Topping D70S fried my speakers...

[NTK]

Question for you: I'm putting a nearfield office system together. I have Genelec 8030c on order and I'm looking for an inexpensive dac ( was thinking topping d10 balanced). I'd like to avoid this thread's scenario.
Any preference between getting a dac with pre-amp features (smsl do100, or topping dx3) or adding a physical volume control (Behringer Studio M)?

Genelec is likely a very good and robust choice. Quoting Dr Toole:

The winning small/medium monitors were Canadian products: PSB and Energy (consumer products) and the medium/large monitors were JBL - all are long obsolete. But once that phase was completed the CBC realized that once they had access to comprehensive and accurate measurements (the precursor of the spinorama that I created around 1983), they could include other options in the future. It removed a lot of the mystery and folklore surrounding monitor speakers - the only feature that truly separates them from mainstream consumer products is reliability under severe distress (e.g. a dropped mic) - dead air is a no-no.
...

 

[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 )

Ok 5 days without power cord ( i was on vacation ) it still remembered its volume setting

 

[Bob Loblaw]

I don't know why but today when I switched on the Topping D70S the volume was at -0db. Of course, i never set the volume so high, and usually the dac reminds the volume of the previous time, but not today. Result: the amplifier fried the tweeter of one loudspeaker. I don't know what the Topping engineers were thinking when they designed this Dac without any option to set a maximum volume, or what was in their mind when they decided that when the Dac was switched on it could randomly start at -0db and not, say, at -90db.
Just a warning for the users/buyers and a pray for the manufacturer: please provide a decent firmware upgrade to solve the issue.

I'm not sure this is of any use but I am able to consistently reproduce this behaviour in my Topping E30 when it is in preamp mode via a fairly mundane set of actions. If I use the remote control to mute the output and then power it down (again using the remote) it will briefly light up all the display segments and then shutdown. The next time it is switched back on it will come back at 0dB. This is only happens when switched off from the remote and not directly by the touch button on the front. It absolutely looks like a software bug and requires no power spikes, sitting on the remote, act of God etc.

I would be interested if any other Topping DAC owners are able to reproduce the same results.

 

[Ahmonge]

I would be interested if any other Topping DAC owners are able to reproduce the same results.

i’ve tried the same procedure with my D30 Pro and it remembers the previous volume level (in my rest it was -27dB)

 

[sonitus mirus]

i’ve tried the same procedure with my D30 Pro and it remembers the previous volume level (in my rest it was -27dB)

D30 Pro owner and mine also remembers the previous volume level. I'm simultaneously using the XLR balanced output to powered stereo speakers and the RCA outputs to a subwoofer, also self-powered.

 

[sarumbear]

D30 Pro owner and mine also remembers the previous volume level. I'm simultaneously using the XLR balanced output to powered stereo speakers and the RCA outputs to a subwoofer, also self-powered.

The OP is asking help about the Topping D70S, which is a different device, which will have a different firmware.

 

[Rottmannash]

Many of the Topping DACs seem to use the same firmware.

 

[b7676]

I would be interested if any other Topping DAC owners are able to reproduce the same results.

I have had my D70s wake up amnesiac after power cut into factory settings more than once, but not every time.

 

[sarumbear]

Many of the Topping DACs seem to use the same firmware.

Not that it is the case according to the manufacturer but it is never safe to assume when you are diagnosing a bug.

 

[staticV3]

Many of the Topping DACs seem to use the same firmware.

No. Every Topping DAC has its own, unique firmware. They all use the same driver though.
If you flash a firmware that belongs to a different model, you will brick your DAC.

 

[Trell]

No. Every Topping DAC has its own, unique firmware. They all use the same driver though.
If you flash a firmware that belongs to a different model, you will brick your DAC.

I think Topping should implement a test/failsafe for flashing the device with a wrong firmware. This company has very many devices with similar names and functionalities and it's very easy to pick the wrong firmware.

 

[Plcamp]

I simply leave my E30 (connected direct to power amp) on 24 hrs/day so that before anything else is turned on, I can see it’s ok.

 

[staticV3]

I think Topping should implement a test/failsafe for flashing the device with a wrong firmware. This company has very many devices with similar names and functionalities and it's very easy to pick the wrong firmware.

I agree, though doubt that Topping are capable of implementing that. The update tool is probably written by some external firm and just skinned with Topping branding.

 

[sarumbear]

I think Topping should implement a test/failsafe for flashing the device with a wrong firmware. This company has very many devices with similar names and functionalities and it's very easy to pick the wrong firmware.

Do you know that it doesn’t?

 

[Trell]

I simply leave my E30 (connected direct to power amp) on 24 hrs/day so that before anything else is turned on, I can see it’s ok.

Sure, that is one way of doing it, but the E30 uses draws at least 5-6W when not in standby.

The Topping E30 manual does not even state the power usage.

E30 user manual and drivers for Windows 7 or above-TOPPING

Edit: No power usage specification for the newer E30 II either. This is not in compliance with EU rules for selling in EU.

L30 II user manual-TOPPING

 

[Trell]

Do you know that it doesn’t?

Do you know that it does? So why are people complaining about bricked devices then?

 

[sarumbear]

Do you know that it does? So why are people complaining about bricked devices then?

I asked a question and you became confrontational, why? A simple answer like the one you gave would have been the polite way.

 

[Trell]

I asked a question and you became confrontational, why? A simple answer like the one you gave would have been the polite way.

So my answer "Do you know that it does? So why are people complaining about bricked devices then?" in answer to your "Do you know that it doesn’t?" is confrontational?

 

[sarumbear]

So my answer "Do you know that it does? So why are people complaining about bricked devices then?" in answer to your "Do you know that it doesn’t?" is confrontational?

Answering a question with a question is the start of an argument, which is what confrontational means. However, I now understand what you meant and I’m settled.

 

[marcom22]

I lost this interesting thread . ... eheheh