Topping D90 great but question future

[all300b]

I purchased a Topping D90 to compare with my now aged Eximus DP-1.  Had to use the discrete attenuator on the Eximus to level match between the two - I tried to obtain identical SPLs at the listening chair with white noise. Not sure if this is a scientifically correct approach, but the Eximus output is 3V single ended and the Topping 2V.  

 

A small surprise was that I liked the Topping better than my previously 5X more expensive DAC - it's easier to hear small details, high frequencies are more present, and the presentation has a greater sense of spaciousness.  This is going into a tubed integrated amp.  But a bigger surprise was how nice upsampling to DSD in Roon could be for many, though not all, PCM recordings.

 

As I understand it, DSD bypasses much of the new AKM chip in the Topping, which is a key selling point of this DAC.  This throws a wrench into a search for next DAC upgrades. For example, highly regarded DACs such as Holo and Denafrips look awesome, but if DSD software upsampling ends up the winner- and I have not even TRIED HQ player yet - then would be wasting money on a beautiful set of discrete resistor networks that would never be used.

 

Any thoughts on this?  Thanks!

 

Bryan

 

 

[all300b]

I think Barrows has posted here about the specifics of what is being bypassed when sending DSD to the D90.

 

The question IS about potentially paying for what you won't use. For the ladder DACs example - if you end up preferring PCM through those costly resistor networks then money well spent, but if instead you prefer "high end software" DSD upsampling then those $$$ networks lay dormant.  The same could be true for more expensive DACs in which part of the selling point and expense is the complex resampling algorithms and chips on the DAC side - one may decide they like software resampling better.  Point is just that the software side adds an interaction to choosing a DAC.

 

[all300b]

Thanks for that description. I agree completely - upsampling everything to DSD 256 just sounds great on this DAC.  It is less "meaty" than my previous DAC, but am preferring the more spacious, detailed sound going into a tubed integrated amp.  Also think it sounds a tad rounder and less "excited" after plugging it into a power conditioner (my amp disagrees and stays plugged directly into the wall).

 

This is all using DSD 256 upsampling in Roon.  Do I even want to know what it sounds like using HQ player and those special filters?

 

 

 

[all300b]

| The D-90 does not appear to have any isolation of its USB input from the rest of the DAC. 

 

Uh oh... Maybe need to look into USB cleaners again. Am currently going straight USB from my MacBook Pro with Roon. As you say  PCM-DSD256 in Roon sounds fantastic on this DAC - I told a friend of mine that listening to REM Life's Rich Pageant this way reminded me for of hearing this LP this first time in his dorm room. To me, the 2X max upsampling does not sound as good, but I have seen others post a preference for it.

 

| Of course if one uses it with a good preamp, perhaps the lower output current will be a non-issue.

 

I get a strong "audiophile intuition" that a good preamp is needed for this one. Maybe it's the diminutive size. Glad to be plugging it in into a hefty integrated amp.