Did Topping just own the entire DAC market? Topping Centaurus & D90 Discrete first impressions
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Topping Centaurus:
US & CA link - bit.ly/AACentaur
AU link - amzn.to/49G2ETT
Topping D90 Discrete:
US & CA link - bit.ly/AAD90D
SMSL RAWPro-DAC1:
US & CA link - bit.ly/AARawPD1
AU link - amzn.to/49G1isg
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First impressions of the Topping x Holo Audio Centaurus DAC, Topping D90 III Discrete DAC and the SMSL RAWPro-DAC1 DAC.
My top recommended HEADPHONES (in order of price)
Koss PortaPro - amzn.to/4f9Cj25
HiFiMan HE400SE - amzn.to/48jR6oL
Massdrop x Sennheiser HD6XX - bit.ly/HD6XXPFS
Moondrop Para - bit.ly/3QvQdlq
Sivga SV023 - amzn.to/3UKXsZ5
Meze 109 Pro - amzn.to/3y6l6qi
Sony MDR-Z1R - amzn.to/4dy4szZ
ZMF Atrium - www.zmfheadpho...
Meze Elite - bit.ly/3UMIDWb
Focal Utopia (2022) - amzn.to/44xEHvx
My top recommended IEMS (in order of price)
KZ ESX - amzn.to/4bpMyxC
Tangzu FUDU - amzn.to/3UvOrlk
Simgot EM6L - amzn.to/4a3SLy1
Meze Audio Alba - bit.ly/AlbaIEM
Thieaudio Elixir - amzn.to/3ULd9zr
7Hz Timeless - amzn.to/3QslVA8
Yanyin Canon II - bit.ly/YanCanII
Xenns Mangird Top - bit.ly/XENNSTo...
Sennheiser IE600 - amzn.to/44AxcUQ
Sennheiser IE900 - amzn.to/4b66wxy
Westone Mach 80 - bit.ly/WMACHUS
My top recommended TRANSPORTS (in order of price)
WiiM Pro - amzn.to/4bpTDOw
SMSL PL200 CD - amzn.to/3Wsd0lJ
Eversolo DMP-A6 (Master Edition) - amzn.to/44sBMUR
Eversolo DMP-A8 - amzn.to/3QxRU1B
My top recommended DACS (in order of price)
Topping E30 II - amzn.to/3JQyGkd
Topping E50 - amzn.to/3WucWSO
SMSL DO200 Mk2 - amzn.to/4a5Di0C
Topping D70 Pro OCTO - amzn.to/4a8bubZ
Geshelli J3 Pro - bit.ly/GLJNOG3
Schiit Bifrost 2/64 - www.schiit.com...
Geshelli Dayzee - bit.ly/GLDayzee
Gustard R26 - amzn.to/3QyZ0mB
Schiit Yggdrasil - www.schiit.com...
Linear Tube Audo Aero - bit.ly/LTAAero
Chord TT2 - chordelectroni...
My top recommended HEADPHONE AMPS (in order of price)
Schiit Magni - www.schiit.com...
Apos Gremlin - bit.ly/GremlinAmp
xDuoo TA-66 - amzn.to/3VWWSYS
Geshelli A3 Pro - bit.ly/GLA3Pro
SMSL H400 - amzn.to/489v9Zu
Aune S17 Pro - amzn.to/4a75v7b
Schiit Mjolnir - www.schiit.com...
Burson Audio Voyager - bit.ly/4a8Mwcq
My top recommended DONGLE DACS (in order of price)
Moondrop Dawn Pro - amzn.to/3y2dd57
Simgot DEW4X - amzn.to/4b68rlK
Questyle M15i - amzn.to/4doMSyp
My top recommended WIRELESS 'PHONES (in order of price)
Soundpeats Air3 Deluxe - amzn.to/3UIXQr4
Soundpeats Air4 Pro - amzn.to/3Wyj4tj
Edifier Neobuds Pro 2 - amzn.to/3WwMpEf
Sennheiser Momentum 4 - amzn.to/3WrEqZ0
HiFiMan Svanar Wireless - amzn.to/4amOhmx
My top recommended DAC/AMP COMBOS
xDuoo MH-02 - amzn.to/4eLwoR8
SMSL RAW-MDA1 - amzn.to/3ZV8Tk9
FiiO K7 - amzn.to/4eQeWuV
FiiO K7BT - amzn.to/3NCBHX7
My top recommended SPEAKER AMPS (in order of price)
Fosi ZA3 - amzn.to/3Yzvz8d
SMSL AL200 - amzn.to/4fk92SF
SMSL AO200 Mk2 - amzn.to/3NAwbV5
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#audiophile #audioreview #dac
I’ll say one thing that a lot of folks were put off with about the Centaurus:
The day it launched on their dealer sites it was $799 USD. Even Topping reps were promoting it on the audio forums launching at that price.
Day after launch after the hype and excitement on the audio forums:
Price jumped to $999 🙄
Ordered mine at $799 and was shocked to see it at $999 so I checked my invoice and I did get it for $799 but that is dirty pool I wouldn’t have jumped in it at $999 blind.
For $999 I would go for other brands
I wasn't aware of all that and don't know the details behind the price change, but I'll be reviewing and considering the Centaurus at the $999 price when I do the full review. I think it'll still stack up well based on early impressions.
I had to get off the dac merry go round. Brought a schiit bifrost 2/64 and called it a day.
The day after…
Great choice! Impossible to go wrong there.
Same here with a JNOG J3 PRO.
Another great choice!
Useful quick comparisons like this are appreciated.
I'm glad it was helpful!
I can't wait for the full Topping Centaurus R2R Dac review. Thanks .
NICE BLOODY SHIRT, LACHLAN!!!
Happy holidays , thx for the awesome reviews all year!!
I'm glad you liked it! You could have one too from the Passion for Sound merch store! 😂
Happy holidays to you too. Hope it's an enjoyable and music filled time.
@@PassionforSound Thank you!!!! Well you look so good in that shirt I think I may get one too!!
All the best, my friend!!!
@chickenheads3746 happy holidays!
I went with a D90 Discrete exactly for the middle ground presentation you describe. I haven’t heard the Topping Centaurus, but from other R2R DACs I’ve heard, I feel that the D90 Discrete better fits with the majority of the music I listen to. I certainly appreciate the added detail & depth I now hear over my previous ESS and AKM based units, fine as they were at the time. Looking forward to your full reviews.
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
You just crushed Tharbamar’s world, world premiering this before he did.
😂
Yeah finally another reviewer got to say something before Tharbamar declared it as his next next next best thing of the day... 😂
Much appreciate the quick initial impressions before the full review. Will be interested what opinions are on the Centaurus and how it compares to the Cyan 2 I was planning on eventually ordering.
I won't be able to compare with the Cyan 2, but I will have enough other comparison points that you should get a good sense of where it sits.
While I am not quite in the market for a replacement dac, the way the comparison is between the D90 III and the Centaurus is similar to what I find in the dac of my Hegel h160 vs my Topping D70s. The AKM is more resolving, crisper and has a bit more space between instruments whereas and having used only the SE connections the D70s is more rounded/softer edges, has more bloom in the lower ranges but both can be close and one preferred over the other depending on music.
The Topping is now on a V/A CA-1 control amp driving Audel Magika II speakers which I chose because the reviews stated a more "holographic" soundstage where at least it isn't 2D like many speakers have tended to be. So, while I like natural tone, resolution and detail, I really respond to stage depth even over height and width, especially if the spatial effect is recorded in the material.
It seems Topping improved on stage depth with these new models and if they go on sale I would consider as a replacement should I require it. By then, even newer models might offer a bit more down the road.
I will sell the Hegel as the CA-1 is currently sufficient for my SPL needs pushing the Audels which are about 87dB sens but relatively high impedance wheres alot of other brands are designing lower impedance. All my amps do fine on lower impedance speakers as I have Dali Opticon 1s but from my understanding, high impedance are really older designs. My lowest power amp can't drive the Audels as well as they seem to need some more current/power. But the CA-1 and h160 are fine.
Ideally, I want a really outstanding dac with lots of space and depth being able to utilize the output power of the XLR connection on say a really well designed class D integrated or mono blocks designed to sound more class A like. These exist now but are $$$ and there's the question of a suitable pre too. That's the end goal but if I stop here, the speakers and amp I have are pretty good. as long as the d70s (4 years running) holds up, I do not feel the need to upgrade...yet.
Really think a dac should just be a dac, without streamer which only adds to cost and complexity. And the Dacs digital outs should perform equally well, not just the usb or I2S where coax and optical under-perform. SE outs should also perform well IMO, not just XLR.
Definitely would consider the Topping models. Other speakers I considered were the Fritz carbon 7se II but the Audels came up on serious discount with drivers costing equally as much and that birch plywood box quasi-T/L design is nice. I think both play in a similar league.
Also considered Audio Craftsman Laval/Victoria which are getting outstanding reviews. Also looking at Xavian speakers but they are not really represented in my country. Those are the ones I had in my pool of choices after eliminating countless others and remain so but not really sure if they would be a marked upgrade, other than the Victoria?
The BEST dac is the one that has the best synergy ' to your Taste ! Thanks for the video !
I Just uploaded video short where me and my dad listened to 3 different dacs Burson/Denefrips/Geshelli and i played my dads C.D. and my dad prefered Geshelli J2 with burson V7 opamps over the other 2 . System Synergy to my dads taste i prefered the Burson composer 4x V7 opamps' 😆
Yep. It's all personal in the end!
The Centaurus is competing in the same bracket as Cyan2 & Ares 15th etc. That's a tough gig - so really interested in a review aganist them rather than the Harmony
I don't own either of those so I can't compare to them.
Topping's new R2R has me a bit Hyped, hope they do it right!
The Centaurus is built around a fully balanced 8-channel R2R DAC architecture, created in partnership with HOLO Audio. This design uses eight resistor networks to process audio with incredible precision and dynamic range. Each network plays a role: the front side is optimized for DSD decoding with a technology called the "Vector Step Resistance Network," while the reverse side handles PCM decoding using a traditional R2R setup. A CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device) coordinates the entire process, ensuring every detail is decoded with jaw-dropping accuracy.
It uses the DAC board from the Cyan 2
Ok but will you have no advantage when the rest of your setup is not balanced.
I'll test the balanced and unbalanced outputs for the review, but it's rarely a disadvantage to the unbalanced outputs to start with a balanced DAC design.
Did you read what John Atkinson had to say about the Linear Tube Audio Aero? He felt the specs from the single ended to be disappointing. My word not his. @@PassionforSound
@gerritfridericksohn4627 I'm not really concerned with specs or measurements, just how a DAC sounds.
The D90 discrete is a great dac. Looking forward to hearing your review on the Topping R2R.
Amazing! I would love to see similar first impression videos going forward! ❤
I'll see what I can fit into my schedule 🙂
I've been checking in like a mad man for this review! Would you be able to compare the D90 III Discrete and Centaurus with the Bifrost 2/64 as well? I'm basically at a crossroads with these 3 as my step up into $1k DACs.
That's exactly what I'll be doing and the Geshelli Labs J3 Pro will be in the too, I expect. It's due out towards the end of January.
@@PassionforSound Very keen
A DAC stack? 🎉 Now that’s something new! ❤ Thanks for the teaser! I look forward to the Full Meal Deal when you’re ready, in the new year. Wait. New Year? Already?!? 😂😂😂 All the best! ❤️👍👍
Happy New Year, Chris!
HURRY UP! Centaurus and Discrete, please
Soon 😁
No DAYZEE tossed in for comparison? HUM... You REALLY love that DAC!
This is a first impressions video, not a full review
@@PassionforSound I was just teasing a little, I am aware this wasn't a full review. I apologize if my dry humor was missed! I just am in the market for an a new DAC to replace my roughly going on 7 year SMSL VMC D1... Dayzee, Pontus 15th, Cyan2, etc. LAIV is just too much $$$. Anyway patience is a virtue! :-) Again sorry if I wasn't clear enough!
Haha. I did miss that with text as the communication method. Thanks for clarifying!
Yes, there are too many choices these days, but at least all of them seem generally good.
Did Passion for sound just own the entire audiophile reviews on UA-cam? My first impressions after watching 20 seconds of his latest video:
LOL. I see what you did there! 😁
You gave a very positive review to the Sparkos Labs Gemini. It is only RCA. Do you test these DACs with the RCA connection? Is there a difference in sound quality between RCA and balanced? How would this be expected to compare with the R2R DAC section of something like Astell and kern Se300.
Generally speaking, the RCA outputs of DACs like these are just as good as the XLR outputs. I've got a video coming up on the topic.
I haven't heard the A&K SE300s so I can't answer your other question.
I have had the Topping D90 1-Bit for a minute and it is excellent
Really interested in the Topping Holo collaboration review
Even more interested in the Topping D900 1-Bit which I expect will be the best value of all
iiWi did a review of the D90 1-Bit and determined, for him, the Topping 1-Bit and the Cyan 2 were the best DACs under $2k USD
Have had the Holo Cyan 2 and the D90 1-Bit they are different but comparable in sound quality
The Topping is an excellent digital pre-amplifier in my opinion and well implemented
Good times in the ever-changing DAC world
Glad you will be reviewing them as I highly value your opinion
Thanks for the comment. How would you describe the differences between the D90D and the Cyan 2?
@ I can only describe it based on the systems I use
Low watt SE tube amplifiers with tube preamplifiers and single driver full range speakers with subwoofers set around 80hz
I got the Cyan 2 first and in the midst of a large dose of second order harmonic distortion it was pleasing especially in the mid and upper range. The Bass was good but in the range that humans derive the most pleasure it was both accurate and euphonic. The presentation was full and natural sounding.
The 1-Bit is an older DAC implementation as is R2R but it is even more accurate and cohesive top to bottom
So the bass, mids, and highs all get fully integrated in the best way possible and better than any DAC I have heard
It is very accurate and cohesive with zero glare
Nothing stands out which is nice
In a solid state system I would prefer the Cyan 2 as I did try it with a Dayens power amplifier and that was a good pairing
But with the tube pre and tube amplification and full range single driver speakers I prefer the 1-Bit as it is the best DAC I have put in that chain
I use the single driver full range speakers for their lack of a crossover and high efficiency and if I get the non-directional frequencies blended in with the subwoofers the 1-Bit is seamless in the mix and is additive in a way that no other DAC has been able to accomplish
Hi
How Can you describe the listening between Holo cyan 2 and Topping D90 III Discret ???
Very thanks
@middleearthltd thanks for sharing!
Plea for sensible advice: I have a Project CD Box DS3 cd player that uses a Texas Instruments PCM1796 DAC chip, going to a Schiit Lokius 6 band equalizer, going to an SPL Phonitor X headphone amp, going to my Audex LCD-4X headphones. With the Phonitor 3 and LCD-4x's the sound should be amazing, but it's just not. I am thinking of getting a Dac to take over from the Dac in my CD player for better sound.
Question: Will a new DAC improve my sound noticably or will I just be throwing more money away?
Good first impressions. But you didn’t mention associated equipment. How good do the headphones and amp need to be to hear the lushness, detail, layering and separation you mentioned? Some track examples in the reviews would be much appreciated. E.g. the trumpet solo on the R2R was coming from precisely 2 o’clock and felt about 6 feet away, but on the lesser DAC it was just somewhere from the right channel. Thanks.
This is a first impression video. That's all the type of thing that takes time to work through and will be in the final review.
The mustec 006 is an absolute gem.
It’ll be great if you would please compare the topping r2r dac with the dac portion of the hifiman serenade. Thanks
I don't have the Serenade anymore, but I think I'll be able to provide a good sense of how it performs by the end of the full review.
Happy Holidays, stay warm....wait, it is summer there...just when I was going to pull the trigger on the Topping D90 Discrete as highly praised by Sandu of Soundnews and other audio reviewers, creeps into the spotlight the Topping Centaurus R2R priced similar to the T Discrete. The quest for a better sound and the end-game DAC is a never ending game. Like a brand new car, it is OLD the minute it leaves the sales car lot. Cheers !
So true! Happy holidays!
I have only had a topping a90d.. its been great but a little souless..i would worry the same for their other products.. recently bought the chord qutest and anni im off my chair dancing with that combo
I completely agree about the A90D. That's why I said in this video that I'm not generally a Topping fan, but the D90 Discrete and the Centaurus suggest that Topping MIGHT be making some changes to their sound... or maybe these are just two outliers.
What speakers are those and how does it sound Lachlan? I’d really be interested with a video walk around of your room lol😂
Most likely they are Adam Audio powered monitors, some of the best in their class.
@ I thought they look familiar. Am shopping for a pair of good bookshelves but taking my time cos unlike headphones, can’t have a few
Yes, they're the entry level ADAM Audio T7V. I've got each of their 7" models in for review: T, A and S series. Stay tuned!
@ thank you Lachlan!
I think it would be really interesting if you explored the 'best' mode with the Centaurus when you do the review from quite a precise angle. For example, might 24/96 default to NOS because the high frequencies already extend well above 20khz (or should if genuine 24/96) while 16/44 does not need spurious noise above 20khz (except as optional, if one likes that kind of thing to give harmonics back down the frequency spectrum) ... etc.
Topping don't elaborate as far as I can see, but it sure would be interesting to hook it up to something that tells you their choice of 'best'. Just got a Centaurus ...
I had a brief play with it and I think it upsamples to the maximum possible based on the input sample rate, but I didn't put a lot of time into that.
@@PassionforSound Ok yes, I suppose that would be the simpler / safer option. Wonder if it reduces the sample rate where necessary too.
Looking forward to the review from Centaurus or iii Discrete perspectives, or both (best ;-))
Just finished recording the Centaurus and Discrete video. Editing now...
@@PassionforSoundCool ... thank you for the alert ... I will chip in when you publish time zone allowing ... your engagement with your commenters is top drawer as we say 'up here' in France. 🙂
Sounds great! I'm glad you enjoy the discourse on the channel.
Seems like the Centaurus is the one to buy. I'll wait for the full review. I was considering the Discrete vs. New Gustard x26iii. Preferring the Gustard for the built in renderer, you just put me on hold. Thanks. It would be fantastic if you could get your hands on x26iii to review.
I'd love that too!
Hi, All people waiting for the review 😅
Which one do you recommend between Topping Centaurus or the well known Chord Quest?
Thanks!
I expect the Qutest would still be the better DAC, but I don't have one on hand to compare.
Every month a new product stands out in the reviewers' comments. Here in Italy hi fi shops almost disappeared and we have to rely on reviews. I regret when there were many hi fi shops and we could go and listen to various gears. Why companies do not gather and show their products in some big shops to make evaluate customers which items better suite their taste? Maybe they prefer we continuosly buy and change our components untill we find the right ones or we get tired of searching?
Unfortunately, the challenge is that retail shops have to pay rent and sales staff. That means they have to charge more for the products. What was often happening was that people would audition at the shops and then go and buy via Amazon who can price everything much lower due to having no rent and sales staff to pay. (Obviously they have staff and rent for warehousing, etc. but it's scaled across all of their products so they have much lower costs per product sold)
I'd like you to compare to your Schitt Bifrost 2/64 DAC.
That will definitely be happening 😁
Yesterday you told me that you did not know the Holo Cyan 2. Well, now you have maybe a taste of it with the centaurus 😋
Very true!
Did you ever hear the Topping DX9? It's been my stopping point in my endgame setup. Like you I wasn't really as much of a fan of any of the D90's after the first. The first completely captured me and made me fall in love with any music I played it, however had one major difference from the others. It was not a ESS chip but a AKM chip. The DX9 has the same chip the original D90 did, and after hearing it again I all but swore off another ESS DAC.
I forgot how much layering this thing can produce and how feathery the music can sound.
Many people seem to really like the DX9, but I've still not heard it.
@@PassionforSound The DX9 has the old AK4499EQ chip in it. It was the D90 (their first unit with the AK4499EQ) that sold me on their units.
It has the characteristics of the 1st D90 while having more power output than the A90's.
I own a pair of audioengine HD6's and funny enough they always sound muddy/bass heavy. I questioned if it was their built in dac and then I got a pair of RCA cables and ran it into the DX9 and all I can say is wow... It completely removed the muddiness and now the HD6's are some of the best speakers I've heard. Even better yet it carried the DX9's sound characteristics over to my speakers and it's absolute bliss.
I have the d90 iii discrete, I bought it because it's native dsd and dsd bypass because I use hqplayer . The combination is very good. better than 192/24 going in , smoother, and more depth and width. But it's not night and day. Wish hqplayer could play sacd iso direct. HIRES Pcm upsampled to 700+/32 sounds very close. Could be down to better mastering on more expensive sacd? I recommend this tester try it with hqplayer outputing 256bit in dsd direct mode with the latest firmware.
I am happy the chinese hifi manufactureres are starting to tackle r2r
Is the preamp section on the Centraurus a passive resister type or a real active gain type or are we talking about a lossy digital volume control?
I don't know as yet, but it might be explained on the website via the links in the description.
Do you have access to Gustard X30? Would love to hear your thoughts on it as I'm thinking of getting one to feed my KSE1500
I don't currently have a good contact to access Gustard products.
Wondering how the Centaurus sounds compared to the Serenade
I won't be able to test that, but I will have other comparisons that should help provide some guidance.
The ladder dac module is literally the same as the one from Cyan 2 but I think the power filtering on Cyan 2 should be better hence should sound slightly better than the Topping
It would be interesting to compare them directly, but I won't be able to do that...
Would be cool to hear how it stacks up to Yggy OG. Is the Centaurus based at all on the Cyan 2? Is that a Gungnir 2 I see in the background?! 8:17
The R2R board used in the Centaurus is from the Cyan 2
I have a Gumby 2 inbound, but it's not here yet. There's still a lot for the Centaurus to prove to me before I get properly excited, but it's made a good start.
There's no need to be sorry about family invasion. It's your life, family is important, and there's nothing annoying in that.
Haha! Very true. Not sure it would have made good viewing though. 😉😁
Hi, when do you plan to upload the video? thanks
It's coming out in early January. I'm on holidays at the moment and don't have my schedule handy for an exact date.
Any news on the Schiit Gungnir 2? I've only seen one person talk about it on youtube so far
Fuck schiit its a shit😅😅😅
It's on its way here, but not arrived yet...
As i check their website this is collaboration between topping and holo audio i guess the sound of this dac is comparable to holo audio dac please enlighten us on the sound compare to halo
I won't be able to compare with the Holo DACs, but will have plenty of other comparisons to help...
Hi. Does topping centaurus outperform gustard r26? Which R2R is better based on sound?
I don't have the R26 here anymore to compare, but I suspect they'd come pretty close to each other in performance.
Yeha the Optical input being used for initial impressions kinda made the video a moot point. There are no serious audophiles using optical for serious, dedicated listening. Looking forward to hear your thoughts on D90 Discrete vs Centaurus using I2S/Coax/USB.
A quality optical source can outperform many others if the source device has a good clock (which the Singxer SU-6 does). Optical also isolates noise because there's no electrical connection.
I sold my d90se and bought hifi rose.
But wish I had kept it.
But budget won out.
I truly don't think any of it is worth more than 100.00. My 2 cents.
Can you adjust the peq on the Centaurus display? Also would this dac be over kill if I’m only using it single ended to my sparkos Gemini?
I don't believe you can adjust the PEQ on the display. I'm pretty sure you need to use the app, but that will all be in the review.
As for using it with the Gemini, that's a lovely amp so the Centaurus could be a great match.
SUPER lame that Topping jacked up the price of the Centaurus from $799 to $999 the day after launch!!!!
R2R module of Holo Cyan 2 is exactly the same R2R module of Centaurus probably differs only on input and output stage
Correct (AFAIK) and power supply too.
why the heck would Holo do that? Obvs the in/output stages could change the whole result but it just seems stupid to sell out your signature tech to a "mass producer" with significantly lower pricing...I just don't get it.
@lisar3944 if they're making good margin on the wholesale price to Topping, they will be able to make much more money if Topping sell large volumes of the Centaurus (which they probably can/will)
I only have a smsl su1. Couldn’t afford these expensive ones
There's great sound to be had at every price level these days. It's no longer poor vs good. These days it's good and better.
@ yes agree, I’d love to have a real good one, but finances dictate. You’re right though, great sound at every price level. I was thinking of getting the Cambridge audio AXA35 amp, AXA25 cd to go with the wharfs diamond 9’s and denon deck. A nice little set up I’ll be well happy with…until I win the lottery 😂
The topping R2R dac is the best engineered R2R to date ,cheers for the review.Lachlan you are sonic god amongst men.
It certainly sounds the goods. I can't say how it compares on the inside and I'm yet to do thorough comparisons, but consider me impressed so far...
Cool!😊
Holo being involved in the Centaurus is a big turn on
Hype train inbound.
Choo choo! In a next review: this new DAC does much better than the Centaurus, which lacked X Y Z (replace with not-so-great areas never mentioned before)
@_DeepGroove_ hype train victim : i thought you said the Centaurus performed at the same level of a $3k dac????!!!!
Reviewer: Yes, but I forgot to mention that that $3k DAC performed like a $10k DAC!
@_DeepGroove_ hype train victim : Oh, ok.... i didn't think of that. makes sense.
I do believe this could be a hype train candidate, but let's see...
D90 discrete all day its better than my gustard R26
$1k - $1.5k budget. Topping D90 Discreet or Denafrips Ares? Comments below please. Thanks!
I haven't tried the newer Ares, but would choose the D90D over the Ares II. Have you also considered the Topping Centaurus?
In terms of dac chipsets or board, sure...
If the Centaurus proves to be as good as it seems, it's going to shake up the price to performance expectations in the industry. Of course, it has to prove itself in thorough comparisons yet...
Haha family invasion!
😁
Centaurus VS R26 ?
That would be interesting, but I don't have an R26 anymore.
Are you burning in the DACs since they are so new? I'm leaning towards centaurus but heard discrete opens up with burn in.
I use all products for weeks before reviewing so I can properly get to know them (or as much as possible, anyway)
Centaurus VS Hifiman Serenade ?
I don't have the Serenade anymore, but they're also very different devices with the Serenade including an amp AND limited streaming capabilities.
I find Topping to sound a bit thin and flat historically.
Generally, I'd agree. Not with either of these though...
@ that is good to hear. I hope we are entering an age of hifi where the technology is now allowing us to marry resolution and transparency with the features of auditory perception that we experience as “musical”. That would be welcome progress.
@cpg8000 I agree and have some interesting info coming up in a video soon about that exact topic.
Merci !
Thanks so much and you're welcome!
Is it only me, or are DACs so popular to review because 1) affiliate commission and B) they are light and easy to ship..... it is a bit sad because their importance is so little in the audio chain, that many people fail blind tests
Devil’s advocate, how many people would fail a “is this a DVD or a Blu-ray” test?
An old saying says crap in crap out. Maybe you underestimating what a DAC actually does?
@ my friend’s dad has a projector and a 120” screen and says he can’t tell the difference lol I think if you did a survey among normies you might find a shocking number who would say the same, or at best they think the BD is “a little” sharper but not worth the money to them. I guess my point is blind studies have their uses but it’s not a given that majority consensus means there is no differences.
dacs are interesting to say the least as digital audio is the most complex aspect regarding truly good sound - the systems sound is only going to be as good as the weakest link - many different strategies are implemented in dacs and we are still in the early days of solving the problems related the issues surrounding digital implementation
Totally agree. Transducers have the most significant impact by far. Amplifiers can make a difference, but it’s much smaller. DACs make minimal difference which are mostly only noticable during direct A/B comparison.
YOOOOO. MY GUY YOU FINALLY TOOK MY WORD AND GOT SOME T5vs!! What do you think!? I’m curious 👀
I dont like R 2R Dacs
Fair enough