#1 There is nothing simple about a turntable receiver and speakers. The OP must have no experience with cartridges, tonearms, turntables and phono preamps, the best of which will have an overall cost of at least 2x the best DAC.
#2 Whoever mentioned that it's not really about the DAC chip, but about implementation, is absolutely correct. The best wolfsons and burr browns can still compete given the proper circuitry engineering. Manufacturers have put in a lot of time money and effort to develop and utilize them over time. The newer dac chips may just me more adaptable to changing times and easier/cheaper to utilize properly. Needless to say that newer chips are more future proof, hence, more practical to buy.
#3 My CA Azur 851N uses dual AD1955 and I'm completely happy with it as a streamer (preamp mode sucks for some reason connected straight to a power amp) but I'm researching the topping D90 vs the Node 2i for a friend so here I am. The comments about the AK4499 chip in the Topping DAC reminds me a lot about the consumer feedback on the CA Azur 851N. Lots of air, wall to wall sound, incredible staging, punchy, not slouchy, etc. It makes me want to believe that chips with this AK4499 is superior but I'm sure its success is based much more in its implementation. I am just wondering if the bluetooth function of the topping d90 dac will work as well as vs connected to a streamer like the node 21 or azur 581n....
#2 Whoever mentioned that it's not really about the DAC chip, but about implementation, is absolutely correct. The best wolfsons and burr browns can still compete given the proper circuitry engineering. Manufacturers have put in a lot of time money and effort to develop and utilize them over time. The newer dac chips may just me more adaptable to changing times and easier/cheaper to utilize properly. Needless to say that newer chips are more future proof, hence, more practical to buy.
#3 My CA Azur 851N uses dual AD1955 and I'm completely happy with it as a streamer (preamp mode sucks for some reason connected straight to a power amp) but I'm researching the topping D90 vs the Node 2i for a friend so here I am. The comments about the AK4499 chip in the Topping DAC reminds me a lot about the consumer feedback on the CA Azur 851N. Lots of air, wall to wall sound, incredible staging, punchy, not slouchy, etc. It makes me want to believe that chips with this AK4499 is superior but I'm sure its success is based much more in its implementation. I am just wondering if the bluetooth function of the topping d90 dac will work as well as vs connected to a streamer like the node 21 or azur 581n....