alekksander
Active Member
are You able to control volume with ALSA / Windows?
-
Welcome to ASR. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
Topping D30Pro Review (Balanced DAC)
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
are You able to control volume with ALSA / Windows?
Correct, because they lack a trigger.
These products have a headphone amp mentality but that will likely change as they follow each other closely.
- Rich
I can use my OS volume unless you mean control the preamp volume from Windows, which I'm not sure of.
It would appear the dac was tested in dac mode. So seeing that you may be the first owner, we will wait to hear your results in preamp mode.
Now, how's that the cirrus sound ? Are you floating on clouds yet ?
Is the main reason the D30Pro may be considered unsuitable as a preamp only because it lacks a 12v trigger. Any other reason(s)?
And please excuse if this is a stupid question, but what is 'preamp mode'
And please excuse if this is a stupid question, but what is 'preamp mode'
The D30Pro has volume control, balanced outputs (not required but nice), great measurements at 4 volts (plenty) to drive an amplifier.
The presence of a remote, means it may not be within hands reach. If connected to an amplifier, the amp may not be within hands reach.
- Rich
Preamp mode should fix the volume on the DAC to 100% so you are only controlling the dBs downstream via your amp, computer, etc...or maybe it is the other way around using DAC mode, but the point is one of the modes does it
Come on the guy was trying to answer a question, dont be so salty lol
AFAIK tis the other way around, but I'm not an expert. DAC mode it outputs a basically line level signal
Last edited:
Preamp mode should fix the volume on the DAC to 100% so you are only controlling the dBs downstream via your amp, computer, etc...or maybe it is the other way around using DAC mode, but the point is one of the modes does it
Makes sense that in preamp mode, volume would be variable, not fixed. But what do I know.
Yeah, I edited/re-worded my reply, I didn't mean to come off as 'salty'. But that was, um, some reply, lol.
So the D30Pro would make a fine Preamp from what I gather.
floaty af! /sIt would appear the dac was tested in dac mode. So seeing that you may be the first owner, we will wait to hear your results in preamp mode.
Now, how's that the cirrus sound ? Are you floating on clouds yet ?
They make it hard to switch between DAC/preamp mode. You cant do it with the controller unlike every other setting. You have to power cycle the device with the manual switch to get into settings and then navigate to the appropriate setting, then restart the device. This makes it quite hard to do a side by side comparison. DAC mode is slightly louder than preamp.
Last edited:
Preamp mode should fix the volume on the DAC to 100% so you are only controlling the dBs downstream via your amp, computer, etc...or maybe it is the other way around using DAC mode, but the point is one of the modes does it
DAC mode is just the DAC turned up to full volume. Nothing gets bypassed in either mode.
ah okay. Which would mean there would be no subjective or objective difference between pre amp mode at 0db and dac mode?
Shouldn't be.
Some DAC's need to be in 'DAC' mode to be able to handle DSD, but there isn't any difference in the circuit the signal will follow. One isn't inherently better or 'cleaner' than the other.
alekksander
Active Member
dac mode should be fixed and uncontrollable in pc or by knob/remote and preamp mode should have only one volume adjustable by alsa(system volume)/knob/remote. i believe this way it makes most sense. if i understand correctly, now it has pc volume on both modes plus one more extra control in preamp mode. i wish they could fix that in an update (if it's even possible to do). actually @JohnYang1997 perhaps one day You'll find some time to answer a curious customer
Last edited:
I agree, however DAC's equipped with a preamp mode, one would think or hope you would still be able to play DSD in preamp mode without having to put it back in pure DAC mode. Otherwise you essentially have made the preamp mode useless for all operating scenarios. If this was the case in this DAC, to me that would be a serious flaw. I'm sure jdizzle will run it through all the scenarios possible and report back to us.
DAC Mode can still have volume control by the PC enabled - it depends on how the drivers interact with WASAPI. For example, I can still control volume via my PC with my SMSL MK300 MKII in "fixed" mode.dac mode should be fixed and uncontrollable in pc or by knob/remote and preamp mode should have only one volume adjustable by alsa(system volume)/knob/remote. i believe this way it makes most sense. if i understand correctly, now it has pc volume on both modes plus one more extra control in preamp mode. i wish they could fix that in an update (if it's even possible to do). actually @JohnYang1997 perhaps one day You'll find some time to answer a curious customer
All the Topping DACs use this cumbersome method to switch between DAC and preamp mode. They should sound identical when volume is maxed out in preamp mode.
curiouspeter
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Ideally, USB and network should control volume using a resistor ladder through some relay.
Similar threads
