Topping D90 as preamp
1 Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... 4estPosted May 11, 2020 4est
Posted May 11, 2020
Is it really wasting your money if you like the way they handle DSD too? There are always features in things we don't need and would prefer to not pay for. Alas... Forrest: Win10 i9 9900KS/GTX1060 HQPlayer4>Win10 NAA DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP> Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... 1 Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... ambrePosted May 11, 2020 ambre
Posted May 11, 2020
Disable pre-amp in Topping 90 and direct Dsd is available
Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... barrowsPosted May 13, 2020 barrows
Posted May 13, 2020 In the Holo audio DACs there is a discrete converter for DSD, and a separate discrete converter for PCM, so regardless of what format you play, you are always not using one set of the discrete DACs. Holo audio also sells two versions of their more simple DAC, the Cyan. If you just want to play DSD, you can get the CYan DSD, and DSD is all it will do, so no worries about paying for circuitry you will not use. As for the AKM chips, they have direct DSD mode, which bypasses all of the DSP, oversampling, and the delta sigma modulator, and just sends the incoming DSD stream directly to the conversion stage. THis approach sounded fantastic to me with the D-90 and DSD 256. Best performance with the AKM 4499 is with DSD 256 as far as I am concerned. SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 256-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical--Bricasti M3 DAC--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888-JL E 112sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic OrangeFuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. SONORE computer audio |opticalRendu|ultraRendu|microRendu|Signature Rendu SE|Accessories|Software| Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... ambrePosted May 13, 2020 ambre
Posted May 13, 2020
Hi Barrows, I own also a Topping 90 feeded by the Allo Usbridge Signature with Uptone IsoRegen. Using always Hqplayer ( poly-sinc-ext2 and ASDM 7 orASDM5EC)for upsampling DSD 256 of 512 depending which filter I use. Can you explain why at DSD 256 is better?Is that in terms of(ASR)measurementand/or by listening? Very best regards, Andreas
Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... ambrePosted May 13, 2020 ambre
Posted May 13, 2020
I have askedBarrows for an explanation especially i dont hear any kind of difference and for somemusic Dsd 512 sounds better. At the end it handles Aboutaleb SQ.
Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... barrowsPosted May 13, 2020 barrows
Posted May 13, 2020
Hi Andreas. I looked at the data sheet for the AKM 4499 chip used in he D-90. The data sheet has specifications for the chip's performance with different DSD rates, it can clearly be seen that at DSD 256 it performs very well, but that noise noise and distortion actually rise with DSD 512 input. I have heard Andreas Koch (DSD expert and designer of Playback Designs DAC) discussing different DSD rates, and his point of view is that the "switches" used to convert DSD are not really fast enough to cope perfectly with sample rates as fast as DSD 512, so this may be why the AKM 4499 chip performs better with DSD 256 (the converter tech in the AKM 4499 is a switched resistor converter). See section 8.1.2 of the attached data sheet for details. AK4499_Feb2019.pdf
SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 256-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical--Bricasti M3 DAC--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888-JL E 112sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic OrangeFuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. SONORE computer audio |opticalRendu|ultraRendu|microRendu|Signature Rendu SE|Accessories|Software| Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... ambrePosted May 13, 2020 ambre
Posted May 13, 2020
Hi Barrows, many thanks for this kind of explanation. I don't have a technical background but understand what you are pointing. I (my real life) don't hear differences of SQ maybe because I am using another kind of filter to lower CPU capacity. Especially when using the EC filtersmy Mac Mini I7 (6 Core) sounds.... like an Apple hairdryer. But the Topping 90 is a real bargain compared to my previous dacs and sound much more detailled resp. especially in combination with Uptone ISORegen,EtherRegen and the very nice Allo UsBridge Signature. Best regards, Andreas
Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... barrowsPosted May 14, 2020 barrows
Posted May 14, 2020
I am not sure I remember... I think it was a 250 mA maybe? Anyway, the fuse is marked. Topping uses a dirt cheap glass body fuse, even a good quality Littlefuse ceramic body model would likely sound better. It is definitely a 5 x 20 mm size, slow blow.
SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 256-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical--Bricasti M3 DAC--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888-JL E 112sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic OrangeFuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. SONORE computer audio |opticalRendu|ultraRendu|microRendu|Signature Rendu SE|Accessories|Software| Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... barrowsPosted May 14, 2020 barrows
Posted May 14, 2020
Please note this is specifically referring to the D-90 in "DAC mode" with DSD 256 input from a Signature Rendu SEoptical, with a Synergistic Orange fuse in the D-90. It is a giant killer. Not the best I've heard, but very, very good. It probably needs to be paired with a good preamp to really shine, as the "DAC mode" defeats the volume control, and I do not think the output stage is quite beefy enough (current headroom) to drive amps directly, but at the price, heck, it is a no brainer. There are better DACs, but the ones I know of all cost 10x as much or more...
SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 256-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical--Bricasti M3 DAC--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888-JL E 112sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic OrangeFuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. SONORE computer audio |opticalRendu|ultraRendu|microRendu|Signature Rendu SE|Accessories|Software| Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... barrowsPosted May 15, 2020 barrows
Posted May 15, 2020
Never heard it... SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 256-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical--Bricasti M3 DAC--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888-JL E 112sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic OrangeFuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. SONORE computer audio |opticalRendu|ultraRendu|microRendu|Signature Rendu SE|Accessories|Software| Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options...
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barrowsPosted May 15, 2020 barrows
Posted May 15, 2020 There is no preamp cleaner than no preamp! I prefer to not use a preamp at all, so I choose a DAC with a beefy enough (enough current headroom) to drive my amplifier directly.
SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 256-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical--Bricasti M3 DAC--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888-JL E 112sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic OrangeFuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. SONORE computer audio |opticalRendu|ultraRendu|microRendu|Signature Rendu SE|Accessories|Software| Link to commentShare on other sitesMore sharing options... BlakePosted May 15, 2020 Blake
Posted May 15, 2020
So you say the D90 is a "perfect" DAC and the upcoming Topping preamp will be the cleanest in the world. As long as you believe this stuff, I suppose that is all that matters. Enjoy!
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