• 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 D70 Pro Sabre DAC Review

Rate this DAC:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 6 1.7%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 12 3.5%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 46 13.4%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 279 81.3%

  • Total voters
    343
When I try to compare it to the EX5 I bought after the ASR test
from a purely utilitarian point of view, the buyer is getting:
  • marginally (probably inaudibly) better performance
  • a fancier display
  • no headphone amp (means another expense, if needed)
  • for double the price
So, as good as this one is, I rate it as "great", but I would still buy the EX5 for half the price, if I hadn't already.
Or the E50 for 25% of its price
 
Can I combine the D70 Pro with the E50 or will I have sync issues with this setup?
D70 Pro would be connected to LR. E50 would be connected to 1 or 2 active subs.
You can do this on pc with voicemeeter. It's free software that, among a LOT of other things, lets you send the same signal to two dacs. You will not have sync issues.
 
How does the OCTO version differ from regular PRO ?
 
So what is next ? An AKM version :)
 
Any suggestions which version to consider with A70 Pro (regardless of price differences) ?
 
Last edited:
D70 Pro Octo with 8x CS43198:
Hi,

Would be interesting to see how it performs/measures against the ESS version.
 
Hi,

Would be interesting to see how it performs/measures against the ESS version.
I am explicitly referring to DAC chip sound quality. I have Amari with 8x CS43198 and SMSL D400Es with ES9039Pro, both DACs are absolutely great in sound, I hadn't heard a better DAC for 30 years. Both CS43198 and ES9039 are extremely good, and differ only in nuances, I would say they are on the same quality level.
 
Waiting to see a full blown comparison by Amirm :)
 
In the meantime...

A70 Pro is staying

To keep costs down, I have decided against D70 Pro (at least for now) and use SMSL DO100 DAC instead.

Headphone configuration:

A70 Pro
  • XLR - HiFiman Ananda Stealth
  • 4,4mm - Meze 109 Pro
  • 6,35mm - Grado SR80x
SMSL HO100
  • 4,4mm - HD 660S2
____________
Some OCTO info here
 
Last edited:
Waiting to see a full blown comparison by Amirm :)
I expect very little difference between D70 PRO SABRE and D70 PRO OCTO. Considering the slightly higher THD+N of the Octo, it will also have a slightly lower SINAD. Maybe somewhere between D70 PRO and E70. But we won't hear the difference anyway.
 
Probably. On the other if two "almost same" devices exist side by side, there is probably a story behind this.

Who knows, may be interesting :)
 
Back
Top Bottom