Topping A30Pro Bug/Defect, Help!

[usern]

You made me think of trying to use my heresy as pre-amp for the a30pro, is it wise to do?

Probably no change as Heresy preamp most likely just attenuates, not boost RCA to RCA. If you take Heresy headphone out, then you could boost the signal, but risk overdriving A30pro I guess.

As for A30pro and DC protection, I have never triggered it with loud bass music. I cannot trigger it with your example track, but I use A30pro with 4V DAC (XLR input) and very efficient Beyer DT 700 Pro X headphones at medium gain and not over 50% volume knob.

 

[NTK]

Conclusion:

If thats the case: DC protection kicking because of a wave of frequency of a music, then its not a bug, neither a feature, its both False Advertisement + Design Flaw (or even security failure because of its proposition).

Are you aware that you can't hear DC (or <20 Hz with your eardrums), and sending high levels of it to headphones may kill them?

 

[ampguy]

Haha, had to change my underwear after listening to that lol

 

[Tovarich007]

If your music has DC content in it that triggers the Amp's DC protection, then that's not a design failure. The Amp is doing what it's supposed to (protecting your headphones) and your tracks are just shoddily mastered.

You can high pass your music via EQ to get rid of DC and that will most likely resolve your issues.

Take it up with the artists or mastering engineers who aren't doing their job, not with Topping who are just trying to prevent damage.

I don't know what's exactly happening with Masterdragon 's Topping A30 pro, but I can't see how any music can produce DC ? A music score can go very deep in bass or subbass, but certainly not at 0 Hz (DC) ! Quite simply it couldn't be recorded at DC, studios and postproduction facilities have efficient protections to avoid DC throughout the recording and mastering process.

As for the listening volume level, I don't think this could be the bug's cause. Of course, as many young -or less young- people, Masterdragon is probably listening very loud, too loud indeed. It's more much serious and dangerous for their hearing than for the audio devices ! So I urge everybody to take care of one's audition capabilities and turn down a bit the volume instead of cranking it up ! But anyway, I guess this can't be the cause of the technical problem encountered.

Quite simply because the theorical output of the A30 pro is enough powerful to listen very loud, and much too loud if you push it ! So I don't see how a high level willby itself trigger the DC protection, unless this DC protection is flawed or fixed too low. Be aware that a DC protection is intended to protect the device, not the ears ! With a Topping A30 Pro or many other powerful headphone amps, you can easily get ear-bleeding and dangerous output levels)).

So my guess is the unit purchased by Masterdragon has a bug or a defect somewhere, maybe relatively easy to fix, I hope so.. It's not the first time we read complaints about more or less severe bugs or reliability problems on Topping products. Very good performances, but suboptimal reliability and factory fixings.

Maybe I'm wrong, but that's my assumption.

 

[IAtaman]

Where in the A30Pro box or manual, warrant card, or even advertisement stands that: "This product can not fully deliver amplification when in High Gain and above 65% of its volume knob due to DC protection feature, some music are unsupported"?

DC is not music. Amp specs says 20Hz-20Khz everywhere.

Maybe I'm wrong

Indeed you are.

 

[Tovarich007]

Where is this graph from ? Is it real "music" ? that sounds crazy to me... how can one let infrasounds so high in level until down 1 hz ?

I agree with you if this is supposed to be a real "musical" content. Indeed DC and more generally infrasounds (less than 16 Hz, the lowest frequency of a great organ) are indeed not music at all, even not noise, but just vibrations that can be very dangerous -Infrasounds can cause different types of physical and psychical damages at long term. Infrasounds have been use as a way of torture in several countries, by the way.

One more reason to put the volume down when listening that kind of "music".

 

[staticV3]

I don't know what's exactly happening with Masterdragon 's Topping A30 pro, but I can't see how any music can produce DC ? A music score can go very deep in bass or subbass, but certainly not at 0 Hz (DC) !

sure it can:

Whenever the waveform does not pass the zero line for an extended amount of time, that's DC content present in the audio file.
This can damage your headphones, and so competently designed Amps (like the A30 Pro) will go into protection to prevent damage.

If you see this sort of stuff in your audio tracks, you know that amateurs were at work. DC has no place in audio and must be filtered out before publishing.

 

[Tovarich007]

sure it can:
View attachment 296571View attachment 296572View attachment 296573
Whenever the waveform does not pass the zero line for an extended amount of time, that's DC content present in the audio file.
This can damage your headphones, and so competently designed Amps (like the A30 Pro) will go into protection to prevent damage.

If you see this sort of stuff in your audio tracks, you know that amateurs were at work. DC has no place in audio and must be filtered out before publishing.

That's what i said. DC has no place in music.
And infrasounds are not sounds, but useless vibrations

 

[peniku8]

Some devices are DC coupled and they typically specifically mention that. Some audio interfaces do that for example, to output control voltages for stuff like modular synths. There are also amplifiers that are DC coupled, but the only ones I know are not meant for speakers (AE Techron).
Many high quality audio amplifiers have various protection circuits built in (DC; VHF, SC; Thermal..) and it's nice to see that Topping has DC protection too.

On another note, I'd appeal to a mod to rename the thread, because it seems needlessly provocative & misleading stemming from the op's misunderstanding of technology.

 

[usern]

As for A30pro and DC protection, I have never triggered it with loud bass music. I cannot trigger it with your example track, but I use A30pro with 4V DAC (XLR input) and very efficient Beyer DT 700 Pro X headphones at medium gain and not over 50% volume knob.

I actually tried with no headphones connected, high gain and 70% volume - it went into protection. So I would suggest either getting a proper DAC so you don't have to turn gain up so much or just continue using Heresy - it's excellent amp. A30pro and Heresy are both neutral so "sound signature" difference perception is most likely placebo or expectation bias.

 

[unpluggged]

So I would suggest either getting a proper DAC so you don't have to turn gain up so much

I think the protection triggers by the output voltage/current, so gain setting is irrelevant.

I also believe now that OP is just a troll since they continue to rant and call these synthesized artificial garbage signals "music" even after numerous people here went a great length in order to figure the problem out and to explain the phenomenon. And I don't believe they do actually use their headphones at such volume levels (they say it's the ATH-M50X, so it's not some low-impedance, low-sensitivity planars that may drain high currents at reasonable volumes).

 

[dfuller]

Lots of infrasonic content, down to DC. No wonder the DC protection is kicking in.

This isn't a design fault. This is PEBCAK.

 

[masterdragon]

I am not mad or anything, i am going to edit somethings, i was just unhappy about my situation, it was frustating to me. I am not defending DC as music or amateur mixing being good, but for sure we have a hell of a more serious conclusion about something that is of world consern by this moment, and that is:

HOW THE HELL AN AUDIO FILE IS ALLOWED TO SAVE THIS DC FREQUENCY? ARE THE WORLD OF OPERATIONAL SYSTEM AND SOFTWARE NOT AWARE OF THIS SERIOUS FLAW IN ALLOWING THAT FREQUENCY TO BE SAVED AND TO RUN FROM AN AUDIO FILE IF IT IS WHAT IT IS?

- I am no expert in audio like you guys, neither is 99% of the world who uses a PC, if wasnt for this thread i would never know it was existing in tje background. I have been listening for this music for years (7 years) and for mr, until the only amplifier now (a30pro) shows this protection i would never know this track had this serious flaw. And by the way, i love this track from good moments in my life, but now, sure, gonna pass a high filter.

- By the way, what is a lighweight, simple and no loss software to filter these mp3?

Thanks for you all from here by the way

 

[usern]

I think the protection triggers by the output voltage/current, so gain setting is irrelevant.

Medium gain 100% volume pot A30pro does not go into protection. High gain 70% volume pot it does go into protection.

 

[Sokel]

I was hoping it does not, too

WTF???
That's worst than Pan Sonic!

 

[Jimbob54]

I am not mad or anything, i am going to edit somethings, i was just unhappy about my situation, it was frustating to me. I am not defending DC as music or amateur mixing being good, but for sure we have a hell of a more serious conclusion about something that is of world consern by this moment, and that is:

HOW THE HELL AN AUDIO FILE IS ALLOWED TO SAVE THIS DC FREQUENCY? ARE THE WORLD OF OPERATIONAL SYSTEM AND SOFTWARE NOT AWARE OF THIS SERIOUS FLAW IN ALLOWING THAT FREQUENCY TO BE SAVED AND TO RUN FROM AN AUDIO FILE IF IT IS WHAT IT IS?

- I am no expert in audio like you guys, neither is 99% of the world who uses a PC, if wasnt for this thread i would never know it was existing in tje background. I have been listening for this music for years (7 years) and for mr, until the only amplifier now (a30pro) shows this protection i would never know this track had this serious flaw. And by the way, i love this track from good moments in my life, but now, sure, gonna pass a high filter.

- By the way, what is a lighweight, simple and no loss software to filter these mp3?

Thanks for you all from here by the way

Use equalizer apo if you're using windows.

The issue isn't on the playback side, it's on the recording /mastering /distribution. No files should be distributed with that content. That applies whether you made it, your friend did or a global megastar.

One of the prices to pay for the democratisation of the recording industry. I'm pretty sure in the old analog bedroom recording days such content couldn't have been captured in the first place

 

[masterdragon]

Any moderator can please edit the thread title to "Topping A30Pro turning off and on in some music"

So that people like me could get here to know whats happening and know about this DC, unknown by masses, serious audio reality

 

[masterdragon]

Use equalizer apo if you're using windows.

The issue isn't on the playback side, it's on the recording /mastering /distribution. No files should be distributed with that content. That applies whether you made it, your friend did or a global megastar.

One of the prices to pay for the democratisation of the recording industry. I'm pretty sure in the old analog bedroom recording days such content couldn't have been captured in the first place

Thats what i meant, but at the same time, i am protesting for the fact that the OS and Audio Software industries are allowing this frequency to run to the speakers or headphone. It is something bizarre to think the audio file can be allowed to be saved such frequency and players to run such thing

 

[masterdragon]

Use equalizer apo if you're using windows.

The issue isn't on the playback side, it's on the recording /mastering /distribution. No files should be distributed with that content. That applies whether you made it, your friend did or a global megastar.

One of the prices to pay for the democratisation of the recording industry. I'm pretty sure in the old analog bedroom recording days such content couldn't have been captured in the first place

Thats preciselt because of the problem ia the music that i am asking for a simple and intuitive software to filter only those mp3 im having this issue, 70% of what i have here is just fine and my realtek drivers are already EQ to my taste, i dont wanna mess with anything in drivers or my EQ, they are perfect for what i achieved. Just wanna take those music i love too, and filter them, and thats it, can keep listening it without worries

 

[juliangst]

I also have the A30 Pro.
Could movies also cause this issue? WIth most music it shouldn't be a problem but many modern movies have infrasonic information which might be cool if you have infrasonic subs but it could possibly cause issues with amps like this one