Topping E2x2 Audio Interface Review

[jdjung]

The MOTU M2 looks better, But the E2x2 is a better ADC than the M2 or M4. If i was going to go with MOTU, it would be the UltraLite-mk5, It looks good, and performs better than the E2x2, but costs ~3.75 times as much.

Eh, in terms of costs I have a RME UCX II . Had a MOTU Track 16, had a ton of driver issues then had a Antelope Audio Zen Q, had tons of software issues so learned my lesson. From my hours upon hours of experience from those two and now think it may have been my error on some of the issues, but not all.

Never have two audio interfaces on one PC, only have one Audio interface and make sure one is the master clock, and feed everything else to that one as the hub for the pc. Tried the run the E2x2 OTG at the same time with the Topping E50 on one pc and found the sound now had jitter, and small clicks after firmware and driver updates. I think Topping needs to look into this. Did a wipe of my PC and only going to use the E2x2 OTG for my laptop and OTG only mode for the desktop. Also disabled motherboard audio card in bios as I will only be using the RME UCX II as the desktop audio card.

Connection to desktop will be using two line outs of UCX II into the line input on the E2x2 OTG (OTG MODE) and 2 line outputs to the UCX II, using the preamp on the UCX II for the mic input with the Rode headset adapter. This allows me to still use the E2x2 as an interface to my PC while using the UCX II.

 

[D2013]

Never have two audio interfaces on one PC, only have one Audio interface and make sure one is the master clock, and feed everything else to that one as the hub for the pc. Tried the run the E2x2 OTG at the same time with the Topping E50 on one pc and found the sound now had jitter, and small clicks after firmware and driver updates. I think Topping needs to look into this. Did a wipe of my PC and only going to use the E2x2 OTG for my laptop and OTG only mode for the desktop. Also disabled motherboard audio card in bios as I will only be using the RME UCX II as the desktop audio card.

Connection to desktop will be using two line outs of UCX II into the line input on the E2x2 OTG (OTG MODE) and 2 line outputs to the UCX II, using the preamp on the UCX II for the mic input with the Rode headset adapter. This allows me to still use the E2x2 as an interface to my PC while using the UCX II.

what now?

lots of people use a stand alone ADC and DAC at the same time without issue.

 

[phoenixsong]

The MOTU M2 looks better, But the E2x2 is a better ADC than the M2 or M4. If i was going to go with MOTU, it would be the UltraLite-mk5, It looks good, and performs better than the E2x2, but costs ~3.75 times as much.

For gaming and basic comms in voice chats and meetings while using iems the Motu M2 is almost ideal though

 

[jdjung]

For gaming and basic comms in voice chats and meetings while using iems the Motu M2 is almost ideal though

How can you connect a phone to a Motu M2, and have people in the meeting speak to and hear the person on the phone, while they are online?

 

[jdjung]

what now?

lots of people use a stand alone ADC and DAC at the same time without issue.

I'm talking about two audio interfaces at the same time. To risky. Works some times then other times run into issues.

 

[D2013]

How can you connect a phone to a Motu M2, and have people in the meeting speak to and hear the person on the phone, while they are online?

I think he means this, people using a cheap xlr microphone and a computer.

 

[jdjung]

I think he means this, people using a cheap xlr microphone and a computer.

I think some people know what I'm talking about based on people testing what phones can be used in the earlier posts. Maybe just speak for yourself so you don't seem pretentious and condescending. What don't you understand?

 

[D2013]

I think some people know what I'm talking about based on people testing what phones can be used in the earlier posts. Maybe just speak for yourself so you don't seem pretentious and condescending. What don't you understand?

what part of the below (the post you quoted) make you think he is talking about a phone?

For gaming and basic comms in voice chats and meetings while using iems the Motu M2 is almost ideal though

 

[phoenixsong]

I think he means this, people using a cheap xlr microphone and a computer.

Spot on, no worries

 

[jdjung]

what part of the below (the post you quoted) make you think he is talking about a phone?

I think I'm going crazy. I read your post last night differently, like this,

"I think he means this people, he's using a cheap xlr microphone and a computer."

Directed at me not Phoenixsong, meaning I didn't know what I was talking about. Which may be true. I appologize.

In terms of the quoted post by Phoenixsong, I was just asking if he knew if you could use the Motu M2 with a phone like the E2x2 OTG as I didn't know if you could. I was expecting an "oh you can't" or yes you can by doing so and so.

 

[D2013]

In terms of the quoted post by Phoenixsong, I was just asking if he knew if you could use the Motu M2 with a phone like the E2x2 OTG as I didn't know if you could. I was expecting an "oh you can't" or yes you can by doing so and so.

Technically speaking you should be able to connect any phone to the M2.

You could use a usb dongle dac and a 1/8" to 1/4" trs adapter cable, but you will be at the mercy of how good the the dongle is. If you phone has a built in dac you should only need a really cheap usb-c to trs adapter cable.

How USB-C headphones work

USB Type-C headphones and dongles are increasingly common, but do you know the difference between active and passive products?

www.soundguys.com

USB Type-C audio connections don’t actually have to be digital: you can actually get analog audio out, too. The USB standard also supports “Audio Accessory Mode”, whereby the D+/D- pins switch roles to support analog audio signals — again, this isn’t new to USB Type-C. Many phones with and without the new connector are designed to handle the negative voltage swing of the analog audio signal. Accessory Mode is popular with older USB audio dock devices, and the Android Open Accessory Protocol 2.0 with audio support has been around since Android 4.1.

The only gotcha might be how the phone handles the audio during an incoming call.

Phones have gotten really picky about calls and audio. You used to be able to use the onboard mic, and an external speaker. Lately they seem to want you to either use both the onboard mic and speakers, or everything external.

 

[murzik]

I've got myself e4x4. Overall, I like it more than Motu M4. E4x4 more flexible than Motu.

Unlike Motu, e4x4 all 4 inputs can be used with microphones and line, 2 for instruments. Motu 4 only 2 inputs out of 4 are microphone /instruments inputs. So, having 2 additonal mic inputs is a plus for me. Topping control center is also a plus. Expands flexibility.

For now, I am using e4x4 mostly for inputs, for monitoring I use L30+E30. ASIO4all allows me to do that with DAW. No issues so far.

 

[robeell]

You probably could swap the knobs.

The lighter fluid bottle in the pic above looks ominous. Unless you are going to record a recreation of Hendrix at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival.

Strangely, lighter fluid is used to clean wood used in instrument making because it is very pure and evaporates quickly. It has escaped my woodworking shop for some reason (I think I was seeing if it would remove varnish from something).

 

[D2013]

Strangely, lighter fluid is used to clean wood used in instrument making because it is very pure and evaporates quickly. It has escaped my woodworking shop for some reason (I think I was seeing if it would remove varnish from something).

lighter fluid is mostly Naphtha, and it will for sure remove varnish. In my shop I stick with Denatured Alcohol & Mineral Spirits because they don't have strong fumes like Acetone & Naphtha.

 

[jdjung]

lighter fluid is mostly Naphtha, and it will for sure remove varnish. In my shop I stick with Denatured Alcohol & Mineral Spirits because they don't have strong fumes like Acetone & Naphtha.

In terms of instrument cleaning, which is totally off topic, if it's a classical instrument such as a cello or violin, you should not just use anything to clean or polish it. A LOT of professional polishing and cleaning solutions may also have some sort of silicon. If you polish with something with silicon, which protects the instrument from moisture but also makes it VERY difficult to impossible to refinish as it resists varnishes. For very expensive instruments like cellos and violins, this significantly reduces the value of the instrument. I spent months trying to find a polish that wouldn't mess with the resale value of my instrument and just gave up after a lot of nightmare stories and uncertainty in polishes. I think alcohol or Naptha before you varnish is fine and normal, but after the varnish and finish, I wouldn't get my instrument anywhere close to any alcohol or silicon based product.

 

[grauskala]

Can unbalanced TR-jacks be plugged into the Line Out going straight to amplifier Line In?

 

[jdjung]

Can unbalanced TR-jacks be plugged into the Line Out going straight to amplifier Line In?

Yeah it should be fine but it will be more prone to noise if any.

 

[Pauper]

I have just found out to my cost that the e2x2 isn’t iOS compatible - unless I’m connecting it up wrong.

 

[staticV3]

I have just found out to my cost that the e2x2 isn’t iOS compatible - unless I’m connecting it up wrong.

How are you connecting it?

 

[Pauper]

USBc out to USBc in on iPad Pro. Settings in logic recognise e2x2 but when I go to record , it won’t. Swap out the Topping for another audio interface and no problem.