Dear 30Pro stack owners, where did you put your A30Pro, top or bottom? Topping's marketing material places it on the bottom, but all the perforations make me thing its place is on the top of the stack.
Got mine today, but unfortunately I won't get my XLR cables until Saturday, so the impressions will have to wait.
OK, it's definitely a DC offset issue. Measuring the balanced output of my interface while playing back that problematic bloc party track, I get a whopping 3.5v of DC:
That's *really* bad - I did a quick scan of some of my library and the worst I could find otherwise was around 0.1vdc on some amateur soundcloud stuff. My best guess is the Topping is either going into DC detection/protection directly, or the DC offset in the signal is causing the amplifier to overload, and the Topping then goes into overload protection. I suppose that's nicer than the Topping just allowing it to happen unnoticed until the front end fries itself. Some clarification from Topping on this would be great.
So, warning: if you're lucky enough to have an interface with a DC-coupled output, (most high end converters, a lot of professional/recording interfaces), take note of what you're playing. If you find the Topping switching itself off and not coming back on until you stop playback - it's probably DC in your source material. Anyone brave enough to play back the Bloc Party track I linked on the last page should be able to recreate this without issue, it does seem to at least be harmless as it goes into protection (at least for now). And to the mastering engineer of this Bloc Party album, which peaked at #3 in UK Albums Charts at one point: give me some of that crack rock you were smoking
Per the A30Pro's manual, RCA output will not act as a passthrough when feeding XLR input. I just tested this myself to confirm.
Also happens in D30pro?View attachment 129401
Thanks for pointing out.
This headampamp can be great, but it leads me to something: If I spend 760$ on this dedicated stack, it 's too bad that I can't benefit from balanced outs to powered speakers, as I'm forced to use rcas and I can't benefit from a balanced preamp, since XLR outs are used for the headamp. It might be wiser to invest just 40$ more in a balanced headamp/preamp like Schiit Jotunheim (400$) with the D30Pro, or even 160$ less with Schiit's own Magnius balanced dac (200$).
I don't know what you mean.Also happens in D30pro?
Can't you just use the balanced trs outputs?I don't know what you mean.
Now that I'm writing, I wonder what is the unbalanced input performance from the A30Pro.
It would be best that they leaved BALANCED passthroughs instead of RCAs, because we already have the dac's RCA built-in in case of need, and we want to use this headamp in balanced configuration since it is a balanced headamp, so we get no use with rca passthroughs.
Circuit topologically, and actually, single ended. From line, and balanced signaling, it's effectively balanced.The video reviews are a great accompaniment to the written. This one is very informative indeed.
Is the output actually balanced or not? I ask as a few have mentioned it might not be.
A30 Pro has no PRE but only pass through, so RCA in TRS out or XLR in RCA out can't work. TRS to RCA cable might work but it might introduce noise or distortion, TRS is balanced RCA is unbalanced. So there's no telling if this will work properly. Voltage-wise it'll drop half since RCA is not balanced so no issue there. But overall I'm not sure your set-up would be the best idea. You can try though..Topping Dx7 ==> XLR==> A30pro==>TRS to RCA==> Denon avr===>pasive speaker (Klipsch)
Voltage fromTRS- RCA to Denon should be ok, or could cause problems? I don't want to damage my AVR
You can use either RCA input or XLR input, and all headphone outputs will work in either case. No problems there.Hello. If i plan to use xlr output for my headphones than i need to plug dac through xlr connections or can i feed through rca and still can use headphones through xlr output?
2V single ended vs 4V balanced input will make quite the difference, for HE6 a balanced DAC wouldn't be a bad idea..How much power do you lose with RCA in vs XLR? I'm planning using my d50s as the dac into the a30 to power he6se
Do you have any recommendations? Not wanting to pay 400$ just for a dac.2V single ended vs 4V balanced input will make quite the difference, for HE6 a balanced DAC wouldn't be a bad idea..
Have you already ordered the A30 Pro? If yes, just try D50s and high gain on A30. Might suffice. If you need more, check out SMSL SU-8. Or Grace SDAC balanced on drop. Geshelli J2 should also be good... I see it's not orderable right now though.Do you have any recommendations? Not wanting to pay 400$ just for a dac.
Yes, the idea was that..TRS Cables to RCA, but yeah that's the problem, TRS is balance and RCA is not, so not sure if that could cause troubles.A30 Pro has no PRE but only pass through, so RCA in TRS out or XLR in RCA out can't work. TRS to RCA cable might work but it might introduce noise or distortion, TRS is balanced RCA is unbalanced. So there's no telling if this will work properly. Voltage-wise it'll drop half since RCA is not balanced so no issue there. But overall I'm not sure your set-up would be the best idea. You can try though..
You can use either RCA input or XLR input, and all headphone outputs will work in either case. No problems there.
Would make more sense yeah. The source is the DX7 after all. No sense to use the passive TRS out from the A30 Pro, can only cause issues and at best won't make anything better.Yes, the idea was that..TRS Cables to RCA, but yeah that's the problem, TRS is balance and RCA is not, so not sure if that could cause troubles.
I guess it will be safeter:
Topping dx7 XRL =>A30 pro ( headphones)
Topping dx7 RCA => Denon=> Klipch
??