New Topping DAC

[Els]

I recently replaced my topping E30 DAC with a Topping D50s with regulated power. The difference in my system seems quiet a bit clearer and more dynamic. Is it my imagination, wishful thinking, justification for the extra cost, luck or reality?

 

[voodooless]

Probably imagination, wishful thinking and justification for the extra cost.

 

[fluxcapacitor]

i recently experienced several dacs and all of them sound just same to me . speakers are 2m away from me, good amp etc.nothing is different at all.may be they are all aboce my hearing capability

 

[Overseas]

Probably no objective difference between 2 measured DACs with good measurements.
Or you can organise a blind test.

 

[HDavidson]

They arrived.

TOPPING E70 DAC ES9028Pro XMOS XU316 Bluetooth 5.1 aptX Adaptive LDAC 32bit 768kHz DSD512 Black - Audiophonics

Topping offers with its E70 a powerful DAC with an accurate design. A model capable of offering a rich and precise sound reproduction, combined with smart and practical features, such as Bluetooth, a 12V trigger or an adaptable output level.

www.audiophonics.fr

TOPPING L70 Balanced NFCA Headphone Amplifier / Preamplifier Black - Audiophonics

With the L70, Topping offers a highly engineered balanced NFCA headphone amplifier and preamplifier combo that delivers excellent sonic performance and is suitable for a wide range of use scenarios...

www.audiophonics.fr

 

[formdissolve]

Do we really need ANOTHER DAC and HP Amp from them? The price for the pair is pretty good, but I doubt anyone would notice a difference between the 50 series stack. I do like some of the tech involved in the DAC though, like them using 8 channels of the DAC with 4 channels summed for each channel L/R and routing the BT through the ESS chip. Still won't replace my E50 since I don't need Bluetooth in my back office

 

[TonyJZX]

this is ANOTHER time i'm completely amazed and yet not surprised

stunned yet bored of this shizz

like what is going on in china? why are they spitting out dacs and headphone amps like there's too many designers and factories idle

like what do these two things do that something in their own catalog already doesnt do???

 

[formdissolve]

this is ANOTHER time i'm completely amazed and yet not surprised

stunned yet bored of this shizz

like what is going on in china? why are they spitting out dacs and headphone amps like there's too many designers and factories idle

like what do these two things do that something in their own catalog already doesnt do???

I'm guessing they want to corner every market and price range possible, but it gets to be confusing for the customer in the end. Too many options to filter out and weed through will cause an average non-technical person to move on elsewhere IMO. I assume they might phase out some lines at some point though.

 

[bungle]

this is ANOTHER time i'm completely amazed and yet not surprised

stunned yet bored of this shizz

Yes, the same stuff all over again. Inputs are few, no eARC, no DSP. They seem to be perfecting what has been perfect enough for years. Still, good products, just boring.

 

[iconoclast]

Still waiting on a DAC/balanced HP amp with optical out... Kind of like the DX7 Pro with an integrated D10s. Would like some more options than the top 2 RME units. I'm no stranger to RME (I have an UFX), but I personally feel this is where Topping is failing to compete.

 

[Koeitje]

They are still improving, the E70 has a trigger (in and out) for example. The D90LE or SE doesn't have that.

Yes, the same stuff all over again. Inputs are few, no eARC, no DSP. They seem to be perfecting what has been perfect enough for years. Still, good products, just boring.

MiniDSP SHD is the product for you.

 

[formdissolve]

They are still improving, the E70 has a trigger (in and out) for example. The D90LE or SE doesn't have that.


MiniDSP SHD is the product for you.

MiniDSP SHD doesn't have eARC however

 

[jdoe]

What is wrong with all dissatisfied people in the comments above? Topping just added another great DAC/HPAMP combo to the market, which perfectly fits in the price range sub 400USD (previously there was a gap, between E50 250USD and next topping DACs, which were close to 500USD). L70 is a masterpiece in its own, there are almost no competitors in that price range for fully-balanced HPAMPs (L30/L50/A30Pro are SE, they do not have balanced outputs, SMSL HO200 and SP400 costs more and does not have R2R volume controls). E70 has new I/V-conversion units (basically 8x1612 OPA for each channel) and measures very close to the DX7Pro+, which costs twice as much (please be not fooled by people, who says that 9028Pro is much worse than 9038Pro, ESS datasheet shows both of them are extremely close in terms of pure technical performance).

 

[bungle]

(please be not fooled by people, who says that 9028Pro is much worse than 9038Pro, ESS datasheet shows both of them are extremely close in terms of pure technical performance).

That’s the thing I don’t get with Topping. You can have a masterpiece in different price ranges, with mostly equal features. Though, have to admit, they all are relatively cheap. Then there are bunch of other Chinese brands that do exactly the same stuff in different package.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Topping just added another great DAC/HPAMP combo to the market, which perfectly fits in the price range sub 400USD (previously there was a gap, between E50 250USD and next topping DACs, which were close to 500USD)

No there wasn't a gap: A30/D30 PRO.
You're just showing a good example about what is wrong here. They launch so much things that people even forget their products released in 2021.

 

[Koeitje]

MiniDSP SHD doesn't have eARC however

So does hardly anything on the market. It probably has to do with HDMI licencing. I also think they release too many products, but you are asking them to release something that doesn't exist on the market at all. And whatever comes really close still isn't good for you even though its transparent.

 

[JaccoW]

I kind of miss the orange display of the E50 but the volume button and high-end bluetooth connection does make it interesting to me.
If they improve the remote receiver (the E50 is notorious for the narrow angle where the remote works) this would make it a viable option for use with a vintage amp for me.

Topping E70
Topping L70

 

[bungle]

So does hardly anything on the market. It probably has to do with HDMI licencing. I also think they release too many products, but you are asking them to release something that doesn't exist on the market at all. And whatever comes really close still isn't good for you even though its transparent.

Many of us is looking for a right combo. It does not help, us consumers, when everyone does the same (and in case of Topping, multiple of them every year). There is a room for differentiation, but still it does not happen.

eARC/CEC is a new user friendly SPDIF that can scale to lossless multichannel (and is happy with HDCP etc.). You find it on cheap soundbars, televisions, avrs and hdmi switches: auto power, auto source, volume control, fewer cables. Compare that to I2S. You only find it in this DAC separates niche. You won’t easily find it in pro-audio either (as an external connector). If Topping had eARC instead of I2S (or perhaps both in same connector), it would open a totally new market, even without decoders.

 

[bungle]

Many of us is looking for a right combo. It does not help, us consumers, when everyone does the same (and in case of Topping, multiple of them every year). There is a room for differentiation, but still it does not happen.

eARC/CEC is a new user friendly SPDIF that can scale to lossless multichannel (and is happy with HDCP etc.). You find it on cheap soundbars, televisions, avrs and hdmi switches: auto power, auto source, volume control, fewer cables. Compare that to I2S. You only find it in this DAC separates niche. You won’t easily find it in pro-audio either. If Topping had eARC instead of I2S (or perhaps both in same connector), it would open a totally new market, even without decoders.

Perhaps something like this integrated inside Topping DAC:

eARC/ARC Audio Receiver Module | Circal Engineering

Dual input port (I2S and USB) Audio Module, MQA enabled | Circal Engineering

www.circalengineering.com

And there is one that would do the DSP side too:

Dolby Atmos | Circal Engineering

Dolby Atmos and DTS:X PRO Audio De-compression module | Circal Engineering

www.circalengineering.com

So, just wishing someone, like Topping, would pick their fine DACs and start integrating with this. I know, it's just a dream.

 

[Koeitje]

And there is one that would do the DSP side too:

Dolby Atmos | Circal Engineering

Dolby Atmos and DTS:X PRO Audio De-compression module | Circal Engineering

www.circalengineering.com

So, just wishing someone, like Topping, would pick their fine DACs and start integrating with this. I know, it's just a dream.

That is a licensing nightmare