this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2023
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Hi everyone!

I recently saw the new Topping DX9 pop up for sale and I'm wondering how it fares against the D70 Pro Sabre + A70 Pro stack. It would be great to get your opinions and insights to help get a good consensus on this. Both offerings have very similar price points (around $1,200) and overall specs, but they both have unique pros and cons.

Here's a quick rundown of what I've found:

Offering 1: Topping D70 Pro Sabre + A70 Pro

Pros:

  1. Proven Quality: It's been produced for a while and has been heavily reviewed, so the QC is most likely better than a brand-new product, and there are many reviewers advocating for the quality of the system.
  2. R2R: Most people seem to say that an R2R DAC sounds better than a delta-sigma one.
  3. Compact: Takes up less desk space, which is great for smaller setups.

Cons:

  1. Basic Design: It doesn't stand out much in terms of aesthetics, however, some may prefer this.

Offering 2: Topping DX9

Pros:

  1. Cool Design: It has a very stylish look with a transparent top and cool LEDs.
  2. Limited Edition: It being a limited edition run might be something some people are interested in, and seems to be pretty unique.
  3. Brand New: Latest release with potentially the newest technology.
  4. All-in-One: Convenient, though it being an all-in-one might be a downside for some.

Cons:

  1. Limited Reviews: Not many reviews are available yet, so it's hard to gauge its performance and opinions on how it sounds.
  2. Delta-Sigma DAC: According to some it might not match the R2R in terms of the sound quality, but I feel like there isn't much of a consensus on R2R vs Delta Sigma.
  3. New Release QC Concerns: Being new, it might face initial QC challenges that are typical with new releases, as the production process hasn't had as much time to mature.
  4. Larger Size: Requires more desk space.

Any insights, especially from those who have experience with either of these models, would be greatly appreciated!

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[–] amynias@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Hello I own this stack, A70 Pro + D70 Pro Sabre, and I love it. The FFT and VU displays are really nice and I love the port selection, I use the balanced 4 pin XLR port with my Meze Empyreans a lot.

[–] antagron1@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Have you had any cutout issues with the a70? I have an rme dac and the amp cuts frequently. Also the vu meter barely budges. How is yours setup ? What volume are you set to on the dac side?

[–] zZINCc@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I had cut outs for my first hour or 2 of listening every 10 or so minutes. It stopped after that and is smooth sailing.

[–] antagron1@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Interesting. Did you change anything or is this “burn in”? A lot of people were suggesting it was DC / low frequency protection kicking in

[–] zZINCc@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I changed the outlet but I have no clue if that did anything. I was planning on doing a return if it continued but I have about 20 hours on them after it.

[–] antagron1@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Did that have an immediate impact or did it kind of fade out over time?

[–] zZINCc@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] antagron1@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

I will try that then!