I live. The latter measures as well if not better than the Topping Centaurus, but is significantly more feature laden. Auto Ref can enable the maximum SNR for YOUR amplifier gain and the Loudness function is brilliant. Software firmware is regularly updated with new features, and because of its professional nature, RME will offer support for years to come.

Full disclosure: I have the ADI-2 PRO FS B with ADC functionality so will be biased.
 
I can buy the RME ADI-2 DAC FS for an identical price where I live. The latter measures as well if not better than the Topping Centaurus, but is significantly more feature laden. Auto Ref can enable the maximum SNR for YOUR amplifier gain and the Loudness function is brilliant. Software firmware is regularly updated with new features, and because of its professional nature, RME will offer support for years to come.

Full disclosure: I have the ADI-2 PRO FS B with ADC functionality so will be biased.
Interesting again ... I spot an AKM in there ;-) ... people don't talk about crossfeed enough, nor indeed things like loudness! I don't use headphones at home but ... checking it out, thank you.
:)
 
ES9038Q2M <...> and this chip was released in 2020
It was released years earlier, but why does it at all matter?

I spot an AKM in there ;-)
It does not matter at all. The converter chip is not what makes the device unique. And in 2021, the DAC chip was replaced with a ES9028Q2M without any significant changes to performance.

people don't talk about crossfeed enough, nor indeed things like loudness!
Actually, they do talk a great deal about these features. And even more so, about PEQ.
 
It was released years earlier, but why does it at all matter?
My point, to clarify. I agree.
It does not matter at all. The converter chip is not what makes the device unique. And in 2021, the DAC chip was replaced with a ES9028Q2M without any significant changes to performance.
Exactly. I agree.
Actually, they do talk a great deal about these features. And even more so, about PEQ.
Just in general. PEQ yes OK in this "DAC latest realm". And here certainly. But headphone listening is very different to loudspeaker listening (crossfeed relevance). And note that my observations were with respect to a digital device, but I should have specified more accurately that they have been long absent on analogue preamps for example, generally, for those of us who use them.

People find points to disagree on here too often. I agree with you bar small specifics of context.
 
PEQ is great.

Since R2R drove us into some kind of nostalgia, do you want the sound of the '70s?

To simulate the Pioneer SA-x06 integrated amplifiers family (1978), try this (playing with an RME ADI-2):
  • "Peak" Filter, Freq. 30Hz, Q 0.5, gain +2dB
  • "Peak" Filter, Freq. 70Hz, Q 0.9, gain +0.5dB
  • "Shelf" Filter, Freq. 8kHz Q 0.5, gain +1dB
Enjoy.

IMG_3428-s.jpg
 
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I can buy the RME ADI-2 DAC FS for an identical price where I live. The latter measures as well if not better than the Topping Centaurus, but is significantly more feature laden. Auto Ref can enable the maximum SNR for YOUR amplifier gain and the Loudness function is brilliant. Software firmware is regularly updated with new features, and because of its professional nature, RME will offer support for years to come.

Full disclosure: I have the ADI-2 PRO FS B with ADC functionality so will be biased.
Haven’t seen any new features for the RME ADI-2 Pro for more than one year! Just out of curiosity, what was the last new feature that was added?
 
Haven’t seen any new features for the RME ADI-2 Pro for more than one year! Just out of curiosity, what was the last new feature that was added?
Oh my, look at the ADI-2 app that was not only setup for PC/Mac but also ported for iPad. Then use it in real-time with your music playing. It's a sound control center for audiophiles like no other. Not sure what else I can ask for?

Other devices that offer EQ don't have the flexibility or the "Loudness" controls ability to automatically back off EQ as volume rises. It takes music listening at normal levels to a new high with the same punch as louder volumes. I can't get that anywhere else.

So when I see someone write "what has RME ADI-2 done for me lately" - I can't believe it. If you use the device and like real time controls it's a dream come true. :cool:
 
Interesting again ... I spot an AKM in there ;-) ... people don't talk about crossfeed enough, nor indeed things like loudness! I don't use headphones at home but ... checking it out, thank you.
:)
I believe my ADI-2 PRO FS R Be has a pre-fire AKM (you can still buy it in this form). The newer ADI-2/4 PRO SE and the current DAC are ESS. I think Amir compared the AKM and ESS DACs and there were no noticeable differences. It's what you would expect with a professional engineering organisation.
 
Actually, I was referring to the ADI-2.
So in summary, no NEW features for more than 12 months!
 
Actually, I was referring to the ADI-2.
So in summary, no NEW features for more than 12 months!

If you look at the RME site you will see a new PDF manual was released for the ADI Remote.
Also, the latest ADI-2 firmware flash is available dated Dec 12, 2024:

ADI-2/4 Pro SE: FPGA 72, DSP 40
ADI-2/4 Pro SE: FPGA 210, DSP 40
ADI-2 Pro Series: FPGA 267, DSP 128
ADI-2 Pro Series: FPGA 412, DSP 128
ADI-2 DAC: FPGA 81, DSP 62

All you have to do is check the https://www.rme-usa.com/adi-2-dac.html page for updates.
You won't find this kind of continual support with any other DAC.
 
Actually, I was referring to the ADI-2.
So in summary, no NEW features for more than 12 months!
There is no ADI-2. On the RME forums, at least once a day this fact is stated. The mods insist that you give the specific name since there are the older versions and each of the current FS versions are different products.
 
Actually, I was referring to the ADI-2.
This one?

It has long been discontinued.

So in summary, no NEW features for more than 12 months!
Are we in some kind of a challenge/competition here? It's not a smartphone.
 
No, just waiting for some cool new features ;-)

Actually, I was referring to the ADI-2.
Sorry, no cool new features for this particular product.

1) It's been discontinued years ago.
2) It has no DSP (and apparently no FPGA).
3) It has no USB so no way for end-user to update the firmware.
 
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