(Unofficial) Topping D50 III DAC review and measurements

[CT Man]

It ticks most boxes in my list for a very reasonable price.
Including the trigger output and the Bluetooth remote (a clear improvement on IR remote).

Not an improvement from my point of view. I prefer to program a learning IR remote that can control multiple devices instead of a plethora of remotes to control TV, streamer, preamp, DAC, CD player, etc. The trend toward Bluetooth or wifi remotes is a giant PIA for me. Also, Roku and Google TV remotes can select IR codes to control volume, mute, power and input for Topping. Now useless with the D50 III.

I also prefer to replace the Topping IR remote with a simple learning remote with buttons only for power, input, volume and mute. Too many ways to mess up Topping devices by pressing the wrong button on their own remotes. This is especially useful when multiple people use these devices without understanding the topology and gain structure.

The move toward devices controlled by Bluetooth without IR sensors is a terrible trend from my point of view. It can lock you into a manufacturer's ecosystem if you want simple remote control, which may very well be the desired result. IR is simple, cheap and flexible. Any issues with signal strength or line of sight can be fairly easily resolved.

 

[threni]

Are you serious?
I get the joke.
But as a German it has serious impact, still.

The German sense of humour is no laughing matter!

 

[Sokel]

See may post: I adde a bit more meat on the bone
Short answer: No, it doesn"t
Longer answer: Not significantly (not audibly)

Sometime an expert must make a thread about the hit on SNR some devices (like this one,or MiniDSPs,or Bluesound,etc) take using EQ while others don't (like your RME).
It would be really interesting to see what separates them.

I'm not talking about audibility of course,just proper implementation.

 

[Rja4000]

The move toward devices controlled by Bluetooth without IR sensors is a terrible trend from my point of view.

Well, the real pity is that Logitech stopped producing their remote controls.
They could have added Bluetooth easily.
But that is a fact.

 

[DLS79]

The move toward devices controlled by Bluetooth without IR sensors is a terrible trend from my point of view. It can lock you into a manufacturer's ecosystem if you want simple remote control, which may very well be the desired result. IR is simple, cheap and flexible. Any issues with signal strength or line of sight can be fairly easily resolved.

Look to your left & right and blame those people. Everything is trending towards BT, because so many people want to control everything from their phone!

 

[Kevinfc]

Not an improvement from my point of view. I prefer to program a learning IR remote that can control multiple devices instead of a plethora of remotes to control TV, streamer, preamp, DAC, CD player, etc. The trend toward Bluetooth or wifi remotes is a giant PIA for me. Also, Roku and Google TV remotes can select IR codes to control volume, mute, power and input for Topping. Now useless with the D50 III.

I also prefer to replace the Topping IR remote with a simple learning remote with buttons only for power, input, volume and mute. Too many ways to mess up Topping devices by pressing the wrong button on their own remotes. This is especially useful when multiple people use these devices without understanding the topology and gain structure.

The move toward devices controlled by Bluetooth without IR sensors is a terrible trend from my point of view. It can lock you into a manufacturer's ecosystem if you want simple remote control, which may very well be the desired result. IR is simple, cheap and flexible. Any issues with signal strength or line of sight can be fairly easily resolved.

“The move toward devices controlled by Bluetooth without IR sensors is a terrible trend from my point of view”

I disagree. I have always found IR remotes difficult to use, as they need a precise line of sight to operate. Perhaps the Bluetooth frequencies aren’t the best to assign to a remote, but I’d much prefer them to IR.

 

[Sokel]

Not an improvement from my point of view. I prefer to program a learning IR remote that can control multiple devices instead of a plethora of remotes to control TV, streamer, preamp, DAC, CD player, etc. The trend toward Bluetooth or wifi remotes is a giant PIA for me. Also, Roku and Google TV remotes can select IR codes to control volume, mute, power and input for Topping. Now useless with the D50 III.

I also prefer to replace the Topping IR remote with a simple learning remote with buttons only for power, input, volume and mute. Too many ways to mess up Topping devices by pressing the wrong button on their own remotes. This is especially useful when multiple people use these devices without understanding the topology and gain structure.

The move toward devices controlled by Bluetooth without IR sensors is a terrible trend from my point of view. It can lock you into a manufacturer's ecosystem if you want simple remote control, which may very well be the desired result. IR is simple, cheap and flexible. Any issues with signal strength or line of sight can be fairly easily resolved.

We can't live without the Harmony in this house.
I have a spare one in case one fails so I can keep my marriage safe

 

[salmo]

Just wow, amazing little box! Great review and measurements! Kudos for power consumption data!

 

[Serg]

Great review, thank you! PEQ is finally catching on, as it should... curious to wait and see when they will make the implementation/programming of EQ less buggy.

 

[srkbear]

Thanks for this terrific review! So should I assume that the PEQ is digital and not applied after the conversion? Sorry if I missed the explanation in your review but I’m still unclear on this. To me it would be worlds better if the EQ was at the analog stage, instead of mucking with the digital signal—my iFi Pro iCAN Signature amp has an analog bass boost that works brilliantly and it’s the entire reason I bought it, as I find every headphone to be lacking in low end (even my E3s). I would love a DAC/preamp option that had an onboard ASP—I know everyone suggests the RME but I’m already happy with my amp, and I still have a lot of Tidal playlists that are still in MQA format. Could someone clarify for me please?

 

[Eldus]

One step closer to subwoofer out with digital crossover?

 

[ChenHui]

How big is the screen of the device? I feel like it has a lot of display content.

 

[Rja4000]

Thanks for this terrific review!

Thank you

So should I assume that the PEQ is digital and not applied after the conversion?

Yes, of course
An analog 10 bands parameric stereo EQ alone would cost you much more than this little box, I'm afraid. And it has a lot of disadvantages.

One of them being you'd have no way to store and recall presets (although, in the Pro world, the new Sepia platform is supposed to allow it. But that's a completely different topic).

There are very little companies still doing analog EQs nowadays (outside of basic bass/trebble).
All big names of Pro EQs in the past switched to digital a long time ago.

To me it would be worlds better if the EQ was at the analog stage

I really don't see why.
Look at the RME Multitone, which shows noise and distortion (or absence of them) for a quite extreme correction.
That's what you get from a properly implemented digital EQ.

 

[restorer-john]

@Rja4000 Excellent review!

So, are you going to splash out on the APFlex software?

 

[Rja4000]

@Rja4000 Excellent review!

Thanks

So, are you going to splash out on the APFlex software?

Well, that's a very good question !
I plan to write a specific post about that.

I'll just say that so far, I'm still undecided.

 

[Haskil]

I may have read it wrong, including the online instructions, but are the 10 parametric corrections announced a coorection per channel or are they applied to both channels at the same time?

 

[Azathoth]

What world are you in where 5V RMS isn't high enough?

My D50 III is currently shipping enroute to replace the Fiio BTA30 Pro, whee.

I'm also going to replace my BTA30 Pro with this! Do tell me how it goes! I play to use the preamps to run my monitors.

 

[Palladium]

I'm also going to replace my BTA30 Pro with this! Do tell me how it goes! I play to use the preamps to run my monitors.

The BTA is a great piece of kit for the $, except:

• No remote
• Toggling the selector mode switch is a PITA, because the switch is so shallow and the whole unit itself is also so small and light it shifts all over when you toggle the former
• No dedicated power jack, so using USB-to-PC while keeping the BTA on 24/7 for BT is out unless the PC is also kept on 24/7 (grossly impractical for obvious reasons)
• BT auto disconnects when in DAC mode (YMMV but I don't like this)
• Annoying startup lag with SPDIF in unless the PC OS is modded with SPDIF-KA to keep the connection constantly alive, like SMSL

I had a used D50s (sold) that doesn't have the above issues, so I'm 99% confident the III will replicate that with better SINAD and balanced outs as icing on the cake.

 

[Sak]

No dedicated power jack

Type C port "Power"
You can use any mobile charger.

Personally, I don't like the screen on this DAC. don't like displays of this type; it can fade over time. It would be better if they used a display like the one on the D10. hope there's a function in the settings to turn off it.

 

[Linards]

Thank You, for the great review @Rja4000 !
Seems to be a fantastic product, especially if they fix PEQ save on the device (for all sources).
That LDAC performance though. :O