E30 not providing anything over .700V

[Shanerr]

Using a Matco DMM measuring in A/C Auto, my E30 will not provide anything over .7 volts at the RCA. My source is an ipad mini with lightning to usb adapter to midi USB into the topping. Assuming this shouldnt be an issue given the topping is being fed data only. This is with all types of music using Pandora and Tidal.. My amp does not perform as it should in my opinion.. What gives? Am I doing something wrong?

 

[Shanerr]

is the signal path split in half, left and right 1v 1v? Do I need 2 DMM's or should the dac provide 2v each channel?

 

[gvl]

What signal did you use to get that 0.7V measurement?

 

[NTK]

If you are testing with music, you have no idea what the RMS voltage value is. Try using a 50 or 60 Hz sine wave. You can generate them with Audacity, REW, or other programs.

The AC voltage readings of DMM's are usually only accurate up to a few hundred Hz.

 

[Shanerr]

What signal did you use to get that 0.7V measurement?

music and 200hz tone both from Tidal.

 

[gvl]

music and 200hz tone both from Tidal.

Music is not going to work. What level is the 200hz signal and is the Tidal /iPad volume maxed out?

 

[Shanerr]

Music is not going to work. What level is the 200hz signal and is the Tidal /iPad volume maxed out?

ipad is utilizing camera adapter out to midi USB cable into E30... Not sure of the signal level, but nothing goes over .700 on anything played out of the Topping, regardless of source used....

 

[DVDdoug]

Some DMMs have diodes for reading AC so they are not accurate with low voltages. And with real world audio signals you never know if it's going to read the average or peak or something else so you really need a constant test tone.

 

[gvl]

You need to make sure it's a 0db aka full scale signal playing with the app/iPad volume maxed out, 200hz frequency should be fine. Google it you can generate a wave file online or some players can do it for you see above for some suggestions.

 

[Shanerr]

You need to make sure it's a 0db aka full scale signal playing with the app/iPad volume maxed out, 200hz frequency should be fine. Google it you can generate a wave file online or some players can do it for you see above for some suggestions.

Why do I have volume control on the phone with camera adapter? There should be nothing but data. My Tacoma uses a charging chord for the stereo and has no volume control, it is fixed!! WHY??

 

[gvl]

Why do I have volume control on the phone with camera adapter? There should be nothing but data. My Tacoma uses a charging chord for the stereo and has no volume control, it is fixed!! WHY??

Typically on mobile devices digital signal from say Tidal app flows through the system mixer so it can be mixed with system sounds and sounds from other apps, the mixer has a software volume control. Volume controlled or not its all data, just different data. That said I don't know if Tidal can bypass the ios system mixer and send the data direct to the outside device, maybe it can, but if your iPad volume buttons change the volume while Tidal is playing then the signal is being modified so a 0db test signal an be reaching the DAC as a -10db signal it reads lower voltages. As for why, mobile apps are usually not designed to work directly with external DACs although the situation is slowly improving.

 

[Shanerr]

Typically on mobile devices digital signal from say Tidal app flows through the system mixer so it can be mixed with system sounds and sounds from other apps, the mixer has a software volume control. Volume controlled or not its all data, just different data. That said I don't know if Tidal can bypass the ios system mixer and send the data direct to the outside device, maybe it can, but if your iPad volume buttons change the volume while Tidal is playing then the signal is being modified so a 0db test signal an be reaching the DAC as a -10db signal it reads lower voltages. As for why, mobile apps are usually not designed to work directly with external DACs although the situation is slowly improving.

would like to see nothing but ones and zeros coming from the source to DAC... IDK... It means it's being altered.. My setup just doesnt appear to have umphh..

 

[raif71]

Using a Matco DMM measuring in A/C Auto, my E30 will not provide anything over .7 volts at the RCA. My source is an ipad mini with lightning to usb adapter to midi USB into the topping. Assuming this shouldnt be an issue given the topping is being fed data only. This is with all types of music using Pandora and Tidal.. My amp does not perform as it should in my opinion.. What gives? Am I doing something wrong?

Yes measure only with test tones and important use AC readings on the DMM. Just curious on why you decided to measure the voltage. Was it because you think the E30 sounded soft via an amp ?

 

[Shanerr]

would like to see nothing but ones and zeros coming from the source to DAC... IDK... It means it's being altered.. My setup just doesnt appear to have umphh..

Now I'm pissed off!! The EQ settings under the music tab do change the sound....

 

[Shanerr]

Yes measure only with test tones and important use AC readings on the DMM. Just curious on why you decided to measure the voltage. Was it because you think the E30 sounded soft via an amp ?

yes! Soft to say the least.. I understand music provides an A/C signal, thanks..

 

[raif71]

yes! Soft to say the least.. I understand music provides an A/C signal, thanks..

Someone mentioned 0db, I hope when you measure the E30 output, the volume of E30 was at 0db !! Just checking

 

[Shanerr]

yes! Soft to say the least..

Someone mentioned 0db, I hope when you measure the E30 output, the volume of E30 was at 0db !! Just checking

DAC mode does not provide a variable source.. Thanks though..

 

[Shanerr]

You can also adjust balance from the iphone 12 too.... Does the camera adapter have some type of DAC built into it?
It is an Apple lightning to USB first design Not the 3..

 

[TchErNoB]

Don't know if it has a dac (don't think so) but keep in mind that you can alter the sound in the digital world no need to decode it first

 

[Shanerr]

Don't know if it has a dac (don't think so) but keep in mind that you can alter the sound in the digital world no need to decode it first

I'd like to decode it with the money spent... lol.. The apple headphone dongle can't hold a candle to the E30. The difference is beyond significant..