Thanks to a friend of mine who bought the Topping A90/D90 MQA stack, I got to spend a week with the D90 MQA. I had another friend's A90 for the same week (this was my second run with the A90, an amp of which I am very fond - volume knob shenanigans and all). Thank goodness the D90 MQA does not have a volume knob, hopefully this will help avoid derailing the discussion.
I had read that the D90 MQA is a clean, neutral DAC that tells the story like it is. Although my immediate impressions were slightly different, perhaps coloured by my preconceived thoughts of the AKM4499, having spent some time with the DAC I can wholeheartedly agree with this description. In fact, as you'll notice further in, I found it a little too neutral for my preferences. This is not a bad thing by any means, I am probably all by my lonesome in the lonely corner with such blasphemy, ah well, so be it - I blame it on my love for R2R DACs.
The D90 MQA's strong suit is definitely detail.. and then some. This thing picks out details from the music with ease - so much so, that it makes such a feat seem commonplace amongst DACs under $1k - which is certainly not the case. I'm a bit of a detail junkie, so I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the DAC. I won't get started on micro detail, because it is amongst the best I have experienced in this regard, and coupled with the A90 (volume knob and all), it was absolutely stunning to listen to. In comparison to my R28, it did not have quite the same stage and air around instruments - I don't know how to express this in better words, but the R28 has a grace and elegance about it that the D90 MQA does not quite match. That said, I don't think the D90 MQA could care less, that's not what it is looking for in life.. it's a no-nonsense, "if you don't like me then got outta my way" kinda DAC, and to close this line of thinking, the stage was plenty.
I should also add that the D90 MQA is quite unlike any other DAC I have heard. It occupies its own space. In terms of the pecking order of my favourite DACs, I place it comfortably at position 3, behind the R28 and REM ADI-2. If I didn't have such a predisposition for R2R warmth, it would easily occupy position 2 behind the RME. Other DACs I have owned or spent time with include the Wadia 121, Audio GD R2R-11, Deckard, Topping DX7S, Airist R2R, Audio GD R28, Burson HA160D, and one or two others I can't think of right now. So I'm comparing the D90 MQA to a spread of DACs from $500 up to $1300 RRP.
Next up, that contentious 3 letter acronym. M. Q. A. Well honestly speaking I could not hear a difference between MQA and non-MQA. I am getting on and I do have a few grey hairs, so perhaps my ears ain't what they used to be. However, this experience did end my romance with MQA. I now consider it a nice to have and not much more. It's not something I would go out my way to look for in a DAC. I understand many will disagree but note that I mentioned "I could not hear a difference", and that is the basis of my new outlook on MQA. I have no definitive opinion on the technology yet, if anything, I'm happy its around, as variety is the spice of life. I just know that I could not tell MQA and non-MQA music apart.
If there's any interest in the music genres that caressed the D90's circuitry, it was mostly rock, pop and EDM. There was some hard rock and metal thrown in for good measure as well. It handled anything I threw at it with ease. Headphones were the Auteur, 800S, 650 and Purple Heart. Surprisingly, the star of the show was the 650, followed closely by the Auteur and Purple Heart. The Topping stack completely lifted the veil on the 650 and made them sing beautifully.
Closing thoughts
The D90 MQA is a great DAC and even though it is not cheap, I would be hard-pressed to believe a better DAC can be bought at the $800 price point. It's clean and transparent, it delivers low end and mids with convincing authority, and while the treble area extends really well, it may be a bit bright for some. Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Stage and imaging are superb, not quite up there with the R28 and RME ADI-2, but superb none-the-less. It's a pretty neutral DAC, which many will love and prefer, but if like me, you prefer a warmer R2R type of sound, then I would suggest listening before you buy. However, if you like a clean, neutral sounding DAC with plenty of detail and all the IO ports you could desire, then it's an easy recommendation.
Pros
No volume knob
Neutral
Detail for days
Cons
Price
Pretty neutral (just putting this here for the guys who prefer warmer DACs)
Does not have quite the grace or elegance of the R28 and RME ADI-2 (but as I mentioned, I don't think this is it's aim in life)
I had read that the D90 MQA is a clean, neutral DAC that tells the story like it is. Although my immediate impressions were slightly different, perhaps coloured by my preconceived thoughts of the AKM4499, having spent some time with the DAC I can wholeheartedly agree with this description. In fact, as you'll notice further in, I found it a little too neutral for my preferences. This is not a bad thing by any means, I am probably all by my lonesome in the lonely corner with such blasphemy, ah well, so be it - I blame it on my love for R2R DACs.
The D90 MQA's strong suit is definitely detail.. and then some. This thing picks out details from the music with ease - so much so, that it makes such a feat seem commonplace amongst DACs under $1k - which is certainly not the case. I'm a bit of a detail junkie, so I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the DAC. I won't get started on micro detail, because it is amongst the best I have experienced in this regard, and coupled with the A90 (volume knob and all), it was absolutely stunning to listen to. In comparison to my R28, it did not have quite the same stage and air around instruments - I don't know how to express this in better words, but the R28 has a grace and elegance about it that the D90 MQA does not quite match. That said, I don't think the D90 MQA could care less, that's not what it is looking for in life.. it's a no-nonsense, "if you don't like me then got outta my way" kinda DAC, and to close this line of thinking, the stage was plenty.
I should also add that the D90 MQA is quite unlike any other DAC I have heard. It occupies its own space. In terms of the pecking order of my favourite DACs, I place it comfortably at position 3, behind the R28 and REM ADI-2. If I didn't have such a predisposition for R2R warmth, it would easily occupy position 2 behind the RME. Other DACs I have owned or spent time with include the Wadia 121, Audio GD R2R-11, Deckard, Topping DX7S, Airist R2R, Audio GD R28, Burson HA160D, and one or two others I can't think of right now. So I'm comparing the D90 MQA to a spread of DACs from $500 up to $1300 RRP.
Next up, that contentious 3 letter acronym. M. Q. A. Well honestly speaking I could not hear a difference between MQA and non-MQA. I am getting on and I do have a few grey hairs, so perhaps my ears ain't what they used to be. However, this experience did end my romance with MQA. I now consider it a nice to have and not much more. It's not something I would go out my way to look for in a DAC. I understand many will disagree but note that I mentioned "I could not hear a difference", and that is the basis of my new outlook on MQA. I have no definitive opinion on the technology yet, if anything, I'm happy its around, as variety is the spice of life. I just know that I could not tell MQA and non-MQA music apart.
If there's any interest in the music genres that caressed the D90's circuitry, it was mostly rock, pop and EDM. There was some hard rock and metal thrown in for good measure as well. It handled anything I threw at it with ease. Headphones were the Auteur, 800S, 650 and Purple Heart. Surprisingly, the star of the show was the 650, followed closely by the Auteur and Purple Heart. The Topping stack completely lifted the veil on the 650 and made them sing beautifully.
Closing thoughts
The D90 MQA is a great DAC and even though it is not cheap, I would be hard-pressed to believe a better DAC can be bought at the $800 price point. It's clean and transparent, it delivers low end and mids with convincing authority, and while the treble area extends really well, it may be a bit bright for some. Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Stage and imaging are superb, not quite up there with the R28 and RME ADI-2, but superb none-the-less. It's a pretty neutral DAC, which many will love and prefer, but if like me, you prefer a warmer R2R type of sound, then I would suggest listening before you buy. However, if you like a clean, neutral sounding DAC with plenty of detail and all the IO ports you could desire, then it's an easy recommendation.
Pros
No volume knob
Neutral
Detail for days
Cons
Price
Pretty neutral (just putting this here for the guys who prefer warmer DACs)
Does not have quite the grace or elegance of the R28 and RME ADI-2 (but as I mentioned, I don't think this is it's aim in life)
