Topping D50 III Balanced DAC with EQ Review

[staticV3]

This year Topping will release a new DAC with EQ working with all inputs, price is unknown.

The D90 Discrete does this already at $1K.

Are you referring to the upcoming D900?

 

[migo77]

The D90 Discrete does this already at $1K.

Are you referring to the upcoming D900?

not exactly, EQ is not present on IIS input.

 

[Nuke]

Are you referring to the upcoming D900

I'am thinking of buying d50iii but firstly decided asking Topping about new upcoming devices with EQ to all inputs

 

[unpluggged]

That's all we need to know about this manufacturer.

 

[TurtlePaul]

That's all we need to know about this manufacturer.

It is believed that the D50 III has the USB input wired to the chip doing the PEQ and the other inputs wired directly to the DAC chips, so absent a hardware revision it wouldn’t be possible for Topping to do this. Now that Topping sees the demand for the feature, future DACs will route all inputs through the chip that has PEQ processing power.

 

[unpluggged]

Now that Topping sees the demand for the feature

The demand was there long before Topping started spitting out poorly supported products every week. That was my point.

 

[TurtlePaul]

The demand was there long before Topping started spitting out poorly supported products every week. That was my point.

I guess I have a different view. I wanted a DAC with EQ. Topping made one. In a market where a thousand DACs are release per year, only MiniDSP and RME seem to have this functionality.

Being well aware of the limitations to the USB input, I appreciated getting any sort of EQ on a state-of-the-art class DAC for half the price of MiniDSP and a quarter the price of RME.

Yes, I think Topping will release a $1000 product this year with EQ on all inputs and somewhere down the line EQ will be available on all inputs on entry level products, but that isn’t the case today.

 

[Palladium]

I guess I have a different view. I wanted a DAC with EQ. Topping made one. In a market where a thousand DACs are release per year, only MiniDSP and RME seem to have this functionality.

Being well aware of the limitations to the USB input, I appreciated getting any sort of EQ on a state-of-the-art class DAC for half the price of MiniDSP and a quarter the price of RME.

Yes, I think Topping will release a $1000 product this year with EQ on all inputs and somewhere down the line EQ will be available on all inputs on entry level products, but that isn’t the case today.

Like seriously, they never advertised PEQ to work outside of USB for the D50 III.

I guess some just want to get pissed off for the sake of being pissed off.

 

[anli]

Hi,
How to be sure the DAC consumes power from power input rather than from USB data input? I don't see any indicator on the display.

 

[staticV3]

Hi,
How to be sure the DAC consumes power from power input rather than from USB data input? I don't see any indicator on the display.

Use a USB power meter to measure current draw or cut the 5V wire between host and DAC to prevent current flow altogether.

 

[somebodyelse]

Use a USB power meter to measure current draw or cut the 5V wire between host and DAC to prevent current flow altogether.

Is that known to work with the D50 III? On the Tone Board the 5V was needed for the USB input to be activated.

 

[staticV3]

Is that known to work with the D50 III?

Not to me, but USB cables are cheap so worth a try IMO.

 

[Palladium]

Hi,
How to be sure the DAC consumes power from power input rather than from USB data input? I don't see any indicator on the display.

It doesn't really matter it intelligently draws from either to keep itself on.

 

[FrenchFan]

I just did the manipulation
on the D50III

IF only USB on PC -> 5Volts 500ma on PC

If USB signal on PC and power bank on USB power

I USB PC = 0ma
I USB power bank = 500ma .

Here is to reassure you

 

[audiofun]

I haven't followed this thread for a while. Did they resolve the EQ quantization noise bug? also is it possible now to have separate EQ settings for each channel?

 

[johny_2000]

I haven't followed this thread for a while. Did they resolve the EQ quantization noise bug? also is it possible now to have separate EQ settings for each channel?

No, none of that. And they probably won't, as they've stated that no new updates are planned for the D50 III.

 

[migo77]

No, none of that. And they probably won't, as they've stated that no new updates are planned for the D50 III.

Maybe that it is, why I've perceived sound from D50III very fatiguing and sharp.

 

[VientoB]

Maybe that it is, why I've perceived sound from D50III very fatiguing and sharp.

That's not what I've found. But I haven't used the EQ.

 

[johny_2000]

Maybe that it is, why I've perceived sound from D50III very fatiguing and sharp.

In terms of measurement, the D50 III is perfect. That's without EQ. If it still sounds too harsh and fatiguing, then you don't like the very analytical sound reproduction. And that means you're used to the coloring of the sound by some devices, which they call "warmth."

 

[migo77]

In terms of measurement, the D50 III is perfect. That's without EQ. If it still sounds too harsh and fatiguing, then you don't like the very analytical sound reproduction. And that means you're used to the coloring of the sound by some devices, which they call "warmth."

I've not tried it without PEQ. I've bought it because PEQ... I think my GustardX26Pro has not colored sound in any way, has excellent measurements too.