Jose Hidalgo
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Hi guys,
Judging from Amir's measurements, Topping L30 seems like an unbeatable deal for 139 €. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see any HP amp coming even close, unless we pay wayyy more money. Plus despite its small size, it has enough power to drive even difficult cans.
On the DAC side now, the Topping E30 seems like a natural match for the L30. Its measurements are great too, in Amir's "top quarter", but unlike the L30, they're not "best in its class". In other words, the E30 could be slightly improved, if not for the ears, at least for peace of mind.
That got me wondering about E30 alternatives in its price range. Well, we know the usual suspects (Schiit, etc.), but for 129 € the E30 seems hard to beat. However for 209 € we have the SMSL M300 mkII that seems to perform even better, having significantly better measurements (e.g. 118 dB SINAD against 112, or 124 dB dynamic range against 117), which seem closer and more consistent with the amazing L30 measurements. After all, a chain is only as strong as the weakest of its links, right ? Plus the M300 mkII has twice as power output (4 Vrms against 2).
So, E30 vs M300 mkII. Is it a fair battle ? I don't know, since the M300 mkII is more expensive. But only by 80 €, so it may be fair to compare them after all. Are there even other alternatives ?
Judging from measurements, is the M300 mkII worth the extra 80 € ? And would it pair just as well with the L30 ? Has any of you tried this ?
Total budget would then be 348 € (139 + 209) instead of 268. What would you do ?...
Judging from Amir's measurements, Topping L30 seems like an unbeatable deal for 139 €. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see any HP amp coming even close, unless we pay wayyy more money. Plus despite its small size, it has enough power to drive even difficult cans.
On the DAC side now, the Topping E30 seems like a natural match for the L30. Its measurements are great too, in Amir's "top quarter", but unlike the L30, they're not "best in its class". In other words, the E30 could be slightly improved, if not for the ears, at least for peace of mind.
That got me wondering about E30 alternatives in its price range. Well, we know the usual suspects (Schiit, etc.), but for 129 € the E30 seems hard to beat. However for 209 € we have the SMSL M300 mkII that seems to perform even better, having significantly better measurements (e.g. 118 dB SINAD against 112, or 124 dB dynamic range against 117), which seem closer and more consistent with the amazing L30 measurements. After all, a chain is only as strong as the weakest of its links, right ? Plus the M300 mkII has twice as power output (4 Vrms against 2).
So, E30 vs M300 mkII. Is it a fair battle ? I don't know, since the M300 mkII is more expensive. But only by 80 €, so it may be fair to compare them after all. Are there even other alternatives ?
Judging from measurements, is the M300 mkII worth the extra 80 € ? And would it pair just as well with the L30 ? Has any of you tried this ?
Total budget would then be 348 € (139 + 209) instead of 268. What would you do ?...
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