Pathetic range of Topping remote

jl35

Thanks, I guess they all use the same stuff so I'll have to make a mess with a repeater. I see lots of "best" you-tubes on repeaters but not a single one did any testing of range or even if the frequencies match. I am used to my TV. AVR, DVD, STB, etc that work across wall bounces from across the room. I thought IR problems had been worked out 10 years ago. 

Jeff, 

I think RME might object to being called a cheap brand as they are a semi-pro  company out of Germany.  A step above Focusrite and two above Behringer. They have wider distribution through folks like Sweetwater. Their DAC is about $1200 which I do not consider cheap. Not boutique, but not cheap. My JDS is cheap.@ $99. An Apple dongle is cheap @ $9.   Both good DACs. 

Topping and SMSL are of course the 800 pound CH-FI gorillas, though they make $1000 products now so cheap may not be a good blanket statement anymore. The DX3... is cheap at $200. Fit and finish is now quite good and at least this one did not have the compatibility issues or the glitches the ones I tried a couple years ago had.  4 went back to Amazon. Reason: "crap"  That is when I bought my Schiit and JDS. It is at least good enough that after reducing the input by 3 dB, they don't have the old cursed "digital edge".  High end headphone users may think their resolution is lacking, but not sure on speakers there is much difference.   But what do I know. I only listen to them instead of reading hyperbola on slick sheets and of course they must sound terrible as a 6 inch generic USB cable can't possibly compete with a 1M cable made of mono-crystal-directional 9-9's silver  that costs $50,000. They don't even have a tube in them.  🤣

Not suggesting there are not better sounding DACs. There are for sure are though get a bit pricy.   Chord,  Denafrips, Mola Mola, etc.  I am on the fence if I can justify 2K for a DAC  no matter how good it is.  Maybe. But then I have to buy a preamp with a remote and extra stages don't improve the sound. 

@jeffrey125 

I deleted my earlier post as some may have been offended by my use of "cheap". I meant economical or entry level.

There's trend going on that some words are more harsh then the others. For example you can't say "short" to a person -- you need to say "vertically challenged".

That's how stupidity becomes part of language.

Aside from SQ, Topping's (even the higher end model like D90 variation) menu and operation is primitive / inconvenient and the remote is notorious.  One needs to point directly to the unit within, say, 6-7 ft in order to activate it.  Almost all the models prior to E70 Velvet sound analytical and flat without much SS depth. I had its entry-level models E30 and E50 but sold / return them both.  I also return E70 Velvet because of its poor remote control.

I see one SMSL advertising the remote works over 9 meters.  I gather than means they understand the problem and choose poor performance on other products. 

@czarivey +1

Mike