Question about some Topping DACs

[diddly]

Hi,

I'm looking to pick up a dac soon and have one or two in mind. I'll be using it primarily for mixing music and audio with headphones. Topping tend to get recommended for this a lot by engineers.

The options I am considering are the E70 and the D50iii. I had planned to get the DX7 pro plus but it's discontinued. Plus I have the topping L50 headphone amp, so I may as well use it as I'm pretty happy with it.

I have watched Amir's video explaining test results he gets when reviewing DACs, so I've a decent idea what I'm looking at. It seems after a certain quality level is reached, anything beyond that would be inaudible anyway. The E70 has fractionally better results but that is probably irrelevant.

Do either of these DACs have any known issues etc that would make you choose one over the other? Regarding Connections I'd prefer the balanced trs on the D50iii over the XLR on the E70 as I'll have to get more cables to connect it to the L50. But I'd prefer the built in power supply on the E70. Also the D50iii is a bit cheaper.

Are both these Dacs pretty much on par? Has anyone had both? Also there is a velvet version of the E70, what's the difference? I have read a review saying the E70 is darker than the velvet, but surely if they are both completely flat frequency wise, that can't be the case?

Thanks

 

[Drengur]

If you don't need any functionality other then doing DAC, why not the D10 Balanced? Cheaper, just as good to human ears.

 

[unpluggged]

Do either of these DACs have any known issues etc that would make you choose one over the other?

Topping E70 randomly went to MAX volume..

Not sure what happened but all the sudden the E70 went from -30db or so to 0db. Basically blew out my ears for a few seconds and it was stuck on 0db, I couldn't even lower it. Tried spinning the volume control on the E70 for a few seconds, it was locked at 0db. Afraid to put my windows volume...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[diddly]

Damn that seems a bit dodgy. That's a one off is it or are many having that issue? D50III might be a safer option then.

 

[unpluggged]

Damn that seems a bit dodgy. That's a one off is it or are many having that issue? D50III might be a safer option then.

Who knows. I'd avoid anything that comes from that manufacturer and costs more than $80. If you are lucky, it won't kill theconnected equipment, but that's not for sure.

L30 that kills headphones: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/sequential-damage.19003/
L30 II that has no protection from static discharges on its chassis (inadequate insulation of the chassis from the internal circuits): https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...er-topping-static-shock-failure-l30-ii.60488/
The famous PA5 IC potting compound in which the amp cooks itself: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...oll-for-topping-pa5-owners-only-please.33293/

This hilarious reply says it all about them: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ing-pa5-owners-only-please.33293/post-1246979

 

[deepbass9]

I have had a Topping E70 for over a year now. I recently purchased a Topping L70 to go with it, even though I had a perfectly transparent HPA already. They have been stellar performers, operate functionally flawlessly, and are well designed units. I am probably one of thousands and thousands satisfied owners, and, until now hasn't bothered to post anything regarding my experience. Those with poor experiences, we all know, tend to be more vocal than the masses of those with good experiences. Unless we're talking Schiit and fanboys....

Anything controlled by software is subject to malfuction, just as anything controlled by hardware is. Know your equipment and stage it accordingly. My preset buttons on the L70 remote reset every so often, I suspect a product of the way I power cycle, but that tiny niggle does nothing to diminish the quality of the experience. Businesses are out for a profit. They'll try to do right, but in the end, it's about staying profitable. Always.