Topping DM7 8-Channel DAC Review

[Kal Rubinson]

If those adapters are causing damage to the DM7 then it has a serious engineering flaw.

Or they are not the appropriate ones.

 

[LesterHiggins]

Or they are not the appropriate ones.

I mean, I could stuff a lot of things in the DM7's output jacks that would cause serious damage to the unit. Firecrackers, soldering iron tips, chopsticks, list goes on... Honestly, I really don't care very much and I'm not sure if we're having a one-sided debate or not, because I really don't have a point or a stance here.

 

[LesterHiggins]

Actually what I am curious about is if anyone has used 2 wiim Pros or a Pro and a mini synced as multi-room devices to create a multichannel output, because I was thinking of trying that instead of the miniDSP Flex or an exaSound e28. I've also used my Lewitt Connect 6's outputs with Audio Hijack and plugins to manage crossover, but the delay is limited to 1ms intervals in the Audio Hijack Sync plugin, and I'm curious what other crossover plugins or software is available as an alternative to miniDSP's console app. But this might not be the right thread, and another one probably already exists.

 

[LesterHiggins]

Yep. I felt that hanging on to it, with no real intention of using it, was almost... selfish. But I'm not going to give it away.

Although, you know the old saying, an 8 output channel DAC in the hand is worth 16 output channels in the bush.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Also, I think there's confusion around the DM7 and using TS to RCA adapters. That will "short" the connection by grounding the cold leg but that doesn't mean "short-circuit" the device. If those adapters are causing damage to the DM7 then it has a serious engineering flaw.

You responded to this: "Rca adapters were a major failure cause of these dacs because of dc short circuits."

It seems that both you and the previous poster presume that all TRS-to-RCA adapters are the same and that is not true. There are at least three options for dealing with the (-) leg and, based on the output stage configuration of the DM7, one of them will avoid shorting/damaging it.

 

[Sokel]

You responded to this: "Rca adapters were a major failure cause of these dacs because of dc short circuits."

It seems that both you and the previous poster presume that all TS-to-RCA adapters are the same and that is not true. There are at least three options for dealing with the (-) leg and, based on the output stage configuration of the DM7, one of them will avoid shorting/damaging it.

The issue is the idiosyncratic design of some Topping DAC's output balanced circuit probably, it's been beaten to death (with measurements too, that show the problem) and the company advises against it of course.

There's no Bal>Unbal scheme that works there without compromising performance or gear's integrity. It should always be Bal>Bal with most (all?) Topping gear.

 

[LesterHiggins]

You responded to this: "Rca adapters were a major failure cause of these dacs because of dc short circuits."

It seems that both you and the previous poster presume that all TS-to-RCA adapters are the same and that is not true. There are at least three options for dealing with the (-) leg and, based on the output stage configuration of the DM7, one of them will avoid shorting/damaging it.

TS and TRS are different. There are zero options for dealing with the cold leg for TS because there's only signal and ground in a TS plug. Do you mean TRS to RCA?

Only 1 way to convert TS to RCA, 2 ways to convert balanced TRS to RCA, one of which uses an external transformer, so there's only 1 way to do it with the cable:

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I mean, I could stuff a lot of things in the DM7's output jacks that would cause serious damage to the unit. Firecrackers, soldering iron tips, chopsticks, list goes on... Honestly, I really don't care very much and I'm not sure if we're having a one-sided debate or not, because I really don't have a point or a stance here.

Do you mean TRS to RCA?

Yes. Will correct. (FWIW, I copied/pasted it from your post.)

 

[LesterHiggins]

Yes. Will correct. (FWIW, I copied/pasted it from your post.)

Do you often copy and paste comments and then edit them to add hyphens, or was this a first? There are exactly 2 ways to handle a TRS cold leg or (-) wire: short it to ground or split the ground and run stereo RCA. TS does the first option by shorting cold to ground right at the jack. That's 2 ways total, not "at least 3." None of those should cause damage to an impedance-balanced output like the DM7. Please use specifics to identify the incorrect presumption.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Do you often copy and paste comments and then edit them to add hyphens, or was this a first? There are exactly 2 ways to handle a TRS cold leg or (-) wire: short it to ground or split the ground and run stereo RCA. TS does the first option by shorting cold to ground right at the jack. That's 2 ways total, not "at least 3." None of those should cause damage to an impedance-balanced output like the DM7. Please use specifics to identify the incorrect presumption.

Sorry. My comments on this issue were confused and should be deleted/ignored.

 

[LesterHiggins]

Sorry. My comments on this issue were confused and should be deleted/ignored.

You and me both, buddy, all good.

 

[dartinbout]

Hey, for all of you EU DM7 lovers, there is still the rare DM7 for sale over on

https://www.maverick-hifi.com/post/topping-dm7-13814650?highlight=dm7&pid=1344318773

I'm not trying to shill but these are very rarely available, through any outlet. If I wasn't presently loving every wonderful second of this device, and a US based MC music lover, I'd be all over that like "ochre on an ocarina" (I know it doesn't really make sense but that's what my morning brain came up with).

Out of silly curiosity, I found an ochre ocarina.