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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: 240 75.7%

  • Total voters
    317

cheardone

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In the simplest case is for multichannel music or movie playback (if you can decode the latter prior to sending it the DAC). Another application is building multi-way active speakers. Then you need 2 or more channels for each speaker.
Would you be able to EQ music using the USB input?
 

Haruko

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equalizer APO can load vst you can do anything you can imagine including upmixing 2.0 to 7.1 with different algorithms (DTS, Halo...), BMX voxengo for protecting speakers from sub frequencies and mixing them to sub, sample precise delay compensation for perfect imagining and of course room EQ compensation
 

dualazmak

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Would you be able to EQ music using the USB input?
You can do it all the way in upstream PC.
You would please read throughout this thread, and you will find the answer and solutions, including my post here.
 

grizaudio

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Jan 3, 2021
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Would you be able to EQ music using the USB input?

Roon is a good example of how to do this.
Roon provides an easy to use procedural (IIR) DSP engine, with a GUI. You can also equalise using convolution FIR filters (correcting both amplitude and phase).
I use Roon to apply convolution crossovers.
 

Sieniek

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The lack of SPDIF input makes it a half assed product. IMO the ability to take SPDIF in, send to PC for processing over USB, and back out to DAC via USB is a must have feature in such a device. Okto got it right.
Can exactly same thing be done on MOTU Ultralite MK5 ?

I would like to play PS5 games with Dirac Live correction done on my laptop.

If I understand correctly I need to connect from my TV optical out to optical in in Motu MK5 then from Motu optical out to laptop in and back to Motu via USB and it would work then ? Or should it be connected differently ?
 

Sieniek

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Interesting product. Impeccable performance. Good fit if you are exclusively using PC sources.

Compared to the similarly priced but slightly lower performaing Motu Ultralite Mk5 you're giving up inputs and expandability, but you do get global volume which is a big advantage.

Worth thinking about to be sure. Need to think about the best value balanced amp setup. Hypex is great, but maybe a bit pricier than would be ideal.
Question is if that performance difference is possible to hear at all ? Probably not I think.
 

mgbpuff

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Jul 30, 2022
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Just got my DM7 and I'm using it to directly power 5 JBL 305P MII professional powered speakers for a near field 5.1 setup. The source , for the present, is my desktop computer. I can run Foobar2000, WMP, or Tidal. My problem is finding multichannel recordings. The only thing I have sucessfully played so far is a multichannel DVD on the computer's drive. The DM7 is directly under Chief Yahoo!
computer room Aug17 22.JPG
 

Sokel

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Just got my DM7 and I'm using it to directly power 5 JBL 305P MII professional powered speakers for a near field 5.1 setup. The source , for the present, is my desktop computer. I can run Foobar2000, WMP, or Tidal. My problem is finding multichannel recordings. The only thing I have sucessfully played so far is a multichannel DVD on the computer's drive. The DM7 is directly under Chief Yahoo!View attachment 225384
There are tons of multichannel recordings,make a search for your favorite music,I'm sure you'll find lots.
Have fun!
 

da Choge

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Just got my DM7 and I'm using it to directly power 5 JBL 305P MII professional powered speakers for a near field 5.1 setup.
Nice 5.1 Near-Field Setup! Where is your center speaker; in back of your monitor? Your JBLs are very well-performing speakers. What are the black units that flank either side of your monitor's profile on the top shelf of your desk/shelf unit? Very nice setup for PC-based viewing and listening !!! I have not had time to either setup or listen to my DM7, so I am still curious as to other people's impressions. Have you installed the new firmware that lets you set individual volume levels for each channel? Anywhose, thanks for posting a great photo of your personal setup.
 

mgbpuff

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Nice 5.1 Near-Field Setup! Where is your center speaker; in back of your monitor? Your JBLs are very well-performing speakers. What are the black units that flank either side of your monitor's profile on the top shelf of your desk/shelf unit? Very nice setup for PC-based viewing and listening !!! I have not had time to either setup or listen to my DM7, so I am still curious as to other people's impressions. Have you installed the new firmware that lets you set individual volume levels for each channel? Anywhose, thanks for posting a great photo of your personal setup.
Thank you! The center JBL is indeed behind the monitor - nowhere else to go! I am astounded at the sound of these small speakers and they are so reasonably priced! The black things are Alexa Studio speakers (the Studio sub is below). They allow me to listen to Dolby Atmos music. I have not installed the new firmware - I would rather adjust the individual speaker volume knobs instead.
 

Music1969

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Aren’t you opposed to adjustable gain in DSP (which is what the Flex does) for some unspecified reason?

Michael
@jtwrace doesn't want to use a better convolver that easily handles the 'insertion loss' the room correction creates.

It's a complete non-issue with good convolver
 

MWC

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Apr 15, 2019
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as far I understand in order to get 5.1 or 7.1 the source (movie) needs Dolby digital or dts.
Does this product support those codecs? what about a subwoofer?
I imagine it is aimed more at multi-channel music than movies. I expect, but still looking for confirmation, that Foobar 2000 could use thi DAC for PCM and DSD multi-channel music. I imagine using it with several powered monitors and having no need for an AVR or audio processer, other than Foobar2000 on a PC. I just wonder if my old laptop has enough CPU and RAM to handle the Mch audio processing cleanly.
 

MWC

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Nice review. But not much new here. An eight channel DAC in a box. No DSP or anything else. Basically D10 Balanced DAC x 4. I don't see the need to keep the same small form factor. Who's going to use this as a desktop DAC? Would've been nice if they staggered 8 XLR jacks on the back panel instead of the plastic TRS. Or added a DB25 connector? There are plenty of DB25 breakout cables available.

I think the multi channel market would go crazy if there was a good, easy to use DSP package for room correction, active crossover and surround etc. But seems like multi channels DACs are for multichannel audio playback only.
You got there in the end: it's ideal for surround audio like DSD and lossless PCM. Why bother with a quality DAC like this for movies/games anyway? You're better off with an AVR. Too many people here are conflating this wonder of a Mch DAC with an AVR.
 

MWC

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I was looking at the product website to see who or what it was designed for. No luck.

I assumed it was an external DAC for an AV system, but others point out that the lack of connectivity and software means you have to attach a laptop, you can't attach a normal consumer AV source product.

I would have thought the basis of a review of any consumer product is, based on who or what the product is designed for, will it meet their expectations? When you don't even know who or what the product is for, you can't even start to assess it. Most of the comments in this thread are questioning who or what it is for.

@Glitch at ±176 aove summarises is much better than me: "The 120dB SINAD is great and worth the asking price, except in practical terms a well implemented 8ch DSP with 96dB SINAD and various inputs is much more valuable. It's as if Topping is playing to their strengths without addressing practical uses."
No! 'Most of the comments in this thread are questioning who or what it is for.' Simply because they hope to make it into something it isn't and was never intended to be. Only lack of imagination could cause this. Or imagination too finely focused on some other scenario than the simple reality of a very nice DAC.
 

MWC

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This thing only has USB input. So basically either Multi channel PCM or multi channel DSD DoP with this thing plug on a PC or Mac I assume. Then how much legit muti-channel sources out there to make that happen? Feels like it's targeting people that some how "find" a bunch of multi-channel DSF/DST/DSD-iso files.
On the other hand, please correct me if I am wrong. Most big online streaming service could serve you Dolby Atmos content, through HDMI port, if your streaming device had one that could output Atmos audio format.
No need to "find" a bunch of multi-channel DSF/DST/DSD-iso files. There are several sites legitimately selling DSD Downloads in Multi-channel.
 

phoenixdogfan

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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 ?
Dirac, aCCOURATE, and Audiolense to name three.
 
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