Listening to music is all about the engagement and how the notes from the instruments touch the listener. As I've dived deeper into this hobby, I find myself less concerned with some specifications and far more influenced by how each piece of equipment reproduces the tones, imaging, and sound stage, as designed by mixing engineers in the case of studio recordings, or the venue from a live recording. You name it. I believe it's why I don't consider myself a fan of equipment that is so intentionally focused on absolute specifications and resolution over musicality.
When it comes to DAC’s, absolute sharpness at the expense of any warmth is my line in the sand. It's probably why that while I appreciate the insanely good specifications of SMSL and Topping along with other DAC’s that use Sigma Delta chips, I find my own personal happy zone is easier to find with R2R ladder DACs.
Recently, Rosemary at Apos Audio, asked me if I was interested in reviewing the Topping Centaurus DAC. Since it is an R2R design, I was enthusiastic. One of my goals was to find out how well it performed in comparison to my Denafrips Aries II. Just a week later the unit arrived in the black anodized finish (silver is also available).
The Centaurus is a typical half -width ChiFi product with a power button on the left, followed by a 2 inch LED screen, and vertical placed up down buttons along right. The screen itself will display on the top left the input with the output on the top right. Down below is a very nice font size is the volume measurement which can be set in to various step points, which I really appreciated beginning with .5 steps. The small, little lettering below details the sampling rate and below that is a very small set of horizontal left and right meters. Other screens are also available if you wish to change including frequency bandwidth, which I found usable but a bit too small to be as enjoyable as on larger screens. Around back from left right you have the XLR outputs followed by a vertical RCA output. I2 squared, COAX input above the optical. Next to that you have the Bluetooth antenna with the USB below it. Finally, in the last section is the 12 V trigger, power cord receptacle, and the thin vertical rocker switch.
Inside you will find a fully balanced 8 channel R2R design. The front end handles DSD, while the backside takes care of PCM. A Altera Max II chip acts as the CPLD (complex, programmable, logical device directs both ends. If you wish to take a deep dive into this, I highly recommend Ed Holmwood of Old Guy HiFi’s review of the Centaurus on YouTube.
The menu can be accessed either directly from the front panel or by remote which I actually preferred. I won't go into every single mini item but if you are interested, Rick Ruiz does an exceptional job with this in his review and I invite you to check out that video. I would just like to focus in on a few features.
The first one is the ability to use the Centaurus as a DAC/preamp combo, which I chose to do for much of the review. I have my WiiM Ultra Streamer sending signal out via optical into the Centaurus. Another nice menu access is the various sampling rates. You can start with NOS non-over sampling 2X, 4X and 16 X over sampling. I found personal happiness with the 4X oversampling. But this is a personal taste issue and I highly encourage everybody to visit and play with all of them multiple times before choosing your personal preference.
The remote, while not a true capsule shape does have a nice feel backside is rounded, which is comfortable in the hand. The top left button in red is your power with the mute button on the top right followed by the iPod style circular dial and center button. Below that is the pairing button next to it being the line out selection, then comes the PEQ and the setup button on the right and then down on the bottom of the trigger and the brightness on the right side, with three choices of high, medium and low brightness. If you hold it down, you can have your choice of a golden UV meter. Holding it down again for a while you do get into the spectrum analyzer.
The Bluetooth feature worked as advertised. But other than testing purposes, it's not a feature that I could see most people using based upon the $999 price point (on sale as of 11/16/25 $849).
I have a chance to compare this for a couple of days against the Topping D90 III Discreet. Playing the same music and writing down my observations over a handful of days that the two units overlapped I'm going to be fair and say that the D 90 III Discreet true to its form had more absolute resolution. The Centaurus on the other hand, sounded more natural with that touch of warmth that R2R DAC’s are known for. I just find it easier to listen to for longer periods of time, such as the combo of very hot treble tracks and speakers with bright top end like the Vera-Fi Audio Rangers in my last review
Listening
I've been on a kick with a lot of 70s music from my teen years recently. Listening to Loggins & Messina “Be Free” the mandolin guitar had all the brightness without being shrill. The Centaurus also provided a bit of naturalness to the harmonies that the D 90 III and the SMSLDO 400 just can't quite match even with the latter’s tube setting for sonic output. The oboe in the mid song instrumental that almost sounds like something that would've come out from Alan Parsons Turn of a Friendly Card album along with upper frequencies. It's quite magical. The finger symbols to play along with the violin during the mid song are nicely separated. There is no collision or overlap that muddies the overall sound in texture. All the while the mid range has that beautiful tone quality that I found incredibly engaging.
One aspect of the Centaurus that I really appreciate is how engaging it sounds at low volume level. At 70 dB in my 11 x 10' room that's still fairly quiet. The Centaurus R2R design which was licensed from Holo Audio, which may explain a great deal of its engagement, has plenty of life. I cannot say the same for the D 90 III Discreet, it needed to be 75DB or better to hold my interest.
Spinning Harry Chapin's ballad “Sequel”, the various drum kit moments hit rapid fire, especially with the snare and the upper tom's. I found these to be slightly better resolved than the bass tom. Once again the R2R ladder resister design is able to provide vocals with a nice balance of youthful tightness nasalness that you hear when you reaches the word “cry”, as well as the part where he sings “fly with her feet on the ground”.
Dire Straits Communique album, which is a treasure trove for a audio fanatics, the Centaurus really shines. In “Where do you think we're going”, Knopfler's unique melodic lead guitar with the mid band notes just ooze beauty while when he goes picking into the upper frequencies, the notes carry with an aura that made me lean in to listen.
Comparing the Topping Centaurus to my Denafrips Ares II over four days of listen to the same music, making sure to level match for the same output volume, my impressions are the following: The Centaurus has more detail in the upper frequencies. There's a bit more shimmer in the symbols as well sharpness with instruments such as flutes and the upper registers of the piano. The mid range isn't as full bodied or rich as the Ares II. But once again, detail was just a bit sharper, There is to also had a bit more muscle in the bass notes.
I will say that when it came to female vocals overall, the Centaurus doesn't get the edge on the Ares II the clarity, vocals, and the subtle individual characteristics of the artist, whether it be Barbra Streisand, Pink, Natalie Merchant, or Melissa Etheridge, was impressive. A good example would be Gillian Welch with her track “Hello In There”. Her haunting stripped down vocals backed up by an acoustic guitar is a perfect example of how the Centaurus with its Holo Audio R2R design creates an emotional connection. On the other hand, male vocals with that hint of greater richness allowed the Ares II to get the edge.
I'm going to believe that the small torridol power transformer in the Ares II is the difference maker here. I think you can just deliver more power when needed. These differences were small and let's be clear on that and if my Ares II somehow went bad, I could easily plug in the Centaurus and be very much content.
I do wanna emphasize that these are my impressions. There are no measurements to back anything up here. How each of us perceive sound is based on a whole list of both physiological and emotional factors. I would not fault to anybody for choosing the Centaurus over the Area II. Matter fact, if I was just listening to certain genres the Centaurus would definitely be the choice.
Final thoughts
Since the Centaurus has come out, a few sub $500 or to our models have hit the market. Now I've been had a chance to experience them myself, but from the comments of other reviewers, the general consensus seems to be that while the sound is warmer, you lose a little bit of depth and three dimensionality. This should surprise nobody, as with better component parts as well as more time for design sound quality will improve.
The Centaurus greatest side feature is that for those who are not interested in analog and want to stay strictly digital, the fact that it can be used as a worthy preamp with adjustments for decibel step increases or decreases. It's a big deal, pairing it up with a nice piece of Chi-Fi class D amplification, especially if it's getting the R2R ladder design, along with the pre-empty capabilities means that by adding just a streamer you have an elegant three-piece electronic solution. If the Centaurus had room for a set of analog inputs. It would be an insane value as it would become a full-fledged preamplifier. Therefore, the Centaurus is a first rate sub $1000 solution. I think you will find its musicality is worth the difference compared to the D 90 III Discreet.
Link to Apos Audio Centaurus page
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