Over thirty-five years after the first 'offboard' DACs arrived on the scene, the market for digital-to-analogue converters continues to go from strength to strength. However, today's stuff is very different from those vintage late eighties Arcams and Audio Alchemys. We're no longer talking 16-bit, 48kHz processing ceilings from bought-in Philips four times oversampling, multi-bit chips. Today, you're looking at the likes of this – the Topping Electronics and Technology Company Ltd.'s new D90 III Sabre DAC. It packs one ESS ES9039SPRO per channel into its very compact casework; this is ESS's latest flagship DAC chip and offers up to 32-bit, 768kHz PCM and DSD1024 processing with very wide claimed dynamic range and very low total harmonic distortion figures. The D90 III also decodes MQA, should that be important to you.

So, the Topping is the very epitome of a reasonably affordable, modern, high-quality DAC. Made in China, it sports a smooth-to-the-touch anodised aluminium case and a small but readable display – plus a rotary control which usually operates as a volume knob. The latter is fitted because, as is so often the case these days, this is effectively a DAC/preamplifier – allowing the user the luxury of not having to buy a separate preamp or other such gain control. That makes it a powerful little bit of kit – just plug a digital audio source, such as a streamer or CD transport, into one end and a power amp into the other, and it becomes the heart of a modern music system.

Despite its diminutive dimensions of 45x220x160mm, it has good connectivity. You get both coaxial and optical digital inputs, plus I2S via HDMI or AES-EBU, USB and Bluetooth. Regarding outputs, there is a choice of RCA phonos or balanced XLRs. Unusually for a compact product such as this, there's an IEC power input next to a small master power switch – meaning there's no outboard 'wall wart' power supply to mess around with. The swish-looking fascia sports a compact display that gives a handy – if not particularly 'hi-res' – graphical representation of what's going in and out, plus the playback volume level. To its right is the volume control, which has a pleasingly smooth action; pressing it unlocks additional functionality. A small Bluetooth remote control is supplied, which accesses the unit's functions, including digital filter selection, volume and input selection.

The unit feels very well made for the money but is no game changer in the way that Audiolab's original M-DAC was a decade ago – that had a better display than this does now. All the same, the aluminium casework feels more classy than most, and there's a choice between silver and black finishes. Getting going is easy enough – just attach your digital source(s), integrated or power amp, and a power lead, and you're off. The inclusion of 12v triggers will be useful for some people, too. In use, the unit runs slightly warm but never hot.

THE LISTENING

This is an excellent-sounding DAC for the money, which should not come as a complete surprise considering the quality of the components inside. Short of the Chord Electronics Qutest – which is thirty percent more expensive – there's little serious competition for it at or near the price, sonically. Whichever digital filter setting you choose, the Topping has a glass-clear sound that shines a bright light on whatever music it is asked to play. You could call it incisive, as it relishes peering into the recorded acoustic and reporting back in exhaustive detail to the listener what's going on. This remarkable insight is its defining characteristic in sonic terms, along with its slightly 'well-lit' tonality. You'd never call it searingly bright, but it's not quite as tonally natural as its Chord rival.

For example, listening to great classic rock in the shape of One For The Vine by Genesis, this beautifully produced 1976 album track comes across as fresh and vibrant. The recording's analogue sound, complete with its very period instrumentation, is clear to hear – it has a lovely tonal patina, which the D90 III Sabre does nothing to obscure. This track can sound just a little subdued on the softer-sounding Qutest, but here it's in front of you in sharp relief. The piano sounds quite lovely, with a delicate timbre and excellent spatial location in the mix. This, plus Phil Collins' unmistakable vocals and the deliciously soft sound of Tony Banks' ARP 2600 synthesiser, help the listener be transported to a quite different time and place.

Feed the D90 III Sabre some banging contemporary electronica in the shape of deadmau5's Quezacot, and the Topping is no less at home. Here, even more than before, it zeroes in on the synthesiser work's texture–giving the track a suitably atmospheric feel. This is aided and abetted by an expansive soundstage that pushes far out to the left and right and also comes forward to greet the listener. Depth perspective is also good. Although, in my reference system, the more expensive Chord does a little better. The result is a mesmerically engaging sound from a track that – via sub-par DACs – can sound bland in the extreme.

The Topping does very well with rhythms, too; in the aforementioned deadmau5 track, you're able to enjoy those crisp leading edges and fast decays to the synth notes, with no sense of bloating or blurring in the bass. Nick Lowe's So It Goes is a vintage new wave song with a wonderfully chewy bass line. This track, which was the first-ever release on Stiff Records and famously cost just £45 to record – features Lowe on bass, and he really goes for it. The D90 III Sabre gives a grippy, almost crunchy bass guitar sound, which propels the song along with gusto. There is precious little sign of sogginess here. Factor in the way that this DAC carries the subtle phrasing on his impassioned vocal line and the punchy and dramatic percussion work, and this song is an absolute blast to listen to.

THE VERDICT

Affordable digital audio sources often sound either bland or edgy, but this new Topping DAC/preamp is neither. The D90 III Sabre does most things very well, with no obvious weak points at the price. In absolute terms, compared to way more expensive reference DACs, for example, it's a tad 'sterile' and 'mechanical' sounding – but so is everything else in this market sector. For the money, it sounds great then, and way less processed than its direct price rivals that I have auditioned. The only real consideration is whether to save up a bit more money to go for a Chord Qutest – which is a touch more organic, dynamic and engaging, yet tonally more polite. That's a matter of taste, of course, so anyone interested in buying a DAC at this price should ideally find a friendly hi-fi dealer and hear for themselves.

Visit Topping for more information