Turn Topping D90 (non-MQA) into Roon Endpoint

Audio Gear Talk
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My bedroom headphones system uses a Topping D90 (non-MQA) DAC for D/A duties. Currently I’m using my Cayin N6ii DAP as a source via I2S. It works extremely well. Once I have a Roon system, I’d like to replace the portable DAP with a Roon Endpoint.

Input options on the D90 are: coax, optical, I2S, USB and AES.

Is a an economic way of getting a Roon Endpoint (Bridge?) connected to my Topping D90 DAC that also provides a high quality connection to the DAC that would match my current DAP’s I2S connection to the D90? An RPi 4 board perhaps with HAT? I’ve looked at Pi2AES Pro Audio Shield but the costs mount up when power supplies and Pi are added, and there’s a general lack of availability.

Or just go for a Pi 4B and use the USB output into the D90?

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The Pi2AES is very good but on short supply, so for now this is what I would do. You always can “upgrade” the Pi4 with a HAT at a later time.

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Start with an RPi4 and just feed it via USB. You really don’t need a hat…

What you SHOULD consider, however, is the official 7" touchscreen to have a nice display and basic transport controls when running RoPieee on it. There are several good and inexpensive case options for RPi4 with the touchscreen, too…

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There is a Topping compatible Pi4 HAT available from Audiophonics in France. You can do that or you can buy their adaptation of the finished product, the RaspTouch. I’d load Ropieee on the Pi4 and you should get a rock solid Roon End Point as a consequence.

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-and-interfaces-for-raspberry-pi/ak4118-digital-interface-spdif-i2s-hdmi-lvds-raspberry-pi-3-pi-4-p-14255.html

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/network-audio-players-rasptouch/rasptouch-digital-ak4118-touch-streamer-spdif-i2s-hdmi-lvds-pi-4-384khz-dop128-p-15239.html

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That interface looks like it would be a great solution. Audiophonics needs a minimum order of 160 Euro for UK customers, thanks to Brexit :frowning: I’ve found a very similar one on Ali Express which might work too.

Thanks for the suggestion!

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I wasn’t aware of the minimum order! But it is good that alternatives are out there I guess.

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Nowerdays in using a RPi4 I’ll will not see any advantages in using a HAT with the Topping DAC.
With a direct USB connection you can use e.g. DSD512 and with the HAT “only” until DSD128.

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That is fine if you can upsample or if you want to. As someone who has used i2S I can also understand why he may want to stick with that format. And of course it doesn’t hurt to compare and choose between the two for yourself. A HAT won’t break the bank.

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Upsampling was only an example.
We’d here some discussions about using I2S or USB and my meaning is, that there aren’t differences in using an “I2S-HAT” with digital out or using directly USB output to the DAC.
But sure: Other people thinking and hearing in another way…

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Found the exact board on Ali-Express and ordered it alongside a couple of linear PSU’s for other things.

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