In Germany or Europe in general, the price for the Cyan 2 is about 1400 EUR. Very likely, sooner or later the Centaurus will be available in Europe for the "normal" price of 999 EUR (without any addition costs like duties). In my opinion, this is a significant gap.
TOPPING D90SE Updates to D90 III Discrete
- Thread starter shenzhenaudio
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- d90 iii discrete dac preamp topping
... and the Topping does not lack fundamental features as an input selector. 
Yes indeed. There is a choice of sampling, OS NOS and 'Best'. This could be one of those no brainer moments for me ... 2024 was my 'get some definitive gear to last' year ... only a few weeks left!... and the Topping does not lack fundamental features as an input selector.
Bansaku
1000+ Head-Fier
It finally arrived! So far so good-ish. Let's just say it's been an interesting evening of pissing around. Like holy Schiit what a HEADACHE it's been!
To start, the first thing I did was update the firmware, or at least I tried, and tried, and tried, and finally got it to work. Well, it seems the most important thing to mention in the update guide from Topping was absent. A note to all, once the firmware update on the PC/Mac side is complete, you have to power down the unit from the back and then enter the service menu in order for the unit to actually update. All the PC/Mac does is upload the firmware into a buffer, and entering the service menu actually initiates the update.
With the update complete and verified, I proceeded to give the D90 III Discrete a whirl and... dancing bitrates! Attempting to play DSD files proved useless; It kept switching between PCM and DSD. Ok then... what about standard PCM files? Nope, incorrect timing and static! What?! It wasn't just Audirvana but games, movies, and YouTube. Back to the service menu I went and switched USB to 1. Now everything PCM played... at USB-1 bit and sample rates, but at least it was clear and clean with proper playback speed. So yet again I went into the menu and changed USB back to 2 and viola! Everything plays back great whether DSD or PCM. Thank F-ing God! An hour of flawless listening with correct sample rates displayed (Mac and Windows) and I was satisfied the bugs were worked out (for the time being).
Now on to I2S. Hooking up the D90 III to the Iris 12th via HDMI, without changing the settings everything worked like a charm... except the channels are reversed. Doh! Back to the menu I go to mess with the I2S settings. The results were... nothing.... like literally no matter the settings I changed nothing changed. It's like Topping forgot to make these settings active because surely changing any of them in any combination would affect something, anything, right? Sure, I "could" simply reverse the output of the D90 III into my XLR switch box feeding the A90 Discrete, and I did, problem solved, but my OCD wouldn't allow it. Oh well, back to USB I go and will not bother trying to figure out how to split the HDMI from the Iris to both the D90 III and my Enyo 15th. So I thought...
No no, no more surprises. I think the weed was wearing and the expresso latte kicked in because a bulb lit over my head. SMH, both the Iris and the D90 III have AES!! Booya!! Now to Amazon to order me up an AES cable. 20 minute in and multiple tabs open looking at $100 cables, SHM again! What on God's green Earth am I doing, I have a set of Canare XLR cables kicking around! Man, I tell yes, it has been a long and frustrating night. Anyway, it worked like a charm. Plugged it in, selected AES and away I went, and where I currently am at, finally, and the Iris 12th is vastly superior to USB for the record. The D90 III Discrete's USB is very good, but an external DDC simply can't be matched. Now on to listening. TGIF!
Oh yeah, the D90 III Discrete sounds pretty freaking amazing!
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About channel reversing ,I had the same issue from usb to i2s ,
In the setup menu 5 changed phase to "reverse " , the setup menu 19 to save the changes
now the placement of channels are the same ay both usb/i2s connections
In the setup menu 5 changed phase to "reverse " , the setup menu 19 to save the changes
now the placement of channels are the same ay both usb/i2s connections
Hi to all! I'm interesting how Discrete sounds in bigger hi-fi system aa DAC only? Does it have that analog vibe and musicality that music need?
I'm big fan of Ciruss Logic DAC and it's implamentation in Marantz HD DAC1.
To me it's immportant that DAC doesn't sound digital. Thanks!
I'm big fan of Ciruss Logic DAC and it's implamentation in Marantz HD DAC1.
To me it's immportant that DAC doesn't sound digital. Thanks!
Chardonnay
New Head-Fier
I have had the D90 Discrete running for a week now. I have used a tip on this thread to keep music running full time to get it settled which I have done (no idea if it has done a thing and, still being in the honeymoon period, it sounds more amazing everytime I listen to it) but I am really enjoying the way the sound is opening up. I thought at first that the top end was a bit recessed, no longer as it is startling clear on some tracks, but it may be me getting more familiar with the characteristics of the DAC rather than improvement with burn in (if that exists).
I travelled to this point via DX9 (early version) then D90SE (now with one son) and E70 Velvet (packed up for other son). There will be no going back for me.
This is a speaker based system with Topping Pre90, March Audio purifi monoblocks and B&W 702 Series 3 (for the midrange driver). Vocals with the D90 Discrete are amazing.
I travelled to this point via DX9 (early version) then D90SE (now with one son) and E70 Velvet (packed up for other son). There will be no going back for me.
This is a speaker based system with Topping Pre90, March Audio purifi monoblocks and B&W 702 Series 3 (for the midrange driver). Vocals with the D90 Discrete are amazing.
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I'm very happy with my Marantz HD DAC1 but want try something else and I aim for D90 III Discrete but it's important that DAC don't sound sterile and boring.
Many have big struggles to find DAC that beats Marantz HD DAC1...
I listen mainly FLAC 16bit 44.1 files on my hi-fi setup with Accuphase E-206 amp.
Many have big struggles to find DAC that beats Marantz HD DAC1...
I listen mainly FLAC 16bit 44.1 files on my hi-fi setup with Accuphase E-206 amp.
crion
New Head-Fier
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Thankyou, that setting to USB 1 <save settings> , set to usb 2.0 <save settings>
It finally arrived! So far so good-ish. Let's just say it's been an interesting evening of pissing around. Like holy Schiit what a HEADACHE it's been!
To start, the first thing I did was update the firmware, or at least I tried, and tried, and tried, and finally got it to work. Well, it seems the most important thing to mention in the update guide from Topping was absent. A note to all, once the firmware update on the PC/Mac side is complete, you have to power down the unit from the back and then enter the service menu in order for the unit to actually update. All the PC/Mac does is upload the firmware into a buffer, and entering the service menu actually initiates the update.
With the update complete and verified, I proceeded to give the D90 III Discrete a whirl and... dancing bitrates! Attempting to play DSD files proved useless; It kept switching between PCM and DSD. Ok then... what about standard PCM files? Nope, incorrect timing and static! What?! It wasn't just Audirvana but games, movies, and YouTube. Back to the service menu I went and switched USB to 1. Now everything PCM played... at USB-1 bit and sample rates, but at least it was clear and clean with proper playback speed. So yet again I went into the menu and changed USB back to 2 and viola! Everything plays back great whether DSD or PCM. Thank F-ing God! An hour of flawless listening with correct sample rates displayed (Mac and Windows) and I was satisfied the bugs were worked out (for the time being).
Now on to I2S. Hooking up the D90 III to the Iris 12th via HDMI, without changing the settings everything worked like a charm... except the channels are reversed. Doh! Back to the menu I go to mess with the I2S settings. The results were... nothing.... like literally no matter the settings I changed nothing changed. It's like Topping forgot to make these settings active because surely changing any of them in any combination would affect something, anything, right? Sure, I "could" simply reverse the output of the D90 III into my XLR switch box feeding the A90 Discrete, and I did, problem solved, but my OCD wouldn't allow it. Oh well, back to USB I go and will not bother trying to figure out how to split the HDMI from the Iris to both the D90 III and my Enyo 15th. So I thought...
No no, no more surprises. I think the weed was wearing and the expresso latte kicked in because a bulb lit over my head. SMH, both the Iris and the D90 III have AES!! Booya!! Now to Amazon to order me up an AES cable. 20 minute in and multiple tabs open looking at $100 cables, SHM again! What on God's green Earth am I doing, I have a set of Canare XLR cables kicking around! Man, I tell yes, it has been a long and frustrating night. Anyway, it worked like a charm. Plugged it in, selected AES and away I went, and where I currently am at, finally, and the Iris 12th is vastly superior to USB for the record. The D90 III Discrete's USB is very good, but an external DDC simply can't be matched. Now on to listening. TGIF!
Oh yeah, the D90 III Discrete sounds pretty freaking amazing!
Seems to have an effect on my previous bug/feature where 44.kHz and multiples where bugged and was played in the wrong pitch.
Edit1: Now I can also set it to output DAC mode over RCA without any distorsion, Erueka!
I don't have any issues with this DAC any longer thanks to 'Bansaku's tip!
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VintageAudio
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
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ughhh...I want the Centaurus. An r2r dac like cyan 2 with an input selector and fancy display graphics. Will probably return the D90IIID and go for this instead.
JjB067
100+ Head-Fier
Just to add a bit to the firmware update issue you highlighted, I tried a firmware update from a PC with new driver installed and the D90 iii discrete connected via USB. It seemed to hang and do nothing when following the readme instructions, so I turned the D90 off then on again and the update then finally happened Ok. So not a service menu escape but an off/on escape. The unit is sounding fine, I will give it more time to adjust before comparing it to a Cyan2 DAC.
It finally arrived! So far so good-ish. Let's just say it's been an interesting evening of pissing around. Like holy Schiit what a HEADACHE it's been!
To start, the first thing I did was update the firmware, or at least I tried, and tried, and tried, and finally got it to work. Well, it seems the most important thing to mention in the update guide from Topping was absent. A note to all, once the firmware update on the PC/Mac side is complete, you have to power down the unit from the back and then enter the service menu in order for the unit to actually update. All the PC/Mac does is upload the firmware into a buffer, and entering the service menu actually initiates the update.
With the update complete and verified, I proceeded to give the D90 III Discrete a whirl and... dancing bitrates! Attempting to play DSD files proved useless; It kept switching between PCM and DSD. Ok then... what about standard PCM files? Nope, incorrect timing and static! What?! It wasn't just Audirvana but games, movies, and YouTube. Back to the service menu I went and switched USB to 1. Now everything PCM played... at USB-1 bit and sample rates, but at least it was clear and clean with proper playback speed. So yet again I went into the menu and changed USB back to 2 and viola! Everything plays back great whether DSD or PCM. Thank F-ing God! An hour of flawless listening with correct sample rates displayed (Mac and Windows) and I was satisfied the bugs were worked out (for the time being).
Now on to I2S. Hooking up the D90 III to the Iris 12th via HDMI, without changing the settings everything worked like a charm... except the channels are reversed. Doh! Back to the menu I go to mess with the I2S settings. The results were... nothing.... like literally no matter the settings I changed nothing changed. It's like Topping forgot to make these settings active because surely changing any of them in any combination would affect something, anything, right? Sure, I "could" simply reverse the output of the D90 III into my XLR switch box feeding the A90 Discrete, and I did, problem solved, but my OCD wouldn't allow it. Oh well, back to USB I go and will not bother trying to figure out how to split the HDMI from the Iris to both the D90 III and my Enyo 15th. So I thought...
No no, no more surprises. I think the weed was wearing and the expresso latte kicked in because a bulb lit over my head. SMH, both the Iris and the D90 III have AES!! Booya!! Now to Amazon to order me up an AES cable. 20 minute in and multiple tabs open looking at $100 cables, SHM again! What on God's green Earth am I doing, I have a set of Canare XLR cables kicking around! Man, I tell yes, it has been a long and frustrating night. Anyway, it worked like a charm. Plugged it in, selected AES and away I went, and where I currently am at, finally, and the Iris 12th is vastly superior to USB for the record. The D90 III Discrete's USB is very good, but an external DDC simply can't be matched. Now on to listening. TGIF!
Oh yeah, the D90 III Discrete sounds pretty freaking amazing!
Chardonnay
New Head-Fier
I am very interested in the comparison between the two with DSD.
Ater two weeks listening to the d90 3 d :
still liking it very much ,engaging me with fantastic SQ
My source TIDAL I2s output from CAYIN N7
MY amplifier and headphones SAEQ Hyperion Ge and Susuvara
If you ask me if I recommend the dac : absolutely yes
Why? It has a very high average audio parameters performance ,giving me a continous smile in my face every time
All sound right to me , I put the money in the right place
If you ask if it sound worst or better than a 10K dac( that will never have) ? I will never know .and does not bother me
still liking it very much ,engaging me with fantastic SQ
My source TIDAL I2s output from CAYIN N7
MY amplifier and headphones SAEQ Hyperion Ge and Susuvara
If you ask me if I recommend the dac : absolutely yes
Why? It has a very high average audio parameters performance ,giving me a continous smile in my face every time
All sound right to me , I put the money in the right place
If you ask if it sound worst or better than a 10K dac( that will never have) ? I will never know .and does not bother me
Unfortunately, I'm having the same problem. It runs via Roon with a fixed sample rate. It's really annoying. Luckily, I can still send the device back by the end of January. I hope there will be a firmware update by then that solves the problem...
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