Topping RD3 TP Balanced DAC Review

[Sergey2020]

If you can't hear the difference between DACs, then acoustically prepare the room or change the speaker system. Or your ears don't allow you to hear. Measurements are good, but I listen to music, not sine and meander

 

[Nutul]

If you can't hear the difference between DACs, then acoustically prepare the room or change the speaker system. Or your ears don't allow you to hear. Measurements are good, but I listen to music, not sine and meander

If the differences are audible, then they are measurable; no magic ears here. The opposite is not always true, and at the level of transparency all these new DACs are, there is likely nothing to hear that may tell what DAC you are listening to. Leaving, of course, any coloration filters / DSP / valve-plugins / etc. that the "DAC" could have, out of the equation.

True that a clean-sounding system and a good room both help a lot in non masking the sound with excessive noise / reverberation / standing waves, and the like.

 

[Sergey2020]

Share what you hear !

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There is a difference, of course.


It's small, but it's significant. You can't catch it with instruments, only with your ears.


All those who hear it have a good opportunity to discuss all kinds of colorations of adders, microphones, preamps and other equipment.








You don't have to write which one is better. Just describe what the difference is.

Measure the difference between the two files and try to tell me what the difference is, and try to guess what's wrong?

I'm a big fan of blind tests.

 

[Adis]

Share what you hear !

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Вам открыли доступ к файлу. Отправлено с помощью Облако Mail.ru.

cloud.mail.ru

There is a difference, of course.


It's small, but it's significant. You can't catch it with instruments, only with your ears.


All those who hear it have a good opportunity to discuss all kinds of colorations of adders, microphones, preamps and other equipment.








You don't have to write which one is better. Just describe what the difference is.

Measure the difference between the two files and try to tell me what the difference is, and try to guess what's wrong?

I'm a big fan of blind tests.

Didn't hear difference. Because I wasn't listening to difference.
Then I made a difference (subtracted 2 from 1!), listened to it and, of course, heard it - it was phasing in and out of its self.

 

[Sergey2020]

Is that it? No more applicants

 

[effj]

I have a 4U wooden desktop rack enclosure with a dbx 223xs and Behringer A800, and ordered a TP RD3 to complete the rack. I’m looking forward to the volume knob and fixed placement vs. my E50 which tilts a little due to all the rear cables.

 

[Jojo]

I have a 4U wooden desktop rack enclosure with a dbx 223xs and Behringer A800, and ordered a TP RD3 to complete the rack. I’m looking forward to the volume knob and fixed placement vs. my E50 which tilts a little due to all the rear cables.

From wich place did you bought it please ? I don't see any seller in EU ; only Aliexpress Topping official account.

 

[effj]

From wich place did you bought it please ? I don't see any seller in EU ; only Aliexpress Topping official account.

Yes, that’s where I bought it. It shipped directly from China.

 

[Jojo]

Yes, that’s where I bought it. It shipped directly from China.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[Wesseling Audio Lab]

Measurements of RD3 in Preamp mode would be interesting. I use it in dac mode and its totally silent. In preamp mode there is a faint noise with ear at speaker.

 

[Wesseling Audio Lab]

A small annoying thing with my RD3
I keep it in DAC mode. I'm usually running it with USB input but When I turn it off and back on, or switch to another input and then switch back to USB the volume is reduced to a low level.. A simple slight rotation of volume knob and it returns to normal volume. I forget sometimes and think there's an issue with preamp or power amp or volume on Ipad..

Is this feature common on Topping units with volume knob? All my other dac's have touch volume so cant compare..

 

[effj]

A small annoying thing with my RD3
I keep it in DAC mode. I'm usually running it with USB input but When I turn it off and back on, or switch to another input and then switch back to USB the volume is reduced to a low level.. A simple slight rotation of volume knob and it returns to normal volume. I forget sometimes and think there's an issue with preamp or power amp or volume on Ipad..

Is this feature common on Topping units with volume knob? All my other dac's have touch volume so cant compare..

I discovered this problem, recently, with my RD3 as well. If I recall, the solution is to change it back to preamp mode, set the gain to 0db (max), and restore it to DAC mode.

 

[Bleib]

For the TP brand. Is there a website where to download firmware? I have the amp

 

[effj]

For the TP brand. Is there a website where to download firmware? I have the amp

If you bought it from Topping (e.g. from their AliExpress store) try contacting them directly. I was able to get their RD3 Windows drivers that way; they emailed me a ZIP file. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if they’ve hosted them on their website somewhere.

 

[Bleib]

If you bought it from Topping (e.g. from their AliExpress store) try contacting them directly. I was able to get their RD3 Windows drivers that way; they emailed me a ZIP file. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if they’ve hosted them on their website somewhere.

The amp box says something like tpaudio but the website has never worked for me. Since the amp has a possibility to update the firmware I'm of course curious if a newer version exists

 

[effj]

The amp box says something like tpaudio but the website has never worked for me. Since the amp has a possibility to update the firmware I'm of course curious if a newer version exists

Are you the original purchaser and was it AliExpress? If so, there is a “Contact seller” messaging option in the “Order info” section. That is how I reached them previously.

There is also this information on the website:

Email​

• Business：[email protected]
• Service：[email protected]
• Marketing&PR：[email protected]

 

[Bleib]

Are you the original purchaser and was it AliExpress? If so, there is a “Contact seller” messaging option in the “Order info” section. That is how I reached them previously.

There is also this information on the website:

Email​

• Business：[email protected]
• Service：[email protected]
• Marketing&PR：[email protected]

Original, through aliexpress, I sent them a couple of message through the website. I don't have any issues but I suggested some changes to the display.
And maybe there is a new firmware for it, maybe it already fixes a thing or two but there is no way to access it because there is no official website.