Topping D90 Balanced USB DAC Review

[DavidBloch406]

It's musician's job to create musicality, not DAC's. DAC's job is to honestly recreate what's already there.

I don’t disagree... though we might say “accur

Precisely. The job of a DAC is to reproduce the incoming digital signal as accurately as possible in the analogue domain. No more, no less, except possibly to adjust the volume.

Infallible mathematics enable us to determine how well that objective is being met. Unless you can demonstrate those mathematics to be incorrect or inappropriate, the argument rapidly becomes too boring to be of concern.

I accept those argument - and I’ve been persuaded by this site to buy better gear at cheaper prices. I mean it. But I have a question: why are we discussing a D90 at $699 when it has no audible sonic advantages over an E30 at $129? That’s an awful lot of dollars to spent on “extra” filters + sockets.

 

[BDWoody]

I don’t disagree... though we might say “accur

I accept those argument - and I’ve been persuaded by this site to buy better gear at cheaper prices. I mean it. But I have a question: why are we discussing a D90 at $699 when it has no audible sonic advantages over an E30 at $129? That’s an awful lot of dollars to spent on “extra” filters + sockets.

Features, build quality, connections...all kinds of valid reasons...none of which have to do with sound quality. People confuse 'sounding the same' to 'no difference between DAC's.' There are vast differences between them in every metric but sound. If there's an audible difference, something is probably broken.

 

[Pluto]

why are we discussing a D90 at $699 when it has no audible sonic advantages over an E30 at $129?

It has balanced outputs (vital for me), a display, a knob (OK, buttons). Funnily enough, I'm just about to test an E30 I've bought for my neighbour so we'll see how it compares.

PLUS... I hope that Topping makes more money on the expensive unit. That, in turn, will encourage them to develop more devices at low prices in the knowledge that they can also sell higher-priced stuff to whose who want additional facilities and ‘premium’ product. I would far rather pay Topping $700 for their premium product than $7k to some others for theirs when the two are, in reality, little different.

 

[DavidBloch406]

Features, build quality, connections...all kinds of valid reasons...none of which have to do with sound quality. People confuse 'sounding the same' to 'no difference between DAC's.' There are vast differences between them in every metric but sound. If there's an audible difference, something is probably broken.

As I say, $570 is a lot to pay for connections etc, but each to their own

 

[DavidBloch406]

It has balanced outputs (vital for me), a display, a knob (OK, buttons). Funnily enough, I'm just about to test an E30 I've bought for my neighbour so we'll see how it compares.

PLUS... I hope that Topping makes more money on the expensive unit. That, in turn, will encourage them to develop more devices at low prices in the knowledge that they can also sell higher-priced stuff to whose who want additional facilities and ‘premium’ product. I would far rather pay Topping $700 for their premium product than $7k to some others for theirs when the two are, in reality, little different.

It’s funny, though, isn’t it? We justify paying an extra $570 for encouragement, when we know objectively there’s no sound difference; but we criticise others for paying extra for something THEY like and believe DOES improve their musical enjoyment. There’s an inconsistency there that’s measurable in two ways: SINAD and Dollars

 

[BDWoody]

As I say, $570 is a lot to pay for connections etc, but each to their own

No argument from me... When I stumbled across this site it opened my eyes (and closed my wallet) to a whole lot of nothingburgers out there. Give me competence...I'll take it from there thanks.

 

[DavidBloch406]

No argument from me... When I stumbled across this site it opened my eyes (and closed my wallet) to a whole lot of nothingburgers out there. Give me competence...I'll take it from there thanks.

Well said

 

[Cut-Throat]

It’s funny, though, isn’t it? We justify paying an extra $570 for encouragement, when we know objectively there’s no sound difference; but we criticise others for paying extra for something THEY like and believe DOES improve their musical enjoyment. There’s an inconsistency there that’s measurable in two ways: SINAD and Dollars

I would only criticize those that spend a lot more and up with a lot less, in terms of sound quality. Especially those that equate cost with sound quality.

 

[Martin]

It’s funny, though, isn’t it? We justify paying an extra $570 for encouragement, when we know objectively there’s no sound difference; but we criticise others for paying extra for something THEY like and believe DOES improve their musical enjoyment. There’s an inconsistency there that’s measurable in two ways: SINAD and Dollars

i don’t believe we criticize others. I think we question why others spend (waste) hundreds or thousands of dollars on clearly poorly designed components. Sure you can question why someone would spend $570 more for a prettier box (IMO), a few more connections and features. We question why someone spends $1570 more for something that obviously colors the sound (https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s-of-the-ps-audio-stellar-gain-cell-dac.9273/). Now if their choosing to do so for more features or because they like the look that’s one thing. But if they claim it sounds better then we have issues. (Then again maybe they like distortion and spurious tones.) We like to hear the recording as it was intended to be heard.

Martin

 

[DavidBloch406]

I would only criticize those that spend a lot more and up with a lot less, in terms of sound quality. Especially those that equate cost with sound quality.

Yes, I suppose like everything it’s the size & nature of the margins that matter

 

[Veri]

Yes, I suppose like everything it’s the size & nature of the margins that matter

Size matters

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

Features, build quality, connections...all kinds of valid reasons...none of which have to do with sound quality. People confuse 'sounding the same' to 'no difference between DAC's.' There are vast differences between them in every metric but sound. If there's an audible difference, something is probably broken.

But maybe they do not sound the same.

 

[BDWoody]

But maybe they do not sound the same.

Especially to wives in kitchens. As we all know, that is the only absolute measure that counts. Once 'even the wife in the kitchen could hear the obvious improvement' is brought out...no argument is possible.

Otherwise, further exploration will reveal why...every time...so far.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

Especially to wives in kitchens. As we all know, that is the only absolute measure that counts. Once 'even the wife in the kitchen could hear the obvious improvement' is brought out...no argument is possible.

Otherwise, further exploration will reveal why...every time...so far.

Are you trying to say women belong in the kitchen.

 

[VeerK]

Are you trying to say women belong in the kitchen.

No, I think BDWoody is mocking all the “audiophile” reviewers who like to punctuate their “night and day” difference claims by saying even their wives in the kitchen could hear the difference. It’s part of the old guards tendency towards subtle misogyny. This is ASR, I doubt anyone hear believes in that kind of nonsense

 

[Jimbob54]

No, I think BDWoody is mocking all the “audiophile” reviewers who like to punctuate their “night and day” difference claims by saying even their wives in the kitchen could hear the difference. It’s part of the old guards tendency towards subtle misogyny. This is ASR, I doubt anyone hear believes in that kind of nonsense

I know he is mocking them. However, there is a danger that the golden eared reviewer's wife is apocryphal. I have read similar claims on forums, I'm not sure I have read that in a professional review. Straw (wo)men are frowned on in these parts . We need to be careful we don't create our own.

 

[BDWoody]

Are you trying to say women belong in the kitchen.

If I was trying to say that, it would have been clear. No tortured, out of context misinterpretations would be necessary.

 

[Rigel]

Despite having spent most of my working life surrounded by audio equipment, I still do not understand exactly what the term “musicality” is supposed to mean.

I've always taken it to be a cop out to excuse kit that performs poorly but “I like it anyway”.

Totally agree.

Something similar I think about the term "analog" sound (¿more musicality?) As something really positive that DACs don't have.
Currently with the quality of current DACs, I think those terms are not applicable from an objective or physical point of view or as we want to call it as a criticism.
It is clear that everyone has their tastes and can listen to the music as they please and that I think is not debatable, but I prefer to listen to a good DAC like the D90, to a vinyl record or a cassette tape. I really enjoyed them because there was nothing else.

 

[Pluto]

I'm just about to test an E30 I've bought for my neighbour

Which, I have to say, seems a total bargain. And I was listening to it via an unbalanced –> balanced transformer (which cannot, by definition, improve matters). Very impressive for around $110!

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

No, I think BDWoody is mocking all the “audiophile” reviewers who like to punctuate their “night and day” difference claims by saying even their wives in the kitchen could hear the difference. It’s part of the old guards tendency towards subtle misogyny. This is ASR, I doubt anyone hear believes in that kind of nonsense

Night and day differences may depend on what time one listens.