Thanks for this interesting and necessary observation i did not see...

I also own a Fosi low cost amp and happy...

That video is over three years old. One of the latest from Jay is his love of Fosi Audio from his trip to Apoxna and they're all made in China. So there's that to consider. 

All the best,
Nonoise

Thanks for this interesting video...

First; Jay’s said " the chinese dac sound incredibly good for their price"..

Second: he sell them because as a reviewer he claim they sound too much the same ( designed in the same mold in a way which fact is not surprizing: how do you make incredibly good dac for a given price, if not by discovering the same good recipe ? You dont add tubes or 2R2 architecture for sure... )

Third: Anybody  know it will not be a good idea to use a low cost Chinese Dac so good it could be  for the price with  a 10,000 bucks speakers and a 10,000 bucks amplifier and pre-amp...( the difference between dac design quality is audible then a dac price must match some price level synergy with other gear pieces price)

What any reviewer never said:

Never mind the price , what you hear most of the time as defect or qualities did not come for the most part from the separated gear piece but from the system as a whole working in a specific room, controlled room or not, for a specific pair of ears...

And no reviewer will say that acoustics matter more than any gear under review he wish to sell to stay in business...

Jay’s is like any other reviewer... Truth can be said but only  under this  acoustics restriction...

Who want to study acoustic basics  and experiment ? Almost no one because of lack of time, lack of dedicated room, and anyway, an acoustician cost more for his time  and materials than most gear system...

Acoustics matter more than a dac at any price...Chinese or not....

And As Jay’s say wisely, standardization process, visible in the Chinese dac specs resembling one another, will not define high end for sure, but will serve purpose for those who look for good sound at low cost price...

My low cost speakers system satisfy me for my need...

If i want high end i go to my headphone AKG K340...

Here my chinese dac match well and best my K340 needs for a leaner sound.. it is called synergy...

What matter is what is denied or underestimated by objectivists sticking to their tech specs or subjectivist sticking to their "taste", it is acoustics concepts and parameters use by an audiophile who learn how to use them. Period. This is not in Jay’s video. And it will never be even if he review acoustics panels sold  as the ultimate solution.Panels dont replace all acoustics concepts and needs.Sorry.

Here’s one posted opinion about selling off all his trove of Chinese DACs as expressed by a YouTube reviewer. Take away what you will from it …just sayin’…

 

https://youtu.be/cwO4tje9QmY?feature=shared

It is because i can hear the difference between my 2 actual dac that i propose to anyone instead of buying new dac, masterclass in acoustics instead of audio masterclass...

the difference between actual dac technology exist for sure, i can hear them in my low cost system, but does not compare to acoustics parameters variations and  differences at all ...

All factors matter but there exist a priority order : acoustics before upgrading wheel....

I did not say nor claim myself  that nobody can hear difference between dac especially from different design...

My chinese HIDIZS dac is more detailed than my more organic french NOS dac TDA 1543 By Christophe Mariac...

But i said that it is way more wise to experiment with acoustics parameters and learn basic concepts than buying "upgrading" dac :

Audio Masterclass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOOHneFYGYA

i dont have topping dac, i own a french NOS dac and a Hidiz dac...

And a very costly dac as you suggested dont couple well with low cost products...

i am interested more  by acoustics basic than by gear pieces...budget command and knowledge beat upgrades if not it replace it with a satisfying alternative.

@mahgister : "

"Wise post!
I dont need to write anything more..."

And then......?
Seriously though, rather than look at poor Topping Dacs, if you want to look at real high quality Chinese Dacs look at Audio Music Dac/1.

i am very happy with my Douk Chinese  tube pre-amp  equalizer at a peanuts cost with 7 tones control...

I am very happy with my Hidiz AP 80 pro dac+equalizer+ music files bank at a peanuts cost right now...

 I am very happy with my  battery headphone amp Fosi for my second pair of headphone (movies documentary) at peanuts cost...

 I own   powered Edifier low cost speakers also a Chinese product...

My room acoustics and headphone modification and synergy make my system  at low cost totally satisfying for my needs...

I am very picky about sound quality, the reason why i concentrate on acoustics for years of experiment...

China is not another planet, only a "new" player which had 5,000 years of history and engineering...

My music listening is primary my optimized headphone AKG K340, German top design of the golden era, and incidentaly  modified speakers in near field with acoustics room controls (Helmholtz resonators Schuman generators  etc)...

Acoustics rules.

Wise post!

I dont need to write anything more...

I learned long ago when I could still hear well that electronics account for a small part of one’s sound compared to transducers and room acoustics. But like most of us I like nice things, so I have gone through many amps, preamps, CD players, etc. 

DACs seem like a problem solved. My SMSL DO200Pro ($400) does me fine.  Even with tariffs it will still be a bargain. 

I had a french NOS dac  and a low cost chinese one Hidz pro 80...

Each has his synergy with one or the other of my 2 system...

 Synergy of the dac with amp and pre-amp  beat the country of design and even price  as decisive factors in my experience ....Especially in low cost system gear as mine...