Topping A30Pro Review (Balanced Headphone Amp)

[Sharur]

@JohnYang1997, I have a question: using a 2Vrms ODAC output, is there sufficient power headroom from A30 Pro to drive DR 990, 600ohm to loud levels (i.e. 115-120dB)? Or do I absolutely need balanced DAC to power this headphone?

You know that the DT990 600 ohm is distorting like crazy above around 104 dB let alone 115-120 right? There is a reason they have a max SPL of 114 dB. If you want headphones capable of playing 115-120 dB get something else

 

[sanakimpro]

You know that the DT990 600 ohm is distorting like crazy above around 104 dB let alone 115-120 right? There is a reason they have a max SPL of 114 dB. If you want headphones capable of playing 115-120 dB get something else

Thanks. Can you share where you found that it's distorting above 104dB? I find it hard to believe a device rated at 96dB will distort audibly so early. The spec sheet says it can handle 100mW as well. Suppose you are talking about bass distortion?

My consideration is I would like to have the gain headroom for softer tracks like the Paint The Town track you shared. Also, I am initially only using lower 2Vrms RCA DAC hence my concern. Hope that's OK for you LOL...

https://europe.beyerdynamic.com/dt-990-edition.html

 

[Sharur]

Thanks. Can you share where you found that it's distorting above 104dB? I find it hard to believe a device rated at 96dB will distort audibly so early. The spec sheet says it can handle 100mW as well. Suppose you are talking about bass distortion?

My consideration is I would like to have the gain headroom for softer tracks like the Paint The Town track you shared. Also, I am initially only using lower 2Vrms RCA DAC hence my concern. Hope that's OK for you LOL...

https://europe.beyerdynamic.com/dt-990-edition.html

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s-frequency-response-measurements-png.138726/
these are the same drivers the 600 ohm DT990 have. Considering that the DT990 is bass boosted further, the distortion would be worse. I agree that the extra headroom would be useful for exceptionally quiet stuff, but worthless for anything of average loudness.

 

[usern]

also this: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ohm-headphone-distortion-relative-png.109722/
Looks like old Beyer models do have high distortion in bass frequencies.

You don't need balanced DAC, but for quiet tracks you will get more volume out of balanced inputs.

 

[sanakimpro]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s-frequency-response-measurements-png.138726/
these are the same drivers the 600 ohm DT990 have. Considering that the DT990 is bass boosted further, the distortion would be worse. I agree that the extra headroom would be useful for exceptionally quiet stuff, but worthless for anything of average loudness.

OK, thanks! Not really concerned about bass distortion so much.. looking at HD800s and Focal Utopia, I think it's fine and bass distortion probably not gonna be audible. Either way, thanks for your inputs.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...w-headphone.18424/#lg=attachment99387&slide=0
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/focal-utopia-review-headphone.22103/

also this: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ohm-headphone-distortion-relative-png.109722/
Looks like old Beyer models do have high distortion in bass frequencies.

You don't need balanced DAC, but for quiet tracks you will get more volume out of balanced inputs.

Yep noted. To be clear, I had the DT990, DT880 for many years and just wanted to get them out of the box with the A30 Pro and wondering if that was possible Not like I'm spending more money just to buy these headphones.

 

[Sharur]

OK, thanks! Not really concerned about bass distortion so much.. looking at HD800s and Focal Utopia, I think it's fine and bass distortion probably not gonna be audible. Either way, thanks for your inputs.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...w-headphone.18424/#lg=attachment99387&slide=0
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/focal-utopia-review-headphone.22103/


Yep noted. To be clear, I had the DT990, DT880 for many years and just wanted to get them out of the box with the A30 Pro and wondering if that was possible Not like I'm spending more money just to buy these headphones.

The bass distortion is 100% audible. It adds this warbling effect to female vocals when there is a lot of bass in the track or when there are a lot of high and low spectrum sounds. The drivers also clip when playing 2049 from the blade runner soundtrack comfortably loud. I recommend the 560S for a bright-neutral open back in 2021.

 

[usern]

The bass distortion is 100% audible. It adds this warbling effect to female vocals when there is a lot of bass in the track or when there are a lot of high and low spectrum sounds.

The "dubstep bass" kinda explains this distortion:

 

[sanakimpro]

The bass distortion is 100% audible. It adds this warbling effect to female vocals when there is a lot of bass in the track or when there are a lot of high and low spectrum sounds. The drivers also clip when playing 2049 from the blade runner soundtrack comfortably loud. I recommend the 560S for a bright-neutral open back in 2021.

Ahh, that's too bad then. Oh well, can't unbuy the headphone from 2015 anyway. Thanks for your thoughts friends. Back to the A30 pro..

 

[Sharur]

Back to the A30 pro..

Spec wise the A30Pro is pretty bulletproof. However, specs alone don't make a perfect amp: the coil whine for example makes the front off switch unusable.

 

[aprisun]

Hi, All.

How about A30pro + Hifiman He6se ?
Do I have to prepare speaker amp and preamp for He6se ?
If anyone has information, please share it with me.

Thank you.

 

[usern]

A30pro can power HE 6SE easily:

I'm looking for a solution to drive the Hifiman HE 6SE V2 that is arriving monday. I picked this up with hopes for doing that, 2 watts might just be enough to do it, but will be pushing it to the limits. I really enjoy my Topping E30 dac and was hopping not to have to replace it to get more power.

The lowest price 4v DAC I can find is the Schiit Modius, so I may have to pick that up for these if I like them and figure out an Amp solution. On my Sundara, the A30 Pro does sound a bit better than my Atom Amp, but it's not a major difference. Power wise for the Sundara, both work fine, the HE 6SE V2 will be the true test.

Believe me 2W is much more than enough, unless you also do EQ. 100mW will get you very loud.
For 4V dacs, D10 Balanced is going to be released in 3 days. You may want to look at that. If you want the full power out of A30pro of course.
And yeah, amps don't really have much of a difference. You should benefit more from EQ and using better headphones. (I see you are having He6se v2). So yeah. Enjoy music.

D10B DAC has been already released.

 

[aprisun]

A30pro can power HE 6SE easily:

D10B DAC has been already released.

Thank you so much.

 

[nnitr]

Would someone bei able to tell me if the following Chain is appropriate:

iPad Pro Type C -> DX160 Line-Out -> RCA Topping A30pro -> Headphones

I would like to set the DX160 (Lurker FW) to DAC mode and Line-Out simultaneously.

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[Renaudjuju94]

Bonsoir, que du bonheur a30 pro et d30 pro

Merci topping !

 

[Renaudjuju94]

Quelqu'un pourrait-il me dire si la chaîne suivante est appropriée :

iPad Pro Type C -> DX160 Line-Out -> RCA Topping A30pro -> Casque

Je voudrais régler le DX160 (Lurker FW) en mode DAC et Line-Out simultanément.

Merci beaucoup d'avance !

Salut cela devrait fonctionner(connais pas Apple) , mais chope un dac topping ! J'ai des baladeurs fiio, cowon, astell et je les garde pour le nomade ou pour transport !

 

[okok]

any internal photo of this?

 

[Hi-res-user]

An eBay listing of this amp shows a 10% discount right now. ( I refrain from including a link here. )

 

[tmo]

Has anyone had an issue connecting this to a DAC + USB-A to USB-B cable + Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter + iPhone?

I've connected my A30Pro to a D10B + USB-A to USB-B cable + Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter + iPhone 8s, and I can't get any sound from it. It works when I connect it to the D10B + USB-A to USB-C cable + MacBook, which is the puzzling part. The D10B is recognized on my iPhone, and changing the music file on my phone will make the D10B display the correct rate, so I think it's the A30Pro. Sorry if this is the wrong channel to post this. :/

 

[f1shb0n3]

Has anyone had an issue connecting this to a DAC + USB-A to USB-B cable + Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter + iPhone?

I've connected my A30Pro to a D10B + USB-A to USB-B cable + Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter + iPhone 8s, and I can't get any sound from it. It works when I connect it to the D10B + USB-A to USB-C cable + MacBook, which is the puzzling part. The D10B is recognized on my iPhone, and changing the music file on my phone will make the D10B display the correct rate, so I think it's the A30Pro. Sorry if this is the wrong channel to post this. :/

Most definitely it's not the A30 Pro amp based on your description. Check the simple stuff like volume of D10B - when first connected to iPhone by default volume is pretty low.

 

[tmo]

Most definitely it's not the A30 Pro amp based on your description. Check the simple stuff like volume of D10B - when first connected to iPhone by default volume is pretty low.

Thank you. You were totally right! I’m case anyone is wondering, it turns out that the D10B (and D10S) require an iPhone to be plugged into power to start up. Sorry to spam this board.