Topping D90 Balanced USB DAC Review

[Harmonie]

Can you tell the difference between someone shouting at you from 489 miles away (m500 117dB SINAD) vs 652 miles away (D90 120dB SINAD)?

Martin

Hmmm,
Well it depends nowadays.
What kind of mask would that guy be wearing, regular surgical mask, N95 ... ?

 

[Dexter_prog]

haha I don't think I'll hear them with an N95!


Actually, I'm given the oportunity to sell my m500 and get the d90 adding a little difference of money. That's why I'm tempted to give it a try.

I did a quick search on the thread and couldn't find big issues like the m500 had with firmware (fortunately not my case) and whatnot, but I still want to ask, any issues I should be aware of before getting this one?

 

[hmscott]

haha I don't think I'll hear them with an N95!


Actually, I'm given the oportunity to sell my m500 and get the d90 adding a little difference of money. That's why I'm tempted to give it a try.

I did a quick search on the thread and couldn't find big issues like the m500 had with firmware (fortunately not my case) and whatnot, but I still want to ask, any issues I should be aware of before getting this one?

Well, there was a software glitch requiring a new firmware patch for the D90 MQA - when paired with a "Macintosh", but it was fixed and patched in a few days, with nothing else since. v1.24 is the version, I've installed it on my D90 MQA even though I don't use a Mac as perhaps someday the person that buys it will use a Macintosh.

Too bad you can't keep the m500 through the first month of D90 MQA ownership so you can compare and contrast them in real-time. Perhaps you can stay in touch with the new m500 owner and borrow it for a weekend after a few weeks of using the D90 MQA?

 

[ClicketEKlack]

I use the D90 MQA with a Mac, no issues at all.

 

[hmscott]

Well, there was a software glitch requiring a new firmware patch for the D90 MQA - when paired with a "Macintosh", but it was fixed and patched in a few days, with nothing else since. v1.24 is the version, I've installed it on my D90 MQA even though I don't use a Mac as perhaps someday the person that buys it will use a Macintosh...

I use the D90 MQA with a Mac, no issues at all.

Strange, I thought this was only a Macintosh issue, but it looks like it's not limited to Macintosh, here's the details:

"D90 MQA version V1.24 firmware update
2020-07-01 11:19
This firmware is only for D90 MQA version. This firmware add 32bit support to D90 MQA version at USB input. If firmware of your D90 MQA version already V1.24, then you needn't do this update. Standard version of D90 already support 32bit at USB input so you needn't do this update either.

Please noted that standard version D90 is not able to add MQA support by this firmware, flashing this firmware to standard version of D90 may caused irreversible damage. So if your D90 is a standard version, please DO NOT try this firmware.

Firmware and tools for Windows: Download here (This update requires a Windows 10 OS with V4.82 drivers installed. V4.82 drivers could be download here).

Firmware and tools for MAC: Download here

If you have questions about the upgrade of your D90 MQA version, please contact us before updating this firmware."
http://www.tpdz.net/newsinfo/396959.html

There is also a Windows driver update Version: V4.86.0: http://www.tpdz.net/newsinfo/435189.html

 

[nelamvr6]

I can't believe I just finished reading this entire 123 page thread!

This is my first post here, and I have a question that I didn't see answered yet in this thread: does the OLED display on the D90 shut off during periods of inactivity like the E30's does?

It seems to me that not shutting off a display like that is just asking for horrible burn in. Yet I couldn't find anything about it in the manual or here.

I have ordered a D90 MQA, it's on its way to me, and I am looking forward to enjoying transparent sound.

 

[Celentano]

That is a perspective. It isn't the only one, however. So many variables: how resolving is your system? (like really, not just in your opinion), what are you listening to? do you actually know how to listen? (because a lot of people that think they do, actually don't).

I heard almost immediate improvements in my system with a swap of the D90 and NAD M51. Not subtle either for me. But I am also a trained listener, a musician and I have unusually sensitive hearing. Your experience with DACs is dictated by a lot of things, but none of them are absolute.

Which one sounds better: D90 or NAD M51?

 

[BDWoody]

Technically it is an upgrade. Whether or not you can hear a difference depends on the rest of the gear in your system and your ears.

It probably depends more on whether you can peek to know which is which. These are both well into the transparent range, so a SQ improvement is going to be bias/placebo based.

I would bet (a lot) that a proper test with music would find them indistinguishable.

 

[Akhnot]

I can't believe I just finished reading this entire 123 page thread!

This is my first post here, and I have a question that I didn't see answered yet in this thread: does the OLED display on the D90 shut off during periods of inactivity like the E30's does?

It seems to me that not shutting off a display like that is just asking for horrible burn in. Yet I couldn't find anything about it in the manual or here.

I have ordered a D90 MQA, it's on its way to me, and I am looking forward to enjoying transparent sound.

The display on mine doesn't turn off, but I have not looked for any settings to configure this. I have mine in DAC mode and not preamp mode, though I don't know if that has any impact.

 

[nelamvr6]

The display on mine doesn't turn off, but I have not looked for any settings to configure this. I have mine in DAC mode and not preamp mode, though I don't know if that has any impact.

I understand there's a setting to turn the brightness down, but even with the brightness down, that's an OLED display, the word "DAC" could be seriously burnt into my display by the end of the year!

 

[win]

I understand there's a setting to turn the brightness down, but even with the brightness down, that's an OLED display, the word "DAC" could be seriously burnt into my display by the end of the year!

I'd pay for a firmware update that changed the display for DAC to selectable on/off, in addition to direct input switching.

$

 

[Dhananjeyan]

Hi has anyone used an amp on top of there d90 and had problems with very audible noise when using iems and then moved the amp to the side of the d90 and the noise is not there anymore? Im wondering if I have a defective unit the amp I had problems with was the topping a50. Also I can hear a slight bit of transformer whine when powered on. is that normal?

 

[hmscott]

I'd pay for a firmware update that changed the display for DAC to selectable on/off, in addition to direct input switching.

$

The Dimmest setting is pretty much invisible except in the dark, and it's light isn't too bad in projection - did you get into the boot menu to set the #2 Display setting to L? The L setting is too dark for daytime use so I normally run the Display at M. None of the modes are "too bright" for me at night, even the H mode isn't bad.

IDK how they would work in an O mode - OFF mode - as soon as you toggled it the screen would go dark and you would be flying "blind"

Hi has anyone used an amp on top of there d90 and had problems with very audible noise when using iems and then moved the amp to the side of the d90 and the noise is not there anymore? Im wondering if I have a defective unit the amp I had problems with was the topping a50. Also I can hear a slight bit of transformer whine when powered on. is that normal?

I've learned this one long ago, decouple the hardware physically either through isolation pucks or simply placing them apart physically with deadened paths that won't conduct vibrations or heat.

I can't find one now but I used to have several 5 and 7 tiered shot filled equipment racks that accomplished the isolation - heavy metal frame sot filled to stop ringing - isolated wood trays - trays were shifted in the X axis enough to allow for better convective cooling - one unit didn't heat up the unit above it. The tray frames only had one connection to the metal frame backbone. That's the ideal rack design for audio / theater for me.

Right now I have the D90 MQA / A90 side by side on a heavy metal plate so there are physical vibrations conducted.

I don't hear any vibrations from either unit. I have to place my ear directly over the transformer to hear anything, and it's very faint.

 

[nelamvr6]

The Dimmest setting is pretty much invisible except in the dark, and it's light isn't too bad in projection - did you get into the boot menu to set the #2 Display setting to L? The L setting is too dark for daytime use so I normally run the Display at M. None of the modes are "too bright" for me at night, even the H mode isn't bad.

IDK how they would work in an O mode - OFF mode - as soon as you toggled it the screen would go dark and you would be flying "blind"

I wouldn't want an "off" mode personally, but a mode where the display goes to sleep during periods of inactivity and then wakes up when you push a button on the remote would be nice. Otherwise we'll be back here in a few months talking about how horribly burnt in our displays are.

 

[Final]

My D90 turns off automatcally a couple of minutes after turning off the computer. Displays «See You» last seconds before turning off. My D90 is in preamp mode and I haven’t done any adjustments upon taking it out of the box.

 

[nelamvr6]

My D90 turns off automatcally a couple of minutes after turning off the computer. Displays «See You» last seconds before turning off. My D90 is in preamp mode and I haven’t done any adjustments upon taking it out of the box.

I think we may be talkin about different things. While you are using your D90 to listen to music is the display constantly on?

 

[Final]

Yepp

 

[nelamvr6]

Yepp

So, it appears that there is a high likelyhood that these displays will experience burn in. On the display of the D50s there is an option to put the display to sleep when it's not needed. I wonder if this is something that Topping can change with a firmware update...

I'm curious why Topping would choose to put OLED displays into these DACs and then not take reasonable precautions to protect them.

 

[Scintilla]

Which one sounds better: D90 or NAD M51?

The D90 is a distinct improvement over the M51.

 

[kkeretic]

I'm curious why Topping would choose to put OLED displays into these DACs and then not take reasonable precautions to protect them.

My D70 behaves equally as the D90 when it comes to device control and behavior. Unfortunately, display burns are inevitable on these devices. For sure I will never again buy a device whose display cannot be turned off completely. Also have the D50s and it behaves as it should considering it also has the OLED screen. I really like Topping devices for their sound quality, own a bunch of them, but they still haven't stopped messing around with good options, features and ideas, aftermarket values, and in some cases they are even removing useful features in newer or refreshed devices (e.g. A50->A50s). I really doubt it could be "fixed" with a firmware upgrade. They're probably counting on us to change devices in the foreseeable future anyway .