Topping D30 DAC Measurement and Review

[daftcombo]

You're all gonna hate on me but I think I prefer the D10 sound, maybe it just meshes with my amp better than D30. I also put a V5I-d into it and it improved it audibly to my ears. Note: I do have bass heavy headphones and I will be testing them over the next few days just to make sure.

Thanks. What differences could you tell?

 

[Lt_George]

...if you want an upgrade, really, the D50s is it..

Not looking for an upgrade and I won't be buying D50s since I don't need Bluetooth or a pretty display. What I am interested in seeing is the new KTB, whatever JDS Labs end up releasing to complement the Atom, and comparing them with whatever new thing Topping have at the price point. Whatever the audible performance, that ESS hump issue is now public knowledge and new products are addressing it. I'm going to wait and see before I decide.

 

[FireLion]

Thanks. What differences could you tell?

D30 wasn't doing it for me it had a grain to it. On the D10 it just sounded a little cleaner and more spacious. I also think stock D10 is just fine, I just had the part. It probably uses an newer IC and has it in class A-mode. I might put the stock back in or try an OPA2604.

I got the HiFiBerry Pro+ DAC balanced, it's as barebones as you'll get much like the Khadas, I also got the USB board that replaces the Raspberry Pi so it becomes a pure standalone DAC. https://www.hifiberry.com/shop/boards/usb2i2s/

EDIT: I actually prefer the OPA2604 over the 2134's in my amp, D10 stock is fine but the 2604 is just a little cleaner.

 

[iazriel]

Good morning. I am going to take my D30 in a couple of hours, just a quick question. Do I have to download the topping drivers or use whatever W10 has? Plus, do I have to disable the onboard dac?

 

[Veri]

Good morning. I am going to take my D30 in a couple of hours, just a quick question. Do I have to download the topping drivers or use whatever W10 has? Plus, do I have to disable the onboard dac?

Just select D30 as output in audio devices. W10 comes with a general purpose driver that works fine. You will need to install the Topping driver (whatever is their latest should work) if you need advanced device options like buffer etc, or want to use ASIO.

 

[iazriel]

Just select D30 as output in audio devices. W10 comes with a general purpose driver that works fine. You will need to install the Topping driver (whatever is their latest should work) if you need advanced device options like buffer etc, or want to use ASIO.

They have a driver from back 2016. I don't think I will need advanced options and I don't know what ASIO is tbh, I will use it for Tidal HiFi and gaming with HeSuVi only.

 

[Veri]

They have a driver from back 2016. I don't think I will need advanced options and I don't know what ASIO is tbh, I will use it for Tidal HiFi and gaming with HeSuVi only.

Windows UAC driver should be fine then

 

[iazriel]

Windows UAC driver should be fine then

Thank you very much!

 

[Svperstar]

Maybe I missed it but what was the SINAD score for the D30?

 

[sajunky]

Maybe I missed it but what was the SINAD score for the D30?

Good, but irrelevant now. My D30 has a lot of jitter, I can't listen to it for a long time, it is fatiguing. It came with $0.30 clock chips and CAPXON capacitors. BB OPAs may be also fake, in such situation it is easy to predict.

 

[Svperstar]

Good, but irrelevant now. My D30 has a lot of jitter, I can't listen to it for a long time, it is fatiguing. It came with $0.30 clock chips and CAPXON capacitors. BB OPAs may be also fake, in such situation it is easy to predict.

What was it originally? How can you tell if you got a fake?

 

[Veri]

My D30 has a lot of jitter, I can't listen to it for a long time, it is fatiguing. It came with $0.30 clock chips and CAPXON capacitors. BB OPAs may be also fake, in such situation it is easy to predict.

so, you measured the jitter to come to this conclusion?

 

[sajunky]

What was it originally? How can you tell if you got a fake?

Read previous posts regarding changes in new PCB versions. I may received a fake version, but probably not, as I do order from a suppliers with good reputation. Various cuts were made by a Topping company itself, it is proven.

 

[THW]

uhhh, jitter measurements don’t correlate with your claims so I’m not sure how you can claim your hearing experience is because of jitter

 

[sajunky]

uhhh, jitter measurements don’t correlate with your claims so I’m not sure how you can claim your hearing experience is because of jitter

Well, when changing from audio quaity capacitors to CAPXON and a premium clock chip devices to the parts I found on Aliexpress for $0.30 each, it is expected jitter to rise, isn't? So my reasoning is straightforward and reasonable.

BTW, I just report my experience. It is not onus on me to prove that jitter is not a reason for my hearing experience, but a manufacter who made all these cost-cutting changes.

 

[Julf]

it is expected jitter to rise, isn't?

Expected. As in "expectation bias".

It is not onus on me to prove that jitter is not a reason for my hearing experience, but a manufacter who made all these cost-cutting changes.

Actually the onus is on you - you are the one making the claim.

 

[Deleted member 2944]

For a subjectivist the onus is always on somebody else.

 

[BDWoody]

BTW, I just report my experience. It is not onus on me to prove that jitter is not a reason for my hearing experience, but a manufacter who made all these cost-cutting changes.

Ahhh...so, 'cuz I said so'.

Got it.

Seems to be your standard fallback. Consider me unconvinced.

 

[Jimmy]

If you mean silicon oscillators, the one reviewed by Amir had them, and mine has them, too, with Capxon caps (that's the only difference in my unit).

Regarding the electrolytic caps they are not in the signal path, so unless they out of spec they won't make any difference.

I was curious but I never found who manufactured the oscillators/their part numbers, do you have a link?. These are uncommon in audio gear but you don't really need ultra low ppm for audio.

Well, when changing from audio quaity capacitors to CAPXON and a premium clock chip devices to the parts I found on Aliexpress for $0.30 each, it is expected jitter to rise, isn't? So my reasoning is straightforward and reasonable.

BTW, I just report my experience. It is not onus on me to prove that jitter is not a reason for my hearing experience, but a manufacter who made all these cost-cutting changes.

 

[sajunky]

If you mean silicon oscillators, the one reviewed by Amir had them, and mine has them, too, with Capxon caps (that's the only difference in my unit).

Regarding the electrolytic caps they are not in the signal path, so unless they out of spec they won't make any difference.

I was curious but I never found who manufactured the oscillators/their part numbers, do you have a link?. These are uncommon in audio gear but you don't really need ultra low ppm for audio.

Oscilator chips on the board tested by Amir are most probably SiT8209 ultra-performance series from SiTime. I judge it from the characteristic black case and 5-digit marking with capital YXXXX. You can find these chips at the price from $4 to $5 each and there are three of them for a BOM of minimum $12.

I also didn't find who is a manufacturer of the clock chips on my board. The one for the MPU and XU208 clock is very basic, but I don't mind. The other two for clocking a DAC look like a 'premium' rated. They have a characteristic <T> mark on them. They are found in various places on Aliexpress, they are selling for $0.30 each, but there were no mention of the manufacturer. No, I didn't bother to save URL's, but you can do it yourself by comparing a photo.


As for the CapXon, this is a brand with very bad reputation in the electronic industry. Failing rate of CapXon's capacitors is so bad, that this brand took a first place on the badcaps ratings in many forums. It became a shame for everybody for using this brand in any electronic equipment, not only for the audio applications.