Topping Centaurus R2R

[caocaolatre199x]

I can't speak for anybody else but your demeanor and posting style is giving me a headache.

Slow down, be respectful and perhaps not so abrasive please.

Okay. I'm so sorry about this.

 

[boXem]

I can easily buy a motherboard like this on Aliexpress. and it has LDAC working. do you think these are branded and does Sony make a dime from this?
View attachment 413979


Didn't you even bother to read what qudelix wrote in the link you sent? haha


If LDAC is not open source. do you think a company like Qudelix has the right to develop their own custom version of LDAC? do you see any company other than Microsoft releasing custom windows? Do you see anyone customizing iOS other than Apple? that would be awesome.

I can find you on Qualcomm certified list that includes Qudelix. Can you find on Sony list names like Akaliam, rod rain audio, leaf audio? Can you find a company that is not on Qualcomm certified list but their products have aptx adaptive?



You say QCC chip is not good enough. Qudelix developed their own ldac. this is like when Chord developed their own DAC based on FPGA. and Chord fans go and tell the world that all DAC chips from companies like ESS, AKM are garbage?

LDAC is a software codec and manufacturers have to pay Sony a one time payment to legally use the decoding algorithm.
It is not an hypothesis, I followed the licensing process until I got the price. Not cheap.
Topping has paid for the license, like SMSL, ifi and others.
I understand that you were convinced that LDAC was free, but it is only the case for encoding.

 

[caocaolatre199x]

LDAC is a software codec and manufacturers have to pay Sony a one time payment to legally use the decoding algorithm.
It is not an hypothesis, I followed the licensing process until I got the price. Not cheap.
Topping has paid for the license, like SMSL, ifi and others.
I understand that you were convinced that LDAC was free, but it is only the case for encoding.

Ok. I understand. I think I should stop here. Things have gone too far. Originally I just wanted to say that the QCC5125 is a very good chip at the moment. No need to replace it.

 

[unpluggged]

Originally I just wanted to say that the QCC5125 is a very good chip at the moment.

Then you should have said just that, and not flame with insults and blaming others for your own faults. Good bye.

 

[guigui]

Guys, sometimes it's better to just let it go.

Peace and music

 

[Jimbob54]

Guys, sometimes it's better to just let it go.

Peace and music

Agreed. Let's move things on please folks .

 

[caocaolatre199x]

Then you should have said just that, and not flame with insults and blaming others for your own faults. Good bye.

I'm not insulting you. You were unable to refute me with your arguments. What you argue is that QCC is not good enough, Kalimba DSP is better but you don't know that Kalimba is being used in the QCC chips themselves. You also can't prove how the Chinese got LDAC without contacting Sony but they couldn't get aptX Adaptive without contacting Qualcomm. You don't have enough arguments to refute me and can only say that I am personally attacking you. Try to answer ramblingly and not get straight to the point. Please do not play the victim and get empathy from others.? It's better for you to shut up sooner than me and not try to post any more of these comments. It's just that you're also blaming me?.

 

[Jimbob54]

I'm not insulting you. You were unable to refute me with your arguments. What you argue is that QCC is not good enough, Kalimba DSP is better but you don't know that Kalimba is being used in the QCC chips themselves. You also can't prove how the Chinese got LDAC without contacting Sony but they couldn't get aptX Adaptive without contacting Qualcomm. You don't have enough arguments to refute me and can only say that I am personally attacking you. Try to answer ramblingly and not get straight to the point. Please do not play the victim and get empathy from others.? It's better for you to shut up sooner than me and not try to post any more of these comments. It's just that you're also blaming me?.

Enough . Take a break from this thread .

 

[guigui]

Enough . Take a break from this thread .

Yep

 

[SMen]

I gave it a blind buy cause I am insane and/or curious, I locked it in at that initial price from what I heard from Apos told me, "Topping realized they made a mistake with the cost of the Centaurus and has since raised the price." From talking to them to see if they are going to change my price.

Just curious, and a comment about pricing... did you have to pay import tax on that price where you are? I very nearly pulled the trigger like you, and then was not so happy about missing the boat! ...

But to Europe with duties that would have been 799 + 20% = 959 USD converting to 915 euros. I then very nearly pulled the trigger with (I have to say they were excellent HiFiGo) who would have charged just over 950 euros including postage and all duties paid after the price hike... so suddenly it wasn't looking quite so bad ...

But I waited and I have now pulled the trigger with Audiophonics up the road from me here in France, and I get the support and 2 year guarantee etc etc for 999 euros.

So not quite so bad a hike as I first thought...

I will not be at all surprised to see distributors trying to get £999.00 though in the UK ... which happens all the time with pricing, and that is 1,220 USD ... now that really would be a hike! If anyone is in the UK I'd try HiFiGo! Shenzhenaudio were going to add 20% duty to the 999USD after the hike ... all a bit crazy ... lots of volatility (might have changed since) ... but I think a genuine mistake from Topping.

 

[keenerz]

Just curious, and a comment about pricing... did you have to pay import tax on that price where you are? I very nearly pulled the trigger like you, and then was not so happy about missing the boat! ...

But to Europe with duties that would have been 799 + 20% = 959 USD converting to 915 euros. I then very nearly pulled the trigger with (I have to say they were excellent HiFiGo) who would have charged just over 950 euros including postage and all duties paid after the price hike... so suddenly it wasn't looking quite so bad ...

But I waited and I have now pulled the trigger with Audiophonics up the road from me here in France, and I get the support and 2 year guarantee etc etc for 999 euros.

So not quite so bad a hike as I first thought...

I will not be at all surprised to see distributors trying to get £999.00 though in the UK ... which happens all the time with pricing, and that is 1,220 USD ... now that really would be a hike! If anyone is in the UK I'd try HiFiGo! Shenzhenaudio were going to add 20% duty to the 999USD after the hike ... all a bit crazy ... lots of volatility (might have changed since) ... but I think a genuine mistake from Topping.

Nope no tax either. I got mine through Apos.

 

[SMen]

Nope no tax either. I got mine through Apos.

Thank you, I think I am correct though that in your region you would not have been expecting tax? Over here we have 20% put on top, so the repricing increases margins for Topping in your region, and keeps the units more competitive in mine (as the price absorbs the tax considerably), so you did mightily well getting in quickly, and for me it was less of a hit in the end.

How are you finding it (apart from those technical issues)?

 

[all24bits]

It’ll be great if the thread can converge back into the conversation around this DAC. Rather than a generic argument about whether DACs sounding the same.

I am curious to know why we are even having a discussion on DACs if they all sound the same. Shouldn't people buy any modern DAC and leave the hobby for another hobby with actual differences in products?

On bluetooth, Topping says it has LDAC but Headfonia review says it doesnt. Can anyone confirm if this has LDAC?

 

[Purité Audio]

Speakers are still different and even some really poorly designed dacs,
Keith

 

[Ahmonge]

I am curious to know why we are even having a discussion on DACs if they all sound the same

Even if this is mostly true, different DACs have different functions, so it is useful to talk about them.

 

[SMen]

I am curious to know why we are even having a discussion on DACs if they all sound the same. Shouldn't people buy any modern DAC and leave the hobby for another hobby with actual differences in products?

On bluetooth, Topping says it has LDAC but Headfonia review says it doesnt. Can anyone confirm if this has LDAC?

I'm curious to know why you are reading subjective reviews like on Headfonia if DAC's all sound the same ;-) ... but I picked up on that also ... maybe the reviewer is trying to connect with his iPhone which only goes up to AAC ...

The Topping surely indeed has LDAC with Bluetooth 5.1

 

[mike7877]

It's on Topping's website now in their available products