Loaner: Topping D70 DAC

Discussion in 'Closed Loaners' started by purr1n, Jun 6, 2020.

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  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Anyone interested in this? (FYI, it does not come with batteries for the remote - I had to supply my own).

    If not enough people are interested, I would then solicit donations. If we can get enough donations to cover what we could sell for this (and I doubt much), I'd rather send this to @LetMeBeFrank for destruction. The other option is to return it and replenish our coffers, but I feel that would be ethically wrong.
     
  2. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    Returning could be *rationally* better. But I am kinda wondering (and hoping) if the loaner tour could combine D70 and Modius together. It's true we mostly don't like T but not many of us have apple to apple side by side comparison experience. I believe the more we have firsthand experience, the higher SNR our criticism would obtain -- as a whole forum.

    Even if that can't be the case this time, I am interested anyway. I want to investigate D70 by myself with comparing it with my dx3.

    Phiadelphia, PA
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2020
  3. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

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    I also think a return in this case would be a little ethically wrong... but rhetorically:
    - Is asking for money from people here for what many would consider "antics by Topping" (+ ASR depending on view) 100% good ethics (basically good money after bad)?
    - Do they have a restocking fee to compensate themselves for this already?
    - If they've made it this far as a business selling consumer products... I'm sure they already expect X% of "dumb" returns, which includes "I just don't like it".

    - If it were me - I'd ask for a return but disclose that you didn't like product and took measurements, etc.
    - If you're still (understandably) against a return or they reject the return - maybe up the ante - get the $90 Topping that supposedly measures well, add in a Modi or the new Modius, maybe another inexpensive but competent DAC like SDAC or one of the cheaper ifi (specifically b/c these use TI chips for the whole "chip debate"), then do a loaner tour. Use this like your measurements of D70 to help fight the disinformation... or maybe it shows us that we ARE overly biased, etc.
    EDIT: Vtory and I are on similar page

    IMO destruction of this is not $500 of SBAF funds entertaining... even if we blow it up, run it over with weird stuff, shoot it, etc.
     
  4. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    I love this idea. As long as both DACs can be in a small box.
     
  5. pure5152

    pure5152 Friend

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    I'm actually down to listen to this. I'll have a modius by early next week, and it'd be interesting to do a comparison.

    I'm in Berkeley, CA until Friday, June 14th, and then I'll be in Irvine, CA until July, then back in Berkeley (hopefully)
     
  6. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    So... Who's actually signing up for this? Perhaps return is warranted.
     
  7. Melvillian

    Melvillian Friend

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    I guess I’m in lol Not really looking for a D/S DAC but it’ll be a good opportunity to listen to more gear and learn.
     
  8. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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  9. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    I'd be willing to put it through my standard measurement suite.
     
  10. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

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    I would not be personally interested but suggested the above as ideas for SBAF as a whole - especially b/c so many elsewhere or casual lurkers accuse us (along with all other forums) of bias, etc.

    Personally, I would rather $500 go towards something that people are wanting to buy but is expensive+new enough that we aren't just jumping on it.
     
  11. Baten

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    Seems like a waste for a mere D70 :D too good of a treatment.

    I'd be more genuinely interested in an AK4499 one like the D90 or SMSL M400.
     
  12. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Returning this item, but without leaving any negative feedback on Amazon just to be fair. (It should be noted that the first few early reviews of this item look dubious). I can live with myself because I gave it an honest shot and would have been happy had it been competitive enough to pass around to SBAF members. However, there's not enough people interested to justify a loaner, and no one willing to pay to make a documented destruction for laughs. This item is too "meh" for anyone to care about unlike the Orcas.

    Would it be good to pass around so get more ears on it? Maybe, but I think the benefit / cost is very low. We're late to the party and anyone who was curious about Topping probably already got one. We have enough experience now where we know what's going to happen when I'm not excited about a product in any way. I'm not the type to let the bias get to me and have shown time and time again that I will eat it if I am proven wrong. It wasn't even my magic eight ball, but our collective magic balls that told us this would be meh. I guess I was a little surprised that this was actually worse than meh. So I already know this will be a waste of your guys' time. @atomicbob: I will at least send you the JDS Atom.

    I'd rather get our treasure chest money back and purchase a Fostex T50RP to show people how to get a neutral sound signature via simple mods like what I did for HD650 KISS. I haven't found more tonally even closed-back headphones than those yet.
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2020
  13. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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    Yes.
     
  14. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    I guess I am in.

    Too many others outside of this forum saying they love Topping gear. Once dude says only Yiggy bests his D90.
     
  15. bboris77

    bboris77 Friend

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    I really like my D70....don't throw things at me please, I cannot help what I like :)
     
  16. insidious meme

    insidious meme Ambivalent Kumquat

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    Or put it against getting that Forssell mdac-2a you were looking at getting in the Prism Callia thread.
     
  17. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    You would also need to include something like the mini DSP EARS or 3Dio FS or something similar to test with. Tuning by ear is only going to get you so far.

    Any way to put the something like the mini DSP EARS in the loaner library for those that want to do a few things but don't have the cash and would be lying around after said project was done? Just throwing ideas around.
     
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