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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

mdsimon2

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That is quite a few links in the chain to use this. I hope they make a other one with optical, coax, maybe aes and also with mqa support for tidal.

It is not that complicated considering you get Dolby decoding and tremendous DSP power, if you want something simpler just buy an AVR.

Although from your comments you don't seem concerned with decoding Dolby and if you only want stereo inputs that can be achieved with this DAC very easily.

while i appreciate the great engineering in what they have provided, the single USB input is useless to me. my signal path needs SPDIF or some other paired 2 channel inputs coming in from my DSP for my multi-way stereo speaker setup. as it stands this can really only be used with a computer setup, which isn’t my preference for hifi use. tragically close to perfection!

LOL

Michael
 

tinnitus

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IMG_20220729_141633.jpg


on top my Topping DM7. This is my lean AUDIO System. Source is a RPI 3b+ with upmpdcli as renderer and CamillaDsp as crossover (FIR 65k taps 4 channel) and roomcorrection (acourate from audiovero). Output USB to the DM7 and then ballanced to the 4 channel Amp IMG stage2000D and then to the DIY pure Speaker (only Chassis and Cables in concrete housing). As controller i'm using bubbleupnp.
I changed my focusrite scartett 18i10 with the DM7, and it worked out of the box.
The raspi is running with Raspbian(debian) Buster Kernel 5.10.63-v7.
The silver button starts and stops the whole system (gpios and relays).
:)
 

gandalfandula

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It is not that complicated considering you get Dolby decoding and tremendous DSP power, if you want something simpler just buy an AVR.

Although from your comments you don't seem concerned with decoding Dolby and if you only want stereo inputs that can be achieved with this DAC very easily.



LOL

Michael
did i miss something? I think for an active/DSP stereo system this will be a common sticking point with a USB only DAC like this. Of course I can see that this is ideal for the computer based crowd.
 

mdsimon2

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did i miss something? I think for an active/DSP stereo system this will be a common sticking point with a USB only DAC like this. Of course I can see that this is ideal for the computer based crowd.

Did you read the thread? I do not think you have because there has been a lot of discussion about how to add an SPDIF input to this device and how to use it in multiway setups. So seeing yet another person raise the same compliant without reading through a thread full of solutions to that complaint is funny to me.

You can add a SPDIF input and DSP to this DAC for less than $100 with a hifimediy S2 digi and RPi4 running CamillaDSP. I don't know about you but I cannot think of a 2 in, 8 out DSP setup with this level of analog performance and processing power for under $1K.

Michael
 

gandalfandula

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Did you read the thread? I do not think you have because there has been a lot of discussion about how to add an SPDIF input to this device and how to use it in multiway setups. So seeing yet another person raise the same compliant without reading through a thread full of solutions to that complaint is funny to me.

You can add a SPDIF input and DSP to this DAC for less than $100 with a hifimediy S2 digi and RPi4 running CamillaDSP. I don't know about you but I cannot think of a 2 in, 8 out DSP setup with this level of analog performance and processing power for under $1K.

Michael
No I didn't read all of it, I skimmed around a bit. Thanks for the heads up on the hifimediy I'll have to look into some more sophisticated solutions here - what you propose is definitely "doable" but very different from what I am imagining.
 
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Jimster480

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Did you read the thread? I do not think you have because there has been a lot of discussion about how to add an SPDIF input to this device and how to use it in multiway setups. So seeing yet another person raise the same compliant without reading through a thread full of solutions to that complaint is funny to me.

You can add a SPDIF input and DSP to this DAC for less than $100 with a hifimediy S2 digi and RPi4 running CamillaDSP. I don't know about you but I cannot think of a 2 in, 8 out DSP setup with this level of analog performance and processing power for under $1K.

Michael
Yea, you are right. I still have my wishlist though! Dolby would also be nice to build a home theater around it.
Obviously you basically have done that and I might copy you with time.
 

da Choge

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Does anyone know what the Topping DM7 will do with a native DSD256 file? Would you have to convert to PCM in your computer first in order for the DM7 to run it?
 
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Kal Rubinson

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Does anyone know what the Topping DM7 will do with a native DSD256 file? Would you have to convert to PCM in your computer first in order for the DM7 to run it?
Convert to PCM or downsample to DSD128.
 

da Choge

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Convert to PCM or downsample to DSD128.
Thanks Kal! Down-sampling to DSD128 sounds like the ticket.

Should receive my DM7 any day now. Bought a cheap lightly-used Tascam LA-81MKII balanced-to-unbalanced converter to handle the back 5.1 channels of a bedroom setup (besides the main FR/FL which will go balanced into a separate amp) of a 7.1 system. May post my impressions once I get it setup. The Tascam looks like a pretty robust unit with kinda "OK" specs, but it was extremely affordable ($). Don't know if it will be any good, but, even if so, unfortuantely, they are not available in the USA anymore -- was able to pickup a great looking one for cheap on eBay; most of the others I viewed looked pretty beat-up.
 
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LSB

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Several people have raised questions regarding unbalanced connection using DM7.

In short, don't do it.

There are many nuances to this same as D10 Balanced. The fear came from us in the D10 Balanced days were that people would directly connect TS to RCA cable to the output shorting out the output stage. Even though it wouldn't damage it, it's still very not good to just short out an output of a device.

Regarding TRS to RCA cable that left + or - open, there can be small amount of residual DC offset at the output, last time I check it is smaller than D10 Balanced's. It's certainly not prohibited to do it although not recommended. The next stage should have DC blocking to make sure the DC offset from the DAC doesn't get amplified 20-30 times. And unfortunately unbalanced multiple devices connection will extremely likely cause ground loop. Even it is possible to do so without harm to any components. It likely would cause some degree of hum/buzz/high pitch noise from USB etc. It can be done but quality is not assured.

So in the end, balanced all the way will almost guarantee good quality audio in a system.

The Topping DM7 is much appreciated by those wanting to run an active DSP crossover stereo or a multi-channel speaker system. Thanks very much.

Thanks also for you expert advice regards not recommending use of Topping DM7 to supply an amp with only unbalanced RCA inputs.

Unfortunately many of us have unbalanced amps. For those of us that dont have balanced amps an easy and affordable cable adapter is appealing. Please can I ask your opinion regards a possible third topology for a TRS to RCA adapter cable?

The third way is using a resistor to ground the - signal. If the amp input impedance is matched with a resistor grounding the - pin it would appear to partly mimic the balanced configuration?

This would appear to be a middle way and avoid the problems of the first topology with direct grounding the - output (insulting the DAC output stage with a direct short) or the second option with the - floating (with DC offset plus on/off thumps and multiple ground loops).
 
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We need a DM5 with 4 outs (L,R,Sub1,Sub2) and capability of playing DSD256+. This and I am happy. Don't need surround.
 

dartinbout

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In non-niche news, Topping gave me access to a firmware that allows individual, native, channel volume for the DM7, from the remote. It works as advertised with out issue from my limited testing. If I'm not mistaken this is the same chip that Okto uses (with the same abilities and limits). Soooo, 8 channel DSD256 isn't going to be possible until a chip with that design is released. I don't know what the underlying architecture is for the Exasound but I think they do the dac chip in house, hence the 10x cost over our beloved DM7.
 
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mgbpuff

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In non-niche news, Topping gave me access to a firmware that allows individual, native, channel volume for the DMZ, from the remote. It works as advertised with out issue from my limited testing. If I'm not mistaken this is the same chip that Okto uses (with the same abilities and limits). Soooo, 8 channel DSD256 isn't going to be possible until a chip with that design is released. I don't know what the underlying architecture is for the Exasound but I think they do the dac chip in house, hence the 10x cost over our beloved DM7.
What is a DMZ?
 

manisandher

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dartinbout

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Dim Minded Zebra, Dense Monkey Zealot, ..........
edited now
 
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