Topping E2x2 Audio Interface Review

[guigui]

I've noticed the new E1x2 OTG has a slightly better input DNR.

 

[staticV3]

I've noticed the new E1x2 OTG has a slightly better input DNR.

3dB higher SNR, likely because although they use the same ADC chip, on the E1 they can do channel summing.

Meaning that the Stereo ADC inside digitizes the input signal twice, then the two channels are combined internally and the noise averages out.

 

[guigui]

3dB higher SNR, likely because although they use the same ADC chip, on the E1 they can do channel summing.

Meaning that the Stereo ADC inside digitizes the input signal twice, then the two channels are combined internally and the noise averages out.

Hmmm, interesting.

Thanks for the explanation.

I'm really interested in the E1x2 OTG.

 

[leocb]

If topping still reads this forum for feedback, having an embedded software EQ in the dsp would be very nice, this way I could do the correction for my speakers when using ASIO drivers too

 

[guigui]

Pardon my ignorance, but in the Topping 2x2 OTG page, they show that picture with the headphone amp description:

And in Topping 1x2 OTG, they show that picture:

What is that component that the 2x2 OTG has two of and the 1x2 OTG just one?

Edit: on the Julian Kraus's review of the original 2x2, there's only one component. Maybe they've used the wrong picture (from the 4x4).

 

[Alideen]

hearing a lot of mixed things about this. i really care about headphone output and i want an all in one system and Julians led me to believe that this is a really good fit for me. but im hearing there is quite a bit of issues with the system? does the otg only provide connection to mobile devices and no other difference? thanks

 

[Bob101]

What is that component that the 2x2 OTG has two of and the 1x2 OTG just one?

Edit: on the Julian Kraus's review of the original 2x2, there's only one component. Maybe they've used the wrong picture (from the 4x4).

I assume they indeed used the picture from the 4x4. The 4x4 has two headphone outputs, and these are likely the headphone amp modules. The 2x2 has one, the 4x4 has two...

 

[Bob101]

hearing a lot of mixed things about this. i really care about headphone output and i want an all in one system and Julians led me to believe that this is a really good fit for me. but im hearing there is quite a bit of issues with the system? does the otg only provide connection to mobile devices and no other difference? thanks

I own the OG 2x2.
The OTG has additional optical out and AUX out on the back and an extra USB-C port that supports the OTG functionality. It also has support for more software in/out channels in the driver software compared to the standard 2x2. All this allowing more routing schemes most people using it can imagine.
I have zero experience with the OTG software stability or user-friendlyness.

I know from simply trying once that my 'non-OTG' 2x2 supports simple pnp playback to the balanced outputs when connected to and powered by my (five year old) android phone. Mono signals only played over one (the left) output. Can't say anything about inputs or headphone amp in that scenario, don't expect much, if anything.
In normal use (connected to laptop and external PSU) the headphone amp has no problem driving my Sennheiser HD650 to uncomfortable levels.
Topping recommends the use of external power supply when using the OTG anyway.
Hope this answers some of your questions.

 

[guigui]

hearing a lot of mixed things about this. i really care about headphone output and i want an all in one system and Julians led me to believe that this is a really good fit for me. but im hearing there is quite a bit of issues with the system? does the otg only provide connection to mobile devices and no other difference? thanks

Which issues have you heard of?

 

[Davide]

volume adjustment is digital or analog sorry? I can't understand from info ...

 

[Veterano76]

Hello everyone, I'm joining the conversation. I read the entire thread dedicated to the e2x2 and I was happy with this card because I am very attracted to the excellent headphone amplifier and the good DAC it integrates. But there are still many questions I would like to ask. I don't produce music and I would like to use it for listening to music. How do you think he behaves? Keep in mind that I'm not a great sound expert but I would like to improve my current setup. I currently have a FIIO JT1 headset that I'm using with a Sound Blaster Z SE but I'm not happy with this sound card. Do you think I made the right purchase? A thousand thanks.

 

[staticV3]

I don't produce music and I would like to use it for listening to music. How do you think he behaves?

The E2x2 behaves like any other modern DAC: It outputs whatever you input, without adding anything to the signal.

I currently have a FIIO JT1 headset that I'm using with a Sound Blaster Z SE but I'm not happy with this sound card. Do you think I made the right purchase?

From what I can tell, the FiiO JT1 is a headphone, not a headset.

It should be noted that while you can plug headset microphones directly into the Sound Blaster Z SE, for the E2x2 you would have to buy an adapter.

Something like the Rode VXLR+.

By default, you can only plug professional XLR microphones into the E2x2's microphone input.

The E2x2 has a powerful headphone amplifier built-in, so you should have no issues with the JT1.

 

[SLAS]

I like TOPPING E2x2 card, I am considering it for purchase, please make measurements of outputs to speakers and headphones with oscilloscope. I would like it was not in it on the outputs of high-frequency noise of large amplitude 300 millivolts as on the
BEHRINGER UMC204HD

Behringer UMC204 HD Audio Interface Review

Use the inserts on the back and not the inputs on the front. The front inputs go through their special preamps (adding a bunch of distortion.) Using the inserts will bypass those preamps. Note the gain controls on the front will no longer function so you will need to manage the input gain some...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[SATB]

I've been very happy with my e2x2 now that I've had more time with it and am actually spending time trying to record with it. I was mostly using it for my quaint little mixing nonsense before. I can't believe I slept on the fact that the zero latency monitoring for inputs is directly controlled on the front of the interface with the input/playback knob acting as a mixer for monitoring both the input and the DAW. I don't know of any other interfaces that I've seen with that feature. So yeah, I've never bothered to install the software and the device has worked without issue in both Mac and Linux. I'm using it with my salnotes zeroes for recording and am getting the best mix translation across devices I've had in a long time. So as you can probably guess, I'm likely to crack for the e2x2 OTG.

I was thinking of going for the e4x4 because I would like the extra inputs but it doesn't have the zero latency mixer knob, so even if I do hold out for an e4x4 OTG, I'd be missing that hardware controlled mixer, unless I'm seriously missing something.

 

[SATB]

volume adjustment is digital or analog sorry? I can't understand from info ...

I believe it's analog on the device itself but obviously digital in the software mixer. The meters on the front are responding to realtime analog signal as well supposedly.

 

[Bob101]

I believe it's analog on the device itself but obviously digital in the software mixer. The meters on the front are responding to realtime analog signal as well supposedly.

Main out volume control knob (as well as the Headphone volume of course) and the level meters are indeed analog.
Input gain: also analog. There is 20dB extra 'digital' gain available on the inputs in the control panel, but that should (according to Topping) only be used if the gain on the device is maxed out and you still need more (gain AND noise

 

[SATB]

Main out volume control knob (as well as the Headphone volume of course) and the level meters are indeed analog.
Input gain: also analog. There is 20dB extra 'digital' gain available on the inputs in the control panel, but that should (according to Topping) only be used if the gain on the device is maxed out and you still need more (gain AND noise

I'm beginning to question whether these input gains aren't digital after all. I have plenty of evidence for the main line out and headphone volumes in their documentation, but haven't seen any for the input knobs, I just kind of assumed. Do we have evidence for these being analog?

The reason I got down this line of thinking is I was watching the Julian Krause review of it again yesterday and he shows in a graph that the input gain knob at 100% begins losing linearity roughly over 8k, but then shows it having nearly perfect linearity when the knob is around 75%. As we know there is a weird volume gain boost at around 80% which makes me wonder if it is activating some digital boost pad at that point.

I understand your comment is saying the software offers a digital boost above the highest gain of the knob, but I'm beginning to wonder if that digital boost is enabled by default and that maybe installing the software will allow me to disable it?

 

[SATB]

I'm beginning to question whether these input gains aren't digital after all. I have plenty of evidence for the main line out and headphone volumes in their documentation, but haven't seen any for the input knobs, I just kind of assumed. Do we have evidence for these being analog?

The reason I got down this line of thinking is I was watching the Julian Krause review of it again yesterday and he shows in a graph that the input gain knob at 100% begins losing linearity roughly over 8k, but then shows it having nearly perfect linearity when the knob is around 75%. As we know there is a weird volume gain boost at around 80% which makes me wonder if it is activating some digital boost pad at that point.

I understand your comment is saying the software offers a digital boost above the highest gain of the knob, but I'm beginning to wonder if that digital boost is enabled by default and that maybe installing the software will allow me to disable it?

Having played with it a lot yesterday, the input gain definitely seems analog.

I would really like to see the designers figure out how to maintain linearity at max gain for the mic inputs in future versions, and give us more gain because it is a struggle to get the sm57 dynamic to -12dBfs for more quiet sounds without setting it to the absolute max, which I assume is losing linear response, but I do not have the ability to test to confirm.

 

[spankjam]

Hey Amirm, do I need to the OTG version to play back audio from a phone or will the your tested non-version work?

Also, does the E1x2 perform equally to the E2x2?

 

[guigui]

Hey Amirm, do I need to the OTG version to play back audio from a phone or will the your tested non-version work?

Also, does the E1x2 perform equally to the E2x2?

As I've mentioned, E1x2 seems to have seems to have a slightly better input DNR. And as staticV3 explained:

3dB higher SNR, likely because although they use the same ADC chip, on the E1 they can do channel summing.

Meaning that the Stereo ADC inside digitizes the input signal twice, then the two channels are combined internally and the noise averages out.