Topping D70s MQA Review (DAC)

[digititus]

I wonder if the A70s will shift some buyers from D90 into it because of that. Really impressive multitone, probably the best measured here in ASR.

It certainly gives more food for thought. You really can't go wrong with many of these recent DAC's, as long as quality control is also up to the same standard. Judging by the obvious amount of care and attention given to engineering, it would be a waste for quality to control to let down these products. Time will tell.

 

[yahrightthere]

Mh Im more of a Topping Fanboy, but pricewise the SMSL SU-9 would be a no brainer vs this one, or am. I missing something.

Though I'm not a fanboy of any particular brand, I have to agree with the SMSL SU-9 being a better bang for the buck, & my bucks always appreciates a better bang!
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/smsl-su-9-balanced-dac-review.16150/

 

[raif71]

Though I'm not a fanboy of any particular brand, I have to agree with the SMSL SU-9 being a better bang for the buck, & my bucks always appreciates a better bang!
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/smsl-su-9-balanced-dac-review.16150/

Does Schiit have a similar offering? Otherwise it would be Schiity Schiity Bang! Bang!

 

[Rottmannash]

You could play at 120 dBSPL and still have the noise floor be below threshold of hearing! One minute you are hearing nothing but silence and another, your life comes to an end on those 120 dBSPL peaks!

Best line I've heard in a review.

 

[Harmonie]

All have the similar thought D70<>D90.
I agree on the volume knob as a matter of style.
But finally the 2 button option is fine as well even in the day to day use.
Also no risk of failure as some noted in the DX7pro.
I wonder now about the merit of the dacs in 2022 ?

 

[AndrewDavis]

Did my D90 just get obsoleted or devalued??

 

[wjc]

Anyone can teach something on how will jitter be listened as artefact? I always see graphs of lots of spikes in jitter but owned those dacs and I can’t hear a hint of distortion

It depends on how the DAC was implemented in the hardware. Some will have more jitter than others as a result of the clock, components, signal path, power supply mains, etc. Your music will sound a little less transparent and maybe colored. Distortion can be heard when you turn up the volume very loud as the amp begins to distort.

 

[BDWoody]

Anyone can teach something on how will jitter be listened as artefact? I always see graphs of lots of spikes in jitter but owned those dacs and I can’t hear a hint of distortion

http://www.sereneaudio.com/blog/what-does-jitter-sound-like

 

[Veri]

Did my D90 just get obsoleted or devalued??

Hell no, haha. Thinking that is some kind of FOMO train of thought honestly. D70s is just the newest is all.

 

[gvl]

Proliferation of DACs continues. I keep wondering how deep is the market for this.

 

[Harmonie]

Did my D90 just get obsoleted or devalued??

Well you own a dac with a recent AKM chip. That can be rare soon.
I may regret having returned my A22 as it had 2 of those beasts.

 

[Tks]

Well that's kinda what they're doing no? D70s squuezes absolute utmost out of AK4497. D90 series uses AK4499.
The future is uncertain though, what with AKM factory plant that caught fire. So a lot of devices could see redesigns.

Hope so. Not a fan of the slow filters on AKM.

Anyone else noticing a drop in Toslink connection quality for a while now? I recall there was a cessation of production of the quality Toshiba connectors, and that most are pretty garbage now.

Also, do we have the 50mV results? This thing looks to be exceptional at low level.

 

[Veri]

50mW? For a DAC? that outputs between 0.8-5Vrms?

 

[hmscott]

Did my D90 just get obsoleted or devalued??

Not yet, but that could happen with the D90-ESS.

Well you own a dac with a recent AKM chip. That can be rare soon.
I may regret having returned my A22 as it had 2 of those beasts.

I don't think our AKM DAC's will jump far in value. There isn't much to improve upon except price.

Topping, will you be able to lower your prices for the ESS based replacements?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Guessing @JohnYang1997 knocked half a dB off of the SINAD to keep the models' performance in order.

 

[Veri]

I'm not really sure John is involved in each and every Topping product

 

[gvl]

Will there be a D70s whose price doesn't include the MQA tax?

 

[carlosmante]

You could play at 120 dBSPL and still have the noise floor be below threshold of hearing! One minute you are hearing nothing but silence and another, your life comes to an end on those 120 dBSPL peaks!

Best line I've heard in a review.

"your life comes to an end on those 120 dBSPL peaks!" Maybe not dead but technically you are deaf at least by the next 2 milliseconds, the "refractory period".

 

[Veri]

Will there be a D70s whose price doesn't include the MQA tax?

After D70, D70 BT, D70s I don't think that'll happen. Take it or leave it.. Haha.

 

[Ron Texas]

My take is the unit is well engineered although it's a bit pricey compared to others with similar features which don't measure quite as good, but are still better than what we can hear. I'm in the MQA is BS crowd so that feature does not attract me. DAC's are truly a mature product category although some will be crazy enough to buy DAC's costing thousands which don't measure well at all and offer all sorts of strange promises.

Thank you @amirm . My Dx3 pro is still working turning ones and zeroes into music. Topping understands value.