Topping D30Pro Review (Balanced DAC)

[staticV3]

@WillSowerbutts set your TV to output audio via HDMI ARC, then plug an HDMI audio extractor into HDMI 2 (ARC) on your TV and your D30Pro into the HDMI audio extractor via either Toslink or RCA S/PDIF.

 

[WillSowerbutts]

@WillSowerbutts set your TV to output audio via HDMI ARC, then plug an HDMI audio extractor into HDMI 2 (ARC) on your TV and your D30Pro into the HDMI audio extractor via either Toslink or RCA S/PDIF.

This is a brilliant idea! I've ordered a cheap ARC extractor. I shall report back! THANK YOU!

 

[MarcosCh]

I shall report back!

Please do, I am searching for an arc capable extractor that can go up to 192khz, your feedback could be valuable of you have such sources.

 

[Ahmonge]

Have you tested the TV’s optical output with another device?

 

[WillSowerbutts]

Have you tested the TV’s optical output with another device?

Yes, I tried to explain in my original post: I've used the TV's optical output with a Beresford TC-7520 DAC for many years without issue. The Beresford is quite happy with the TV's output, the D30 Pro is not.

 

[Ahmonge]

Yes, I tried to explain in my original post: I've used the TV's optical output with a Beresford TC-7520 DAC for many years without issue. The Beresford is quite happy with the TV's output, the D30 Pro is not.

I see, so the D30 Pro is unable to synchronize with the TV’s optical output.

 

[NiagaraPete]

My D30p works fine with my LG. Granted my TV is only a couple years old.

 

[Ahmonge]

My D30p works fine with my LG. Granted my TV is only a couple years old.

This is my case with a 3 years old Samsung TV, but the d30 pro is notorious for being intolerant of optical input mismatches.

 

[NiagaraPete]

This is my case with a 3 years old Samsung TV, but the d30 pro is notorious for being intolerant of optical input mismatches.

True. Funny though my 35 year old Linn CD worked fine but many newer types fail.

 

[Rottmannash]

Is the TV set to output Bitstream or PCM?

 

[Phippers]

Almost all DACs with spdif input work with a CD transport. But the D30 pro often doesn't.

Do you know if this issue with the D30Pro is *the same* issue as with the E30? do they use similar SPDIF/TOS input circuits ?

Reason I ask is that I have an E30 and was wondering if this would be a leading indicator of likely success or failure with a D30Pro....

(My E30 exhibits the stutter problem on both SPDIF and TOS with my CD transport).

 

[NiagaraPete]

Do you know if this issue with the D30Pro is *the same* issue as with the E30? do they use similar SPDIF/TOS input circuits ?

Reason I ask is that I have an E30 and was wondering if this would be a leading indicator of likely success or failure with a D30Pro....

(My E30 exhibits the stutter problem on both SPDIF and TOS with my CD transport).

Yes I believe it is.

 

[Phippers]

Thanks!

 

[WillSowerbutts]

Is the TV set to output Bitstream or PCM?

the TV is outputting PCM I believe (works fine with the Beresford DAC, which contains only a PCM decoder I believe)

 

[WillSowerbutts]

This is a brilliant idea! I've ordered a cheap ARC extractor. I shall report back! THANK YOU!

I tested with an ARC extractor. So I took the HDMI (ARC) output of my TV into the ARC extractor, then the optical output from the ARC extractor into the D30 Pro optical input. It behaves exactly the same as when connected to the optical output of the TV -- the D30 Pro displays the sample rate when connected ("48" on the screen) but does not play any audio. I also tested co-ax from the ARC extractor to the D30 Pro with the same result.

This is the result I expected. I expect inside the TV the same audio stream is fed to the optical output and the ARC. So I expect any timing/jitter problems that affect one to affect the other equally. If the D30 Pro cannot "lock on" to the timing of one it will not be able to lock on to the other either.

Sadly this means the D30 Pro is being returned. I'm going to order a Topping EX5 Topping E70 instead.

 

[Ahmonge]

Sadly this means the D30 Pro is being returned

So sorry about this. Hopefully the new DAC will perform better with your TV set.

 

[Mulder]

I tested with an ARC extractor. So I took the HDMI (ARC) output of my TV into the ARC extractor, then the optical output from the ARC extractor into the D30 Pro optical input. It behaves exactly the same as when connected to the optical output of the TV -- the D30 Pro displays the sample rate when connected ("48" on the screen) but does not play any audio. I also tested co-ax from the ARC extractor to the D30 Pro with the same result.

This is the result I expected. I expect inside the TV the same audio stream is fed to the optical output and the ARC. So I expect any timing/jitter problems that affect one to affect the other equally. If the D30 Pro cannot "lock on" to the timing of one it will not be able to lock on to the other either.

Sadly this means the D30 Pro is being returned. I'm going to order a Topping EX5 Topping E70 instead.

This appears to be a D30 that is defective, i.e. it is precisely your copy that is wrong. I myself and others who have experienced the problem with the D30 SPDIF input have heard sound, but it chops and cannot be listened to. But I have not heard before that there was no sound at all. It's also the first time I've seen the problem occur with a TV. All previous reports of this problem have only involved CD players.

 

[NiagaraPete]

This appears to be a D30 that is defective, i.e. it is precisely your copy that is wrong. I myself and others who have experienced the problem with the D30 SPDIF input have heard sound, but it chops and cannot be listened to. But I have not heard before that there was no sound at all. It's also the first time I've seen the problem occur with a TV. All previous reports of this problem have only involved CD players.

I was thinking that as well. Has it been tested with another source?

 

[WillSowerbutts]

This appears to be a D30 that is defective, i.e. it is precisely your copy that is wrong. I myself and others who have experienced the problem with the D30 SPDIF input have heard sound, but it chops and cannot be listened to. But I have not heard before that there was no sound at all. It's also the first time I've seen the problem occur with a TV. All previous reports of this problem have only involved CD players.

Yes I have tested the D30 Pro with the optical output of a Google Chromecast Audio. Works perfectly. I also tested it with USB audio from a laptop - again works well. I've tested the TV optical output with a Beresford DAC (in fact this has been in use for >10 years) and again it works well.

 

[NiagaraPete]

Yes I have tested the D30 Pro with the optical output of a Google Chromecast Audio. Works perfectly. I also tested it with USB audio from a laptop - again works well. I've tested the TV optical output with a Beresford DAC (in fact this has been in use for >10 years) and again it works well.

Well then. There is a mismatch between your TV output and the D30. I hope the E70 works. Please let us know.