TOPPING DM7 8-CH DAC : what can replace it?

[charlielaub]

I was a bit sad when I learned that TOPPING has discontinued the DM7 8-channel DAC. I think this happened about a year ago now, and there are very few remaining out there.

The DM7 offered high performance, was reasonably priced, and worked flawlessly for my needs. I have not found anything like it (a consumer product and not a DIY project). To get 8 or more channels I now have to look to a pro-audio recording interface. While that can also work, the nice clean and compact format and excellent performance of the DM7 is missed.

Is there anything as good out there currently? Will the DM7 be replaced by another product from TOPPING or from another manufacturer?

 

[ppataki]

The only direct replacement (I know of) is the Okto DAC8 Pro but it is rather expensive

Other potential replacements are the MOTU UltraLite mk5 (ESS chip) and the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 4th Gen. (CS chip)
These would not provide SOTA SINAD figures, 'only' around 112-114dB but I guess that is good enough

There are plenty of other multichannel pro audio interfaces but either they are inferior in terms of SINAD or very expensive

An alternative route is to have a multichannel DDC (like the RME Digiface USB) and use multiple stereo DACs with it (again, can be expensive)

 

[charlielaub]

Sure, like I mentioned I can turn to pro-audio interfaces like the MOTU you mentioned. I already own a Clarett+ 8Pre for example. But the simplicity and ease of use of the DM7 is hard to beat so I would really like to see another product along those lines, even if it is DAC only (e.g. without ACD, etc.).

 

[ppataki]

Sure, like I mentioned I can turn to pro-audio interfaces like the MOTU you mentioned. I already own a Clarett+ 8Pre for example. But the simplicity and ease of use of the DM7 is hard to beat so I would really like to see another product along those lines, even if it is DAC only (e.g. without ACD, etc.).

Yes, fully agreed
Maybe @TOPPING will listen to customers' needs

 

[Neddy]

That's a shame about Topping dropping it.

MiniDSP FlexHT looks like a good alternative, and in the same price range (unless you add Dirac). And has e-arc.
The HTx adds 8 channel ADC, and is rack mount - about the same price as Okto8.

The OktoDAC8 (I was an 'early adopter') has been one of the best audio purchases I've ever made, and am still amazed by it - in terms of flexibility of I/O, and recently DSP (DIY) has only ramped up it's value to me over time. There weren't many (any) DACs with these capabilities when I purchased it, but now there are (have been?) a few more.
Software updates have added more features and have turned out to be reliable and reasonably straightforward (even for my early unit, though later ones were simpler).
My experience with support from Pavel has been excellent - don't be stupid or ask dumb or poorly thought out questions , and he's been really responsive.
It's gone up a little in price, but still well below inflation, and still an excellent value.

 

[charlielaub]

I only need a good quality, multichannel DAC (minimum 8-CH) with no DSP processing because I do all my DSP in software on a small computer, e.g. mini-PC, R-Pi, etc. The DAC should also be class-compliant. The DAC only needs to support PCM audio up to at least 24/192k, but not DSD, MQA, etc. The DM7 was perfect for me in this use case.

 

[somebodyelse]

Maybe @TOPPING will listen to customers' needs

That's how the DM7 came to be in the first place. Unfortunately there weren't enough customers for them to keep making it.

 

[Roland68]

I only need a good quality, multichannel DAC (minimum 8-CH) with no DSP processing because I do all my DSP in software on a small computer, e.g. mini-PC, R-Pi, etc. The DAC should also be class-compliant. The DAC only needs to support PCM audio up to at least 24/192k, but not DSD, MQA, etc. The DM7 was perfect for me in this use case.

This is currently a gap in the market and Topping definitely gave up too early.
A simple solution for you, perhaps just as a transition until higher quality DACs are available, or you get a high quality used 8 channel DAC, RPI PI5 with HiFiBerry DAC8x.

By the way, up to 192kHz/24bit through four dedicated high-quality Burr-Brown DACs (not my words ;o).
Here you can find some measurements of the 8-channel HiFiberry Hat DAC for RPI5.

 

[welwynnick]

I was a bit sad when I learned that TOPPING has discontinued the DM7 8-channel DAC. I think this happened about a year ago now, and there are very few remaining out there.
The DM7 offered high performance, was reasonably priced, and worked flawlessly for my needs. I have not found anything like it (a consumer product and not a DIY project). To get 8 or more channels I now have to look to a pro-audio recording interface. While that can also work, the nice clean and compact format and excellent performance of the DM7 is missed.
Is there anything as good out there currently? Will the DM7 be replaced by another product from TOPPING or from another manufacturer?

To be clear, did you already buy a DM7, and want future-proofing for the longer-term, or did you want to buy one, only to find there are no more?

What's your application / system?

 

[jcheavymetal]

What about using 2 Schiit Syn? With some workarounds via the USB inputs, it would be a 10.2 channel DAC for US$800.

 

[Guddu]

What about using 2 Schiit Syn? With some workarounds via the USB inputs, it would be a 10.2 channel DAC for US$800.

Schiit Syn isn’t a multi-channel DAC, it takes stereo input and then creates virtual surround (or whatever it is called).

 

[jcheavymetal]

Schiit Syn isn’t a multi-channel DAC, it takes stereo input and then creates virtual surround (or whatever it is called).

Wow, I didn't know that. There is then the Emotiva BasX MC1 13.2 Processor. It is more expensive but can decode the more advanced Dolby and DTS codecs.

 

[Roland68]

What about using 2 Schiit Syn? With some workarounds via the USB inputs, it would be a 10.2 channel DAC for US$800.

Schiit Syn isn’t a multi-channel DAC, it takes stereo input and then creates virtual surround (or whatever it is called).

Definitely only 2-channel.
Since the DAC chip only has 2 output stages and the volume control only runs via an analog stereo potentiometer, this DAC can only process 2 channels.

 

[charlielaub]

To be clear, did you already buy a DM7, and want future-proofing for the longer-term, or did you want to buy one, only to find there are no more?

What's your application / system?

Luckily I own two of them! One silver and one black. I use them as part of a computer based system for DIY loudspeakers. Audio is distributed over my home WiFI LAN as PCM to a computer at the loudspeakers that performs all the channel routing and DSP and sends it on via a multichannel DAC. I have one system set up with one DM7 now and will be building another. After that I will have to resort to using a pro audio interface. I prefer balanced outputs and am not very excited about the HiFi Berry DAC8x HAT.

 

[welwynnick]

Luckily I own two of them! One silver and one black. I use them as part of a computer based system for DIY loudspeakers. Audio is distributed over my home WiFI LAN as PCM to a computer at the loudspeakers that performs all the channel routing and DSP and sends it on via a multichannel DAC. I have one system set up with one DM7 now and will be building another. After that I will have to resort to using a pro audio interface. I prefer balanced outputs and am not very excited about the HiFi Berry DAC8x HAT.

Ah! So how many channels do you actually need for each speaker?

The obvious answers to your original question are the Okto DAC8, MOTU Ultralite Mk5 and RME Fireface 802 FS.

I've been compiling audio interface options for AV systems, typically with 8 or 16 analogue outputs. This is the list for 8 channels:

The list for 16 channels is rather longer, if you would consider using one interface instead of two. They're better value.

Alternatively, if you actually needed 3 or 4 channels for each speaker, there are lots of different options, that I haven't been focussing on. The option that springs to mind is the RME Fireface UCX II. Of course that has lots of other functionality that you probably don't need, but its a competitive part of the market, and you do get good value.

From my perspective, one of the best options on a performance-per-cost basis is to have, say 4 x SMSL D6S stereo DACs. Sounds mad but makes sense. I'm not sure how you would sensibly do that in your system though, as you'd need separate spdif/toslink connections. There are ways, but they cost.

My full shortlist has 50 products, and that's only after I eliminated the interfaces that are intended for commercial audio distribution (rather than recording and monitoring). These include Glennsound, Behringer, Crestron, Ferrofish, Tascam & Penta.

 

[boxerfan88]

Who knows, maybe Topping might just make another batch and push into global inventory, and let it sell out over time. This kind of product has ongoing demand but not high volume.

Or release a DM7 mk II with a chip swap to ESS9039Pro…

 

[jcheavymetal]

If it is sold out, Topping may come with a new sollution soon

 

[Sokel]

That's a shame about Topping dropping it.

MiniDSP FlexHT looks like a good alternative, and in the same price range (unless you add Dirac). And has e-arc.
The HTx adds 8 channel ADC, and is rack mount - about the same price as Okto8.

The OktoDAC8 (I was an 'early adopter') has been one of the best audio purchases I've ever made, and am still amazed by it - in terms of flexibility of I/O, and recently DSP (DIY) has only ramped up it's value to me over time. There weren't many (any) DACs with these capabilities when I purchased it, but now there are (have been?) a few more.
Software updates have added more features and have turned out to be reliable and reasonably straightforward (even for my early unit, though later ones were simpler).
My experience with support from Pavel has been excellent - don't be stupid or ask dumb or poorly thought out questions , and he's been really responsive.
It's gone up a little in price, but still well below inflation, and still an excellent value.

I believe every word you say.
And I was about to follow too 2-3 years ago so I went to see a friend's one up-close as looks are VERY important to me.

It was a unit he owned for about a year and the displays were close to unreadable.I got really-really disappointed by that fact alone.
A device like that really deserved better.

 

[AudioJester]

Ah! So how many channels do you actually need for each speaker?

The obvious answers to your original question are the Okto DAC8, MOTU Ultralite Mk5 and RME Fireface 802 FS.

I've been compiling audio interface options for AV systems, typically with 8 or 16 analogue outputs. This is the list for 8 channels:

View attachment 400252

The list for 16 channels is rather longer, if you would consider using one interface instead of two. They're better value.

Alternatively, if you actually needed 3 or 4 channels for each speaker, there are lots of different options, that I haven't been focussing on. The option that springs to mind is the RME Fireface UCX II. Of course that has lots of other functionality that you probably don't need, but its a competitive part of the market, and you do get good value.

From my perspective, one of the best options on a performance-per-cost basis is to have, say 4 x SMSL D6S stereo DACs. Sounds mad but makes sense. I'm not sure how you would sensibly do that in your system though, as you'd need separate spdif/toslink connections. There are ways, but they cost.

My full shortlist has 50 products, and that's only after I eliminated the interfaces that are intended for commercial audio distribution (rather than recording and monitoring). These include Glennsound, Behringer, Crestron, Ferrofish, Tascam & Penta.

Looking at that chart the Topping really is amazing value.
I was one of the people who suggested to Topping that they make a multichannel dac, waited 18 months and nothing was released, then gave up an bought an Okto. No regrets, the Okto also has AES/EBU out to drive my Genelecs.

 

[VeerK]

As far as I’m aware, the only high-end options are Okto DAC8, or to do what I do, use the MiniDSP flex Digital to connect multiple DACs via TOSLINK.