Topping M50

[raif71]

Worse than a handheld device (illegal here) while driving.

Don't worry, everything is on my desk. Any music listening while driving is via radio.

 

[ConeyIsland]

My goal is to have the iPad be the controller, perhaps by app, and have the M50 be the aggregation point of iPad and usb drive. That will feed my DAC, but I’d prefer to use some kind of steering wheel control for volume.

Right now my iPad is feeding my topping D10s, and that runs optical to my DAC. A few issues there, I can’t find an inline device to power the iPad and the topping, and I can’t use usb storage media in that setup, only what is loaded/streamed into the iPad.

 

[FuzzTone]

Don't worry, everything is on my desk. Any music listening while driving is via radio.

Very relieving.

 

[FuzzTone]

My goal is to have the iPad be the controller, perhaps by app, and have the M50 be the aggregation point of iPad and usb drive. That will feed my DAC, but I’d prefer to use some kind of steering wheel control for volume.

Right now my iPad is feeding my topping D10s, and that runs optical to my DAC. A few issues there, I can’t find an inline device to power the iPad and the topping, and I can’t use usb storage media in that setup, only what is loaded/streamed into the iPad.

Not gonna happen - there is no app. Good luck writing one. I can't understand why anyone that cares about sound quality would want to use a multipurpose tablet (piss poor) for audio. You might as well just use the headphone jack or whatever Scrapple forces you to do to export audio. Hifi? Fuhgedaboudit.
I have a RasPi 3 with an iFi Gemini cable going into my D10s. What part of the M50, standalone player don't you get?
I have 10861 Rock songs in the TF slot & 3859 Jazz tracks on a flash drive plus a 512 Gb SSD for everything else. No network needed or wanted.

 

[ConeyIsland]

Not gonna happen - there is no app. Good luck writing one. I can't understand why anyone that cares about sound quality would want to use a multipurpose tablet (piss poor) for audio. You might as well just use the headphone jack or whatever Scrapple forces you to do to export audio. Hifi? Fuhgedaboudit.
I have a RasPi 3 with an iFi Gemini cable going into my D10s. What part of the M50, standalone player don't you get?
I have 10861 Rock songs in the TF slot & 3859 Jazz tracks on a flash drive plus a 512 Gb SSD for everything else. No network needed or wanted.

The iPad is lightning quick to load things, exceptionally good touch screen, it has 5g internet, it’s up and online as soon as/before my truck starts, it can directly power the topping d10s via usb-c to usb-b cable, then optical to my DAC, and it plays lossless music natively from the Apple Music app, almost any song you could want. I also have another app for playing DSD files I load locally to the iPad etc. I haven’t seen or heard of there being any loss of digital audio quality coming from the iPad.

The ability to play almost any song I want in my vehicle is important for me too. When I demo my truck I want to let them pick their favorite song. There’s something about hearing your favorite song in Hi-Fi while sitting on air conditioned leather seats on a hot summers day that really makes you smile.

 

[ConeyIsland]

Not gonna happen - there is no app. Good luck writing one. I can't understand why anyone that cares about sound quality would want to use a multipurpose tablet (piss poor) for audio. You might as well just use the headphone jack or whatever Scrapple forces you to do to export audio. Hifi? Fuhgedaboudit.
I have a RasPi 3 with an iFi Gemini cable going into my D10s. What part of the M50, standalone player don't you get?
I have 10861 Rock songs in the TF slot & 3859 Jazz tracks on a flash drive plus a 512 Gb SSD for everything else. No network needed or wanted.

I think this is exactly what I’m looking for, assuming it charges the iPad in this mode;

“Set the USB mode of the M50 to DAC and connect M50's tvpe interface C to a computer, mobile phone tablet OTG, etc. Then the M50 can be used as a USB bridge, supporting up to 24bit384kHz.”

M50 Digital Music Player-TOPPING

 

[Saponetto]

I was eager at order a M50, going quite often on my preferred local files.

The factor that still deflects me to click the "order" button is that this device relies on a 5vdc external power supply, and this is far from my tastes and purposes.
To leave this device on the second gear's desktop where other devices shares its power supply would really be a pity.

 

[rarewolf]

I was eager at order a M50, going quite often on my preferred local files.

The factor that still deflects me to click the "order" button is that this device relies on a 5vdc external power supply, and this is far from my tastes and purposes.
To leave this device on the second gear's desktop where other devices shares its power supply would really be a pity.

The only complaints I’ve seen regarding powering the M50 is that it’s behaviour is rather flaky when the delivered voltage is below 5V (i.e., in spite of the specifications for 5V USB power is 4.75-5.25V). Otherwise, no complaints…

Edit… better power supplies are available for those with tastes…

Nirvana SMPS

Nirvana SMPS

www.allo.com

 

[ConeyIsland]

I was eager at order a M50, going quite often on my preferred local files.

The factor that still deflects me to click the "order" button is that this device relies on a 5vdc external power supply, and this is far from my tastes and purposes.
To leave this device on the second gear's desktop where other devices shares its power supply would really be a pity.

I’ve seen many times on here where devices have measured worse by having separate power supplies to linked gear, either because of ground loop or some other issues, but I’ve not seen many proven instances of sharing a power supply causing any loss in measurement unless the PSU was faulty.

I plan to power this off of the 5v USB power outputs in the F150, and hide it in my center console. Hopefully it will be stable enough to provide adequate power. My alternative is getting a 12v to 5v linear PSU, but I’d prefer to avoid that.

I still have my factory head unit hooked up to allow calls, chimes, and alerts to play through the speakers. Even after changing the F-150’s headunits speaker outputs to 4v preamps using Forscan, the sound quality of the Sync3 leaves a lot to be desired. Leaving that in place, but bypassing that for music and using the M50 (currently using D10s) going into the same DSP (Mosconi 8to12 aerospace) as the factory head unit will allow me to aggregate the sounds simultaneously.

 

[Saponetto]

… better power supplies are available for those with tastes…

Nirvana SMPS

Nirvana SMPS

www.allo.com

Thanks for the info,
I simply dislike to have to negotiate with separate power supplies bricks moving out of control underneath of my desk, but maybe it's just a reciprocal antipathy!

Aside of this, I have to say that disregarding of its excellent performances I like so much the post-industrial look of the Allo Nirvana SMPS.
It recalls so much the style of my old Aune X5.
Maybe I'll give a try.

 

[ConeyIsland]

Not gonna happen - there is no app. Good luck writing one. I can't understand why anyone that cares about sound quality would want to use a multipurpose tablet (piss poor) for audio. You might as well just use the headphone jack or whatever Scrapple forces you to do to export audio. Hifi? Fuhgedaboudit.
I have a RasPi 3 with an iFi Gemini cable going into my D10s. What part of the M50, standalone player don't you get?
I have 10861 Rock songs in the TF slot & 3859 Jazz tracks on a flash drive plus a 512 Gb SSD for everything else. No network needed or wanted.

To add to your r/confidentlyincorrect statement.
On the page description;

“You can use Hiby Link to control M50 on
mobile phones, or use a remote control.”

 

[FuzzTone]

The iPad is lightning quick to load things, exceptionally good touch screen, it has 5g internet, it’s up and online as soon as/before my truck starts, it can directly power the topping d10s via usb-c to usb-b cable, then optical to my DAC, and it plays lossless music natively from the Apple Music app, almost any song you could want. I also have another app for playing DSD files I load locally to the iPad etc. I haven’t seen or heard of there being any loss of digital audio quality coming from the iPad.

The ability to play almost any song I want in my vehicle is important for me too. When I demo my truck I want to let them pick their favorite song. There’s something about hearing your favorite song in Hi-Fi while sitting on air conditioned leather seats on a hot summers day that really makes you smile.

Makes YOU smile, doesn't do it for me. Glad you are happy. With road noise 320's sound as good as lossless to me. The same with BT and it's much simpler to access a song. Sitting stationary defeats vehicular purpose.

 

[rarewolf]

Makes YOU smile, doesn't do it for me. Glad you are happy. With road noise 320's sound as good as lossless to me. The same with BT and it's much simpler to access a song. Sitting stationary defeats vehicular purpose.

… depends on the vehicle… #jussayin

 

[ConeyIsland]

Makes YOU smile, doesn't do it for me. Glad you are happy. With road noise 320's sound as good as lossless to me. The same with BT and it's much simpler to access a song. Sitting stationary defeats vehicular purpose.

You’ve obviously not treated yourself to a car audio SQL show. In order to demo a vehicle you almost always have to sit in the driver seat, as that is usually where it’s tuned for. 2-seat tunes exist, but they are rare, and will have a handicap to a single seat tune. I’d dare to say there’s some cars that sound better than your living room ever will. These cars go through crazy acoustic treatment and EQ (my EQ has been honed after 2 years of competitions and judges notes, some were wins). My vehicle has had the entire interior removed, and entire cab sound deadened. I also have sound deadener on some exterior panels to silence road noise and improve acoustics. I’ve spent countless hours knocking on panels and listening for rattles.

I’m not sure what speakers you have in your car, but if it’s factory speakers, then I’d say almost for certain you wouldn’t notice an audible difference by going to lossless.

However, when you’re competing your vehicle it’s sitting still, engine off (they usually start it to check for alternator whine), and plugged into a charger. If I’m just demoing it for fun/friend I have the truck running, but stationary. I know you say it doesn’t do it for YOU, but I would implore you to give a SQL show a try. I’ve had quite a few people get teary eyed in my driver seat. It’s just crazy crisp and accurate, it stirs the senses. I can’t wait to hear the difference from the D10S to the M50.

 

[FuzzTone]

Not so obviously: don't care, I see no path to "treat"ness for me. Cars are for mobilizing. Purty much done with cars. First one a Mercedes, second one GTO ragtop. Drove the family up Elephant Hill in a Trooper. I had a subwoofer in my Petercar. ETC
HiFi is for quiet rooms. Glad you found something for you. I've - got a player that plays most all files w/o a network. Get an E50, much better than the D10s that I have on a streamer with an iFi Gemini cable for isolation (another much better.)

 

[ConeyIsland]

Not so obviously: don't care, I see no path to "treat"ness for me. Cars are for mobilizing. Purty much done with cars. First one a Mercedes, second one GTO ragtop. Drove the family up Elephant Hill in a Trooper. I had a subwoofer in my Petercar. ETC
HiFi is for quiet rooms. Glad you found something for you. I've - got a player that plays most all files w/o a network. Get an E50, much better than the D10s that I have on a streamer with an iFi Gemini cable for isolation (another much better.)

I can understand your point, I spend more time listening in my car than at my house. Very rarely do I get to turn the speakers up at the house, or enjoy them uninterrupted. Only when I can get the wife and kids out, until then I’m stuck on headphones. Also, I’d never get a bunch of judges to help improve/critique my EQ in my house. At almost any show I usually have 3+ judges in my car leaving critiques.

As far as the iFi Gemini USB cable, I’ve not seen on here where digital cables make much difference. If anything I’ve seen many measurements where introducing a separate power source to two devices connected by almost anything except optical netted worse results. If anything I’ll spend my money on analog cables.

I used to really dislike driving places, but now with mobile HiFi I’m usually smiling anytime I get somewhere.

 

[FuzzTone]

All good.
I've been bringing my own digital music everywhere including rentals for ~15 years. The only time the radio is on is for traffic through the city or an occasional game. For the first years I had to bring an FM transmitter and/or CDs. Now 256gb flash drives.

 

[bplatypus]

ohhh, nice!! I was looking at the E50 but I wanted something with HDMI to plug my apple tv to it.

Do you think I would hear a difference from using my Denon x6700? Or should I just keep my Denon to listen to music?

 

[rarewolf]

ohhh, nice!! I was looking at the E50 but I wanted something with HDMI to plug my apple tv to it.

Do you think I would hear a difference from using my Denon x6700? Or should I just keep my Denon to listen to music?

Is the M50’s IIS port the same as HDMI? All references I can find imply a conversion is necessary(?)

 

[bplatypus]

Is the M50’s IIS port the same as HDMI? All references I can find imply a conversion is necessary(?)

yes, you might be right... I was searching some information but on the specs it's not written 'hdmi'... so I believe some conversion is necessary