[Ripper2860]

I understand and agree that DAC would have nothing to do with that. What I was stating unclearly were two unrelated things -- I don't mind the DAC displaying the incoming bitrate of the music, and I would like the driver to play the music at the recorded bitrate and send it to the DAC unaltered as such. I use JRiver Media Center to play my FLAC files and it is not set to pad or alter native bitrate of the music file, so if it is being padded, I can only imagine that it is because the D50 driver tells it to. Either way, D50 still sounds AWESOME!!!

 

[carlmart]

Has anyone had the chance to compare the Topping D50 with the SMSL SU-8 Version 2? Just curious.

It costs about the same as the D50, but has balanced output and what seems like a proper linear power supply inside. Though there's shielded inductor close to the main capacitors, so you never know.

 

[Technopiper]

Topping claims that the D50 is able to decode audio signals up to 768kHz/32-bit. I played a piece of music ripped from LP source to test that out. Okay I was bored and had to ease my audiophilic insecurities. It plays well and sounds good. But does it sound *better*? I have no idea.

 

[carlmart]

I do not think that a ripped LP recording might make an audible source to prove if a 768kHz/32-bit recording sounds better.

The most it could sound is absolutely similar to the original record, which will also depend on what playing gear and preamplification was used.

If the quality is good enough, you could A/B compare it with the recording. The ideal thing would be to record the LP at higher and higher sampling and bit rates, and A/B compare them to the original recording

The real question would be to find recordings that were made at 768kHz/32-bit, which I don't think there are many of.

 

[Kamurah]

This....what Carlmart said

Make a live 2 track (not multitrack) recording of a world class ensemble in a great room (two most important aspects) using Schoeps or DPA mics in binaural head with perfect positioning into reference grade preamps (Millennia or Grace Design) into a 32 bit 768khz A/D converter (????) at highest resolution. Add ZERO post processing.

THEN decode with the D50 at native resolution vs another D/A converter.

That is how you would be able to compare the quality of the conversion.

The rest is just component effect....and since nobody records this way (Chesky Records or Sheffield Labs are probably the closest)...the point is moot.

Use the component you think sounds good and don't worry about the rest. Be thankful we live in an age where a $250 D/A converter sounds this good!


No offense meant, but sometimes I think Audiophiles are the Ewoks of the music universe....all mystified and ready to worship C3PO's shiny ass, when it was clearly Luke doing all the work.

 

[Technopiper]

I was trying to prove that the D50 can take 32/768 audio files and it does. As to whatever you thought I was trying to say... I wasn't. No offense meant, but methinks you mirror yourself in my post. Enjoy the music.

 

[Kamurah]

Sorry, Technopiper...my post was not directed squarely at you...I probably had a little too much coffee and was venting as a result.

I have been reading these forums over the past few months and find it disturbing to witness the ongoing trend WRT people falling into Audiophile snake oil marketing vs the reality of how most music is made.
There are aspects of the general Audiophile money grab that get my hackles up (MQA for example), and it seems like a lack of knowledge synchronization between the producers and consumers of audio that allows this money grab to occur.

Note to self....one cup is your limit.

Cheers

 

[carlmart]

Kamurah,

It seems that we agree on what is real and what "seems" real. My continuous quest when I was a film & video location recordist and sound designer, before the latter term even existed, was to try to recreate the original sounds as they were picked by the human ear.

It's very much like the carrot and the donkey: you push on trying to get there, and almost get to it. So maybe the search is what is important, because you train your ear to a way it can rarely be fooled or tricked. And even if you do know you are being tricked, get it into it sometimes because the experience is worth it.

Sometimes you have to forget the technical part, and just care about the sound, particularly when it's music. That is the part that is harder to learn, and that many "audiophiles" never do.

You can listen to the equipment and to the music, but you can't do both. That is the hardest part to learn.

 

[Kamurah]

Kamurah,

It seems that we agree on what is real and what "seems" real. My continuous quest when I was a film & video location recordist and sound designer, before the latter term even existed, was to try to recreate the original sounds as they were picked by the human ear.

It's very much like the carrot and the donkey: you push on trying to get there, and almost get to it. So maybe the search is what is important, because you train your ear to a way it can rarely be fooled or tricked. And even if you do know you are being tricked, get it into it sometimes because the experience is worth it.

Sometimes you have to forget the technical part, and just care about the sound, particularly when it's music. That is the part that is harder to learn, and that many "audiophiles" never do.

You can listen to the equipment and to the music, but you can't do both. That is the hardest part to learn.

Thanks. This is a very eloquent way to put it....and I do very much agree with your position. I spent a number of years as a musician, and then both a mastering engineer and a recording engineer. I experienced the trend on that side of the fence too...a shift on what is desirable: an accurate sound reproduction versus a euphonic one. Once we transitioned away from 2-inch tape we realized that sometimes equipment that is super-accurate is not as universally pleasing to the ear....and there is always a focus on gear...even though there shouldn't be.

I got into this hobby because I wanted to slow down and relearn the pure joy of just listening to music....so I guess I am searching just like the rest.

 

[Fawzay]

I went to Canjam Singapore, headed to Topping Booth unfortunately there wasn't any P50 & A50 available for auditioning but the representative of topping said both P50 &A50 will be out on market next month, i hope its next month surely otherwise it kinda drag the release date....

 

[maxxevv]

I went to Canjam Singapore, headed to Topping Booth unfortunately there wasn't any P50 & A50 available for auditioning but the representative of topping said both P50 &A50 will be out on market next month, i hope its next month surely otherwise it kinda drag the release date....

The D70 will be out next month. Dual AK4497 setup. There may be a later release for a version with built-in BT 5.0 receiver.

But they were really showcasing the DX7 Pro at the show. I think if the refinements and tuning are done properly, its going to be another bestseller for Topping. Basically an all-in-one DAC pre-amp / headphone amp with balanced outputs and BT 5.0 receiver. Its however still 3 months from release though.

 

[Fawzay]

The D70 will be out next month. Dual AK4497 setup. There may be a later release for a version with built-in BT 5.0 receiver.

But they were really showcasing the DX7 Pro at the show. I think if the refinements and tuning are done properly, its going to be another bestseller for Topping. Basically an all-in-one DAC pre-amp / headphone amp with balanced outputs and BT 5.0 receiver. Its however still 3 months from release though.

wow D70! dayum, their product release really confuses me and also the official website not really a form of reliable info regarding any upcoming product releases and may i know where you got this information regarding those~ and now topping gonna implement their dacs with AKM chips????

 

[maxxevv]

wow D70! dayum, their product release really confuses me and also the official website not really a form of reliable info regarding any upcoming product releases and may i know where you got this information regarding those~ and now topping gonna implement their dacs with AKM chips????

I had a pretty good chat with the 2 gentlemen manning the booth.

I asked them about what happened to the D70 release that had a pre-launch sometime back and seemed to have died off quietly on Aliexpress.
They were very candid about the difficulties they had with the D70's fine-tuning and thus its delayed release. It was originally meant to be out as early as January.

 

[439598]

If anyone is interested in output transformers for D50 or similar Sabre DAC I came across this:
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vendor-s-bazaar/327794-output-transformers-dacs.html

very affordable and designed FOR the Sabre chips, there is measurement compairson to Lundahl transformers.
Im interested in trying them, will post impressions if I ever do.

 

[System54]

does the d50 work with disconected display cable?