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New Topping L70 is just insane.

Bleib

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This

It's double the power at both low and high impedance.
Whops, checked a bit wrong, but to get the power you'd need to use the balanced out.
 

Noob

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Whops, checked a bit wrong, but to get the power you'd need to use the balanced out.
Well, yeah. Balanced is the reason you would buy such an amp. If you just want single-ended TRS, but need a bunch of power for something like the beyerdynamic dt880 600ohm, then you get the a30 pro.
 

HYQID

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This is what can be achieved with L70.
 

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Roland68

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When I look at the picture of the R2R relay-based volume control, I don't see as many relays as I would expect. This leads me to a couple of questions:
1.) Is the volume control balanced or single ended?
2.) How many volume steps are there and what's the step level?
It will probably be unbalanced like most headphone amps and preamps with relay based volume control. Even for only 64 levels, there would have to be more relays.
This is also the case with SMSL SH-9, SP400, Sabaj A10h and A20h.
Of course, it saves a lot of components and circuitry, but above all space. Since it is handled in exactly the same way with many devices of the "high-end" classes...

For modifications and repairs, I use the inexpensive 22-stage pots with SMD resistors as replacement pots. These 22 steps have never been a problem before. If a person turns a volume knob in the smallest possible steps to the end, you end up with 30 - 35 steps. The old Alps potentiometers with detent had 41 stages.
Under normal conditions, more than 64 levels are just a waste, also through experience with 128 and 256 level modules (which are also available in symmetrical versions).
 

Roland68

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Wow it seems they really did think of everything.
Yes, they seem to have read along well and paid attention.
They even took ground lift and 12v trigger into account.
I would have gone for a slightly larger case, added 1 x XLR and 4-5 RCA inputs and kicked the b... of the often overpriced preamps
 
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firestart3r

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Is the L70 a better preamplifier than the E70 for a speaker amplifier?

Usually DACs with digital volume control have perfect "channel volume matching" but the L70 has relays so it should be comparable?

E70 has a "left/right balance" ajustement though. Is that important to have if I plan to upgrade to mono block amplifiers?

I'm wondering because both have a trigger output for a nice Ncore/Purify amp
 

Roland68

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Is L70 more A90 alike or A90D alike?
I would say A90D because of the relay based volume control.
The amplification circuits are from A90. So it's more like A90.
You're both probably right.
The relay based volume control will come from the A90D, amplifier chip and number is the same as in the A90.
The amplifier circuit will probably be like in the L30 II (i.e. 2 x).
There is also an internal switching power supply.
 

wyup

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Why balanced IN/OUT performance is worse than unbalanced in most regards (headamp & preamp THD+N, SNR, dynamic range, noise, crosstalk..), if it's a balanced configuration?
You can check that in audiophonics specs and Wolf's measurements.
 

solderdude

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Signal is converted to unbalanced, passes through relays, and is converted to balanced again.
Regardless, it is all waaaayyy... waaay low any audible thresholds and absolutely no practical issue.
 
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