E30 L30 Stack not powerful enough

[Acerun]

I just got what I thought would be the perfect budget combination... And it sounds great for my Audeze Sine and NAD Viso HP50... But I just bought a set of HE-560 V.4 headphones and there's simply not enough power to drive these headphones. Moderate volume even at full blast and high gain on the L30. I believe the headphones are 45 or 50 ohm impedance.

I can return this $300 stack and get something else.

I love the idea of the DX7 being an all-in-one unit and wireless - $650

SH9 - SU9 stack $750

E30 -A30 $760 (no wireless)

Anyone been through this and can give advice or have a better idea?

 

[_thelaughingman]

Are you feeding the signal to E30 from a PC? is the volume in OS set to max? I had HE-4xx that needed to be higher volume than my dynamic drivers but i feel that they get sufficient power. To me it seems from your description that it's plenty loud for the headphones to function without need for any more juice. I maybe wrong based on an assumption here.

 

[devopsprodude]

If you like the E30, I would get the A30Pro. It has enough power for pretty much anything. But you may have to wait a bit to get one as they are very new.

 

[Acerun]

If you like the E30, I would get the A30Pro. It has enough power for pretty much anything. But you may have to wait a bit to get one as they are very new.

Hmmm..That's an option as power is the issue. They would be different sizes... I wonder if it won't look very nice/matched having the smaller E30 on top of the larger a 30 pro?

 

[devopsprodude]

Hmmm..That's an option as power is the issue. They would be different sizes... I wonder if it won't look very nice/matched having the smaller E30 on top of the larger a 30 pro?

I think it would be fine, but that's up to you. Only thing is that the A30Pro does get a bit warm.

 

[Acerun]

Are you feeding the signal to E30 from a PC? is the volume in OS set to max? I had HE-4xx that needed to be higher volume than my dynamic drivers but i feel that they get sufficient power. To me it seems from your description that it's plenty loud for the headphones to function without need for any more juice. I maybe wrong based on an assumption here.

Samsung phone usb c to b cable to E30 to L30

 

[frogmeat69]

Do you have the phone volume up all of the way?

 

[Acerun]

Do you have the phone volume up all of the way?

I do

 

[Acerun]

The Sine gets louder than I ever want to play it...not the HE-560 V4. I think the sound is terrific on the HE-560 V4 it's just medium high...on full blast.

 

[GDK]

Is the E30 in pre-amp mode, rather than DAC mode?

 

[Acerun]

Is the E30 in pre-amp mode, rather than DAC mode?

Interesting that's something I will check on. Thank you. Now to be clear is that a physical switch settings or is that a digital button or remote setting?

 

[GDK]

Interesting that's something I will check on. Thank you. Now to be clear is that a physical switch settings or is that a digital button or remote setting?

If I recall, you have to hold down the power button on the face of the DAC to switch between them.

 

[Acerun]

If I recall, you have to hold down the power button on the face of the DAC to switch between them.

Jackpot. I have no idea how it got switched and there is no indication on the display that you are in DAC mode or pre mode. That would be a nice indicator. Plenty of power now, thank you again.

 

[raif71]

Jackpot. I have no idea how it got switched and there is no indication on the display that you are in DAC mode or pre mode. That would be a nice indicator. Plenty of power now, thank you again.

Indicator is this...if it shows db then it is in pre mode but if it shows pcm/dsd and file's frequency then it is in dac mode. So, which mode then do you find powerful?

 

[Acerun]

Indicator is this...if it shows db then it is in pre mode but if it shows pcm/dsd and file's frequency then it is in dac mode. So, which mode then do you find powerful?

DAC has the power

 

[Acerun]

Indicator is this...if it shows db then it is in pre mode but if it shows pcm/dsd and file's frequency then it is in dac mode. So, which mode then do you find powerful?

It showed the frequency last night when I was having the trouble. And earlier today... It showed the frequency just fine.

 

[Acerun]

One other piece of information is that I just added a set of external speakers connected to the DAX and activated by the physical switch. Could the external speakers have stuck the DAC in pre-mode and when I switched back to headphones it didn't adjust?

 

[devopsprodude]

Jackpot. I have no idea how it got switched and there is no indication on the display that you are in DAC mode or pre mode. That would be a nice indicator. Plenty of power now, thank you again.

Glad you got that sorted out.

 

[raif71]

DAC has the power

Actually as far as I know the E30 in DAC or pre mode makes little difference in power as the output voltage when in DAC is 2.0V and when in pre, the max that it can go is around 2.1V. Anyone here can correct me if I'm in error.

 

[Acerun]

Actually as far as I know the E30 in DAC or pre mode makes little difference in power as the output voltage when in DAC is 2.0V and when in pre, the max that it can go is around 2.1V. Anyone here can correct me if I'm in error.

I don't know if I somehow reset the DAC but when I made the DAC illuminate DAC via the button hold, the power to the headphones jumped dramatically.