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Topping DM7 8-Channel DAC Review

Rate this DAC:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 7 2.2%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 18 5.7%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther

    Votes: 52 16.4%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 241 75.8%

  • Total voters
    318

Labjr

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i truly cannot see how you assign eq’d channels in the topping 8 channel dac. there is one usb input. every output channel wil be identical. therefore, this cannot feed the linkwitz speaker individual drivers.

The DSP software does all that if it's configured properly.
 

suttondesign

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The DSP software does all that if it's configured properly.
But the DSP software is AHEAD of the DAC. I don't see how you allocate 8 channels from the DSP to the 8 output channels of the Topping DAC. To rehearse, every Linkwitz speaker driver has its own EQ and crossover settings -- four distinct pairs, completely different. For that to work, the Topping DAC would have to have its own control panel or routing scheme. I strongly doubt that it does. That is why the MiniDSP 4x10 solves the problem: one input signal is DSP'd inside the 4x10 and then programmed for 8 distinct output channels. Please explain how I am wrong in more than one sentence. Explain how you go from source to DSP to Topping to 8 linkwitz drivers with their own unique settings.
 

Madlop26

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Ok, after reading all comments, I am still a little confused, I need help here; is this possible?
I can use a PC to send sound to the DM7 via USB and video to a TV via HDMI and I pair 4 excellent stereo amps like Audiophonics HPA-S400T to the DAC , then I get a system that outperforms technically any AVR known by man? Is windows and software required up to the task? could you do Dolby Atmos?
 

jtwrace

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What does that have to do with topping? Topping has created and shipped huge number of DACs that are class compliant. I see only a tiny possibility that they got this wrong.
I'd almost be surprised if they did actually. Most don't seem to work with Linux regardless of their "Class Compliant" marking. That being said, if they did and it will work as we wish, that would be a big win for us MCH users who would like to use a RPi running RoPieee.
 

AudioJester

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i truly cannot see how you assign eq’d channels in the topping 8 channel dac. there is one usb input. every output channel wil be identical. therefore, this cannot feed the linkwitz speaker individual drivers.

I do exactly this with an okto8 single usb input. You channel map/assign each of the dac channels with their own dsp/convolution parameters.
The ability to linearise the magnitude response of each driver in the lx521 is a huge step up over the passive asp crossover.
If you can not see how it works it could be a nightmare for you to setup. If you want to go down this path may be worthwhile looking at a service like Mitcho offers or HAF.
If you have a pc source or eg Roon its actually not that hard
 

PeteL

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But the DSP software is AHEAD of the DAC. I don't see how you allocate 8 channels from the DSP to the 8 output channels of the Topping DAC. To rehearse, every Linkwitz speaker driver has its own EQ and crossover settings -- four distinct pairs, completely different. For that to work, the Topping DAC would have to have its own control panel or routing scheme. I strongly doubt that it does. That is why the MiniDSP 4x10 solves the problem: one input signal is DSP'd inside the 4x10 and then programmed for 8 distinct output channels. Please explain how I am wrong in more than one sentence. Explain how you go from source to DSP to Topping to 8 linkwitz drivers with their own unique settings
Comon, look into your control panel in windows, or your. audio midi setup in maxos, you will see 8 output channels, it’s native to the os and any multi channel apps recognise that. Who on earth would need 8 identical channels? Where is that coming from? you can do multiple channels with USB, when yoou listen to stereo, you don’t have 2 identical channels. No routing necessary on Topping side, You have 8 outputs, you can use them for surround, you can use them with dsp, you can do whatever you want with them. They are visible from any applications.
 

gvl

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i truly cannot see how you assign eq’d channels in the topping 8 channel dac. there is one usb input. every output channel wil be identical. therefore, this cannot feed the linkwitz speaker individual drivers.

You do it in software, the DAC gets multichannel filtered data in the usb, converts it, and sends to the proper outputs.
 

mdsimon2

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But the DSP software is AHEAD of the DAC. I don't see how you allocate 8 channels from the DSP to the 8 output channels of the Topping DAC. To rehearse, every Linkwitz speaker driver has its own EQ and crossover settings -- four distinct pairs, completely different. For that to work, the Topping DAC would have to have its own control panel or routing scheme. I strongly doubt that it does. That is why the MiniDSP 4x10 solves the problem: one input signal is DSP'd inside the 4x10 and then programmed for 8 distinct output channels. Please explain how I am wrong in more than one sentence. Explain how you go from source to DSP to Topping to 8 linkwitz drivers with their own unique settings.

It looks something like the image below. 2 channel input mapped to 8 channel output, software DSP applied on each individual output channel prior to reaching the DAC.

Screen Shot 2022-01-05 at 8.40.46 PM.png


Michael
 
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maxxevv

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A missed opportunity for the active crossover market IMHO with the omission of an onboard DSP and an analog input. DSP on the PC is not straightforward and has many problems.
You do realise that to achieve good active crossover control of speakers, you need more than onboard DSP ?

You need a full fledged GUI to get things properly aligned and correct. Not something a standalone unit can do properly without something like a tablet sized, full tilt touch interface attached to it at the minimum.

Nearest solution would be an App that talks to it.

But when you go down that line, why not just plug a WinOS tablet / MiniPC to it and leave everything on the device itself instead ? Since its so much easier to update or change softwares on the WinOS device ?
 

Labjr

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I'm wondering if any of the the DSP softwares will exceed the performance of the Linkwitz Analog Signal Processor. I know mini DSP doesn't.
 

raif71

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You do realise that to achieve good active crossover control of speakers, you need more than onboard DSP ?

You need a full fledged GUI to get things properly aligned and correct. Not something a standalone unit can do properly without something like a tablet sized, full tilt touch interface attached to it at the minimum.

Nearest solution would be an App that talks to it.

But when you go down that line, why not just plug a WinOS tablet / MiniPC to it and leave everything on the device itself instead ? Since its so much easier to update or change softwares on the WinOS device ?
Yeah...connect the PC with a microphone then the app will send out frequencies like what some AVR do and configures the DSP to the 8 channels. Any app on the PC that does that ?
 

mdsimon2

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I'm wondering if any of the the DSP softwares will exceed the performance of the Linkwitz Analog Signal Processor. I know mini DSP doesn't.

It is as good as whatever DAC you are using, at least on CamillaDSP with Balanced Async resampling there is no measurable degradation (as measured by a Cosmos ADC) compared the normal DAC output. So for things like the Okto dac8 pro or Topping DM7 that is pretty much top tier analog performance.

Michael
 

Holmz

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This device is not a replacement for an AVR. The only thing similar is, this DAC and an AVR both process more than two channels.


What we indeed need is for the AVR companies to up their game by offering better specifications -- full stop!

why?

When we watch a movie the is already going in full cpu mode watching the images.
The idea that one can hear a significant difference in the 122 or 120 dB of SINAD is a bit (or maybe a byte) hopeful.
 

AudioJester

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I'm wondering if any of the the DSP softwares will exceed the performance of the Linkwitz Analog Signal Processor. I know mini DSP doesn't.

Didnt Linkwitz confirm in his opinion the minidsp was as good as the asp? The tech has moved forward a lot since then.

Let me ask you this - do you think each set of drivers perform identically, or the same in each build? Does each of our Lx521 builds have the same cabinet resonances etc.? The ability to tune/correct each driver is what really sets dsp apart - moving from asp to dsp with audiolense/okto8 was immense.
 
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Katji

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Sorry, I am still not following this. There is only one USB input on the DAC, right? How do you split that into 8 channels EQ'd for the Linkwitz drivers?
That's exactly what it does - split the USB Audio output stream. One USB audio device, multiple channels.

[ See, my use case..could be imagined as splitting my USB out cable - which is not possible. ]

Look at Windows... select which audio device for use for audio output. Typically, simple case, either the built-in laptop speaker associated with the Intel/Realtek audio, or the DAC that shows up as a USB Audio Device. Either/or. You can't select both at once.

...So your selected USB Audio device now has multiple channels. So Equalizer APO* software sees the multiple channels (instead of just stereo Left and Right) and so you can then do what you will with them.

One USB audio device, multiple channels. In this case, the device is a DAC - which is what you typically want - analog input for the amplifiers.
 

dananski

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Looks like another win for Topping!

For anyone thinking "I wish I could use this in a home theatre setup", perhaps the Nvidia Shield TV Pro is worth a look.

Dolby Audio (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos)
[DTS-X surround sound (pass-through) over HDMI] -- not relevant
High-resolution audio playback up to 24-bit/192 kHz over HDMI and USB
High-resolution audio up-sample to 24-bit/192 kHz over USB
Audio support: AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, WAVE, AMR, OGG Vorbis, FLAC, PCM, WMA, WMA-Pro, WMA-Lossless, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD (pass-through), DTS-X (pass-through), and DTS-HD (pass-through)

It should be possible to have USB audio output to the DM7. How many channels it supports this way I don't know, but you'd hope it's enough given the Atmos support.

The video can come from quite a good range of sources, from popular streaming sites in 4K HDR to a game running on your PC in another room.

It's running "Android 11.0 powered by Android TV™ with Chromecast 4K built-in". I'm not sure what apps work, but Android 11 would normally support Wavelet for system-wide EQ and Roon, with Chromecast a viable option if not (as Roon can transmit over that).

Not sure how much DSP you can set it up to do besides upscaling and maybe the EQ. Would be great if there were a way to do room correction on it (for sources other than Roon, which processes all DSP at the server end).
 
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