Topping D30Pro Review (Balanced DAC)

[Mulder]

Has the new firmware been released and if so what is its rev number
Thanks

Have a look for youself
https://www.tpdz.net/download

 

[muslhead]

Have a look for youself
https://www.tpdz.net/download

Thanks for the link.

 

[Predatowned]

EDIT: figured it out. Thank you!

Hi just received this fav and got it all set up. Using balanced cables to a AAA 789 but the dac HUD is displaying “PRE”. Is this normal? I’m getting sound via USB and everything sounds great but isn’t there a dedicated DAC mode and PRE mode? If so, how do I change it to be exclusively in DAC mode? The user manual link on topping’s site isn’t working.
Using windows 10 with latest driver and firmware. Asio as well in Foobar.

thank yo

 

[dpippel]

EDIT: figured it out. Thank you!

Hi just received this fav and got it all set up. Using balanced cables to a AAA 789 but the dac HUD is displaying “PRE”. Is this normal? I’m getting sound via USB and everything sounds great but isn’t there a dedicated DAC mode and PRE mode? If so, how do I change it to be exclusively in DAC mode? The user manual link on topping’s site isn’t working.
Using windows 10 with latest driver and firmware. Asio as well in Foobar.

thank yo

RTFM - Read The Fine Manual

 

[raif71]

RTFM - Read The Fine Manual

Good advice. Yes there is a DAC mode and how to set it, is in the manual.

 

[Predatowned]

Thanks. Yes I've already edited my OP yesterday stating I figured it out. My DAC didnt come with a paper manual and for whatever reason the link to download the manual off Topping's site wasnt working. I managed to download the document to my phone. I guess it was a chrome extension blocking the download which is weird because I was able to download the latest driver and firmware just fine.

Thanks fellas

 

[elole]

If Im using D30pro in pre mode for active speakers, and reduce the volume using the knob, am I seeing a decrease in digital volume (im assuming 32 bits) and hence loss of dynamic range? If yes, is it a negligible issue or an issue in some cases?

 

[robpap]

If Im using D30pro in pre mode for active speakers, and reduce the volume using the knob, am I seeing a decrease in digital volume (im assuming 32 bits) and hence loss of dynamic range? If yes, is it a negligible issue or an issue in some cases?

I am also using the D30pro in pre mode with two different pairs of active speakers, and I did not notice any significant loss of dynamic range.

 

[khark]

"Dac" mode is for people who want to hook it up to an external preamp and control volume from there, "Pre" is for everyone else.

 

[dpippel]

"Dac" mode is for people who want to hook it up to an external preamp and control volume from there, "Pre" is for everyone else.

DAC mode is also for (most) people who want to hook it up to a headphone amplifier.

 

[FireLion]

Topping should make all in one DAC and amplifier.

 

[dpippel]

Topping should make all in one DAC and amplifier.

DX7 Pro and BC3.

 

[olivier salad]

Topping should make all in one DAC and amplifier.

They should upgrade DX3 Pro.

 

[raif71]

DAC mode is also for (most) people who want to hook it up to a headphone amplifier.

I bought a passive volume block accepting xlr in and xlr out to the monitors. If I don't use this volume block, the DAC mode is too loud for the monitors. My setup consists of stack of d30pro and a30pro, so the 2 jacks of 6.35mm out of the a30pro is fed to the block of passive volume controller which in turn connected to the monitors.

 

[halo]

Some (highly subjective) thoughts after using both for a few days:

First things first, both are working fine without issues. Expectation was that they would sound somewhat similar and it would come down to convenience, features etc. and whether someone likes the color blue or orange more. But they don't sound similar. In fact, the difference is striking and clearly audible, beyond any bias/placebo consideration. I would just focus on the most important difference. The D30Pro does imaging well, without going into "uncanny surround" territory, while the SU-9 has a "tighter" presentation, which, while it isn't exactly 2D, is for a lack of better words, boring and sterile. The D30Pro was in contrast more engaging, "vibey", with nice instrument separation and a sense of space. I suspect the difference comes down to some coding implementation and not so on hardware.

So there you have it, the D30Pro won, rather easily i might add, and the unfortunate SU-9 will be exiled to another location and another desk. I want to say that it is not a bad device, but i was actually disappointed by it, given the gushing reviews. As for the D30Pro, it does well, and may be possibly the balanced DAC to get at this price point but there are still unanswered questions for me: for example, how does it fare against some other more expensive desk-friendly DACs like the D70s, hrrmph?

Btw listening was done mainly through iLoud MTMs, which are very, very nice for nearfield use, balanced, accurate and easy to listen to. They can also do imaging very well and can sound much bigger than their size suggests. I felt that the SU-9 annoyingly held them back in that respect.

Just curious.
Did you notice any difference in bass and sub bass presentation?
I've read some comments, stating that the D30Pro is lacking in the bass department.
(and I actually think that would be very welcome for my system which is very sensitive to low freqs)

 

[aandres_gm]

Just curious.
Did you notice any difference in bass and sub bass presentation?
I've read some comments, stating that the D30Pro is lacking in the bass department.
(and I actually think that would be very welcome for my system which is very sensitive to low freqs)

No good DAC that's functioning properly will ever change the way bass is presented.

 

[muslhead]

Just curious.
Did you notice any difference in bass and sub bass presentation?
I've read some comments, stating that the D30Pro is lacking in the bass department.
(and I actually think that would be very welcome for my system which is very sensitive to low freqs)

You are way better off looking to address the weakness in your system via EQ rather than from properly designed and built DACS which will have little to no influence on FR.

 

[khark]

I really wish i could subscribe to the narrative that *all* DACs past a point sound the same, because the "transparency" metrics are all that basically matters. It would make things sooo uncomplicated, right? "Buy Topping/SMSL/whathaveyou and call it a day, properly designed and built DACs, it doesn't matter".

Fyi, the difference in imaging between my D30Pro and Su-9 is way too apparent and was actually something that i wasn't very happy about it. And, yes, that affects the way the low-end is presented.

 

[Nomad]

I really wish i could subscribe to the narrative that *all* DACs past a point sound the same, because the "transparency" metrics are all that basically matters. It would make things sooo uncomplicated, right? "Buy Topping/SMSL/whathaveyou and call it a day, properly designed and built DACs, it doesn't matter".

Fyi, the difference in imaging between my D30Pro and Su-9 is way too apparent and was actually something that i wasn't very happy about it. And, yes, that affects the way the low-end is presented.

The standard reply would be: did you confirm this by some sort of a blind test? And what would you define as difference in imaging?
Sincerely asking.

 

[hawk01]

hello topping D30 pro owners! i would like to throw the same query as i did with the E30 folks. in the absence of doing a huge backread i would appreciate any feedback on using the D30 pro as a dedicated preamp connected to a power amplifier (unbalanced) powering stereo speakers. does it function well in volume resolution being a digital volume control? does the umbalanced connections have adequate output to drive the power amp? cheers!