Topping DM7 8-Channel DAC Review

[Kal Rubinson]

minDSP is the only brand I've heard of in the last few years, the others are complete unknowns for most.

I would dare say so most know none of those brands and especially don't even know of the new Okto & Topping either outside the AUDIO crowd.
I was not aware there ever existed a multi channel solution until the Okto arrived unless you wanted a AVR.
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Only awareness these offerings exist need to be spread so people know they work & are usable needs to expand.

These other items were not secrets although they were marketed in particular channels. I reviewed most of them. In this Internet/Google age, ignorance of their existence is indicative of a lack of effort, imo.

 

[Acerun]

Would there be a way to use the DM7 with a Denon X3700h for home theater to bypass the internal Denon DAC? Zone 2 HDMI out to DM7 then to external amps and then to speakers? Could I use it for a 5.1.2 set up combined with Hypex external amps to get SOTA?

 

[Deleted member 35357]

Would there be a way to use the DM7 with a Denon X3700h for home theater to bypass the internal Denon DAC? Zone 2 HDMI out to DM7 then to external amps and then to speakers? Could I use it for a 5.1.2 set up combined with Hypex external amps to get SOTA?

No?

Is the Denon a computer?

 

[Acerun]

Im wanting to do the same but how do you solve the biggest problem with this kind of setup in home theater, EQ/room correction?

E. G. No point having 20+ better sinad when large peeks and dips in frequency are clouding lots of detail. Not to mention phase and timing.

Is any software available?

If you used it with a Denon X3700 HDMI Zone 2 out and you had Audessey XT32 running, would that room correction pass through the D7?

 

[Acerun]

No?

Is the Denon a computer?

Does it need to be a computer? It was my understanding that the D7 accepted HDMI in. And that could come from the denon.

 

[staticV3]

@Acerun There's no HDMI in on the DM7. Only USB.

 

[Acerun]

@Acerun There's no HDMI in on the DM7. Only USB.
View attachment 248383

Oh man... You see where I was going with that...

 

[Descartes]

Make me spit my coffee out! LOL.

The one that really got me was a JVC Super Digifine receiver, RX-1001V. I think it's around 100 buttons (many double ended) on the moulded back plate, under the front panel buttons and above the tactile switches. And every one, perfectly centred, supported and positive. Ahh, the 80s.

View attachment 217892

It was a retro beast. I have one someplace- you should see the remote! Full backlit touch screen LCD learning thing.

When they used to build quality with aluminum rather than plastic!

 

[MemeScreen]

And I'll be very surprised.

Is the DM7 selling that poorly? Ya it's a niche product, but as long as it hits sales targets an update down the line could be justified. Do we have evidence of this or is this some sort of Topping thing to never refresh products.

 

[Acerun]

Do you think it's technically possible for them to build a version with HDMI in and many channels out to use on AVRs? Seems like that would be an instant smash hit, esp if it could pass room correction.

 

[dartinbout]

Is the DM7 selling that poorly? Ya it's a niche product, but as long as it hits sales targets an update down the line could be justified. Do we have evidence of this or is this some sort of Topping thing to never refresh products.

They seem to be refreshing, everything in their range, every few months. As far as how the DM7 is selling, I haven't a clue but ,to me, it's a gift seemingly designed with my own personal joy in mind.

I've spent today, incorporating it into an A90D\EXT90 setup, with 2 DX7 Pro's (different opamps) and a Schiit Gungy. Merry freaking Christmas to me!

 

[tgrauss]

I'm struggling to understand how this device can be used in a multichannel surround system. Can it do anything that can or cannot be done by an AVR or surround processor? Is there software that allows it to be used as a DSP incorporating high-pass and low-pass filters, PEQ, channel levels, phase and delay so that it acts like a miniDSP or Dayton Audio DSP-408 but with digital input? How do I get a Dolby Digital 7.1 stream into it? Can it decode that? (Obviously it doesn't support Dolby Atmos in any way, as far as I can see.)

Well, it would be nice if it would have at least 1 to 3 4k/60Hz HDMI and 1 Toslink inputs with 8 channels LPCM. The Dolby and DTS decoding could be done by the deck.
Of course, it should have also channel levels, delays, phase, bass management and a rs232 port to control all of this. I am looking for such a product right now and I am hesitating to hack a HD951B to tap in the I2S lines, feed it to a adau1701 board. After this I can send the result to some good DAC boards which will feed my DIY multichannel amplifier (analog input only).
@JohnYang1997 Please a DM7 with the HD951B digital input/output + some cheap DSP like a adau1701 to manage delays, bass management... + a rs232 port to control all of this would be very nice.

 

[Zoomer]

Anything else?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Seems like that would be an instant smash hit, esp if it could pass room correction.

Why would it not pass room correction? It passes PCM.

 

[staticV3]

Why would it not pass room correction? It passes PCM.

Yeah exactly. It's the DSP that must pass the room correction via digital out. The DAC just plays what it is given.

 

[Acerun]

Why would it not pass room correction? It passes PCM.

Great! Please use your influence to get us a HDMI input version!

 

[Acerun]

Yeah exactly. It's the DSP that must pass the room correction via digital out. The DAC just plays what it is given.

Pardon my ignorance. :-(

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Great! Please use your influence to get us a HDMI input version!

That's your job, not mine. I prefer USB.

 

[Doodski]

Hi @Kal Rubinson I have a question unrelated to anything going on so I thought I would ask here because you seem to be a guru of connections, legacy connections and future connections. So... The new Thunderbird connection for anything is that something you think we will see in the next 10 years as a standard? I have a new ASUS motherboard and am considering getting the Asus ThunderboltEX 4 PCI-E Expansion Card for a additional ~C$155. I have no use for this card atm although I see where these type of exclusive cards can go out of stock forever. I have a new 165Hz gaming monitor and see no reason to upgrade to a Thunderbolt connection at this time for video reasons.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Hi @Kal Rubinson I have a question unrelated to anything going on so I thought I would ask here because you seem to be a guru of connections, legacy connections and future connections. So... The new Thunderbird connection for anything is that something you think we will see in the next 10 years as a standard? I have a new ASUS motherboard and am considering getting the Asus ThunderboltEX 4 PCI-E Expansion Card for a additional ~C$155. I have no use for this card atm although I see where these type of exclusive cards can go out of stock forever. I have a new 165Hz gaming monitor and see no reason to upgrade to a Thunderbolt connection at this time for video reasons.

I think it is likely that the near future will be USB-C and Thunderbird. I have a BD drive with Thunderbird and I am contemplating getting the Thunderbolt card, too. It will support an external video card.