$99 Topping D30 ( DSD ) DAC + A30

I have my A30 D30 stack for a few months now. I got it them from massdrop. I use the DAC with a raspberry pi and runeaudio connected through USB. Then the analog signal is sent into a Yamaha S-A501 and two JBL Studio 590 speakers.
It works great but I'm no audiophile nor I have anything to compare it to. I can't help but think that the dac may be the weakest link in my system but I can't justify to drop 500+ on a DAC so I guess I'm stuck with it. Half of the people on these forums claim that their DACs are transparent the other half swear that they can hear the difference between these $100 DACs and the ones around $600-700.
I would love to hear opinions of people who could compare the D30 to $500+ DACs...
 
cvt01 said:
I have my A30 D30 stack for a few months now. I got it them from massdrop. I use the DAC with a raspberry pi and runeaudio connected through USB. Then the analog signal is sent into a Yamaha S-A501 and two JBL Studio 590 speakers.
It works great but I'm no audiophile nor I have anything to compare it to. I can't help but think that the dac may be the weakest link in my system but I can't justify to drop 500+ on a DAC so I guess I'm stuck with it. Half of the people on these forums claim that their DACs are transparent the other half swear that they can hear the difference between these $100 DACs and the ones around $600-700.
I would love to hear opinions of people who could compare the D30 to $500+ DACs...
Click to expand...

The D30 is on par with the rest of your system.
 
Does the D30 support MQA decoding from Tidal? My plan is to find an acceptable DAC that will accept MQA passthru via USB from my MacBook Pro steaming Tidal Masters. This way I get full 24-bit/192kHz. Otherwise Tidal downsamples to 24-bit/96kHz. :-/

The meridian explorer DAC 2 supports MQA but it seems to have less options compared to this D30.

The DAC will feed the analog signal to my Pioneer SX-3900 driving HPM-100s.

EDIT: The D30 does not accept MQA from what I’ve gathered. Ugh it’d be so perfect if it did.
 
Last edited:
jozeppy26 said:
Does the D30 support MQA decoding from Tidal? My plan is to find an acceptable DAC that will accept MQA passthru via USB from my MacBook Pro steaming Tidal Masters. This way I get full 24-bit/192kHz. Otherwise Tidal downsamples to 24-bit/96kHz. :-/

The meridian explorer DAC 2 supports MQA but it seems to have less options compared to this D30.

The DAC will feed the analog signal to my Pioneer SX-3900 driving HPM-100s.

EDIT: The D30 does not accept MQA from what I’ve gathered. Ugh it’d be so perfect if it did.
Click to expand...

I have a similar setup,so I'm curious did you find an alternate DAC?
 
rs732 said:
I have a similar setup,so I'm curious did you find an alternate DAC?
Click to expand...

I have not, at least not one that’s priced similarly. I’m thinking I may purchase the D30 after all and just accept 24bit/96kHz as sufficient. Idk. I’m still undecided. How’re you leaning?
 
I'm not sure yet. The price of the D30 isn't too steep to audition my first dac,so I might just go with it. However,I'm wondering how it compares to other DAC's in a higher price range. I might just go with just to give it a whirl. I really want to see how this will improve playing and recording from an iPhone>Pioneer SA-9800>recording to a RT909.
 
rs732 said:
I'm not sure yet. The price of the D30 isn't too steep to audition my first dac,so I might just go with it. However,I'm wondering how it compares to other DAC's in a higher price range. I might just go with just to give it a whirl. I really want to see how this will improve playing and recording from an iPhone>Pioneer SA-9800>recording to a RT909.
Click to expand...

I can hear little if any difference between my $99 D30 and my $250 Schiit Modi Multibit. And my more expensive Audio GD NFB is no better than either.

As I've said before the point of diminishing returns seems to be reached quicker with DAC's than with other gear.
 
Poultrygeist said:
I can hear little if any difference between my $99 D30 and my $250 Schiit Modi Multibit. And my more expensive Audio GD NFB is no better than either.

As I've said before the point of diminishing returns seems to be reached quicker with DAC's than with other gear.
Click to expand...

Ok,thanks for the feedback. What's the best online retailer to order this dac from? I don't really get how mass drop works. Is ordering from a chinese seller via eBay the only available method?
 
rs732 said:
Ok,thanks for the feedback. What's the best online retailer to order this dac from? I don't really get how mass drop works. Is ordering from a chinese seller via eBay the only available method?
Click to expand...

massdrop is like a group buy service. They work directly with manufacturers to give a better price once a certain number of buyers are accumulated. They often get stuff made just for them as well, like various massdrop specials.By it's nature, group buys are slow to deliver.
 
Last Drop says it should ship today. Do they usually get them out on time? Looking forward to trying it out between jobs. Heading home tomorrow. It will be Spotify premium via CCA through what’s in my sig. Will give my .0002c worth of opinion vs my TT with A/B comparison of same songs. :music:
 
rs732 said:
Ok,thanks for the feedback. What's the best online retailer to order this dac from? I don't really get how mass drop works. Is ordering from a chinese seller via eBay the only available method?
Click to expand...

Amazon has them for $20 more than the Drops I think.
 
I don't think Amazon proper sells it, it's the "merchants". I'd just get it from MD, this is their regular item and I don't think wait time will be to bad.
 
rs732 said:
Can someone post a link to item on MD.

I only see a request for the item.
Click to expand...

I believe that’s all it is right now, I think the way it works is once they get enough for a drop they do the deal with the company.
 
I've bought several items from MD and they always notify me when a new drop comes up. I'll try and pass it along.
 
The last drop on these has a shipping delay. Anyone know if that happens often? This drop took my virginity.
:beerchug:
 
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

E.Auer
Topping DX7s Massdrop active
Replies
0
Views
394
E.Auer
E.Auer
Poultrygeist
SMSL SU-8 DAC
Replies
2
Views
2K
mjw21a
mjw21a
mfrench
Grace Dsign SDAC Massdrop
Replies
0
Views
274
mfrench
mfrench
K
New to DAC/Amps - help with HD6xx
Replies
8
Views
1K
VinylDan1
V
C
Topping D30 DAC and A30 Headphone Amp on sale on Massdrop
Replies
0
Views
939
cvt01
C
Back
Top Bottom