Topping E30 DAC Review

[hwy61]

Also, I would be in favor of installing the Asio drivers for "topping_usbaudio_setup_v4.82.0".

__Saludos__

thanks again, i will try that

 

[Recopilatorio]

thanks again, i will try that

First download from here
http://www.tpdz.net/newsinfo/379406.html
Then you need to unzip the .zip file (there are instructions inside).
With the DAC ON, run the file "Topping_UsbAudio_V4.82.0_setup.exe" (it is in the 1.Driver and Installation Guide folder). I think after completing the installation it is good to turn the DAC off and on again.
Then you must run the file "ASIOProxyInstall-0.7.2.exe" (it is in the 3.FB2K DSD Components folder).
Once this is complete you need to open Foobar2000. File / Preferences / Components / Install to install “foo_input_sacd.fb2k-component” and “foo_out_asio.fb2k-component” (they are also in the 3.FB2K DSD Components folder). Foobar2000 will restart.
From here things get a little complicated. Again in Foobar2000: File / Preferences / Playback / Output / select "ASIO: foo_dsd_asio". And in ASIO drivers double click on “foo_dsd_asio” to select “Topping USB Audio Driver” and “ASIO Native”.
It is surely more difficult to explain than to do.
Luck!

 

[hwy61]

First download from here
http://www.tpdz.net/newsinfo/379406.html
Then you need to unzip the .zip file (there are instructions inside).
With the DAC ON, run the file "Topping_UsbAudio_V4.82.0_setup.exe" (it is in the 1.Driver and Installation Guide folder). I think after completing the installation it is good to turn the DAC off and on again.
Then you must run the file "ASIOProxyInstall-0.7.2.exe" (it is in the 3.FB2K DSD Components folder).
Once this is complete you need to open Foobar2000. File / Preferences / Components / Install to install “foo_input_sacd.fb2k-component” and “foo_out_asio.fb2k-component” (they are also in the 3.FB2K DSD Components folder). Foobar2000 will restart.
From here things get a little complicated. Again in Foobar2000: File / Preferences / Playback / Output / select "ASIO: foo_dsd_asio". And in ASIO drivers double click on “foo_dsd_asio” to select “Topping USB Audio Driver” and “ASIO Native”.
It is surely more difficult to explain than to do.
Luck!

i appreciate your instructions and going the extra mile with this, i already have foobar setup to play dsf/dop. so i will try this option over the weekend and let you know how worked........oh! and thank you for not caring about my being "grammatically correct". re: tankass

 

[knotscott]

I hooked an E30 up last week as a hi-fi DAC to help my 20 year old Denon CD player. Installation was pretty straight forward with a digital coaxial connection and RCA outputs to my preamp. There was a loud buzzing coming through the system when I plugged the USB power into my cable box, but once I moved it to a 120v wall adapter, it's dead quiet and works like a charm. I'm very pleased with the sound improvement....wasn't sure how noticeable it would be, but it's a pretty obvious upgrade.

 

[Dac Visitor]

Following my contribution of 12-06 the report. Due to problems with the package carrier, I only got the E30 at home 18-06 with sn 2004. It has even led to the carrier firing the driver. First something about my DM 7 speakers and the modification process. Six weeks ago during the first listening tests with my first dac Cambridge dac magic 100, one of the treble tweeters died. My sound professor has decided to replace a few fountek neo x 2.0 ribbon tweeters. He also wanted to make some adjustments to the crossover. But this was a difficult process, there was a difference in the two speakers I was not satisfied. To solve this problem, the sound professor has designed a completely new crossover filter with a stunning result. The speakers are now exactly the same in terms of efficiency and sound fantastic. Also made some adjustments to the arrangement of the speakers, see picture. Now the listening tests of the E30. Unfortunately I could not compare the E30 with the Cambridge dac because before the E30 was delivered at home I managed to sell the Cambridge dac at a profit. But my first impression is (after I first installed the Bitprefect program) that there is a bit more control in the low at the E30, it goes deep but tight. The middle and high delicious. The sound image is spectacular and holographically no hole in the middle. I also did an A-B comparison with a CD playback on coax and the same CD via Itunes. What struck me was the playback via iTunes sounded somewhat laidback the coax was a bit more “in your face”. What I also notice is that the different recording techniques are much more perceptible. While listening, the technique disappears more and more into the background and I am more drawn into the music. I will attach some pictures with the different settings that I have applied partly on the advice of Bitperfect. If there are errors or if there is something to improve, I am happy to be open to suggestions. All in all, I am very satisfied with the performance of the E30 and am no longer bothered by the “upgrade virus”

 

[knotscott]

Question - I'm using the E30 just as a hi-fi DAC with a coax connection from an older Denon CD player, no PC connections at all. I plugged it in and am using it as sent from the factory. Would there be any reason or benefit for me to update software or change settings on it?

 

[Dac Visitor]

I have come to a slightly different insight. When I received the E30 and immediately connected it, I was immediately impressed. But I thought it should be fine tune so Bitperfect. Something laidbake like if there was a curtain somewhere between me the speakers was pulled up the low what was a bit restrained the provided and high somewhat subdued. Just got that Bitperfect cut out. It sounds open and deep again if we have to go even deeper, fresh at the mid and high. Have the sample rate at 32/192 beautifully short to get away with the reins of Bitperfect.

 

[AndyLu]

You sure about that !!!

Very. Be happy.

 

[Robbo99999]

Following my contribution of 12-06 the report. Due to problems with the package carrier, I only got the E30 at home 18-06 with sn 2004. It has even led to the carrier firing the driver. First something about my DM 7 speakers and the modification process. Six weeks ago during the first listening tests with my first dac Cambridge dac magic 100, one of the treble tweeters died. My sound professor has decided to replace a few fountek neo x 2.0 ribbon tweeters. He also wanted to make some adjustments to the crossover. But this was a difficult process, there was a difference in the two speakers I was not satisfied. To solve this problem, the sound professor has designed a completely new crossover filter with a stunning result. The speakers are now exactly the same in terms of efficiency and sound fantastic. Also made some adjustments to the arrangement of the speakers, see picture. Now the listening tests of the E30. Unfortunately I could not compare the E30 with the Cambridge dac because before the E30 was delivered at home I managed to sell the Cambridge dac at a profit. But my first impression is (after I first installed the Bitprefect program) that there is a bit more control in the low at the E30, it goes deep but tight. The middle and high delicious. The sound image is spectacular and holographically no hole in the middle. I also did an A-B comparison with a CD playback on coax and the same CD via Itunes. What struck me was the playback via iTunes sounded somewhat laidback the coax was a bit more “in your face”. What I also notice is that the different recording techniques are much more perceptible. While listening, the technique disappears more and more into the background and I am more drawn into the music. I will attach some pictures with the different settings that I have applied partly on the advice of Bitperfect. If there are errors or if there is something to improve, I am happy to be open to suggestions. All in all, I am very satisfied with the performance of the E30 and am no longer bothered by the “upgrade virus”

Well done on contributing to getting a courier driver fired (sarcasm)...probably wasn't even his direct fault!


Anyway, question to any Topping reps here. I recently found some information on the net posted by a JDS Labs representative that said that pretty much all the DACS they had ever tested (from different companies) had significantly more optimal THD+N levels when run below 100% windows volume (even just 99% was ok as an improvement) - something related to Gibbs Phenomenon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibbs_phenomenon ) which I don't understand. I'm wondering if this is the case, because I'm thinking this would have already been highlighted in Amir's reviews here.
And here's the link to the JDS Labs rep saying what I'm talking about here (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/o2-amp-odac.616331/page-249#post-11106527 ). Would this advice extend to using the Topping E30?

 

[Tup3x]

Well done on contributing to getting a courier driver fired (sarcasm)...probably wasn't even his direct fault!


Anyway, question to any Topping reps here. I recently found some information on the net posted by a JDS Labs representative that said that pretty much all the DACS they had ever tested (from different companies) had significantly more optimal THD+N levels when run below 100% windows volume (even just 99% was ok as an improvement) - something related to Gibbs Phenomenon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibbs_phenomenon ) which I don't understand. I'm wondering if this is the case, because I'm thinking this would have already been highlighted in Amir's reviews here.
And here's the link to the JDS Labs rep saying what I'm talking about here (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/o2-amp-odac.616331/page-249#post-11106527 ). Would this advice extend to using the Topping E30?

If I understand the intermodulation distortion charts correctly then lowering the volume would often be beneficial for (especially) AKM based DACs. That being said, it doesn't look like that would be the case for E30.

 

[samsa]

...pretty much all the DACS they had ever tested (from different companies) had significantly more optimal THD+N levels when run below 100% windows volume...

Since delta-sigma DACs all upsample the signal internally, they are vulnerable to intersample-overs if there isn't sufficient headroom. This is pretty standard and Roon (for example) provides a headroom adjustment for exactly that reason. Turning down the Windows volume does essentially the same thing,

 

[Robbo99999]

If I understand the intermodulation distortion charts correctly then lowering the volume would often be beneficial for (especially) AKM based DACs. That being said, it doesn't look like that would be the case for E30.

I thought similar along the lines of what you're pointing too there, but I'm thinking what is being referred to by the JDS Labs rep is something slightly different, because the rep quotes the effect of often reducing THD+N by a factor of 2 or 3 by running slightly below 100% windows volume for all the DACS they tested....which doesn't ring true with the measurements done by Amir, at least in terms of the Intermodulation Distortion graph. So I'm wondering if the JDS Labs rep is referring to something slightly different.

Since delta-sigma DACs all upsample the signal internally, they are vulnerable to intersample-overs if there isn't sufficient headroom. This is pretty standard and Roon (for example) provides a headroom adjustment for exactly that reason. Turning down the Windows volume does essentially the same thing,

Ah, thanks, so that's why...that's not related to the Intermodulation Distortion graph produced by Amir in these reviews? And what are Delta-Sigma DACS, are most DACS delta-sigma?


EDIT: I did find this on the topic of delta-sigma DACS, most are delta-sigma because R/2R is too expensive (not that I really understand this):
https://www.headphonezone.in/blogs/...acs-in-the-world-of-audio-r-2r-vs-delta-sigma
Therefore if most DACS are delta-sigma then it makes sense to run slightly under 100% Windows volume then.

 

[yodog]

I thought similar along the lines of what you're pointing too there, but I'm thinking what is being referred to by the JDS Labs rep is something slightly different, because the rep quotes the effect of often reducing THD+N by a factor of 2 or 3 by running slightly below 100% windows volume for all the DACS they tested....which doesn't ring true with the measurements done by Amir, at least in terms of the Intermodulation Distortion graph. So I'm wondering if the JDS Labs rep is referring to something slightly different.

Ah, thanks, so that's why...that's not related to the Intermodulation Distortion graph produced by Amir in these reviews? And what are Delta-Sigma DACS, are most DACS delta-sigma?

Not Schiit Multibit dacs

 

[yodog]

I thought similar along the lines of what you're pointing too there, but I'm thinking what is being referred to by the JDS Labs rep is something slightly different, because the rep quotes the effect of often reducing THD+N by a factor of 2 or 3 by running slightly below 100% windows volume for all the DACS they tested....which doesn't ring true with the measurements done by Amir, at least in terms of the Intermodulation Distortion graph. So I'm wondering if the JDS Labs rep is referring to something slightly different.

Ah, thanks, so that's why...that's not related to the Intermodulation Distortion graph produced by Amir in these reviews? And what are Delta-Sigma DACS, are most DACS delta-sigma?

So would it also be true for when a bluesound node 2i is paired via digital rca coax out with a topping e30 DAC, that I should not set the bluesound to “fixed volume output” but to set it to “variable” on the Bluesound and have the volume on my iPhone via airplay set at one notch below the max? Just FYI, from my testing, the bluesound node 2i actually has audibly higher output (louder volume) when “fixed volume output” is enabled than if I were to just keep the “fixed volume output” setting disabled and let the Node 2i also control the volume level and set it for the maximum volume allowed on my iPhone when streaming via airplay 2.


So do I leave it at “fixed volume output” enabled with the E30 controlling the volume set for preamp + DAC mode?

Or do I have both the node 2i and the E30 both control volume levels and set them both somewhere that is maximum?

Or do I have only the node 2i control the volume and then have the E30 set to DAC only mode?


What will give the best sound quality? Even if it’s just theoretically speaking, or whatever type of speaking/explanation it is, I would like to know if you have an idea or knowledge about this.... thank you in advance.

 

[Robbo99999]

So would it also be true for when a bluesound node 2i is paired via digital rca coax out with a topping e30 DAC, that I should not set the bluesound to “fixed volume output” but to set it to “variable” on the Bluesound and have the volume on my iPhone via airplay set at one notch below the max? Just FYI, from my testing, the bluesound node 2i actually has audibly higher output (louder volume) when “fixed volume output” is enabled than if I were to just keep the “fixed volume output” setting disabled and let the Node 2i also control the volume level and set it for the maximum volume allowed on my iPhone when streaming via airplay 2.


So do I leave it at “fixed volume output” enabled with the E30 controlling the volume set for preamp + DAC mode?

Or do I have both the node 2i and the E30 both control volume levels and set them both somewhere that is maximum?

Or do I have only the node 2i control the volume and then have the E30 set to DAC only mode?


What will give the best sound quality? Even if it’s just theoretically speaking, or whatever type of speaking/explanation it is, I would like to know if you have an idea or knowledge about this.... thank you in advance.

I don't really know your gear you're attaching to really comment accurately, but it seems from what's been worked out that digital inputs (or should I switch that to USB inputs) should not be receiving a full scale output thereby leaving headroom for some internal conversions, so if you apply that working knowledge it might get you somewhere. That's my broad understanding currently, although I don't understand it's intricacies.....I'm just trying to understand it on a black box level first.

 

[JRM_PT]

Well, I've reeived the E30 and already tried it. The manual isn't supberb so I have some doubts.
First one is how can we change the sample rate?
I'm still finishing the Raspberry Pi4 with PiCorePlayer install, so still haven't tested with USB. PS4 is connected by Toslink and sounds good. TV is connected by Coax and... sounds nice for a few seconds and then shuts up. I've digged on my Philips menus but didn't find anything that I could be messing arround. I've set the E30 to DAC. What am I missing here?

 

[Robbo99999]

Well, I've reeived the E30 and already tried it. The manual isn't supberb so I have some doubts.
First one is how can we change the sample rate?
I'm still finishing the Raspberry Pi4 with PiCorePlayer install, so still haven't tested with USB. PS4 is connected by Toslink and sounds good. TV is connected by Coax and... sounds nice for a few seconds and then shuts up. I've digged on my Philips menus but didn't find anything that I could be messing arround. I've set the E30 to DAC. What am I missing here?

I might have the answer to one of your questions there, about the sample rate. I'm assuming we can only change the sample rate outside of the DAC, so I think the DAC is just passive and receives whatever sample rate it is given. So, for example when it's connected via USB to a PC you would change the sample rate on the PC by changing the sample rate in Windows. I'm guessing that if you have the DAC say hooked up to a TV via TOSLINK optical then the DAC will work out what sample rate is being sent from the TV and switch to that sample rate to match....which I'm guessing in this case would be 48kHz. So I think the DAC is passive in terms of it's response to the sample rate....it just switches to whatever it's given. I don't know the answer to your other questions/problems, so hopefully someone else can help you with that.

 

[hwy61]

First download from here
http://www.tpdz.net/newsinfo/379406.html
Then you need to unzip the .zip file (there are instructions inside).
With the DAC ON, run the file "Topping_UsbAudio_V4.82.0_setup.exe" (it is in the 1.Driver and Installation Guide folder). I think after completing the installation it is good to turn the DAC off and on again.
Then you must run the file "ASIOProxyInstall-0.7.2.exe" (it is in the 3.FB2K DSD Components folder).
Once this is complete you need to open Foobar2000. File / Preferences / Components / Install to install “foo_input_sacd.fb2k-component” and “foo_out_asio.fb2k-component” (they are also in the 3.FB2K DSD Components folder). Foobar2000 will restart.
From here things get a little complicated. Again in Foobar2000: File / Preferences / Playback / Output / select "ASIO: foo_dsd_asio". And in ASIO drivers double click on “foo_dsd_asio” to select “Topping USB Audio Driver” and “ASIO Native”.
It is surely more difficult to explain than to do.
Luck!

hi Reco...........all set up exept ........you say "And in ASIO drivers double click on “foo_dsd_asio” to select “Topping USB Audio Driver” and “ASIO Native”.
where do i find these "ASIO drivers to double click on" is it located in foobar or computer? ............................thank you

 

[Recopilatorio]

hi Reco...........all set up exept ........you say "And in ASIO drivers double click on “foo_dsd_asio” to select “Topping USB Audio Driver” and “ASIO Native”.
where do i find these "ASIO drivers to double click on" is it located in foobar or computer? ............................thank you

Hello again.
That's in Foobar2000: File / Preferences / Playback / Output (dropdown)
You must select Device: foo_dsd_asio
Then, also in Foobar2000: File / Preferences / Playback / Output / ASIO, in the Drivers section you must double-click on foo_dsd_asio and in the menu that will open select
Asio Driver: Topping USB Auido Device
DSD Playback Method: ASIO Navite
And save those settings.

¡Ánimo!

 

[hwy61]

Hello again.
That's in Foobar2000: File / Preferences / Playback / Output (dropdown)
You must select Device: foo_dsd_asio
Then, also in Foobar2000: File / Preferences / Playback / Output / ASIO, in the Drivers section you must double-click on foo_dsd_asio and in the menu that will open select
Asio Driver: Topping USB Auido Device
DSD Playback Method: ASIO Navite
And save those settings.

¡Ánimo!

ok, thank you for the reply.....when i double click this (blue color) it just opens up output devices selection. and i don't see DSD playback method :ASIO native...............attachment below