Topping D90 Balanced USB DAC Review

[zskyper]

Sure enough it's XU216 and MPD issue: https://github.com/MusicPlayerDaemon/MPD/issues/262
It's an issue since 2018 without fix.

nice catch!

 

[dixter]

does this help out...

https://github.com/MusicPlayerDaemon/MPD/issues/578

 

[Gavin]

Here are too many people who come from Topping, or helping Topping sales. Save your time and money, stay away from Chinese products. We just want to enjoy music quietly.

 

[mocenigo]

Here are too many people who come from Topping, or helping Topping sales. Save your time and money, stay away from Chinese products. We just want to enjoy music quietly.

Such as?

 

[auronthas]

I can remember several years ago ifi had the same kinds of pops and if memory is good they just added a very small amount of zero output prior to playback of the files... ???

Is that why I hear no sound for first two second from iFi iDSD BL on first track ?

 

[zskyper]

does this help out...

https://github.com/MusicPlayerDaemon/MPD/issues/578

very interesting discussion about the implementation and the interpretation of the DoP specs... here, we use a custom version of the kernel which allow DSD native (but unfortunatly not working well on XMOS XU216).

good news for D90 MQA /XMOS XU216 DAC owners using MPD audio server on Raspberry PI (should work on x86 platform as well), I have a workaround for you

the combo MPD v0.20.23 and linux kernel 4.19.64-v7+ seems to work fine

tested on different distros but I recommend moodeaudio v6.0.0 with DoP and patch UAC2 and ETH0 activated

https://github.com/moode-player/moode/releases/tag/r600prod

Hope this helps!

 

[Pluto]

Hope this helps!

Can you give a general (i.e. non OS-specific) explanation of the problem and its solution?

 

[zskyper]

Unfortunately Moode is not the best sounding option, Album Player for Linux is much better

ah ah ah!!!! oh yes bying an analysis.plus cable at $1750 is producing a better sound than a mogami at $50!

moodeaudio and all distro using MPD audio server are a simple controller, nothing to do with audio, oh yes they all provide a local UI but we don't care about it as with have MPD clients to remote control the MPD server audio... I recommend moodeaudio because it's a quick and easy to use package to get a descent audio server in almost 10mn. That's it!

 

[zskyper]

Can you give a general (i.e. non OS-specific) explanation of the problem and its solution?

unfortunately not so easy .... this seems to be related to the implementation of the detection of the native DSD format ... so I suppose that the old combo kernel version / MPD server does not have native DSD management and the problem is solved by using this old server in combination with the DoP which literally incorporates the DSD stream into a PCM which gives the DAC that support DSD a opportunity to identify in the header of the PCM data the DSD format and play it as pure DSD. So ultimately, we have no quality loss and obviously no conversion from DSD to PCM. I admit that this is not a particular detailed answer but I give the opportunity to the audio engeenier here to complete this explanation ...

 

[Pluto]

So am I reading this correctly? You work around the issue by using DSD over PCM (DoP) transmission instead of pure DSD?

That ain't going to leave the “true believers” awfully happy

 

[zskyper]

So am I reading this correctly? You work around the issue by using DSD over PCM (DoP) transmission instead of pure DSD?

That ain't going to leave the “true believers” awfully happy

in fact the D90 MQA implementation is good as it detects perfectly the DSD inside the PCM stream so the combination of (old) audio server software that do not take into account the native DSD in favor of the DoP and the D90 MQA is finally a perfect solution!
I remind them the drawback using DoP vs native is that limits rate but DSD512 are playing nicely on the D90 MQA cartainly due to the XMOS usb management, so no worry about. The other disadvantage is obviously the old servers do not have the tidal, qobuz and other jokes (I think spotify is supported by moodeaudio if Bluetooth is activated but don't know and don't care). I still recommend the D90 Standard!

 

[Jimbob54]

I do not use PC as a source, I need a good USB cable (AudioQuest Diamond for example), I use a Raspberry Pi 4 + USB adapter, the result suits me!

https://www.drive2.ru/b/560982378437149019/

Each to their own, but you seriously have / will pay as much for the USB cable as the DAC it feeds? When the DAC is $500 or so?

 

[Martin]

there are many other worthy options, AQ is an example of an uncompromising solution ... which solution suits me, I pointed out

Let's play one of my favorite childhood games: Which one doesn't belong?

1. $50 Raspberry Pi streamer
2. $650 Audioquest Diamond USB cable
3. $600 Topping D90 DAC

For that $650 I'd rather buy a $6 Amazon Basics USB cable, $8 Amazon Basics XLR cables, a Topping A90 headphone amp and have enough change for a decent meal.

Martin

 

[Veri]

I do not mind, play whatever you want! I find it convenient to use the Pi4 via a USB adapter right in the dac

I used to use the Gustard U16 (XU216 chip) for a long time as a USB converter, but now I don’t see the need for it!

https://a.d-cd.net/GoAAAgFAk-A-960.jpg

Gustard is not XMOS-based though? It uses an ES8620 chip. Not XU216.

 

[zskyper]

Let's play one of my favorite childhood games: Which one doesn't belong?

1. $50 Raspberry Pi streamer
2. $650 Audioquest Diamond USB cable
3. $600 Topping D90 DAC

For that $650 I'd rather buy a $6 Amazon Basics USB cable, $8 Amazon Basics XLR cables, a Topping A90 headphone amp and have enough change for a decent meal.

Martin

totally agree with your idea behind this, but not relevant for those who need a DAC and not only an AMP and also don't care about headphone!
+you're cheating the price of the A90 is not in the shopping list!

Personally I recommend this shopping list to connect to your power amp+speakers :
1 RPI 3B+ $50 (complete pkg with 3A power supply)
1 D90 Std $600 (usb cable is included)
2 Amazon Basics XLR $8x2

 

[Jimbob54]

Let's play one of my favorite childhood games: Which one doesn't belong?

1. $50 Raspberry Pi streamer
2. $650 Audioquest Diamond USB cable
3. $600 Topping D90 DAC

For that $650 I'd rather buy a $6 Amazon Basics USB cable, $8 Amazon Basics XLR cables, a Topping A90 headphone amp and have enough change for a decent meal.

Martin

Or use the $00s left after the basic cable to fund a few years of lossless streaming service AND Roon/ player software of choice including EQ!

 

[dixter]

you guys do know that you get FREE streaming service while using Jriver... actually the best deal for Windows based software playback around...

 

[dixter]

Is that why I hear no sound for first two second from iFi iDSD BL on first track ?

I'm not sure how to answer your question... that firmware was a couple years ago and it was around the same time they put MQA on their products... I just remember hearing the pops and they released a firmware that fixed the pops while at the same time adding MQA... it worked though and a very nice DAC/AMP..... one of my favorites...

 

[Veri]

it doesn’t interest me, I’m interested in whether the D90 MQA and Pi4 can work stably on a Linux player

Whether it interests you or not, you were mistaken in what you wrote, yes? The gustard is not XMOS-based at all.

 

[Jimbob54]

there are many other worthy options, AQ is an example of an uncompromising solution ... which solution suits me, I pointed out

But what does a competent £10-£20 (Lets even say £50) USB cable compromise on that the AQ or other "uncompromising" solution doesn't ? Just seeking to understand the mindset of paying as much for your cable as your DAC