Topping took their best DAC, they upgraded its USB interface with the latest XMOS chip, they added a full MQA decoder and charged only an extra $100 for that...Topping D90 MQA feels like a love letter to music lovers and streaming heads around the world. At $799, Topping (again) raised the bar and proved that high-end sonics could be achieved even at less than $1000, grumpy audiophiles this one is for you. If you are a streaming nut as I am, there isn’t a better unit than this one.
Topping E30 is such an overachiever in every possible way that I can’t tell you enough how awesome it is at such an attractive price point. Putting my objective opinions behind, I can tell you that I liked it more than some pricier digital sources (DACs and DAPs) from the land of the red dragon. E30 is small, cute and really cheap but once you connect it to a serious system, it starts blooming and showing all its awesome skills.
MrSpeakers’ ETHER 2 epitomises reference-grade; uncoloured, undramatised and pristine in all respects. In an era where wow factor reigns supreme, Dan Clarke and co. have crafted a headphone with a stunningly clear voice – one that lets the music do the talking. Despite how innately it belongs in the professional’s toolbox, the ETHER 2 is compelling for audiophiles as well. Its low-end is one of the most defined, resolved and balanced I’ve heard; as mesmerising to listen to on kick drum stems as they are on Top 40 bass drops. The midrange offers a peak inside the vocal booth with zero fluff. And, the treble is as refined as the intricately-layered soundscape it occupies.
Dan Clark Audio...focuses on building products that provide incredible performance, comfort, reliability, and value. These are just the types of products that the audio community on Apos has come to appreciate and we are thrilled to partner with another great audio brand.
SMSL SP200:Â This little unit surprised me so many times already as it sounded almost as detailed as HPA4 and actually in terms of frequency response it surpasses the THX-789 because the sub-bass is better, goes lower and has a better sustain. ...Soundstage size is about on the same level with THX-789 and only sometimes I felt it smaller in size and cozier somehow. All in all, SP200 amazed me how energetic and punchy it can be and how close to HPA4 it can sound at only a small tiny fraction of its price. This one has the best value of them all and probably the best value of any desktop headphone amp as of right now.
This is my first contact with Gustard and I hope it will not be my last. DAC-A22 shown to me that if you know how, musical and smooth sounding sources can still be made with flagship D/S chips too. I had absolutely nothing to reproach in the frequency response as from the lowest to the highest octaves, everything was preserved clean, defined and transparent. I consider it having an amazing tonal balance, offering a warmer and heavier tonality, add that impressive holographic image, a wide soundstage on all axes, a smoother presentation and you could listen to music all day long without any listening fatigue. ...I consider it a really affordable solution and a no-brainer in a speaker setup.Â