Topping Centaurus - teardown

[VientoB]

And again no safety certification markings on a mains-powered device.

Look harder.

 

[lucian]

edit - just found the review. not bad actually.

would really like to see measurements. cant imagine that discrete R2R comes close to an modern integrated DAC.

 

[VientoB]

edit - just found the review. not bad actually.

would really like to see measurements. cant imagine that discrete R2R comes close to an modern integrated DAC.

Topping Centaurus R2R DAC Review

This is a review, detailed measurements and listening test of the Topping Centaurus R2R stereo balanced DAC with PEQ filter support. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $999. The unit has the elegant look of the new Topping DACs with high resolution, high contrast screen, nicely...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[ElJaimito]

R2R? Antediluvian tech? Why?! (I handbuilt my first 4-bit DAC with selected resistors and CMOS switches (for instrument control) that way back in 1977 when there was little choice, but now?...)

 

[totti1965]

If R2R DAC, then I would go with the original. The HoloAudio Cyan 2. According to GoldenSound it measures quite well with at least 108 dB SINAD, I2S Input, good DSD capabilities and no Jitter at all.
Only Problem: My WiiM Pro Plus measures also very well…..
I am glad, that a friend of mine will lend me the Cyan 2 for a few weeks. Perhaps I can imagine some sound differences!

 

[SoundsGood2Me]

It's been a long time without purchase new DAC, since we are working on new class D amp with 12V trigger function.
And I choose Centaurus duo to R2R is my favorite type of DAC.


Front panel, it is new ID design with LCD display. The painting finish is really good than before.

Back panel, XLR/RCA output, I2S/Coaxial/Toslink/Bluetooth/AES/USB input and trigger. I believe it has all interface we need.

Bottom side, it also updates new foot with bigger rubber which makes more stable on table. The painting finish makes fingerprint more observed.

Inside, this DAC is made by Holo Audio DAC module same with Cyan2

Backside, we can see red screw glue on it to avoid someone teardown.

The power module. There are two portion, digital power DC5V on the left and analog power ±8V on right.

AC input, EMI filter put on main board and we can see ±8V wording on power module.

The digital control portion, XMOS XU316 on left side, Altera CPLD in the center and the IC without top marking should be SPDIF receiver.
SYNWIT MCU is used to control the DAC on the right side, I am not sure why this IC need to scratch out its top marking.

XMOS/CPLD used NDK crystal, I am not sure which series but they should be NZ2520SDA on CPLD.

Holo Audio R2R module, the OPA1612 may be used for reference voltage.

The backside of DAC module, those resistors are used for DSD decoding. There is something behind DAC module.

There are two IC on main board, CS43198 on left and the right IC should be used for upsampling or PEQ.
And there are some ultra low noise regulators surround those two IC.

It is quite interesting to add another DAC CS43198 since Centaurus is a R2R DAC, I guess CS43198 may be used for volume control.
Normally R2R DAC can't do volume control except extra volume control IC or something.

The I/V used Topping discrete module without epoxy coating. I am not sure this module is the same as Topping A70.
The single end converter used OPA1612. The AC coupling caps used Nichicon FW 220uF 16V

@whydan TY very much for this report and your very detailed explination of what everything is. Very interesting!

 

[solderdude]

Would be interested to know why it would measure so differently (in certain aspects) on Amir's test bench.
The oversampling part seems to be particularly broken.

 

[aagstn]

edit - just found the review. not bad actually.

would really like to see measurements. cant imagine that discrete R2R comes close to an modern integrated DAC.

I think this one is pretty close. I personally don't understand the fascination with expensive R2R and multi-bit DACs that are inferior to cheap delta sigma ones, but it isn't my money.

 

[BeeKay]

Maybe, part of the same logic applies to both, R2R DACs and TTs. Both offer very much ok'ish SQ but their technology is better to understand / grasp by those loving such gear. Why not?

 

[alanhuth]

Any plans to do a review of Topping D90 III Discrete? For comparison?

 

[gvl]

Would be interested to know why it would measure so differently (in certain aspects) on Amir's test bench.
The oversampling part seems to be particularly broken.

Likely Amir tested it with the default OS mode (no details were given in the review) which doesn’t show the issues mentioned in the GS video, which, if true, is a problem as the ASR review likely led to many people purchasing a half baked product.

 

[VientoB]

Likely Amir tested it with the default OS mode (no details were given in the review) which doesn’t show the issues mentioned in the GS video, which, if true, is a problem as the ASR review likely led to many people purchasing a half baked product.

I would argue Topping should be fixing this issue and replacing all faulty units.

 

[gvl]

I would argue Topping should be fixing this issue and replacing all faulty units.

I feel there isn’t a need to argue about this

 

[BeeKay]

Likely Amir tested it with the default OS mode (no details were given in the review) which doesn’t show the issues mentioned in the GS video, which, if true, is a problem as the ASR review likely led to many people purchasing a half baked product.

Worth to be tested again.

 

[whydan]

Any plans to do a review of Topping D90 III Discrete? For comparison?

It depends if any friend of mine who buys a D90 III Discrete so I can borrow one.
I already did D90 III teardown as below if you may interest.

Topping D90 III - teardown

Hello, I knew Topping DAC started from the 1st generation of D90 with AK4499EX, and I still keep D90 MQA. Then 2nd gen D90SE/D90LE change to ES9038pro because fire broke out AKM factory, which I owned for months. Now the 3rd gen. D90 III still maintain the same famliy ID design with new...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[beeface]

R2R? Antediluvian tech? Why?! (I handbuilt my first 4-bit DAC with selected resistors and CMOS switches (for instrument control) that way back in 1977 when there was little choice, but now?...)

I just re-read Amir's review and I can't honestly answer why. Maybe as a curiosity? Personally I don't get it - at the end of the day it's just a box that does the same job less efficiently and not as well. But as Amir says in his review, at least this device doesn't really do major harm.

 

[NoteMakoti]

Likely Amir tested it with the default OS mode (no details were given in the review) which doesn’t show the issues mentioned in the GS video, which, if true, is a problem as the ASR review likely led to many people purchasing a half baked product.

The details were in the review, I think most people just didn't bother reading it past seeing the blue bar in the SINAD chart and subconsciously labeling it "great".

 

[gvl]

The details were in the review, I think most people just didn't bother reading it past seeing the blue bar in the SINAD chart and subconsciously labeling it "great".

You made me read it one more time and I stillI don’t see any mention of the OS mode that was active at the time measurements were taken. What am I missing?

 

[totti1965]

edit - just found the review. not bad actually.

would really like to see measurements. cant imagine that discrete R2R comes close to an modern integrated DAC.

Cameron Oatley (GoldenSound) did also make in deep measurements:
If you want R2R - Just go with the HoloAudio Cyan 2 - The Original!

Holo Cyan 2 + Topping Centaurus Review & Measurements

[TableOfContents] Introduction Design and I/O Measurements Conclusion [End] Introduction The Holo Cyan 2 is a recent release from Holo Audio that comes in at a substantially lower price ($1200) than the Holo May or Spring 3, whilst keeping the impressive objective performance that Holo is...

headphones.com

 

[JaccoW]

The CE mark for the EU is located on the bottom of the device. The declaration is the responsibility of the importer or the person placing the product on the market.
CE certificates for such devices are prohibited by law in the EU anyway.

Also,

I can imagine they only want this added when within Schengen.