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Topping D900 - teardown
- Thread starter whydan
- Start date
One of my D900 failed to power on today. It powers the trigger initially but then powers off.
There is no display. All inputs have been removed, and I am only connecting the power code only.
No dice.
Unfortunately, the D900 always automatically powers on when there is a power outage.
Only Topping DACs seem to do this. It may not be related, but I do not think it's a good design choice.
Email sent to both Topping and APOS.
- Rich
There is no display. All inputs have been removed, and I am only connecting the power code only.
No dice.
Unfortunately, the D900 always automatically powers on when there is a power outage.
Only Topping DACs seem to do this. It may not be related, but I do not think it's a good design choice.
Email sent to both Topping and APOS.
- Rich
Hi folks, not sure if this is the right place to ask but I'm seriously considering swapping my Topping D90 I for a D900. The rest of my setup is B&W Nautilus 801s powered by a Benchmark AHB2, fed by a Topping D90 and Wiim Pro/Apple TV 4K. I typically stream direct to the Wiim now with Spotify Lossless or through Apple Music on the Apple TV. Perhaps my biggest gripe with this setup is the volume control - I like to use the Apple TV remote for everything and I've taught it the IR codes for the Topping so that works, albeit not perfectly.
My second room setup is B&W Matrix 801S2s fed by a McIntosh MC7200 power amp connected to a Wiim Ultra. I also have an Apple TV 4K connected to the Wiim via HDMI. The beauty of this setup that the Apple TV remote seamlessly controls the volume on the Wiim Ultra which serves as a DAC/streamer and receives volume controls through HDMI.
The later Topping D90s moved to a bluetooth remote, which the Apple TV remote cannot learn so I would be stuck with a separate remote. Is there any way to utilize the HDMI input on the D900 to do volume control with an Apple TV? Any other workarounds to have one remote to rule them all?
My second room setup is B&W Matrix 801S2s fed by a McIntosh MC7200 power amp connected to a Wiim Ultra. I also have an Apple TV 4K connected to the Wiim via HDMI. The beauty of this setup that the Apple TV remote seamlessly controls the volume on the Wiim Ultra which serves as a DAC/streamer and receives volume controls through HDMI.
The later Topping D90s moved to a bluetooth remote, which the Apple TV remote cannot learn so I would be stuck with a separate remote. Is there any way to utilize the HDMI input on the D900 to do volume control with an Apple TV? Any other workarounds to have one remote to rule them all?
- Thread Starter
- #85
Hello,
The scenario you imaged is not workable, the HDMI on D900 is used for I2S input which is different from HDMI ARC you seek for.
The volume control is used HDMI ARC as I explained, but I am not sure if that digital volume control can be used for coaxial or opt output on Wiim ultra.
You may try below steps on your side since you already have one ultra on hand.
1. connect Apple TV -> HDMI ARC -> Wiim ultra -> coaxial or opt -> D90 -> Benchmark AHB2
2. set D90 input as coaxil or opt as that cable you used for.
3. try to change volume on Apple TV to see if any sound changed.
4. if it does work on sync HDMI ARC to D90 via spdif but that sound is too small, try to set D90 as DAC mode not Pre mode, or just turn up on D90 first.
If you meant a competitor to the DX5 II, Isn't SMSL RAW-MDA1 just that?
archerious
Active Member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2020
- Messages
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- 181
Does it have the EQ features or colorful screen?
It has a color screen, no EQ (useless gimmick when Equalizer APO exists), but yeah, the DX5 II looks a lot better upon a closer inspection even though it's about 20% more expensive.
Last edited:
FYI the D90 iii Sabre does ship with the bluetooth BC-15A remote, but that remote also provides IR that can be used once the bluetooth is unpaired. The range of the remote is however lousy, but I can use IR with the D90 iii Sabre once the codes have been learned by another remote, so you might experiment that way. See my explanatory post here:
TOPPING D90 III Sabre DAC Review
I just update to the v1.23. No problem so far. I use the stock remote as before and did not have any problem. But I don't have problem with previous FW either so I'm not sure what the update really brings in.
www.audiosciencereview.com
WeekendWarrior
Member
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- Jul 14, 2022
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Most probably because nobody sent units to be reviewed.
WeekendWarrior
Member
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- Jul 14, 2022
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- 75
Topping traditionally send their products to Amir for review. Perhaps that doesn't happen any more?
I have come to this disturbing conclusion too. I got a Marantz SA12SE and a Denon DCD-1700NE, played the same CDs and heard clear differences. My experiences have been posted on another thread here.
I saw that those who believe that all DACs sound the same have bias too, just like the subjective-listening guys. Now I know I have no friends, because both camps are just that -- they are camps. If you're not a member, you're not wanted.
This is another thing I've begun to appreciate only recently. There are significant UX differences between products. For instance, some remotes give you a hand-me-down impression, because their documentation tells you that three out of the 10 buttons are unused. Why would I buy a $500 DAC or preamp to be given the impression that a remote for a different appliance is being repurposed for my device? I think I'll be willing to pay a premium for better UX.
Wasn't aware of this angle till the last year or so, when I got exposed to many audio components in a short span of time.
welwynnick
Addicted to Fun and Learning
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I think I know what you mean. Wherever you go in the audio world, there's an irreconcilable subjective - objective conflict, and it seems you have to take sides. I spent many years trying to reconcile that, but recently I've begun to think that there isn't necessarily any conflict, that both perspectives are not exclusive at all, and both can be right. Now I straddle both camps, which sadly makes me an enemy of both.
Nothing “sounds” the same, not even two copies of the same model of device. There are always differences, but this fact is irrelevant; what matters is the value of the difference that makes each one capable of detecting it, and here both physical factors (which affect the device) and biological factors (which affect the listener) come into play.
Let each person decide how to deal with these differences when choosing audio equipment and not assume that, because it is valid for him, it is the only valid way for others.
Let each person decide how to deal with these differences when choosing audio equipment and not assume that, because it is valid for him, it is the only valid way for others.
DVDdoug
Master Contributor
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This is Audio SCIENCE Review.
Of course NOT EVERYTHING sounds the same but the fact is that most electronics are better than human hearing unless you overdrive an amp into clipping (distortion) or if you intentionally alter the sound with tone controls or EQ, etc.
And sometimes there is audible noise (hum, hiss, or whine, in the background). All active analog electronics generate some noise and if you hear it or not, or the noise from one device has more noise than the other it's pretty obvious. But it's tricky because whether it's audible or not depends on the sensitivity of your speakers (or headphones), how close you are to your speaker, and other acoustic noise in the room, etc.
We are skeptical when someone uses undefined "audiophile terminology" like "warmth" or "detail" or if they think a DAC is affecting soundstage or other things that are virtually impossible to be affected by a DAC, etc.
...Just because someone says "detail" (which isn't defined* or measurable) doesn't mean the listener isn't hearing something but it's not really useful and I'm usually skeptical, especially with a sighted listening test or when they don't have measurements.
Audiophoolery describes the FEW REAL characteristics of sound quality.
Listening tests are fine as long as they are blind and controlled. Casual, sighted, uncontrolled listening tests are useless. ...Unless you are hearing a gross defect like a buzz in one channel, or no sound out of one channel, or no bass, etc.
What is a blind ABX test?.
Controlled Audio Blind Listening Tests
Usually they do, in proper blind listening tests. If you "can't detect it", reliably and repeatably you aren't "hearing" it. And these imagined differences shouldn't dictate what you spend your money on.
* Dan Clark (headphone manufacturer) has a video where he says headphones with more distortion are sometimes described as "more detailed"!
