Thank you for this great review and so happy I have ordered this new Topping D90 discrete - I can't wait to have it and experience what you're describing as holographic sound. My setup is not as "advanced" as yours and composed of a Quad 99 preamp+Quad 909 amp (both revised) and ProAc Response DT8. The streamer is an Eversolo A6 ME and wanted to get a DAC to get rid of the harshness... but keep the high resolution of the Quand and ProAc combo. It seems I may have found the solution!
Ok I have now received the D90 discrete and OMG - of course I can't compare to other DAC's but just compared to the DMP A6 it's a totally different world of music. A lot smoother yet detailed, bigger soundstage and "relaxed clarity" ... My system is rather neutral and transparent so the A6 tends to be harsh on some music styles (metal) but with the D90 discrete, it's much smoother. Very happy!
I don't know much about the D90 III Discrete, but the DX9 is definitely one of the best ALL-IN-ONE units around 1200. If this one has a similar sound...I understand your positive experience. The beautiful transparent esthetic of the DX9 was apparently boroughed with the D90 , a great addition if you ask me.
thanks for the great, honest reviews. seems like many comments are from people who are bitter about buying a dac you positively reviewed, only to find out that the manufacturers keep churning out newer dacs, with better sound at lower prices. come on people, its called innovation. not Sandu's fault. we should happy we can keep getting better sound for less money and have new toys to look forward to.
Dear Sandu, how do You compare D90 III Discrete with Hifiman Serenade that You have reviewed three months ago. I'm wondering if there is a significant sound difference between the two or Topping is allready in the R2R league with this product. Thank You. Best Regards from Miercurea Ciuc
I really enjoy your reviews; they always convey such a positive vibe. I must say, I envy your setup! I need your advice on something. I’m planning to upgrade my home audio system, and I’m torn between the Topping A90 Discrete paired with the D90 III or the Chord Hugo 2. I see that you own several Chord products-what’s your opinion on this?
Thank you, appreciate it! Long story short, Chord Electronics has 2 separate divisions, the analog division which makes preamps, power amps, and integrated amplifiers and the digital division, led by Rob Watts and his team which have nothing in common with the analog division. These two separate teams have different visions about the sound they pursue, the analog division is very much into a highly energetic, fun, super dynamic, impactful, and meaty sound over anything else. Rob Watts goes instead with a reference tuning, choosing linearity and world-class resolution above anything else. It's a bit complicated to recommend them over the interwebz, due to their high cost, but I can assure you that I didn't buy them for the looks alone. They just sound fabulous. Right now, I would choose a Class-A headphone amplifier (ideally a fully discrete one) over the A90 Discrete, check the newest Aune S17 PRO EVO if you need an excellent one, pair it with the D90 III Discrete, and you'll be rocking in no time.
I bought my Discrete from Shenzhenaudio and initially used Topping’s XLR cables from the dac to the preamp before trying their “FanMusic” XLR cable. Sounded similar but with further listening I noticed that poorly mastered music was sweeter and less fatiguing.
I cant decide between d90 discrete a90 combo vs centaurus vs dx9. My stereo setup right now are kali in v2 studio monitors for studio production but want to see how they do with a nice source and have a few good planar headphones
FAntastic review. Super insightful...It's crazy that I'm now considering this one after having replaced my D70 MQA with my Okto Research Dac 8. Curious to see if this one get close or surpasses it. Just nuts how fast things are moving with these devices. Side questions: what are those cool isolation feet you're using under the Topping? Thanks 🙏
Hey mate, those are Viablue UFO absorbers. Ever since using Class-A amplifiers of all sorts, heat dissipation became an issue and that's why I have a dozen IsoAcoustics and Viablue vibration absorbers around the house. A cooler case equals a longer service life and for me, that's a no-brainer.
@ Those seem an excellent solution on many levels. I’ve got some Stack Audio isolators for my Dac, but needed something smaller for my streamer. Thank you!
Sandu, let me remind you your Topping D70s mqa review, because now you're lumping all previous Topping DACs into one "delta sigma" bag. At that time you said that the D70s (on 2x AKM 4497) had liquidity and holography, that in this respect it reminded you of R2R DACs and that in these respects it was better than the flagship Topping "D90 didn’t feel as liquid and as easy going as D70S sounded" and had "bigger soundstage in your room and it was more holographic and 3D". I still have the D70s and I think it's great, holographic and liquid, with strong bass and its good features are even stronger with the Pre90.
Hi Marcin, if you love your D70S, nothing stops you from loving it over and over again, not even some random UA-cam reviews. It's still a great converter and no, I didn't forget about it. It's a great unit.
@@Soundnews Good to hear it from you. As fas as D90 III discrete concerned - it might be killer DAC after you make proper room correction in it. I heard on/off room correction effect done with some old behringer processor and it was just stunning. You know, that old behringer, despite that it had crappy SMPS power supply and sounded "grey" all the time, it made such a huge difference with EQ on, it was like without EQ it sounded FLAT. The topping has state of the art power supply and I bet that with well made room correction it may sound 3x better in 99% of the listening rooms. Also it's tonality may be improved.
Hi, this could have been 100% my reply still owning 2 x D70s + PRE90 😅, these were exactly my thoughts when watching this review 👌🏻 Tried many dacs so far but holding on to the D70s 😊 ps changing the original 500mA to a 630mA AHP fuse was a noticable upgrade for 25€ Maybe X26 3 could be interesting but I don´t like the build in streamer and the overall look with the illuminated G 🫣
Sure, it's always the Rockna Wavedream NET Roon Server/Music Server (4TB of storage)/Wired streamer/CD player and CD ripper. The output I'm using is usually the I2S or the USB.
@@SoundnewsThank you so much - trying to step down from sitting on the DAC/streamer fence for too long - your reviews are super helpful and I appreciate what you do.
@@CheekyFest I don't want to play with the income of the people watching my content, but the short answer would be: Yes. HiFiMan Serenade does wonders with the Arya Organic. If you can borrow one, I suggest you give it a try.
Interested in what you described about the speed and resolution being dopamine-releasing vs mellow slower dac's. I love my fast topping but as I work in audio what would you say is the most interesting slow mellow and warm to dark Dac that you think would be interesting to use as a converter to make music with? Think of it like a colored output dac that you would make Lofi or Ambient with? I do a lot of mastering and production and I would love to test out something in that context. Let me know your thoughts?
Hi mate, any entry to mid-level priced R2R ladder DAC regardless of the brand will sound slower and mellower compared to any oversampling DAC with a delta-sigma modulator. If you want to experiment with these amazing music-making machines, I suggest trying out the Gustard R26 and if you want something even mellower, then check out the Denafrips Venus. If you need a very high-quality R2R converter that's a level (or two) above the R26 and Venus, check the Rockna Wavelight. These 3 will add some "milk and honey" to your music and I'm not even joking.
I really hope topping makes this without the pre-amp, filters, color modes. I know you can bypass those but just imagine if the D10s got the discrete treatment ... It sounds like my next dac for my stax but I just wish it only had the dac parts.
Personal taste has a lot to do with these DAC choices, I still like the R26 a bit more since it awakes so much life in the midrange and makes everything so natural and easygoing. D90 III Discrete on the other hand is considerably more technical sounding, so it can still build a strong fan base.
Thanks for the review, that's what I've been expecting since the D90 III Discrete was released. You mentioned Gustard R26, is it an overall better DAC compared to this new D90? And how about Denafrips Ares 15th? Because I was planning to upgrade my D90LE to R26 and Ares 15th came, and then this even less expensive D90 III Discrete came, I'm really not sure if R26 is still worth the extra money.
I have the topping dx9 pro and the gustard r 26 The base of the topping is a bit more focused, but the base of the r 26 is a tiny bit more punchier. Timbre is exactly the same, the only difference resides in the midrange. The gustard r26 is a bit more open, you can hear a bit more air in the middle of the soundstage. Soundstage width and depth are pretty much the same (maybe the R 26 has a tiny bit more depth but I wouldn't be able to pick them appart in a bkind test in this regard) Detail and resolution are exactly the same (I don't believe in these resolution differences any way)
I couldn't find how to change RCA output voltage from 2.0V to 2.5V mentioned in this video. I only see "0dB Level" setting (Setup Menu Item 9) that can be adjusted from 4V to 5V. My unit is on 0.39 firmware version. UPDATE: answering my own question, RCA voltage changes when changing Setup Menu Item 9 as well as XLR voltage, there's no separate RCA adjustment.
Hi, check the user manual, everything is explained in there. In simple terms, switch it off completely from the back, keep pressing the only button on the front panel and while you keep it pressed, turn it on with the switch on the back and you'll enter the most important menu, where you can enable the 4V or 5V output, enable or disable BT and PEQ and many other things. I wish Topping wouldn't keep this menu so secret, but it is how it is. PS: when you change the XLR output to 5V, it automatically changes the RCA output as well from 2V to 2.5V.
Thanks for the great review. Have you by any chance experience any "digital click" noise when switching tracks or scrolling inside one track? Basically each time the DAC goes from no sound to any sound and the other way (even without changing bitrate or format)?
@@ChrisFiloGorgolewski I did experience such weird behaviour on the fw 0.38, but after upgrading to fw 0.39, I no longer had such issues. If you use it via USB on a PC, I also suggest you installing the official drivers.
I experience this with 0.39 playing back Apple Music from iPad, but not always, typically if playing back an album this digital click would be before first track only, it's not super loud but it's there.
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...
I own a Topping D90 III Discrete DAC. My question is sound quality between USB and I2S Inputs. Given that jitter is very low in this DAC what level of DDC will benefit I2S input over USB? Thanks.
This is a complicated question because not all DDCs are made equally. With some of the best DDCs, the D90 III will definitely sound better via I2S than when connected directly to your PC via USB. Such DDCs can sometimes be pricier than the D90 III itself, so I suggest using the USB connection.
D90 III Discrete owner here. There is no noticeable difference between DAC USB and IIS inputs. I compared both with Holo Red. This is the reason I sold my Red unfortunately.
I really don't want people to arrive at my system (which I've been building for more than 10 years). However, after trying tons of preamps in my system, I can say that the only way forward for any DAC would be an active preamplifier, ideally one biased into Class-A or Class-AB operation using discrete components, with an overkill analog volume potentiometer biased again into Class-A or AB. Passive preamplifiers never worked well in my case. Cancel Reply
Ladder Bach, Musician Monoceros are unity gain (0dB gain) preamps, topping Pre90 has real 16dB gain ability (!) It is absolutely transparent with dead quiet, black background and zero character of it's own. 100% true to the source. With a tube DAC it sounds like the same tube DAC but stronger and bigger, the same with R2R DACs. These other preamps have slighly of their character (like very slight softening of high transients, not as black background). Pre90 is the best sounding neutral preamp I heard in my life and for D90 III discrete Is a must. Maybe only Benchmark LA4 is the alternative, but much more expensive.
@@Soundnews Thank you for your reply, I only wanted to know what you used as a preamp, don't think you telling us what you used would harm you in any way :)
@@marcinwasilewski5414 it's interesting but it seems Ladder Bach, Musician Monoceros and Denafrips Hestia is all the same unit just different badges, no?
Still waiting for a worthy successor of the D70s. Seems Topping has lost its way after the AKM fire and Gustard took over with more convincing and ´high end´ designs/builds (SMSL for me more or less the same as Topping, no more lineair power supplies to be found)
Interesting that the d90 discrete has been out at the same time as the d90 iii… yet all reviewers reviewed first the iii, then concluded the discrete was better
So good to see your videos again. Excellent review. This was on my top radar to get. Thanks for confirming what I thought already❤❤
Hi mate, thanks for making my day a better one.
Seems like a complete bargain.... ANOTHER awesome review...
Nice one DAC Man. 👍🏻
Hey Marcus, I missed your comments. I never forgot the nickname you gave to me, Thank You for that!
Love all your reviews. I can't wait to watch your review on the new topping centaurus r2r dac
Thank you for this great review and so happy I have ordered this new Topping D90 discrete - I can't wait to have it and experience what you're describing as holographic sound. My setup is not as "advanced" as yours and composed of a Quad 99 preamp+Quad 909 amp (both revised) and ProAc Response DT8. The streamer is an Eversolo A6 ME and wanted to get a DAC to get rid of the harshness... but keep the high resolution of the Quand and ProAc combo. It seems I may have found the solution!
Thank you for another great review. Since you have experienced both, would you prefer this one over the DX9? (Not considering the headphone output)
Ok I have now received the D90 discrete and OMG - of course I can't compare to other DAC's but just compared to the DMP A6 it's a totally different world of music. A lot smoother yet detailed, bigger soundstage and "relaxed clarity" ... My system is rather neutral and transparent so the A6 tends to be harsh on some music styles (metal) but with the D90 discrete, it's much smoother. Very happy!
I don't know much about the D90 III Discrete, but the DX9 is definitely one of the best ALL-IN-ONE units around 1200. If this one has a similar sound...I understand your positive experience. The beautiful transparent esthetic of the DX9 was apparently boroughed with the D90 , a great addition if you ask me.
The D90 Discrete is even better in some areas, (especially on the technical level), but it trades the amazing headphone output of DX9 for this.
thanks for the great, honest reviews. seems like many comments are from people who are bitter about buying a dac you positively reviewed, only to find out that the manufacturers keep churning out newer dacs, with better sound at lower prices. come on people, its called innovation. not Sandu's fault. we should happy we can keep getting better sound for less money and have new toys to look forward to.
Awesome review, Sandu
Thanks for the review! Need to hear your thoughts on the Centaurus too!
Dear Sandu, how do You compare D90 III Discrete with Hifiman Serenade that You have reviewed three months ago. I'm wondering if there is a significant sound difference between the two or Topping is allready in the R2R league with this product. Thank You. Best Regards from Miercurea Ciuc
R2R DACs are garbage. D90 is audibly transparent, that's all a DAC is supposed to be
I really enjoy your reviews; they always convey such a positive vibe. I must say, I envy your setup! I need your advice on something. I’m planning to upgrade my home audio system, and I’m torn between the Topping A90 Discrete paired with the D90 III or the Chord Hugo 2. I see that you own several Chord products-what’s your opinion on this?
I would say save your money and grab this. It's a steal equal performance if not better 850 bucks
Thank you, appreciate it! Long story short, Chord Electronics has 2 separate divisions, the analog division which makes preamps, power amps, and integrated amplifiers and the digital division, led by Rob Watts and his team which have nothing in common with the analog division. These two separate teams have different visions about the sound they pursue, the analog division is very much into a highly energetic, fun, super dynamic, impactful, and meaty sound over anything else. Rob Watts goes instead with a reference tuning, choosing linearity and world-class resolution above anything else. It's a bit complicated to recommend them over the interwebz, due to their high cost, but I can assure you that I didn't buy them for the looks alone. They just sound fabulous. Right now, I would choose a Class-A headphone amplifier (ideally a fully discrete one) over the A90 Discrete, check the newest Aune S17 PRO EVO if you need an excellent one, pair it with the D90 III Discrete, and you'll be rocking in no time.
I wonder how is this compared to Chord Qutest and Ferrum Wandla
I bought my Discrete from Shenzhenaudio and initially used Topping’s XLR cables from the dac to the preamp before trying their “FanMusic” XLR cable. Sounded similar but with further listening I noticed that poorly mastered music was sweeter and less fatiguing.
I cant decide between d90 discrete a90 combo vs centaurus vs dx9. My stereo setup right now are kali in v2 studio monitors for studio production but want to see how they do with a nice source and have a few good planar headphones
excellent review
FAntastic review. Super insightful...It's crazy that I'm now considering this one after having replaced my D70 MQA with my Okto Research Dac 8. Curious to see if this one get close or surpasses it. Just nuts how fast things are moving with these devices. Side questions: what are those cool isolation feet you're using under the Topping? Thanks 🙏
Hey mate, those are Viablue UFO absorbers. Ever since using Class-A amplifiers of all sorts, heat dissipation became an issue and that's why I have a dozen IsoAcoustics and Viablue vibration absorbers around the house. A cooler case equals a longer service life and for me, that's a no-brainer.
@ Those seem an excellent solution on many levels. I’ve got some Stack Audio isolators for my Dac, but needed something smaller for my streamer. Thank you!
Now I cant wait for the D900 and Centaurus R2R review... Have they sent you these 2 yet? :)
Sandu, let me remind you your Topping D70s mqa review, because now you're lumping all previous Topping DACs into one "delta sigma" bag. At that time you said that the D70s (on 2x AKM 4497) had liquidity and holography, that in this respect it reminded you of R2R DACs and that in these respects it was better than the flagship Topping "D90 didn’t feel as liquid and as easy going as D70S sounded" and had "bigger soundstage in your room and it was more holographic and 3D". I still have the D70s and I think it's great, holographic and liquid, with strong bass and its good features are even stronger with the Pre90.
Hi Marcin, if you love your D70S, nothing stops you from loving it over and over again, not even some random UA-cam reviews. It's still a great converter and no, I didn't forget about it. It's a great unit.
@@Soundnews Good to hear it from you. As fas as D90 III discrete concerned - it might be killer DAC after you make proper room correction in it. I heard on/off room correction effect done with some old behringer processor and it was just stunning. You know, that old behringer, despite that it had crappy SMPS power supply and sounded "grey" all the time, it made such a huge difference with EQ on, it was like without EQ it sounded FLAT. The topping has state of the art power supply and I bet that with well made room correction it may sound 3x better in 99% of the listening rooms. Also it's tonality may be improved.
Hi, this could have been 100% my reply still owning 2 x D70s + PRE90 😅, these were exactly my thoughts when watching this review 👌🏻 Tried many dacs so far but holding on to the D70s 😊 ps changing the original 500mA to a 630mA AHP fuse was a noticable upgrade for 25€
Maybe X26 3 could be interesting but I don´t like the build in streamer and the overall look with the illuminated G 🫣
Topping Tune is not available for mac. Thanks for your review.
Thank you for the very thorough and informative review! Can you share what your music source was/is for this review?
Sure, it's always the Rockna Wavedream NET Roon Server/Music Server (4TB of storage)/Wired streamer/CD player and CD ripper. The output I'm using is usually the I2S or the USB.
@@SoundnewsThank you so much - trying to step down from sitting on the DAC/streamer fence for too long - your reviews are super helpful and I appreciate what you do.
I hope you will review the new Gustard X26 III and compare with Topping D90 III Discrete.
Your wish is my command ;)
Gustard x26 3 is warmer , and above all sondstage is better
I use the A90 Discrete as preamp
Great review. You gave high regard to Musician Aquarius. Is this D90 III better than Aquarius now?
Is the D90 III Discrete the current top of the line DAC from Topping?
Together with the limited edition DX9, these two are their TOTL units.
Ive been using the A / D 30 pro combo with my Arya Organics since last summer. Pondering upgrading the topping combo next year ...
Amazing choice, but if I were in your stead, I would have one single word on repeat: SERENADE.
@@Soundnews that's around 900 UKP. I paid 600 for the 30' combo. Is that a worthwhile upgrade?
@@CheekyFest I don't want to play with the income of the people watching my content, but the short answer would be: Yes. HiFiMan Serenade does wonders with the Arya Organic. If you can borrow one, I suggest you give it a try.
How does this stack up to the likes of SMSL VMV D1SE (original)? I've been thinking about getting a new DAC at some point.
Interested in what you described about the speed and resolution being dopamine-releasing vs mellow slower dac's. I love my fast topping but as I work in audio what would you say is the most interesting slow mellow and warm to dark Dac that you think would be interesting to use as a converter to make music with? Think of it like a colored output dac that you would make Lofi or Ambient with? I do a lot of mastering and production and I would love to test out something in that context. Let me know your thoughts?
Hi mate, any entry to mid-level priced R2R ladder DAC regardless of the brand will sound slower and mellower compared to any oversampling DAC with a delta-sigma modulator. If you want to experiment with these amazing music-making machines, I suggest trying out the Gustard R26 and if you want something even mellower, then check out the Denafrips Venus. If you need a very high-quality R2R converter that's a level (or two) above the R26 and Venus, check the Rockna Wavelight. These 3 will add some "milk and honey" to your music and I'm not even joking.
I really hope topping makes this without the pre-amp, filters, color modes. I know you can bypass those but just imagine if the D10s got the discrete treatment ...
It sounds like my next dac for my stax but I just wish it only had the dac parts.
Thx Sandu for awsome review..👍 is this d90 discrete on similar level like r26?
Personal taste has a lot to do with these DAC choices, I still like the R26 a bit more since it awakes so much life in the midrange and makes everything so natural and easygoing. D90 III Discrete on the other hand is considerably more technical sounding, so it can still build a strong fan base.
@Soundnews thx sandu👍
Is it true that there is a process of burn in or is it just a question of adaptation of the brain and ears?
Thanks for the review, that's what I've been expecting since the D90 III Discrete was released. You mentioned Gustard R26, is it an overall better DAC compared to this new D90? And how about Denafrips Ares 15th? Because I was planning to upgrade my D90LE to R26 and Ares 15th came, and then this even less expensive D90 III Discrete came, I'm really not sure if R26 is still worth the extra money.
I have the topping dx9 pro and the gustard r 26
The base of the topping is a bit more focused, but the base of the r 26 is a tiny bit more punchier.
Timbre is exactly the same, the only difference resides in the midrange. The gustard r26 is a bit more open, you can hear a bit more air in the middle of the soundstage. Soundstage width and depth are pretty much the same (maybe the R 26 has a tiny bit more depth but I wouldn't be able to pick them appart in a bkind test in this regard)
Detail and resolution are exactly the same (I don't believe in these resolution differences any way)
@@redkh2017 Thanks for sharing
@@redkh2017
Hi
Very thanks for this review
Good listening
Which you could compare to some of the Schitt Audio DACs like the BiFrost 2/64.
Will you review the Atoll ST300 ?
You are on the top league with Atoll st300 streamer, very good dac and nice streamer
I couldn't find how to change RCA output voltage from 2.0V to 2.5V mentioned in this video. I only see "0dB Level" setting (Setup Menu Item 9) that can be adjusted from 4V to 5V. My unit is on 0.39 firmware version.
UPDATE: answering my own question, RCA voltage changes when changing Setup Menu Item 9 as well as XLR voltage, there's no separate RCA adjustment.
Hi, check the user manual, everything is explained in there. In simple terms, switch it off completely from the back, keep pressing the only button on the front panel and while you keep it pressed, turn it on with the switch on the back and you'll enter the most important menu, where you can enable the 4V or 5V output, enable or disable BT and PEQ and many other things. I wish Topping wouldn't keep this menu so secret, but it is how it is. PS: when you change the XLR output to 5V, it automatically changes the RCA output as well from 2V to 2.5V.
Thanks for the great review. Have you by any chance experience any "digital click" noise when switching tracks or scrolling inside one track? Basically each time the DAC goes from no sound to any sound and the other way (even without changing bitrate or format)?
@@ChrisFiloGorgolewski I did experience such weird behaviour on the fw 0.38, but after upgrading to fw 0.39, I no longer had such issues. If you use it via USB on a PC, I also suggest you installing the official drivers.
@@Soundnews Thanks I saw it on 0.39 and 0.38 even with official drivers.
I experience this with 0.39 playing back Apple Music from iPad, but not always, typically if playing back an album this digital click would be before first track only, it's not super loud but it's there.
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...
@@wotanwalhall6642 I ended up returning mine.
I own a Topping D90 III Discrete DAC. My question is sound quality between USB and I2S Inputs. Given that jitter is very low in this DAC what level of DDC will benefit I2S input over USB? Thanks.
This is a complicated question because not all DDCs are made equally. With some of the best DDCs, the D90 III will definitely sound better via I2S than when connected directly to your PC via USB. Such DDCs can sometimes be pricier than the D90 III itself, so I suggest using the USB connection.
D90 III Discrete owner here. There is no noticeable difference between DAC USB and IIS inputs. I compared both with Holo Red. This is the reason I sold my Red unfortunately.
What speakers and AC regenerator are you using?
@@VaioII Raidho TD2.2 speakers and a Keces IQRP-3600 power conditioner
How would it compare to Denafrips or Holo Cyan2 dac?
Never tried that one...can't say much about that comparison.
My DX9 rocks
Will there be a review for Aune S17 pro Evo updated version.?
Short answer: YES (but it wasn't delivered yet). It will probably happen in January.
Please explain how a DAC can sound 'fast' and boost bass...?. 😖
This vs SMSL SU-X? What the difference?
What preamp would you recommend or tried with when leaving this unit in DAC only mode? I'm looking at Ladder Bach and Topping Pre90.
I really don't want people to arrive at my system (which I've been building for more than 10 years). However, after trying tons of preamps in my system, I can say that the only way forward for any DAC would be an active preamplifier, ideally one biased into Class-A or Class-AB operation using discrete components, with an overkill analog volume potentiometer biased again into Class-A or AB. Passive preamplifiers never worked well in my case.
Cancel
Reply
Ladder Bach, Musician Monoceros are unity gain (0dB gain) preamps, topping Pre90 has real 16dB gain ability (!) It is absolutely transparent with dead quiet, black background and zero character of it's own. 100% true to the source. With a tube DAC it sounds like the same tube DAC but stronger and bigger, the same with R2R DACs. These other preamps have slighly of their character (like very slight softening of high transients, not as black background). Pre90 is the best sounding neutral preamp I heard in my life and for D90 III discrete Is a must. Maybe only Benchmark LA4 is the alternative, but much more expensive.
@@marcinwasilewski5414 thank you for such a great overview of preamps.
@@Soundnews Thank you for your reply, I only wanted to know what you used as a preamp, don't think you telling us what you used would harm you in any way :)
@@marcinwasilewski5414 it's interesting but it seems Ladder Bach, Musician Monoceros and Denafrips Hestia is all the same unit just different badges, no?
SU-10 vs this one?
So far this is top dog
Looks like APOS has the Flagship on sale for $1100 and there is a referb for $1039...those seem like a steal no?
Still waiting for a worthy successor of the D70s. Seems Topping has lost its way after the AKM fire and Gustard took over with more convincing and ´high end´ designs/builds (SMSL for me more or less the same as Topping, no more lineair power supplies to be found)
Do you prefer the D90 III Discrete to the DX9?
How does D90 Discrete compare to Cyan 2?
The other reviewer on UA-cam. The European guy with the long hair voted them as top dacs equally he cannot pick one or the other
The Guy with long air 😃👍
@@stephencosta6814 lol I’m not sure who you are referencing
ua-cam.com/video/32HbP-6CUZ0/v-deo.htmlsi=Djc6ni_dDLRR-eEq
@@stephencosta6814 iiWi Reviews. He has done plenty videos on DACs.
have you tested the new gustard x26 iii?
We don't want to spoil my next DAC review, don't we? 😉
It´s already clear the x26 3 will be a MUCH better dac 😊
Fosi, SMSL & Topping etc sure are giving the overpriced boutique guys a good run for the money
Interesting that the d90 discrete has been out at the same time as the d90 iii… yet all reviewers reviewed first the iii, then concluded the discrete was better
♥
👍🌟👍
At this point i will simply not purchase a dac. As months later sandu will declare a better one.
I have it , it is lifeless, not so organic compared to my reference NAIM DAC.
I thought so when reading between the lines
Chord Mojo 2 still better. Thank me later.
Chord Mojo... 😅 LMAO!