Topping D10 Balanced Review (USB DAC)

[JohnYang1997]

@JohnYang1997

This is now available at Amazon U.K., but only to import from China, which takes a while and, I suspect, will cost a tad more.

Do you know if Amazon U.K. will be selling these direct?

Many thanks.

Is audiophonics an option for you?

 

[pma]

@JohnYang1997

This is now available at Amazon U.K., but only to import from China, which takes a while and, I suspect, will cost a tad more.

Do you know if Amazon U.K. will be selling these direct?

Many thanks.

original
https://www.amazon.com/Neutrik-NA3MP-Male-Adapter-Stereo/dp/B008ZT93OM

I would not use copies.

 

[sam_adams]

Why purchase the balanced version when you're not going to use balanced?

Someone is ordering one of these from Amazon, right now, with just this intention. Will you be there to comfort them when their new purchase goes up in smoke? Somehow, I think not.

 

[JohnYang1997]

This is a rather cryptic answer that does not instill confidence in the design choices that you seem to have made with this device.

The key is I do not want anyone who doesn't know what he is doing to do anything stupid. To avoid any issue, balanced to single ended conversion using adapter or cable is prohibited.
If you know what you are doing, you do not need me to answer this particular question. You have all the information published for you to come up with the answer.
If you need single ended, get D10s. It's simple and straightforward.

 

[sam_adams]

View attachment 142641

The fact that the manufacturer states this does not prevent someone from doing it. A design choice was made that makes a standard practice for decades unusable on this device.

 

[Lupin]

Someone is ordering one of these from Amazon, right now, with just this intention. Will you be there to comfort them when their new purchase goes up in smoke? Somehow, I think not.

No need to comfort anyone..
Amazon has a very good return policy so do everyone a favor and let him/her return the D10d and order a D10s instead.

 

[JohnYang1997]

The fact that the manufacturer states this does not prevent someone from doing it. A design choice was made that makes a standard practice for decades unusable on this device.

Yes. This is exactly what we want. Don't buy this device.

 

[Atanasi]

The key is I do not want anyone who doesn't know what he is doing to do anything stupid. To avoid any issue, balanced to single ended conversion using adapter or cable is prohibited.

E1DA 9038S, for comparison, has DC offset, so the zero point of the signal is not the same as the USB ground. This makes it unsafe to connect to unbalanced devices with adapters. This one could have a similar circuit.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Is audiophonics an option for you?

It’s an option, but it’s as clear as mud how much I’d be paying.

 

[JohnYang1997]

It’s an option, but it’s as clear as mud how much I’d be paying.

Maybe ask Shenzhenaudio here. They may be able to help you. I don't know very well in this either.
@SHENZHENAUDIO

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Maybe ask Shenzhenaudio here. They may be able to help you. I don't know very well in this either.
@SHENZHENAUDIO

Thank you anyway.

@SHENZHENAUDIO , any ideas?

Many thanks.

 

[Labjr]

For USA types, I spent some time looking around yesterday, and found that Monoprice sells TRS to male or female XLR Cables with gold-plated pins for less than $10, depending on length. Use their Cable Finder to locate them. If you want higher-end, one of my go-to cable houses, Blue Jeans Cable, sells balanced cables based on Belden 1800F or Canare L4E6S wire. If my prior experience with BJC is any indication they will be of first-rate quality, but will set you back $30 or more each.

I imagine any cheapo TRS to XLR cable will do the job. Personally, I would make my own. The very best Neutrik connectors are about $5 each and Mogami W2791 cable is about $1.25 per foot.

 

[sam_adams]

The key is I do not want anyone who doesn't know what he is doing to do anything stupid. To avoid any issue, balanced to single ended conversion using adapter or cable is prohibited.
If you know what you are doing, you do not need me to answer this particular question. You have all the information published for you to come up with the answer.
If you need single ended, get D10s. It's simple and straightforward.

A long time ago my high school physics teacher told us that the second most abundant element in the Universe after Hydrogen was stupidity. The American comedian, Ron White, made this statement; "You can't fix stupid." A lifetime of observation combined with recent world events seem to have confirmed both of these.

What you and I want is irrelevant when faced with the overpowering urge of virtually every human being on this planet to ignore the the statement; "Danger! Avoid death." You just have to realize that someone is going to ask you the question; "Why?" "Because I told you so.", is not the answer that they are willing to accept.

 

[JohnYang1997]

A long time ago my high school physics teacher told us that the second most abundant element in the Universe after Hydrogen was stupidity. The American comedian, Ron White, made this statement; "You can't fix stupid." A lifetime of observation combined with recent world events seem to have confirmed both of these.

What you and I want is irrelevant when faced with the overpowering urge of virtually every human being on this planet to ignore the the statement; "Danger! Avoid death." You just have to realize that someone is going to ask you the question; "Why?" "Because I told you so.", is not the answer that they are willing to accept.

Except I'm telling you not to buy this device. And I'm not supposed to be your teacher. I have had enough of this. Let's move on.

 

[Koeitje]

A few details from the Topping website that might answer a few questions before they are asked:

ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip as already mentioned
16-32bit/44.1-384kHz PCM and DSD64-DSD256 Native
No remote control
Includes a pair of TRS to XLR adapters, but no XLR cable
Automatic power on/off even when using an "always on" USB connection

Definitely appears to be a very good value. It has just gone to the top of my desktop system wishlist.

Including TRS to XLR adapters is pretty nice actually.

 

[pma]

The right question is if this Topping accepts -out short to ground by wrong TS adapter. If not, then @JohnYang1997 position is clear. DACs for music purposes, like Focusrite or Roland have higher output resistors like 400 ohm and thus they do not care if you short negative output to ground and accept both TRS and TS adapters. Simple answer. The floating balanced output like DRV134 does not care of -out short. This is the way to design balanced output.

 

[pma]

Except I'm telling you not to buy this device. And I'm not supposed to be your teacher. I have had enough of this. Let's move on.

You should rather explain than taking arrogant position. Move on.

 

[JohnYang1997]

The right question is if this Topping accepts -out short to ground by wrong TS adapter. If not, then @JohnYang1997 position is clear. DACs for music purposes, like Focusrite or Roland have higher output resistors like 400 ohm and thus they do not care if you short negative output to ground and accept both TRS and TS adapters. Simple answer.

Incorrect and irrelevant of what he's asking.

 

[Sharur]

Is there any way to switch the filter on this DAC?

thankfully no. Incredibly useless feature on E30 when sharp is ideal.

 

[Shorty]

It’s an option, but it’s as clear as mud how much I’d be paying.

So you’re so lazy you need to ask someone in China to find out for you how much you have to pay in taxes to have the DAC sent from France to (I assume) GB? Are you for real?
Why not ask Audiophonics yourself? While you’re at it you‘ll find out if they’re willing to send you one at all, what with the insane tax-rules GB imposes on imports from the EU nowadays…
(For those who do not know: GB nowadays demands EU-firms like Audiophonics to collect British taxes and on top of this charges them administration costs for the ’privilege’. Small wonder EU-traders don’t want the hassle and stop selling to customers in GB altogether.)