Topping L30 II Review (Headphone Amp)

[Ahmonge]

people love hate topping

Not in my case, I'm a happy owner of the D30 Pro and A30 Pro. This combo drives my headphones flawlessly.

 

[Cuprajake]

Brilliant,

I'm getting rid of my ifi stack as its popping from DSD switching.

What's the best way to run the topping stack to avoid this. I use Deezer via my phone for audio

Into a set of LCD-2

 

[Taschenrechner]

I literally have a wireless mouse in front of the l30 and have 0 interference. Maybe it's the DAC instead and the l30 was just amplifying it?

it's strange. do you have a very long headphone cable? I am using a 3m cable for my Oppo PM3. When I call with my phone and hold it to the headphone cable it picks it up. But also just holding the phone on top the amp it picks it up. Very strange.

I just need to keep stuff away from it. The whole unit is so perfect otherwise that I will just have to life with this fault. I wish they would release the L30 ii but as balanced version with the same controls as they are freaking perfect.

 

[Cuprajake]

So here we are

So far so good, powered off my old lg g7 charger

Sounds really good so far, using wavelet auto eq got loads of power

I may stack them, best to put the amp ontop?

 

[Ahmonge]

I may stack them, best to put the amp ontop?

Yes, if it gets hot.

 

[Maurito]

Has anyone measured the Topping L30ii channel crosstalk? On the Russian forum, the result was -74db, which does not correspond to the declared -92db. Please measure. I am considering buying.

 

[staticV3]

@Maurito

 

[Maurito]

@Maurito
View attachment 241976

try with a load of 32 ohms

 

[solderdude]

Has anyone measured the Topping L30ii channel crosstalk? On the Russian forum, the result was -74db, which does not correspond to the declared -92db. Please measure. I am considering buying.

Consider that even if it were -74 dB this already is waaaaaayyyyy better than needed. A channel separation of -40dB is already sufficient. I would not let such an unimportant spec determine a purchase decision.

try with a load of 32 ohms

Most likely any 3-wire headphone cable (combined with low imp. headphone) is far worse than that, and does so in the opposite effect as actual crosstalk.

 

[staticV3]

try with a load of 32 ohms

Topping specs Crosstalk unloaded so that's what was measured.
If you want Crosstalk under load to be measured, then you can try asking in the comments here.

 

[Maurito]

Thanks for the quick replies. Because in the L30 of the first version with a load of 32, everything was fine. And in the L30ii, the characteristics are already more modest. Great product, I will buy. I clarify out of curiosity, as there may be a reduction in quality or other reasons.

 

[Taschenrechner]

So just to get this straight this unit performs best at mid gain distortion wise?

 

[solderdude]

Yes, just like the original L30 except the high gain (fortunately) is higher in the L30-II version.
There basically are 2 gains. Mid and High. The low gain is simply mid gain with an attenuator in front of the amp.
All settings are waaaaayyyyy better than is needed so simply use the gain that is needed.

The max. output voltage is also even higher so better suited to drive high impedance headphones (and why it needs a higher gain).
The L30-II can actually be driven to its max output voltage when driven from a 2V source, the L30 could not.

 

[Taschenrechner]

Yes, just like the original L30.
There basically are 2 gains. Mid and High. The low gain is simply mid gain with an attenuator in front of the amp.
All settings are waaaaayyyyy better than is needed so simply use the gain that is needed.

thanks. so basicly the attenuator causes slight distortion (on paper) right?

 

[solderdude]

It just lowers the S/N ratio. We are just 'looking' at the noise floor instead of distortion.

 

[Taschenrechner]

It just lowers the S/N ratio.

yes but as seen on Amirs measurements it seems like low causes slight distortion compared to the other two gains. I know it does not make a diffrence for the human ear.

 

[solderdude]

You are looking at the noise floor of the AP555x. If Amir were to do a loopback it would give the same 'results'.
see Amirs remark on the right bottom of the FFT:

When the signal level is lowered the noise floor of the AP is determining the plot (and thus seems to have higher distortion as it is noise + distortion). The L30-II is actually better than the AP.

 

[SmokedBurger]

it's strange. do you have a very long headphone cable? I am using a 3m cable for my Oppo PM3. When I call with my phone and hold it to the headphone cable it picks it up. But also just holding the phone on top the amp it picks it up. Very strange.

I just need to keep stuff away from it. The whole unit is so perfect otherwise that I will just have to life with this fault. I wish they would release the L30 ii but as balanced version with the same controls as they are freaking perfect.

at the moment I have a 2-meter cable plugged into my Philips Fidelio X1s which is my shortest cable. On my other headphones I also hear nothing though they have around 3-5 meters in length.

 

[Taschenrechner]

at the moment I have a 2-meter cable plugged into my Philips Fidelio X1s which is my shortest cable. On my other headphones I also hear nothing though they have around 3-5 meters in length.

When you do a mobile call (not over telegram/whatsapp) and hold the phone right at the L30 ii you hear no interference?

 

[Taschenrechner]

@solderdude thanks I get it now