To negotiate the best possible price for our customers, we agree to hide prices prior to logging in.
3.1K requests
·
576 Sold
Product Description
Praised on Head-Fi as a great value DAC to build a system around, the Topping D30 is easy to use and easy to love. It features the highly regarded Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC chip—along with WIMA, EPCOS, and Nichicon FW capacitors and the OPA2134 high-fidelity opamp—and supports DSD64, DSD128, and PCM formats up to 24 bit/192 kHz Read More
I had a small issue to overcome with this DAC since it was meant for US audience it came with a powerbrick that had a US plug. Luckily the power brick can take 230V with just a minor (absolutely safe I promise) mod to the plug. After getting this sorted the DAC works perfectly. In my case I also had to add a ground loop isolator between this DAC and my amp because of a buzz issue. USB drivers seem to work fine even tho the Topping software doesn't see the unit properly. The build quality is great for the price with those awesome clanky switches in the front. (you will want to flip them even tho you really don't need to) All and All I think this was a great buy for how cheap it was.
This DAC sounds great and is very solidly put together. I was expecting that, given other reviews. The added bonus was how well this connects to all my computers. I have an older DAC that sounds great, but can be temperamental with connecting to my computers, especially when I keep switching it around between my laptop, desktop etc. This D30 has no issue whatsoever, in exactly the same setup. I’m really pleased with it.
Bear with me here, it's a great DAC but there's a catch to the worth of the D30.
I've owned the 30 stack from Topping for the past year. Other than being a drop product with the actual product shipped caveats, there were no issues whatsoever (Drop shipped me a US version of both the DAC and amp power bricks, now for the DAC it would be easy enough to find another, but as they both feature 220V/110V and 50-60hz I just plugged them into adapters. P.S. I couldn't really find an adapter for the A30, that power plug is so weird).
For what it's worth, that 95 bucks for each of them is a pretty decent deal. I really enjoy the stack, I've been using a pair of DT 1990 Pros and Meze 99 Noirs, also Tin T2s and NuForce EDC and been loving every second.
The only downside to the DAC is that drop doesn't feature it in black.
Now, to the actual point - why should you NOT get this? If you're looking just for a DAC and already have an amp, this is a great product in my opinion, for the price. If you don't, however, you'll probably be looking to get the A30 alongside it because they're sort of supposed to compliment each other as a stack, and while they do, Topping has the DX3 Pro (which also got a revised LDAC version), which as far as I can tell is pretty much identical in terms of quality, plus it has Bluetooth, an extra coaxial port and a much easier to deal with power supply. Sadly I didn't do enough research when I bought my stack (bought it after I got the Beyers and my E10K couldn't really cope with those at all)
I bought the A30 headphone amp.
Used with Sennheiser HD650's and the Grace SDAC. Great value for money, would recommend to all.
As noted elsewhere, the power supply makeoff - DIN into the amp - isn't the most robust out there, and is pretty much the only thing that lets the overall build quality down.
Been wondering about the Burson opamp upgrade for a while, grabbed some on the recent Massdrop.
Installed this afternoon.
Now, in the big picture, keep in mind this is US$100 piece of kit.
Before the upgrade, I rate the A30 at
Value for money: 4.8/5 (ie if you need an headamp, just buy it! ;)
Overall sound quality: 4/5 (solid bass and mids, a little edgy at the top end, reasonable sound stage).
I was, TBH, dubious as to how much improvement could be wrung from opamps costing 50% of the original purchase - does the combo really (remain) competitive at the (my cost) US$150 price point?
I'm sitting here listening to the upgrade now - having spent the afternoon swapping between the original and Burson opamps.
The upgrade doesn't knock your socks off: the amp still does all the good things it did before.
But it does them better.
And it has vastly fewer "weak points".
Bass "slam" and definition are significantly improved: the bass line and drums on Dire Straits - When It Comes To You - now "drives" beautifully (and I'm a bass-head...) - well defined, tuneful -heck, this is the old Naim "Pace, Rhythm and Timing" to a tee.
On a "big" system, I'd equate it to upgrading a 50 WPC amp to a 200 WPC from the same brand: everything sounds the same but.. - not louder, just waaaay more controlled.
At the same time it's not sterile - just a little laid back.
The midrange has opened up a little but is still very much the same.
"Ambience" / soundstage are much the same on my kit.
Then there's the treble.
Wow.
Just. Wow.
95% of sibilance is gone, the treble by comparison is now seamless c.f. the mids - and extended.
The HD650's aren't the most revealing of headphones - in my opinion, they have too much of the "Sennheiser house sound" for that - but (keeping in mind 50 yr old ears!) this is both the most extended and seamless treble I've ever heard from any Senn's in 34 years of ownership (1985: HD540 Reference II's).
Summary:
The upgrade results in a slightly more "laid back" sound over the original opamps, probably due at least in part to the reduction of sibilance in the treble and more apparent control.
Sound overall is significantly more controlled, great bass and just "sounds bigger".
The best thing I can say about the Burson upgrade is: knowing what I do now, I'd spend the money again in an instant.
Value for money on the combo is around 4.5/5 - but the sound quality improvement - also now around 4.5/5 overall - more than justifies the expenditure in my book.
If you already own an A30, this is, in my opinion, an outstanding upgrade.
I bought the PA3 and have been enjoying it. Good little amp. The cord on the power brick is not very robust, kind of thin, but it has been powering two old Boston Acoustics bookshelf speakers for me at work quite admirably.
theupandcomingtoo bad the PA3 has a quite notable hiss that comes as a floor noise, probably given by its high gain. In a setup close to the ears it is easily hearable from 3 feet with no source playing.
past this issue the amp sounds crispy and very dynamic
I have a USB audio interface that routes to this thing which then outputs to my headphones AND speakers. The fact that I can use both a single pair of headphones and speakers simultaneously is a huge plus. My AKG K550 mkII headphones work great for professional work, I swear they're reaching their full spectrum with this thing. My ATH-M50x also work well and music is excellent with this thing. It's also breathes new life into my old speakers, which I did not think was possible.
Recommend if you have a particular setup/use-case like I do.
The only DAC that I’ll ever need. The D30 provides fantastic, clean sound without “getting in the way.” I prefer this to Schiit Modi MB at less than half the price.