Topping D50 III Balanced DAC with EQ Review

[unpluggged]

Did @amirm do any measurements also from soundcards that are build for working INSIDE a PC?
Examples?

For instance, this: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...u-audio-pro-review-internal-sound-card.19728/

 

[totti1965]

Thanks!

 

[johny_2000]

Did @amirm do any measurements also from soundcards that are build for working INSIDE a PC?
Examples?

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www.audiosciencereview.com

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[alfalfa001]

So, these are on sale on Apos and Shenzhenaudio this week ($365 USD for the dac/amp combo). What's the verdict? Should I get these, or is there anything better in the price range? Coming from DX3+ driving HD800s.
Also, is there any difference in RCA vs balance interconnect? Which cables to get?

 

[mackman]

Personally I would get balanced to reduce chances of ground hum and because they always feel like stronger connections but other than that there isn’t a meaningful change of sound quality. Also I always buy my cables from blue jeans cable.

 

[somebodyelse]

Did @amirm do any measurements also from soundcards that are build for working INSIDE a PC?
Examples?

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...d-measurements-of-evga-nu-audio-pc-card.9137/
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...u-audio-pro-review-internal-sound-card.19728/

 

[CedarX]

So, these are on sale on Apos and Shenzhenaudio this week ($365 USD for the dac/amp combo). What's the verdict? Should I get these, or is there anything better in the price range? Coming from DX3+ driving HD800s.
Also, is there any difference in RCA vs balance interconnect? Which cables to get?

What’s wrong with your DX3+? The D50-III + A50-III may be better on paper and show better measurements, but do you really expect to hear an improvement?
Unless the PEQ of the D50-III is the killer feature you absolutely want..

 

[alfalfa001]

What’s wrong with your DX3+? The D50-III + A50-III may be better on paper and show better measurements, but do you really expect to hear an improvement?
Unless the PEQ of the D50-III is the killer feature you absolutely want..

So, here's what I really want;
I switch between IEM and my HD800S alot. I use EQ for the HD800S, but not for the IEM. Currently, I have to unplug on, plug the other, open Peace, turn EQ on off.
I wonder if I have I can have EQ saved on the 4.4 output, and not the 3.5. Alternatively, I'm OK with clicking a button on the remote if easy. Can I leave both the 3.5 and the 4.4 plugged in and just switch which to play music one with a click of a botton?
Can any of the switching be done easily, or would I need someting like the RME ADI-2? (My Qudelix 5K can store EQ per output)

Additionally, seldom, I think I hear buzzing through the DX3, but might be something else, or in my head.

 

[staticV3]

I wonder if I have I can have EQ saved on the 4.4 output, and not the 3.5.

With the D50III+A50III, that's not possible.

Alternatively, I'm OK with clicking a button on the remote if easy.

To toggle the EQ On/Off on the D50III, you need to open the setup menu, go to the PEQ menu, turn it on/off, then exit the setup menu.

There is no dedicated button for this.

Can I leave both the 3.5 and the 4.4 plugged in and just switch which to play music one with a click of a botton?

The A50III's two headphone outputs play simultaneously, with no way to mute one of them.

 

[alfalfa001]

With the D50III+A50III, that's not possible.


To toggle the EQ On/Off on the D50III, you need to open the setup menu, go to the PEQ menu, turn it on/off, then exit the setup menu.

There is no dedicated button for this.


The A50III's two headphone outputs play simultaneously, with no way to mute one of them.

Sounds like it would be more of a hassle that using software EQ like I do now.
Thank you for the insight

 

[AudioNoobie]

Sounds like it would be more of a hassle that using software EQ like I do now.

You can save all the dac settings to the remote C1 or c2 button.

set the EQ up as you like hold c1 for 5 seconds.
then set a different EQ /none and hold c2 for 5 seconds.

now c1 and c2 switch between DAC profiles, I just tested if it saves the output setting to and it does. so I'm assuming it saves all dac settings


There's only 2 C buttons on the remote though so it's limited to 2 profiles.

IDK if it does everything you want.

 

[staticV3]

so I'm assuming it saves all dac settings

User manual says no:

 

[AudioNoobie]

PEQ on/off is saved in mine.
just tested it.
and as said it definitely switches between profiles.

even the Topping Tune app on the PC switches from profile 1 to profile 2 as the DAC switches with the remote
exiting the tune app still does it, I have 2 different bass profiles, one for night time youtube videos etc and another for the daytime.
it's definitely switching between them using the saved profiles on the remote.

can record me doing it if you want. but I'd rather not.

I just unplugged the Audio USB C cable to make sure it wasn't doing it because it's connected to a PC with topping tune etc installed, and it still changes PEQ profiles.

It's impossible not to hear the difference when one is set to 60hz - 4db and 100hz - 4db with peaking filters, and the PEQ CFG on the display changes from 1 to 2, as does PEQ from on to OFF


They could have changed it in a firmware update

 

[Calypso1]

User manual says

Sent this to Topping awhile back as a product improvement and they implemented it to store PEQs in C1/C2. I verified it on my device. There documentation is out of date. Unfortunately, C1 and C2 are not specific to an input so it just overwrites what was previously stored.

 

[AudioNoobie]

With Preamp at over +2gain the windows test tones start to become distorted (very clear distortion at +4)

When it's happening the lower the PCM the greater the distortion.

Is the distortion in the actual preamp, or is it just because I'm using powered speakers, and it's the line level voltage that causes it?

I run -2db preamp and know to match PCM to the audios codecs so windows doesn't mess with things.
but curious since I noticed it.


Sounds growing on me though, starting to enjoy some 80s music very much even though I'd usually listen to EDM/hiphop

 

[fbp]

I use my D50III with USB only. Would I gain anything from the separate power supply?

 

[AnalogSteph]

Is the distortion in the actual preamp, or is it just because I'm using powered speakers, and it's the line level voltage that causes it?

You know that there is a more or less hard limit at 0 dBFS at digital level, right? (Also, when not using exclusive mode, there's at -0.12 dB hard-limiter in the Windows sound stack.) The preamp slider is intended to avoid exactly what you are seeing by giving you more headroom for your EQ. Worst-case, you may need exactly as much negative preamp as your highest positive gain peak.

BTW, you seem to be running rather hot digital levels there. Look into playback volume normalization à la ReplayGain.

 

[staticV3]

I use my D50III with USB only. Would I gain anything from the separate power supply?

A lighter wallet, that's it

 

[Rednaxela]

And one power supply.

 

[herr.jemine]

I still had my Topping P50 from the D50s and continued to use it - but I don't hear any difference ^^ I tell myself that it blows clean nuclear power into the DAC