Topping L30 HeadAMP

[iamwhoiam]

It's a personal choice folks.

It’s a matter of preference

This is the absolute crux of the matter.

However, as you can see, there are people here who are completed fixated down one path and never consider others.

There is no right or wrong with tubes (just wrong implementations!), and therefore you can't simply fire off blanket statements.

 

[solderdude]

As long as people do not claim tubes are 'better' I can go along with this.
Some may prefer it.
This 'place' (lets call it ASR) is founded on measurements to expose poor performing gear. In principle there is nothing wrong with this when one pursues actual fidelity (true to the recorded waveform).
This is what certain folks gets in a knot and calls the vast majority of ASR members 'idiots without ears that only like measurements'.
Yes, this forum is about measurements.
Poor measurements (depends on which ones) does not mean some won't like it. Good measurements could sound 'wrong' to certain people.
For the majority of ASR owners good measurements are an assurance the sound is good too. And it is in most cases.
Those that like to colour sound in a way they prefer are coloring it, improving it to their preferences but clearly not in a technical sense.

It is a good thing our ears are so poor that the brain accepts all those added 'changes' and even enjoy it.

The L30 is not about coloring but amplifying the input signal with at least as possible changes to it. Far below any levels. When this is not one's preference they should buy stuff that changes the signal to their preference. These folks are not dumb, stupid or whatever. They just have a different preference based on whatever floats their boat.
Tubes amps are not higher fidelity, they are different fidelity only.

 

[somebodyelse]

This may well be true for recording and/or synths, and I would agree that this may practically make more sense when paired with a transparent SOTA amp.

However, can you name me a DAP which does this? Or even a plugin? Either my search skills are terrible (very likely, so I'm unlikely to be surprised if you find one!), or there are no specific implementations which can make this theory a reality. i.e. Every digital tube filter I have seen is for studio pro audio/guitar synth, not commercial hifi.

I'm not aware of anything similar for commercial hifi either. I'm not sure there's much of a market for such a thing - the overlap between those wanting the sound and believing it could work seems small. I could see it happening as an open source project though.

 

[NDC]

I'm not aware of anything similar for commercial hifi either. I'm not sure there's much of a market for such a thing - the overlap between those wanting the sound and believing it could work seems small. I could see it happening as an open source project though.

I imagine you could run a variety of tube VSTs as an effect on the output of your computers’ sound output using something like SoundSource. I use SoundSource to apply parametric EQ to my Senn HD58x but it can accept any audio unit or VST plugin. So you could apply a tube VST of some sort I imagine.

Not sure what the windows equivalent is but there’s probably something out there.

 

[MSTARK]

Regarding the 300b amp distortion.. I'll bet you can simulate it by using the transfer function of the amp AND increasing the output resistance of the SS amp in a similar way as the tube amp

I think you can get close, if you aimed to replicate/simulate that kind of sound. There are few companies in hifi world that are known for those “qualities”. Mostly class “A“ but not exclusively.
We wouldn’t have dozen of cans, amps or speakers if “one” of anything could keep us happy in “audiophile nirvana”. Guys tweak things all the time. So do I. From speakers crossover/ bracing to tube/opamp rolling. Even my latest cans came with various tuning pads for tweaking pleasure. So yeah, it all comes down to preferences..... and budget. Bc this hobby is far from cheap and cheerful.

 

[MSTARK]

This is the absolute crux of the matter.

However, as you can see, there are people here who are completed fixated down one path and never consider others.

There is no right or wrong with tubes (just wrong implementations!), and therefore you can't simply fire off blanket statements.

Yeah, and that’s fine if that individual believes his/her way is “the way”. It doesn’t really matter as long as he/she isn’t projecting those believes as a “Bible for Audiophiles”.

 

[Sukie]

I'm new to this forum but it seems clear to me that ASR isn't just about personal preference vs measurements, it's about debunking myths. This is close to my heart as I don't have cash to spare on buying snake oil products, but I love listening to music. It's great that people like their particular preferences, but once you start using any objective language (sounds better etc.) then you're back to the underlying problem.

 

[somebodyelse]

Since I'm partly responsible for derailing this thread I've started a new one for the whole amp sound / digital effects thing. Can we get this thread back on topic please.

 

[solderdude]

this hobby is far from cheap and cheerful

Disagree, you can get excellent sound with little money and make it as expensive as you want.
E30, L30 is cheap but not colored.
When this is not your thing color the headphones or the signal sent to the DAC.

 

[ShoKz]

Hello guys.
I´m new to the forum and to hifi audio world too so i´m sory in advance for any stupidity i might say...and for some bad inglish too..
So recently i just got dt990 600ohms and i was on the market for an amp and i was looking to liquid spark that i read it tames the treble of the dt990 a little bit. Due to covid19 the liquid spark is only avaiable by september and then i heard about the new topping L30 and was ondering how it compares to liquid spark and if it matches well and divres well the dt990 600ohms.?
Can you guys give some insights of what the L30 is capable of?
Thanks

 

[audiojoe]

External transformer AC. Any unauthorized supply is prohibited. Change at your own risk.

First off, huge respect for your designs, you seem to be on top of the game! I live in Germany and I have read about Topping not providing EU power supplies that would fit our region. Is there anything I can do, or do you recommend buying a different amp? I really don't want reduced perfomance with an aftermarket adapter/supply

 

[Vini darko]

Hello guys.
I´m new to the forum and to hifi audio world too so i´m sory in advance for any stupidity i might say...and for some bad inglish too..
So recently i just got dt990 600ohms and i was on the market for an amp and i was looking to liquid spark that i read it tames the treble of the dt990 a little bit. Due to covid19 the liquid spark is only avaiable by september and then i heard about the new topping L30 and was ondering how it compares to liquid spark and if it matches well and divres well the dt990 600ohms.?
Can you guys give some insights of what the L30 is capable of?
Thanks

Hi welcome. No one has one yet so how it interacts with different headphones is unknown.

 

[ShoKz]

Hi welcome. No one has one yet so how it interacts with different headphones is unknown.

Thanks for clearing that out!
Dunno if i shoud pull the trigger on the L30 ou wait till end of september for the LS.

 

[rupert3k]

Thanks for clearing that out!
Dunno if i shoud pull the trigger on the L30 or wait till end of September for the LS.

Liquid Spark says in stock ships today:
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=33304
Personally I'd go with L30 if you can afford it

 

[dpippel]

If you're in the U.S., Apos Audio starts shipping the L30 tomorrow.

 

[3125b]

I`m still awaiting Amirs review. It's bound to be coming soon, isn't it?

 

[Vini darko]

I`m still awaiting Amirs review. It's bound to be coming soon, isn't it?

Hope so. There's no reviews on youtube either which is strange.

 

[solderdude]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-topping-l30-headphone-amp.14252/#post-436760 ???

 

[3125b]

We all know that one, but I would like to see a review of a production sample, especially regarding the volume control.

 

[MSTARK]

Disagree, you can get excellent sound with little money and make it as expensive as you want.
E30, L30 is cheap but not colored.
When this is not your thing color the headphones or the signal sent to the DAC.

Why do you think I'm getting L30? I don't think it's crap. In fact I expect to be pleasantly surprised by it. Could I afford more "refined" amp? Sure. And if I do, I'll probably still keep L30. First I want to play with it a little and eventually it will be part of my bedroom rig where space saving components are a must. As to price to performance (return on your investment) ratio.....well, there is a difference. Aside from performance, there's a factor of build quality, long term reliability, human interaction with people directly behind the product, warranty etc. I know that for some those things don't matter but for me it does matter. And on number of occasions I have been taken care of by people who stood behind their product. Often, many years after warranty expired or component that have been sold to fellow enthusiast.
Did performance of "budget" component improved over the years? Absolutely. Especially in digital and streaming domain. So yeah, you can be perfectly happy without spending a little fortune and get extremely satisfying, musical experience. Color or not, if you enjoy it then that's all that matters.