Topping E2x2 Audio Interface Review

[Halcyon]

For anyone who is wondering. I contacted the Topping Sales team to ask when they would be supplying European retailers with this product. They informed me that Scan was their main UK distributor and that I should contact them. After contacting the Scan sales team, they informed me that they had just received this product and said I could buy it from them now (through email). So I'm guessing they will have it on their site soon. Hopefully, this is going to start appearing on more sites too.

Audiophonics.FR has the E1x2 OTG & E2X2

TOPPING PROFESSIONAL E1X2 OTG

With the E1x2, Topping offers an excellent audio interface designed for musicians and audio professionals. This great interface offers a very high level of performance for perfectly transparent recording and playback.

www.audiophonics.fr

TOPPING PROFESSIONAL E2X2

With the E2x2, Topping offers an excellent audio interface designed for musicians and audio professionals. This excellent interface offers a very high level of performance for perfectly transparent recording and playback.

www.audiophonics.fr

... incoming in April, but ready for ordering.

 

[Decebel]

Doesn't the E2x2 work over OTG with a smartphone? Has someone conducted an experiment and tested it?

 

[Bob101]

Doesn't the E2x2 work over OTG with a smartphone? Has someone conducted an experiment and tested it?

I tested my E2x2 for playback with VLC on an Android phone, and it works, both with external power and powered off of the phone. Mono files only play in the left speaker. Haven't tried recording.

 

[boriscrispin]

oh for a Topping 16in/out!

 

[Decebel]

I tested my E2x2 for playback with VLC on an Android phone, and it works, both with external power and powered off of the phone. Mono files only play in the left speaker. Haven't tried recording.

Well, then why is the OTG version in E1x2, if it works in E2x2 without OTG? Is this marketing?

 

[Halcyon]

Well, then why is the OTG version in E1x2, if it works in E2x2 without OTG? Is this marketing?

e1x2 has 3 USB-C ports (power, USB-C computer also OTG, USB-C mobile OTG), e2x2 has 2 USB-C ports (power, USB-C data either desktop OR OTG mobile)

So, I guess the main diff for OTG is simultaneous desktop + mobile connection or dual mobile OTG at the same time (while being USB-C powered)

E1x2 OTG – TOPPING Professional

topping.pro

E2X2 – TOPPING Professional

topping.pro

 

[So1arScope]

I've just got my E2x2 from Scan, and I can confirm that both playback and recording works for mobile connection. I used bundled usb-c cable to Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and Samsung charger to power usb-c port. I used a condenser microphone with phantom power enabled.
I bought it for a low-volume karaoke setup, works great with Yamaha HS5.

 

[vince789]

Anyone know any retailers that will ship globally at a reasonable fee/time. AliExpress is 4 weeks for me. Scan won't ship globally and Audiophonics still don't have stock

 

[PopDV]

the MIC pre-amps are horrible in E2x2
even I had a lot of expectation for this interface. DAC is good, Headphones amp is very good but mic pre-amp have significant noise level + when you adjusting mic levels with knobs you hear click and additional noise.
Test done with Sennheiser MKE600 with both +48V phantom and internal AA battery (with int power couples dB better but not a big diff). Amp level max 70% but even lower I hear the noise even without connected mic. I tried diff setting level + digital level >> the result not good at all scenarios
Previously had Zoom F6 - absolutely different level of mic preamps. But now I need all in one audio interface.
I also did test with Rode Wireless GO II with internal rec - and also much better that E2x2
So not acceptable have to return

 

[staticV3]

the MIC pre-amps are horrible in E2x2
even I had a lot of expectation for this interface. DAC is good, Headphones amp is very good but mic pre-amp have significant noise level + when you adjusting mic levels with knobs you hear click and additional noise.
Test done with Sennheiser MKE600 with both +48V phantom and internal AA battery (with int power couples dB better but not a big diff). Amp level max 70% but even lower I hear the noise even without connected mic. I tried diff setting level + digital level >> the result not good at all scenarios
Previously had Zoom F6 - absolutely different level of mic preamps. But now I need all in one audio interface.
I also did test with Rode Wireless GO II with internal rec - and also much more better that E2x2
So not acceptable have to return

The numbers don't lie:


Difficult to say what's causing the noise in your case without more details. Could be a faulty unit, could be user error.

 

[PopDV]

I trust my ears not numbers
IMHO numbers can lie

 

[DLS79]

I trust my ears not numbers
IMHO numbers can lie

Then you are definitely on the wrong forum, because very few people here are going to trust Your ears!

 

[AnalogSteph]

The noise when adjusting input gain is known to occur and appears to be a quirk of this particular design, but other than that the input should definitely not be noisy at all. Please check whether it occurs on the other channel as well. I have a cheapie interface where one channel gets obscenely noisy as soon as phantom power is turned on, I suspect a bad coupling capacitor with excessive leakage as the cause. Compare noise levels at open input with phantom power either on or off to make sure it's not something like that. They should not be substantially different once things have settled down.

 

[PopDV]

The noise when adjusting input gain is known to occur and appears to be a quirk of this particular design, but other than that the input should definitely not be noisy at all. Please check whether it occurs on the other channel as well. I have a cheapie interface where one channel gets obscenely noisy as soon as phantom power is turned on, I suspect a bad coupling capacitor with excessive leakage as the cause. Compare noise levels at open input with phantom power either on or off to make sure it's not something like that. They should not be substantially different once things have settled down.

Here is test audio files recorded directed to DAW and saved as WAV without any processing
Inputs are open (no mics, no wires)
files names:
(if no digits then variable from min to max level)
Levels = physical knobs levels [level 0-100%]
DigitLvl = digital level [level 0-20] in Topping App
48[on/off] = phantom power on/off
Topping E2x2 inputs test recordings

 

[BorisYe]

Hello everyone
Maybe someone has faced a similar problem. I bought the e2x2 topping about a month ago, now I have a problem with the sound.
When listening, I hear interference and distortion.
An example of recording the interference of a tone generator.

Spoiler

What attempts have I made to solve the problem:

1. Check on three sound sources (PC, Dell laptop, Pixel 8 Pro).
2. Check on three headphones (Meze 99, Hifiman Ananda, KZ Castor)
3. Reinstall drivers and hard reset.
4. Used other USB cables
5. Used several different adapters 6.3

None of the above helped. Do you have any ideas?

 

[SATB]

Hello everyone
Maybe someone has faced a similar problem. I bought the e2x2 topping about a month ago, now I have a problem with the sound.
When listening, I hear interference and distortion.
An example of recording the interference of a tone generator.

Spoiler

What attempts have I made to solve the problem:

1. Check on three sound sources (PC, Dell laptop, Pixel 8 Pro).
2. Check on three headphones (Meze 99, Hifiman Ananda, KZ Castor)
3. Reinstall drivers and hard reset.
4. Used other USB cables
5. Used several different adapters 6.3

None of the above helped. Do you have any ideas?

It seems you have your headphone high gain button on and the headphone output turned all the way to the max, so you are likely going way beyond the impedance of your headphone. These amps are very powerful, so if you ever hear distortion, you are likely pushing the headphone beyond its limit.

 

[BorisYe]

Кажется, у вас включена кнопка высокого усиления на наушниках, а выход для наушников установлен на максимум, поэтому вы, вероятно, выходите за пределы импеданса ваших наушников. Эти усилители очень мощные, поэтому, если вы когда-нибудь услышите искажения, вы, вероятно, используете наушники за пределом своих возможностей.

I turned on the gain for recording because the microphone couldn't record them.

 

[SATB]

Here is test audio files recorded directed to DAW and saved as WAV without any processing
Inputs are open (no mics, no wires)
files names:
(if no digits then variable from min to max level)
Levels = physical knobs levels [level 0-100%]
DigitLvl = digital level [level 0-20] in Topping App
48[on/off] = phantom power on/off
Topping E2x2 inputs test recordings

Julian Krause talks about the issues with testing without mics here: USE YOUR GAIN! The TRUTH about maximum gain setting (set preamp gain properly and minimize noise)

That said, I've had mine for 4 months and doubt I could get the results of Krause's tests shared by staticV3 a few posts back. My theory is that there was supposedly a change of the mic impedance since Julian's review, which has somehow altered its performance. The pinned post by Julian on his e2x2 video: "According to a mail I got from Topping Pro, the input impedance has been increased to 1.5 kOhm in the second batch run." I'm not an engineer and don't have proper testing equipment so don't have any results though, but I am a bit suspicious of its performance recording through the mic inputs.

 

[SATB]

I turned on the gain for recording because the microphone couldn't record them.

What is the impedance of those headphones though?

 

[BorisYe]

What is the impedance of those headphones though?

32.
But I also used other headphones, the situation is similar.