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Topping D10 or khadas tone board, which to choose?

wyrainer

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Nov 16, 2018
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Hi everyone, sorry for my poor English first.

After ordered a massdrop THX AAA 789, I want to buy a new DAC to pair with it. I don't know choose which one: Topping D10 or khadas tone board.

According to measurement record, khadas is better. I want to know if I can hear difference.
D10 is easier to use, but its SINAD is little worse
 
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derp1n

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Both of them perform well enough that SINAD is not a concern. No single measurement (and especially not a single number - graphs are better, at least) tells the whole performance story so don't focus too much on the numbers as long as the equipment measures well enough. It's very unlikely you could hear a difference between the two devices, and even if you could it's impossible to say which one you'd prefer. So given the performance of both is fine, base your decision on other factors: budget, connectivity, features, aesthetics, warranty/support, etc.
 
OP
wyrainer

wyrainer

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Both of them perform well enough that SINAD is not a concern. No single measurement (and especially not a single number - graphs are better, at least) tells the whole performance story so don't focus too much on the numbers as long as the equipment measures well enough. It's very unlikely you could hear a difference between the two devices, and even if you could it's impossible to say which one you'd prefer. So given the performance of both is fine, base your decision on other factors: budget, connectivity, features, aesthetics, warranty/support, etc.

thanks for your reply....
 

momo7G

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@wyrainer
I guess you already decided to buy either one. But thinking d10 get a better packaging and presentation than khadas just a card. Look cheap but better result.

To be honest and my personal experience, the most important part is your headphone and what you are listening to. From my another guess, you should be streaming lossless from tidal or using dsd.

The better stat of the dac and amp, the more clean power you can get to your headphones. Remember amirm need his headphone to be super loud to hear the differences and styles of certain dac or amp.

Having said that, your listen preference and how familiar with the songs and headsets come in play too. So someone will have his/her personal reference headset to test out different electronics because they know how the songs and headphones will perform.

TLDR, both are good choices but it looks nicer to have d10 place on top of the amp. Unless you want a rustic unfinished look for your equipment. Remider: dust accumulates up quickly
 
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wyrainer

wyrainer

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@wyrainer
I guess you already decided to buy either one. But thinking d10 get a better packaging and presentation than khadas just a card. Look cheap but better result.

To be honest and my personal experience, the most important part is your headphone and what you are listening to. From my another guess, you should be streaming lossless from tidal or using dsd.

The better stat of the dac and amp, the more clean power you can get to your headphones. Remember amirm need his headphone to be super loud to hear the differences and styles of certain dac or amp.

Having said that, your listen preference and how familiar with the songs and headsets come in play too. So someone will have his/her personal reference headset to test out different electronics because they know how the songs and headphones will perform.

TLDR, both are good choices but it looks nicer to have d10 place on top of the amp. Unless you want a rustic unfinished look for your equipment. Remider: dust accumulates up quickly

tks...

you are very convincing...

My purpose is different to amirm's
it's no different to me using D10 or khadas

d10 is cheaper and get better packaging, it should be better for me.
 

snip3r77

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tks...

you are very convincing...

My purpose is different to amirm's
it's no different to me using D10 or khadas

d10 is cheaper and get better packaging, it should be better for me.
Just go for it if you’ve made up your mind
 
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wyrainer

wyrainer

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LOL :D hey it happens to the best of us

these two companies: Topping and Khadas, they are in Shenzhen, I am in the same city.
I can get them very soon, maybe tomorrow

maybe I will regret:D
 

momo7G

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@wyrainer
Enjoy the new products, for dac and amp, usually takes a while to "feel" the difference, the jump is not as big as headphones and speakers. But after a while, you will start to feel you made the right buy and lucky you did it.
 

subenieko

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I'm deciding between the two now. Could you share your impressions and comparison? Does it really boils down to design and features or are there difference in sound?
 

daftcombo

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Hi,

I have a question about the Topping D10: how good is it?

I have one at home and use as a USB --> Optical converter with a 10m optical cable going to an FDA in the other room. This set-up allows me to enjoy music without hearing the fan of my laptop, that is to say in silence.

When I want to listen to music while using the computer, I use my Apogee Duet 2, plugged in USB. I got it used but still paid it twice the price of the Topping. It would be easier for me to use only the Topping for all the music, but having paid more for the Duet I can't convince myself that it would sound inferior, or even equivalent to the Topping. Especially because the Duet 2 is highly regarded.

In your opinion, can the Topping compete?

Best,

Thomas
 

Vexed hex

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these two companies: Topping and Khadas, they are in Shenzhen, I am in the same city.
I can get them very soon, maybe tomorrow

maybe I will regret:D


So whats the verdict how do they compare? I as going to get a tone board but it was a preorder and then i noticed a shenzen audio sale for the d10 for only 76 dollars so i got it.
 

daftcombo

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The Khadas has a better SINAD, but the Topping D10 has no ESS hump.
Tough one...
 

ferongr

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Between the two, for general use on a computer, which one is the most "stable" with lower latency and no glitching or delays when a signal first starts playing? I assume both would be happy feeding two two amps (a speaker and a headphone one) in parallel with a Y cable.
 

Gyroscopics

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I originally bought my D10 as headphone DAC, but it ended up in my HT/stereo setup to split and distribute music signal from Volumio (running on RPi) into two integrated amps and 2 pairs of speakers - one pair in a dedicated 2.0 system, another pair used in 2.2 system (or in 7.2.4 system in HT-bypass mode). Bottom line, the D10 is a good DAC, and also a very good USB to SPDIF and OPTICAL converter/splitter. I now use a D50 in my headphone system. I don't hear any glitch/latency on either D10 or D50. Disclaimer: I've been a long time speakers guy who recently just started to appreciate headphones.
 
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