Topping E50 Review (Balanced DAC)

[martijn86]

Stupid sexy Topping. The reviews are boring and I don't need another DAC. But now I want to need another DAC! Please fix this @JohnYang1997, design a DAC while drunk or something.

 

[CrustyToad]

Thanks Amir for another great review!
So many good dacs out there by now and pretty much at all price brackets.


I do wonder though when will we finally see new types of products including pre-amp, top quality multi-channel Dac and dsp/REQ in a single box for below 600€. Reading the forum I think so many people would buy a product like that and it's surprising that we only have ~1200€+ versions out there.

How many more 110db+ 2ch DACs do we need?

 

[Eldus]

I'd love a DAC/Pre-Amp with subwoofer out with crossover at the DAC level.

 

[jae]

Another great product from topping. Not a fan of the glossy front though.

 

[TabCam]

@amirm Normally you are quite critical at brickwall filters that are either slow or late. None of the three filters are both up at 20 kHz and down at about 22kHz. Also, do you know why there are just three filters instead of the usual ones?

 

[Ata]

I've never been a Topping person after receiving a D50 DOA and hearing about others having issues with failing components but dang that's kind of sexy.

DOA is a nuisance but should not reflect on the product or brand badly as it can happen to anyone. My D50 is alive and kicking and feeding my Stax amp/headphone combo without a glitch.

 

[ralph]

ESS dac chip

Which DAC chip is used here?
Thanks again for the review @amirm! By the way, can't agree more on what you are saying about orange LED displays

 

[Bel Canto]

Which DAC chip is used here?
Thanks again for the review @amirm! By the way, can't agree more on what you are saying about orange LED displays

ES9068AS

 

[aandres_gm]

Measures excellent as expected.
At this price point you start to wonder what the D30Pro adds to justify the price jump

I think it only adds convenience (internal PSU) and looks. Also, no mqa

 

[beeface]

If we're making requests for new Topping products, I think it would be cool to see them make a little audio interface with a mic/line input. I think it would sell quite well with gamers, aspiring streamers, etc.

 

[xaviescacs]

Perhaps I'm not interpreting correctly some of the plots. Is the volume control of this DAC, or any other DAC with volume control in similar reviews, tested in any way? From a naive point of view I would expect to see how noise or distortion changes with output level in volts. I'm sure there is something I don't understand that explains this. Can somebody explain that to me? Thanks!

 

[Walter]

I'd love a DAC/Pre-Amp with subwoofer out with crossover at the DAC level.

As would I, although if that requires a DSP chip, they would probably go ahead and add parametric EQ and time alignment, as well. I'd love to see it, but by the time they do that, you basically have a miniDSP 2x4 HD with a better DAC plus balanced outputs, which equates to a miniDSP SHD minus the DIRAC. If they would need to sell it for $800 or so to be profitable. I'm not sure how much of a market there is for that. If they could do it for $500-$600, then yes, I could see it selling well, especially with all this site has done to spread the word about the benefits of EQ and time alignment.

 

[Lupin]

If we're making requests for new Topping products, I think it would be cool to see them make a little audio interface with a mic/line input. I think it would sell quite well with gamers, aspiring streamers, etc.

Please don't open that can of worms
TL ; DR
Not needed as there are plenty audio interfaces out there already.
Yet nobody can link to an audio interface with a DAC portion that is up to par with the D30Pro/E50 and HP out that is up to par with the A30Pro/L50 that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

 

[renaudrenaud]

Too many DACs are being released IMO, makes me want to switch to vinyl so I don't have the temptation to buy each new one.

At this moment you will buy a lot of turntables, cartridges, styli, arms, damping things, specific anti earthquake support and your wife will go away.

 

[Mathias]

I'm a little bit confused. Is the D50s discontinued, now? Or what is the advantage of the D50s over the E50?

 

[Massimo]

I'm a little bit confused. Is the D50s discontinued, now? Or what is the advantage of the D50s over the E50?

And to further add to the confusion, what is the advantage of the more expensive D30 Pro over the E30?

 

[wilbur1]

Wow... A missing detail (probably dumb question but still)... Can the remote control the output level? (for driving a pair of active speakers)

Yes. There is variable output via the remote, so this can indeed be used as a preamp.

 

[Mathias]

And to further add to the confusion, what is the advantage of the more expensive D30 Pro over the E30?

This is understandable, sort of. D30 Pro has a few db advantage and a knob, balanced out.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Right then.

E50/L50 stack, or EX5.

Stack measures a little better, but unless you have hard-to-drive phones, I see no difference in the measurements which would be audible.

Stack is more expensive.

EX5 has more features.

Anything I’ve missed?

 

[YSC]

Top quality and really dirt cheap price from topping.

But as mentioned above, it seems that topping is now offering too many product lines all performing similarly (spectacularly), so it seems to me that it would be both for consumer interest and to reduce topping doing new casing and PCB once a while to shrink them into say 2-3 products in dac and amp side? just saying one for really dirt cheap entry level, maybe with RCA or 1/4 output only and can have BT and optical, USB input, then a middle classed one which offers something like larger casing and probably balanced output with ample power, and TOTL like the D/A/pre90, so it would be easier for ppl to choose from and recommend rather than seeing a few dozens of models.
@JohnYang1997