Topping E30 DAC Review

[MadMan]

Just email Topping support, they will get back to you within a day or so with the plug dimensions.

 

[samsa]

Does the E30 fit a 2.5x5.5mm or 2.1x5.5mm barrel connector? Thanks.

2.1x5.5mm.

My E30 shipped with a cord with a 2.5x5.5mm barrel connector. It did not make a reliable electrical connection, and I ended up replacing the cord with the correct one.

 

[solderdude]

The USB cable that shipped with my E30 is universal and fits both 2.1 and 2.5.
The hole in the connector is 2.5mm but the contacts can make contact with 2.1 and 2.5 barrel connectors due to its construction.
These connectors make much better contact than the typical ones with turned/drilled inside contacts.

Indeed the connector in the E30 is 2.1x5.5

 

[samsa]

The hole in the connector is 2.5mm but the contacts can make contact with 2.1 and 2.5 barrel connectors due to its construction.

I'd say that either you were lucky, or I was unlucky.

The cord mine came with never make a reliable electrical connection. The slightest jostle to the E30 would cause it to shut off. I replaced the cord with one which had the correct 2.1x5.5mm barrel connector. Yeah, a 2.5x5.5mm connector might work OK. But why would you deliberately ship your product with one, when the connector in your product is 2.1x5.5mm?

 

[frogmeat69]

No problems with the power cable that came with my E30.

 

[solderdude]

I'd say that either you were lucky, or I was unlucky.

The cord mine came with never make a reliable electrical connection. The slightest jostle to the E30 would cause it to shut off. I replaced the cord with one which had the correct 2.1x5.5mm barrel connector. Yeah, a 2.5x5.5mm connector might work OK. But why would you deliberately ship your product with one, when the connector in your product is 2.1x5.5mm?

When the cable was the type in the picture you can bend the contacts inward a bit more using a needle. Then it works fine again.

 

[samsa]

When the cable was the type in the picture you can bend the contacts inward a bit more using a needle. Then it works fine again.

If I'm ever stuck on a desert island, I'll remember that tip. But, given that the correct cable sells for < $2 retail, I'd prefer to replace rather than modify the incorrect one.

 

[sjeesjie]

If I'm ever stuck on a desert island, I'll remember that tip. But, given that the correct cable sells for < $2 retail, I'd prefer to replace rather than modify the incorrect one.

And then they say this is a dry, humourless forum

 

[kingdoc2020]

Hi guys,
I'm new to this audiophile experience. I'm try to decide budget amp/dac combo that can maximize my beyerdynamic amiron wired headphone. I have in mind the topping E30 and Creative G6. Will really appreciate your charm in!

 

[dpippel]

*

 

[Hemi-Demon]

I'd say that either you were lucky, or I was unlucky.

The cord mine came with never make a reliable electrical connection. The slightest jostle to the E30 would cause it to shut off. I replaced the cord with one which had the correct 2.1x5.5mm barrel connector. Yeah, a 2.5x5.5mm connector might work OK. But why would you deliberately ship your product with one, when the connector in your product is 2.1x5.5mm?

Pretty poor QC imo, and overall marketing strategy to send out something like this. Why not just include a basic wall charger unit, that would cost what an additional $5 on the overall price of the unit. This would help the consumer to not have to spend another $10-$30 on finding the correct charger, or cable. Topping does so many things correct in engineering, but small missteps like are so perplexing.

 

[samsa]

Why not just include a basic wall charger unit, that would cost what an additional $5 on the overall price of the unit.

Personally, I'm glad they didn't include another cheapo wall charger. I have a drawer full of them. Including one with a 2.1x5.5mm barrel connector (which I used for a while before I got a replacement cable to plug the E30 into the USB port of the Rasberry Pi that feeds it).

 

[Mattt]

Hey!

I have a question about how to feed power to the E30.
Right now I have 2 Raspberry PI 3B+. One is feeded by the original power supply and the second one by the first PI USB port. Both PIs are connected to the E30 (one via USB because of ROON and the other via Optical cable because has a DSP with room correction, this way I can listen to Spotify or Airplay room corrected.). The E30 is feeded by the iFi iPower 5v.

What if i plug the ifi ipower to the main PI and then feed the second PI and the E30 via USB cable? Would be a better and clean solution? What about USB noise?

NOTE
I don't use Ethernet, only WIFI, so USB glitches from the PI 3B board is not a problem.

 

[Zek]

The E30 is feeded by the iFi iPower 5v.

This is the best way.

 

[Quomz]

Has anyone successfullly used the E30 via USB on Playstation 4? Supposedly USB audio devices that do not need dedicated drivers should work (and a Coolermaster headset with external USB soundcard did), but E30 is not recognized by the PS4. It's a PS4 Slim, so no optical out as work-around.

 

[Deleted member 18309]

Has anyone successfullly used the E30 via USB on Playstation 4? Supposedly USB audio devices that do not need dedicated drivers should work (and a Coolermaster headset with external USB soundcard did), but E30 is not recognized by the PS4.

I don't know about PS4, but can confirm that neither E30 nor D10 (not D10s) worked for my Nintendo Switch. There was a signal detected (I saw bitrate on the screen instead of "Err") but I could not hear any sound from my amp.

 

[voodooless]

Has anyone successfullly used the E30 via USB on Playstation 4? Supposedly USB audio devices that do not need dedicated drivers should work (and a Coolermaster headset with external USB soundcard did), but E30 is not recognized by the PS4.

Just use the optical out. Make sure you set the audio output to PCM only.

 

[Eetu]

Just use the optical out. Make sure you set the audio output to PCM only.

Unfortunately PS4 (slim) doesn't have optical.

 

[voodooless]

Unfortunately PS4 (slim) doesn't have optical.

From what I can see, some devices seem to work, others don't.. It even differs as per firmware update. Quite annoying. Could very well be that it only supports class 1 audio devices, which the E30 is not.

Next best bet is a HDMI audio extractor. I use one as well in combination with AppleTV. It works okay in general, however it now and then loses sync and gives a mild popping sound (like every 30 minutes or so). HDMI audio is quite jittery.. so that might be an issue. Sadly there are no good reviews of these devices to be found, so you really never know what you'll get.

I'll try adding a Pi with DSP in between in the near future to do some room correction and also add a subwoofer output. I hope that also takes care of the popping..

 

[bboris77]

Next best bet is a HDMI audio extractor. I use one as well in combination with AppleTV. It works okay in general, however it now and then loses sync and gives a mild popping sound (like every 30 minutes or so). HDMI audio is quite jittery.. so that might be an issue. Sadly there are no good reviews of these devices to be found, so you really never know what you'll get.

There’s going to be a lot of demand for a well-performing HDMI audio extractor with both the PS5 and the XBOX Series X not having an optical output. A simple device that does not introduce any additional audio or video latency and has very low jitter.