Topping E30 DAC Review

[yodog]

Great! Thanks. Then I will use 2 USB3 ports for gaming stuff, and 2 USB2 ports for my DACs.
The reason is that USB3 may have better latency than USB2, which can be critical in gaming but not in Hi-Fi audio.
Some sites say that USB3 doesn't have better latency, but I've found this one with real world measurements that says otherwise:

Source: https://serverfault.com/questions/6...eed-stream-latency-of-usb3-and-usb2-over-sata

Anyway, it can't hurt, right ?

what about usb 3.1 ? The USB’s with the red colored ports (3.1)?

 

[Jose Hidalgo]

I believe John Yang said since then that Topping E30's internal circuit is USB2 anyway, so there is no point connecting it to a USB3 port.

 

[Mobeer]

Thank you man, I think it is the best scenario: both the hd600 and the hdr185 will take advantage of the e30 like this and at the same time. Then, whenever I need to go wireless I will just have to turn on the hdr185.



You assumed right, this is exactly how I am connected right now



This is what I did at first with the hd600: I connected it in the mini-pc directly but I found it a hassle to have to use the wireless keyboard to change the output source to TV in win10 everytime I needed to use the hdr185 with the mini-pc. It is better when they both run at the same time, then I just need to turn on the hdr185 when needed.

Finally, I ordered the e30/l30 combo at shenzhenaudio and they are due to arrive next week if there is no pbm. I will try to give a feedback once I have connected everything and tested some songs. Thanks again for your help!

Sure no problem at all, and you are right about the advantage of just keeping it on one Input and splitting at the output. You'll always have audio on standby with out messing with inputs. Turn on L30 amp, boom sound, turn on HDR185, boom sound, turn them both on, boom and boom. Don't forget to flip that little switch behind the hdr185 transmitter to switch source to analog.

If you are splitting at the analog level (output from E30), you'll need splitters. I use https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics...P06SDPQN11V&psc=1&refRID=PCG0FQT5QP06SDPQN11V and they are EXCELLENT and if you order, don't order 2 one packs. Order the 10 pack, it comes out to same price. I have no idea why it's priced like that, now you have buncha splitters to give away.. I also love the Amazon Basics RCA, really quality product. https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-1-Male-2-Male-Audio-Cable/dp/B01D5H8P0G/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=audio+y+splitter+amazon+basic&qid=1602040131&sr=8-4&th=1

 

[Viper Necklampy]

I have picked up the stack L30+E30, they sound delicious, it kinda impressed me, i owe you that, but i may not be a huge fan of the soft sounding AKM, instead of the sharper Ess and thx big amp, but it seems very nice for now, i don't even have my nice headphones for now, but i see they can be better sounding than D50 and thx 789 SE together.
So the screen can't be turned off, it bothers me that orange volume control in big show under dark enviroment, it's bright even in low setting, if i cover it with something? Will make the dac explode or burn my bedroom?
And those anti aesthetic labels on the side of Topping, if i remove them, will i miss something on warranty?

 

[voodooless]

but i may not be a huge fan of the soft sounding AKM, instead of the sharper Ess and thx big amp

Don't try to anthropomorph a filter frequency response and don't believe the velvet sound marketing. A slow rolloff filter does not need to sound softer. In very bad implementations is might shave of some dB's of HF, which might be audible as sounding a bit warmer, but in general I would not think so. If anything one could argue that the bad HF image rejection would make it sound more harsh.

In practice though, while I think AKM should give us a better brick wall filter, I don't think there is any audible difference between a good AKM or ESS implementation (preferably using the steepest AKM filter).

 

[Thalis]

PS.: sorry, I was testing with a 192kHz FLAC labeled as MQA. I didn´t know Tidal had high resolution files. Please disregard my post.

Not quite sure what you mean... AFAIK Tidal has no hi res tracks (MQA aside)... care to share what track was it?

 

[Viper Necklampy]

Don't try to anthropomorph a filter frequency response and don't believe the velvet sound marketing. A slow rolloff filter does not need to sound softer. In very bad implementations is might shave of some dB's of HF, which might be audible as sounding a bit warmer, but in general I would not think so. If anything one could argue that the bad HF image rejection would make it sound more harsh.

In practice though, while I think AKM should give us a better brick wall filter, I don't think there is any audible difference between a good AKM or ESS implementation (preferably using the steepest AKM filter).

I just always use the Linear phase fast roll off filter. ESS usually sound a little bit different than AKM chips, this is pretty much stated by everyone, this is my first akm dac, pretty much hear a little bit of difference.. SO uhm nevermind

 

[voodooless]

ESS usually sound a little bit different than AKM chips, this is pretty much stated by everyone

Did anyone ever prove this in a proper double blind test?

 

[BDWoody]

ESS usually sound a little bit different than AKM chips, this is pretty much stated by everyone,

Not around here, given that not a single soul on the planet has demonstrated that under controlled conditions.

There's a lot stated by 'everyone' in this industry that is nonsense. You can escape that dark and expensive path.

 

[AndyLu]

I believe John Yang said since then that Topping E30's internal circuit is USB2 anyway, so there is no point connecting it to a USB3 port.

USB Audio 2 and USB 2 are 2 different things. (Just to add some confusion ),

 

[voodooless]

USB Audio 2 and USB 2 are 2 different things. (Just to add some confusion ),

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-e30-dac-review.12119/post-524542

 

[ninetylol]

How important are the filters and thdn distortion? Cause the D10s seems to do better there. Problem isi need optical in because i dont like ground loops

 

[voodooless]

How important are the filters and thdn distortion? Cause the D10s seems to do better there. Problem isi need optical in because i dont like ground loops

That specific plot is done with 90kHz bandwidth, so there the filter is important. However that is hardly the only thing to look at. You can’t hear up-to 90 kHz, can you? The multitone though seems a tad cleaner higher up. No way it makes any practical difference though.

 

[Viper Necklampy]

Not around here, given that not a single soul on the planet has demonstrated that under controlled conditions.

There's a lot stated by 'everyone' in this industry that is nonsense. You can escape that dark and expensive path.

So if around 9 out of 10 reviews state ESS sounds different AKM chips, on dac's, that is called a dark path. And you only know to ask double-blinded test or scientific ones. Because hearing is not an object here, right, i understand. Well.. Ok for me.

 

[BDWoody]

So if around 9 out of 10 reviews state ESS sounds different AKM chips, on dac's, that is called a dark path

Without controls, yes. Sincere or not, misleading is misleading. Why not be the first to demonstrate this phenomenon which is so clear to 'everyone' in a way that isn't just 'yeah, me too!!'?

Should be easy ..

 

[samsa]

So if around 9 out of 10 reviews state ESS sounds different AKM chips,

Frequently-repeated bullshit is still ...

There is

• absolutely nothing in the design or implementation of these chips which would lead to the alleged difference in sound
• nothing in the measured performance which would correlate with the alleged sonic differences
• not a single blind ABX test in which anyone was able to reliably hear such differences.

This does not conclusively prove that no such difference exists. But it makes it highly unlikely.

 

[Jave]

Stupid question (the E30+L30 I purchased 3 months ago will soon arrive...finally...) - if I use the E30 with the USB input, do I need to also power the unit with this DC USB cable?

 

[jbfilho]

Not quite sure what you mean... AFAIK Tidal has no hi res tracks (MQA aside)... care to share what track was it?

Any track from album "Page One" by Joe Henderson:

https://tidal.com/browse/album/77609767

• Played on mConnect app, it shows 48kHz FLAC MQA 192kHz.
• When renderer is a MQA capable device (LG G7 smartphone), uapp shows 192kHz MQA FLAC: 192kHZ
• When renderer is my Android Box running UAPP feeding E30 by USB, the app shows 96kHz MQA FLAC: 192kHZ, and E30 display shows 96kHz PCM
• When renderer is my Android Box running Neutron feeding E30 by USB, the app shows MQA 192kHZ, and E30 display shows 192kHz PCM

The source is always Tidal/mConnect app streaming via UPNP. It seems that Neutron is doing the MQA double unfolding and converting to PCM before sending the bitstream to E30...

 

[voodooless]

Stupid question (the E30+L30 I purchased 3 months ago will soon arrive...finally...) - if I use the E30 with the USB input, do I need to also power the unit with this DC USB cable?

Yes

 

[ZenTraveler]

So if around 9 out of 10 reviews state ESS sounds different AKM chips, on dac's, that is called a dark path. And you only know to ask double-blinded test or scientific ones. Because hearing is not an object here, right, i understand. Well.. Ok for me.

The exact same sound can sound differently when processed by our brain, it's because other variables influencing our brain to perceive it differently. See these 2 videos to understand more. There's so many variables that will influence the reviewer why one is better than another. Double-blinded test help to remove as much variables as possible so that no other thing will influence our perception of the sound.