Topping D90SE Review (Balanced DAC)

[gvl]

The default should be F3 as shown in the graph.

But at least the numbers match between the graph labels and the filter descriptions, e.g. F1 is the same as Mode 1? Seems so.

 

[dougi]

A reminder for those excited about all the low noise and performance specs - if you're going here as a feat of engineering signal perfection, please consider matching it to the Benchmark AHB2 amplifier and LA4 line preamp (or HPA4) so that all components have the lowest noise floor ever measured to ensure your speakers are receiving the most SINAD from @amirm 's work!

The corollary would be that to take advantage of a nice AHB2/Purif/Hypex amp with a good noise floor, you need a super low noise DAC if you don't want the DAC noise to be the limiting factor at low levels. Even with a 120dB SINAD, 4V out DAC , paired with a 29dB gain amp (say) translates to an output noise of 9uV due to the DAC. Which is getting close to say, 20uV due to an amp with a NC400 as an example.

 

[JohnYang1997]

I'm wondering if this is the case. The 5V output would require the AHB2 to run on middle gain mode, which requires 4V for full output. To use low gain, you need 9.8V for full output. Essentially, you need a pro DAC, which makes sense and why they offer matching DACs. As far as I know, raising gain settings comes at a cost of amplifier performance--and I know it is one not remotely audible, but still interesting for this idea. Nonetheless you wouldn't be able to take advantage of that extra volt in middle gain mode.


That said, I am glad Amir put back the disclaimer at the end. Unfortunately in their race to outdo each other, companies such as Topping and SMSL have earned their reputation for poor quality control.

What quality control are we talking about here?

 

[Spocko]

View attachment 135840

I think someone looked at the thumbnails only in an image search...

View attachment 135842

At least they didn’t misspell it as “Complaint”

 

[Billy Budapest]

it's a real problem - look at western or Japanese DACs or amps, all labels are on the same level, one readable font is used. there can be exceptions, some manufacturer could be using comic sans, but in general it's consistent.
now compare to what Topping does. 3 or more fonts (~7 in this case with logos? + another font on screen), labels are top, bottom, left, right, center. white on black, black on white on black (why?)
well, at least the performance is good.

I don’t see 7 different fonts here, I see 4. One is the MQA logo and you have to use it. The other is the Topping logo, and Topping gets a pass for using their own stylized font for their own logo. So, we are left with 2 fonts, one a sans serif font for the select/on-off switch and the other an italic font on the bottom announcing the model name. I agree that the italic font isn’t super attractive, but the front panel is not the aesthetic disaster you suggest.

 

[JohnYang1997]

I don’t see 7 different fonts here, I see 4. One is the MQA logo and you have to use it. The other is the Topping logo, and Topping gets a pass for using their own stylized font for their own logo. So, we are left with 2 fonts, one a sans serif font for the select/on-off switch and the other an italic font on the bottom announcing the model name. I agree that the italic font isn’t super attractive, but the front panel is nit the aesthetic disaster you suggest.

It's the lighting and exposure matter.

 

[Billy Budapest]

i guess if you are in a dark room then and glowy LCD screen would be an annoyance

I think e-ink screens are the way to go for audio components, but I think that megabuck gear manufacturer Constellation Audio is the only company to use them in this application. They look great, are imminently readable, and emit no light.

 

[JohnYang1997]

I made that decision after reading the reviews on the D90SE. And I promptly ordered the Gustard X26 Pro.... A friend brought over the X26 Pro last week and it had more Authority and 'Body' than my D90.

I already own the D90. It is a great DAC, but here is the 'deal' with the X26. From the Review:

"For the current to voltage conversion (I/V conversion stage), Gustard used only discrete components, not a single op-amp is found in its signal path. Its analog Low-Pass Filter (LPF) also uses only fully discrete components biased into Class-A. Again, no cheap op-amps are found in its signal path. This is a crucial part of any DAC, this is the reason it uses two toroidal transformers and this is why it dissipates so much heat."

I am not sure about that.

Source:https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-...50-mqa-32bit-768khz-dsd512-black-p-15096.html

 

[Billy Budapest]

It's the lighting and exposure matter.

I don’t have a problem with the aesthetics of the front panel at all.

 

[JohnYang1997]

I don’t have a problem with the aesthetics of the front panel at all.

Oh you meant "not". Now everything makes sense.

 

[JohnYang1997]

The D90 output voltage was not sufficient to drive a Nord 1ET400A Purifi amp with Sparkos SS2590 input buffers to full output. Adding an A90 resolved this. I believe this amp requires ~7.25 Vpeek-to-peak for maximum gain. If this is correct, neither will a D90SE at 5v output. I believe the input sensitivity of the Nord amp is similar to most other 1ET400A based amps.

Don't tell me you play at max power all the time.

 

[raif71]

I believe it is #5.

 

[turbotuff]

How is the Bluetooth performance?

 

[192kbps]

But at least the numbers match between the graph labels and the filter descriptions, e.g. F1 is the same as Mode 1? Seems so.

View attachment 135851
View attachment 135852

They are wrong and are being modified. The default is 3.

 

[USER]

What quality control are we talking about here?

Didn't the L30 ruin some headphones for instance? Or the E30 have its polarity be inverted? Should I go on? Amir has had that qualifier in his reviews long before those recent components.

Don't get me wrong, I support you guys and how you are changing the landscape. And indeed I own some products (that Apos has been kind enough to exchange for revised versions). But get it together.

 

[gvl]

They are wrong and are being modified. The default is 3.

The default is wrong, but eyeing filter responses and the names the 'F' numbers appear to match the 'mode' numbers.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Didn't the L30 ruin some headphones for instance? Or the E30 have its polarity be inverted? Should I go on? Amir has had that qualifier in his reviews long before those recent components.

Don't get me wrong, I support you guys and how you are changing the landscape. And indeed I own some products (that Apos has been kind enough to exchange for revised versions). But get it together.

Aren't those issues taken care of?
And these have nothing to do with quality control.

 

[USER]

Aren't those issues taken care of?

Yes, I believe so, but they are also a reason to wait on your products to see what develops. It's a hassle to your customers, you have to understand that. The important thing is that this is not something I would ever say about a RME product.

 

[Cut-Throat]

I am not sure about that.

Source:https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-...50-mqa-32bit-768khz-dsd512-black-p-15096.html

Better Source - https://soundnews.net/sources/dacs/gustard-x26-pro-dac-review/

 

[JohnYang1997]

Yes, I believe so, but they are also a reason to wait on your products to see what develops. It's a hassle to your customers, you have to understand that. The important thing is that this is not something I would ever say about a RME product.

True. Nothing wrong with that.