Topping DM7 8-Channel DAC Review

[Jesal]

Do you guys think DM7 will be an upgrade sonically to my 10 year old lynx aurora 8 dac? Thanks

 

[MCH]

Do you guys think DM7 will be an upgrade sonically to my 10 year old lynx aurora 8 dac? Thanks

Amir measured one, not bad at all:

Lynx Aurora 8 Review (8-channel DAC/ADC)

This is a review and measurements of the discontinued Lynx Aurora 8 audio interface (DAC & ADC). I am told you can find them used for $700 although the price I see on ebay is $1000. The owner wants to know if this can be competitive with modern 8-channel DACs so that is the functionality I...

audiosciencereview.com

Seems you will be loosing the adc functionality with the topping. Sonically, let me bet that most people here will tell you you won't notice the difference.

 

[Jesal]

Amir measured one, not bad at all:

Lynx Aurora 8 Review (8-channel DAC/ADC)

This is a review and measurements of the discontinued Lynx Aurora 8 audio interface (DAC & ADC). I am told you can find them used for $700 although the price I see on ebay is $1000. The owner wants to know if this can be competitive with modern 8-channel DACs so that is the functionality I...

audiosciencereview.com

Seems you will be loosing the adc functionality with the topping. Sonically, let me bet that most people here will tell you you won't notice the difference.

Thanks, I'm not using the ADC, and I can sell the aurora for more than I can get the DM7. Hmnn... I was thinking it's a substantial jump from my aging DAC.

 

[bobdog]

Quick or maybe not so quick question. I want to start ripping my multichannel discs to my Roon library and play them through my main system which is based on a Micro Rendu endpoint. I run a Parasound P7 7.1 channel analog preamp . Is it as simple as hooking this up to the micro Rendu and sourcing some TRS to RCA conversion cables? Does this DAC have volume adjustment and delay settings to calibrate channels? I have been eying the OCTO DAC8Pro but apparently not available..

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Is it as simple as hooking this up to the micro Rendu and sourcing some TRS to RCA conversion cables?

Does the microRendu support multichannel output over USB?

Does this DAC have volume adjustment and delay settings to calibrate channels?

It has volume adjustment for presetting but you will probably want to use the VC in the Parasound. It does not have any delay settings but Roon does.

 

[bobdog]

The Micro Rendu supports multichannel depending on the DAC apparently (Linux based). I am not sure if the DM7 is compatible or not.

I am reading some worrying things about the performance of Topping balanced DACs when conversion cables are used. The multichannel inputs on my preamp are unbalanced RCA only.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

The Micro Rendu supports multichannel depending on the DAC apparently (Linux based). I am not sure if the DM7 is compatible or not.

I have never used any Rendu, so I cannot comment on its compatibility but the DM7 docs say:

So, for windows, I use the downloadable driver but I do not know what the Linux situation is. However, if Roon sees the DM7 through the Rendu, you can possibly load the driver on your Roon Core host.

 

[VoidX]

Did you use Cavern? I know someone who is working on a better gui for album conversions rather than one file at a time, and you won't need scripts.

We could arrange a collab if you guide me to that someone. CLI for Cavernize GUI (CLI for GUI, lol, I'll drop the GUI name) just dropped yesterday, batch conversion of folders is now possible. I'll add a folder conversion option to the GUI, but it'll take a long time as many refactors are needed.

 

[VoidX]

Did you use Cavern? I know someone who is working on a better gui for album conversions rather than one file at a time, and you won't need scripts.

Queue is done, check the new release.

 

[dartinbout]

FYI I just noticed that there is an updated firmware for the DM7.

DM7 version V1.18 firmware update-TOPPING

 

[192kbps]

How about ESI GIGAPORT HD+/EX？

 

[dartinbout]

I have no idea about this but I have had a couple of soundcards that do 7.1 24\192. As the resident MC DSD heretic here this wouldn't suit my needs but others might like it's $200 cost.

 

[ArturoKiwi]

Hi to all, I'm sorry about my noob question, but is there a way to use an 8ch DAC like the dm7 with a audio/video preamplifier?

 

[SuicideSquid]

Hi to all, I'm sorry about my noob question, but is there a way to use an 8ch DAC like the dm7 with a audio/video preamplifier?

Yes, as long as your preamp has multichannel in, you can run the output from the DAC into the multichannel in on the preamp.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Hi to all, I'm sorry about my noob question, but is there a way to use an 8ch DAC like the dm7 with a audio/video preamplifier?

Yes, as long as your preamp has multichannel in, you can run the output from the DAC into the multichannel in on the preamp.

Not really. The output from the DM7 is balanced and I do not know of any AVP with multichannel balanced inputs. To use the unbalanced inputs in your AVP (presuming that the AVP does not redigitize the signals), you need a bunch of baluns or active converters to properly derive the unbalanced feed.

 

[SuicideSquid]

Not really. The output from the DM7 is balanced and I do not know of any AVP with multichannel balanced inputs. To use the unbalanced inputs in your AVP (presuming that the AVP does not redigitize the signals), you need a bunch of baluns or active converters to properly derive the unbalanced feed.

I've read elsewhere people using balanced > RCA cables with this DAC without issue except for worse noise. Would I do this? No, but I don't see why you can't.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I've read elsewhere people using balanced > RCA cables with this DAC without issue except for worse noise. Would I do this? No, but I don't see why you can't.

Sure, you could do it. But the observation that neither you nor I would do it says something about it as a general recommendation.

 

[SuicideSquid]

Sure, you could do it. But the observation that neither you nor I would do it says something about it as a general recommendation.

Of course. But the question was "Can I do this" not "Should I do this" ^_^

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Of course. But the question was "Can I do this" not "Should I do this" ^_^

Topping says no but, of course, you can. I may try it just because.

 

[da Choge]

Of course. But the question was "Can I do this" not "Should I do this" ^_^

Hi to all, I'm sorry about my noob question, but is there a way to use an 8ch DAC like the dm7 with a audio/video preamplifier?

You could do it with something like this:

This is the rearview of a Tascam LA-81MkII 8-Channel Balanced to Unbalanced Converter. It's a professional unit that has recently been discontinued in the US, but there are others like it. It is an active converter (not transformer-based like a Jensen). It doesn't have near the exceptional specs that the DM7 has, but if you used it for maybe the surround & center channels (into 5 of the AVR's 7.1 multichannel inputs), with the front channels direct to a balanced amplifier or preamp, I'm hoping you would get a decent result for multichannel (surround) music. You would have to balance the volume for all the channels, but that is something you can apparently do with the latest Topping firmware update. This is actually the unit I have and intend to use it just like I stated. Haven't had a chance to put it into action yet, but I will report on the result once I do.