Topping D50

Not good if Topping and DHL's shipping departments are partaking in the festivities when they should be shipping my d@mn DAC. :smoke:
I am actually waitng to hear what you guys think so I wish it was sooner. Still not digging my M8A I picked up to try.
 
I got this thing today and got it hooked up. Initial impression is that it’s okay but maybe not as good as the internal dac in my amp. Do DACS have to break in?
 
I got this thing today and got it hooked up. Initial impression is that it’s okay but maybe not as good as the internal dac in my amp. Do DACS have to break in?
My SMSL M8A that I am trying seems to be mellowing out but I also know it can totally just be me getting used to it. When I sit and really listen it pretty much still sounds processed. So there ya go, no help what so ever. Sorry

Edit: I only use a DAC for streaming

:confused:
 
Second impression is that it sounds like crap. I’ve got it hooked up with a power supply, wall wart, usb cable from my iPad and rcas from the dac to my amp. I can hear audible distortion in this thing.
 
Second impression is that it sounds like crap. I’ve got it hooked up with a power supply, wall wart, usb cable from my iPad and rcas from the dac to my amp. I can hear audible distortion in this thing.

Is the DAC getting a bit-accurate stream? What material are you listening to and what sampling rate (kHz) and bit-depth (bit) are shown on the DAC's display?
 
Is the DAC getting a bit-accurate stream? What material are you listening to and what sampling rate (kHz) and bit-depth (bit) are shown on the DAC's display?
I’m streaming Tidal hi-fi. I don’t know about all that other stuff,
 
I’m streaming Tidal hi-fi. I don’t know about all that other stuff,

Do you see PCM 44.1kHz and 16 or 24 or 32 bits on the last line of the display like below? If not what do you see? Also make sure the volume is at 0dB for starters, if you hear distortions try to lower it down as the output may be too hot for your amp at 0dB.

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It’s pcm 44 1khz 32 bit. I’ve got the volume at -10.5 dB. Still sounds distorted. Thanks for the help. I’ve got a $2400 Vincent integrated amp, maybe the dac in there is just better.
 
I’m listening now and it sounds really thin. Not much bass, sounds like Im listening to $100 speakers. I think this thing needs to go back. If I’m not doing
something right you guys let me know.
 
It’s pcm 44 1khz 32 bit. I’ve got the volume at -10.5 dB. Still sounds distorted. Thanks for the help. I’ve got a $2400 Vincent integrated amp, maybe the dac in there is just better.

44.1/32 sounds right. While the dac may well be better in the amp, there should be no distortion. Is it an overload kind of distortion, i.e. clipping, or more like harsh treble?

I’m listening now and it sounds really thin. Not much bass, sounds like Im listening to $100 speakers. I think this thing needs to go back. If I’m not doing
something right you guys let me know.

See if setting the volume on the iPad to max helps.

Also try connecting it to a PC/Mac via USB or to some other digital source via Optical/Coax.

Check the settings, who knows maybe there is some oddball configuration option to reduce dynamic range or the like that's enabled by default.
 
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My $99 D30 walks all over every internal amp DAC I've owned. It beats the accessible DAC in my Marantz SA8004 ( SACD player ) and they both use the same chip.
 
44.1/32 sounds right. While the dac may well be better in the amp, there should be no distortion. Is it an overload kind of distortion, i.e. clipping, or more like harsh treble?



See if setting the volume on the iPad to max helps.

Also try connecting it to a PC/Mac via USB or to some other digital source via Optical/Coax.

Check the settings, who knows maybe there is some oddball configuration option to reduce dynamic range or the like that's enabled by default.

Tidal is 16/44 in "Hi-Fi" and MQA up to 24/192 so not so sure about the 32bit deal here. The Tidal app can only unfold to 24/96 without a MQA enabled DAC.

Eric
 
I’m listening now and it sounds really thin. Not much bass, sounds like Im listening to $100 speakers. I think this thing needs to go back. If I’m not doing
something right you guys let me know.

I am going to think optimistically about the DAC and assume that it is just revealing the problems in your source signal. I've never tried to play Tidal through an IPad or IPhone, so I don't know about the quality. I'm guessing it would not be bit perfect. Is there any other source that you could use to compare? Especially via coax?
 
These same guys have helped me out, settings, settings, settings. had to jack around with my M8A to get it to where it might be good enough. As far as your receiver being better, could be. I like the line out of my Aune T1 better than the M8A, I even like my Schitt Fulla with 3.5mm to RCA's better than the M8A. You may just be tuned to the DAC in your receiver.

Edit: Tidal Hi-Fi sounds better than CD's on my M8A but thats also thru a Samsung DVD/BR player. I ran a coax from the player lastnight just to try a differnt source. Streaming is CCA optical out and DVD player was coax.
 
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These same guys have helped me out, settings, settings, settings. had to jack around with my M8A to get it to where it might be good enough. As far as your receiver being better, could be. I like the line out of my Aune T1 better than the M8A, I even like my Schitt Fulla with 3.5mm to RCA's better than the M8A. You may just be tuned to the DAC in your receiver.

Edit: Tidal Hi-Fi sounds better than CD's on my M8A but thats also thru a Samsung DVD/BR player. I ran a coax from the player lastnight just to try a differnt source. Streaming is CCA optical out and DVD player was coax.
People forget about the Fulla, it's actually a nice sounding unit.
 
It’s pcm 44 1khz 32 bit. I’ve got the volume at -10.5 dB. Still sounds distorted. Thanks for the help. I’ve got a $2400 Vincent integrated amp, maybe the dac in there is just better.
Tidal is 16/44 in "Hi-Fi" and MQA up to 24/192 so not so sure about the 32bit deal here. The Tidal app can only unfold to 24/96 without a MQA enabled DAC.

Eric

Likely a USB thingy, 16 bits get packed into 32 bit frames padded with zeroes on the wire and this is what is displayed. More importantly the sampling rate is 44.1, so it doesn't look resampling is taking place.
 
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