Topping D70S fried my speakers...

[AudioJester]

So does this mean music was playing and then switched on dac? Or started playing music with dac on but did not realise volume was at 0?
I have an Okto8 connected to multiple amps, could never imagine how this could happen. Also has a max vol setting.
The tweak app on my phone also has a max vol setting for my E1DA dac into IEMs. In any case always check vol before playing.

 

[Mnyb]

Point in case here is simple, sh*t happens sometimes devices return to default settings, happened on an HK AVR for me the whole setup was gone after a long trip.
Therefore, it's good to have sensible defaults for example volume at -50 or something right out of the box or after a reset.

In case of my old AVR volume was not full tillt att defaults.
Every AVR has software volume even if's an analog chip that does it, the setting is remembered by software anyway. So, I think AVR manufacturers learned this long ago due to exactly this kind of customer experience.

 

[amarsicola]

So does this mean music was playing and then switched on dac? Or started playing music with dac on but did not realise volume was at 0?
...

The dac has two nice features in theory. It switches on automatically when perceiving a signal, and it (should) remember the previous volume setting.
@JohnYang1997 any idea why this happened?

 

[RosalieTheDog]

The dac has two nice features in theory. It swithes on automatically when perceiving a signal, and it (should) remember the previous volume setting.
@JohnYang1997 any idea why this happened?

I am also curious. I agree that this should function as advertised.

From your signature, I gather you use the COAX in from the Allo Digione?

 

[amarsicola]

From your signature, I gather you use the COAX in from the Allo Digione?

Yep

 

[sq225917]

Why did it happen, because his amps were switched on before the dac...

 

[sarumbear]

Anyone turning one a dac or pre amp plugged into already switched on power amps needs their head examined.

May I rephrase what you are saying: Anyone who use a trigger system needs their head examined. Is that what you mean? Isn't the trigger system is designed to turn the amplifier when the source is turned on?

 

[JeremyFife]

Ouch! - sympathy to the OP - that's a harsh way to learn a lesson, however obvious that lesson is to others here. Hindsight's a $$$$$.

Question: I use my miniDSP Flex as DAC and pre-amp. Does this come with the same risk?
Regardless, I will be changing my start-up process now as I tend to turn the Amp on first out of (bad) habit.

 

[Snoopy]

Ouch! - sympathy to the OP - that's a harsh way to learn a lesson, however obvious that lesson is to others here. Hindsight's a $$$$$.

Question: I use my miniDSP Flex as DAC and pre-amp. Does this come with the same risk?
Regardless, I will be changing my start-up process now as I tend to turn the Amp on first out of (bad) habit.

Why would anybody in his right mind turn the amp on First?

 

[Sokel]

Question: I use my miniDSP Flex as DAC and pre-amp. Does this come with the same risk?

First piece of advice,do not never EVER make any changes in Xover gains,etc in real time,that's a recipe for accidents.
Changing your habit is mandatory including checking any volume related factor.
The worst thing is that the time I was considering a flex as a candidate the search for accidents didn't come empty,and some (extremely rare) of them occuring the time the dac was playing (and it's not the only one,cheap or expensive).

 

[Trell]

Why would anybody in his right mind turn the amp on First?

A mistake? Someone else than the owner is operating the equipment? Didn’t know?

Using passive attenuators is something that RME recommends.

Level mismatch solutions - fixed and variable attenuators (Page 1) — Tips & Tricks — RME User Forum

Level mismatch solutions - fixed and variable attenuators (Page 1) — Tips & Tricks — RME User Forum —

forum.rme-audio.de

 

[Koeitje]

I was questioning how such procedure can be taken as a protocol in general hence ended my comment with a question mark.

Don't have a source playing? Full power with no input and nothing happens. Also, I've set the gains on my powered monitors to a level where -0dB would be crazy loud but shouldn't hurt them (if there wasn't protection on them anyway). So setting the gain on your power amplifier, if it allows it, might also help.

 

[Trell]

Don't have a source playing? Full power with no input and nothing happens. Also, I've set the gains on my powered monitors to a level where -0dB would be crazy loud but shouldn't hurt them (if there wasn't protection on them anyway). So setting the gain on your power amplifier, if it allows it, might also help.

I’ve done the same with my Genelec SAM monitors where full scale input is very loud but don’t blow my head off.

 

[AaronJ]

Firstly, very sorry this happened. It is incredibly frustrating.

I echo the sentiment of several other posters. This is why I have multiple analog potentiometers in my chain. My integrated amp has its dial set to 9 o'clock. My preamp spends its time with the pot between 12 and 3. And I have yet another small attenuator from my DAC set to ~10 o'clock to level match it with my phono stage. I could be persuaded to part with that last pot if my DAC had its own attenuation, but I would never part with the other 2 pots.

 

[Mnyb]

Experimenting with my own D70 it remembers the volume after a short break in power 1/2 hour. and of course after a normal on/off cycle.

Remains to experiment with a longer power off ? if its not that then it's either a rare bug or some external factor (unknown )

 

[Galliardist]

Experimenting with my own D70 it remembers the volume after a short break in power 1/2 hour. and of course after a normal on/off cycle.

Remains to experiment with a longer power off ? if its not that then it's either a rare bug or some external factor (unknown )

Good to hear. In most circumstances you’ll know if power was off for that long.

@Snoopy’s suggestion of an update looks the next most likely cause then.

 

[Cars-N-Cans]

Just an idea for people using a dac as preamp who want to prevent full volume: if my speakers didn't have a protection circuit build in, I would use an attenuator. Like described here:

Beolab + 3rd party source with a high-level output

#80 in a series of articles about the technology behind Bang & Olufsen loudspeakers This week, I was asked a very specific question about connecting an older pair of Beolab …

www.tonmeister.ca

You could probably also use some reverse parallel signal diodes with resistors as part of the attenuator pad to help provide some form of soft limiting as well. It wont be the nice electronic limiting you get with active speakers, but it wont be hard clipping, either. Something I was thinking of using as well since I use a PC as a source. Its even more of a loose cannon than a DAC. But it would require some tinkering to ensure the diodes are non-conducting under normal conditions and provide useful limiting when the excrement hits the air circulator.

 

[Michiel]

I’ve had the same with this same dac, but that was after doing a firmware upgrade, it went to 0dB immediately It scared the hell out of me at that time. It was directly connected to a dual mono Icepower 1200as1 in a test setup, luckily the amp was switched of and connected to a pair of cheap test speakers so nothing happened. But plenty power to seriously fry somethin.

This was one of the reasons to buy the Topping Pre 90 for volume control.

 

[sq225917]

@sarumbear, I don't know anything about using a trigger to start a device, but if it allows you not to follow the safe device start up order then it would strike me as risky.

My dac stays on, in standby 24/7 my amps go on when I switch them on. Which is only after twisting the dac volume dial to check volume level.

If a user switches on a source when amps are already powered up, eventually there will be a failure. Maybe not today, but eventually.

 

[amarsicola]

Thanks for the post OP. It takes a lot of guts to admit a mistake, but your post can help people avoid a similar issue. Hats off to you.

Well my real purpose would be to have the commitment from Topping to update the firmware so that the default volume after any software update or fresh start or any unwanted reset is not -0db.
Pretty sure this will not happen.