Topping E30 DAC Review

[pogballistics]

When the review was first written, the price was not yet known.

Hence my suggestion:

"Hey @amirm, can you edit your conclusion.
It feels a bit incomplete as at the time of writing you weren't aware of the pricing it seems."

 

[VNV73]

Think I want a "stupid" DAC.

You are absolutely right. When the DAC is smarter than the owner, then problems arise.

 

[NgtFlyer]

Last issue, probably not a defect, but makes it not for me. It has a habit of not resyncing with server on power sequencing depending on who is ahead of whom. Had to reboot twice. Think I want a "stupid" DAC. JDS OL Dac looks like the best option.

The E30 is a DAC. It converts digital to analog. That's its job. What is this 'synching' to a server you speak of? That sounds like a problem on your source platform.

 

[frogmeat69]

You are absolutely right. When the DAC is smarter than the owner, then problems arise.

Be nice. The guy is clearly upset that he is having problems, and taking shots doesn't help.

 

[Deleted member 18309]

Be nice. The guy is clearly upset that he is having problems, and taking shots doesn't help.

I don't condone taking shots, but I don't blame anyone for doing so. Dude has been nothing but rude and hostile and keeps bringing up his "technical problems" which I question are the fault of the DAC, which he keeps blaming. At this point I don't know if any of of us care to help anyway, given his unfriendly approach. In case interested people do want to help, moderator and at least one other person has suggested he start another thread but he refuses to for some reason.

 

[nelamvr6]

I don't condone taking shots, but I don't blame anyone for doing so. Dude has been nothing but rude and hostile and keeps bringing up his "technical problems" which I question are the fault of the DAC, which he keeps blaming. At this point I don't know if any of of us care to help anyway, given his unfriendly approach. In case interested people do want to help, moderator and at least one other person has suggested he start another thread but he refuses to for some reason.

He isn't "having problems" per se, he's making problems for himself, focusing on truly bizarre things, taking measurements he's clearly not qualified to take, conducting technical investigations into gawd knows what, and then when his "investigations" go sideways demanding support from Topping and us.

 

[tvrgeek]

The E30 is a DAC. It converts digital to analog. That's its job. What is this 'synching' to a server you speak of? That sounds like a problem on your source platform.

It does not establish communication every time on the USB. It does most of the time, not always. Won't talk. Does not set rate. Windows does not see it even though it is set as the default. Just sits there. Won't pick it up even when Media server starts playing. Reboot solves. Never had that problem with my Muse, Focusrite, three SMSL SAD-01s, or even the Scansktit 10 I had for a couple of days. One of seven failing suggests it is not the PC. Not a made up test. Plug and play, plug and fail.

In the box with a UPS label on it. Going out Monday.

Hostile? I have an problem with a product and and I am told I am stupid. Some helpful forum. Sorry to those who have been helpful. Demanding answers from THE MANUFACTURE WHO SOLD IT. Yea. They are the ones who can't even tell a buyer they have to download and install a driver. Pathetic and I stand my ground. I have lost total respect for Topping. Never buying a product from them again.

Maybe my mistake. Is the purpose of this forum to gush over products, always say they are great, and get kickbacks on sales? Stereophile, Absolute Sound? If so , I missed that in the rules. I have more respect for amrim than that.

 

[Eetu]

They are the ones who can't even tell a buyer they have to download and install a driver. Pathetic and I stand my ground. I have lost total respect for Topping. Never buying a product from them again.

After all these posts you still haven't read the manual..?

You can read through this thread (or google) for info on WASAPI (exclusive mode) and ASIO.

 

[Robbo99999]

WUT, I not read this thread for ages, and tvrgeek is posting like a demon......just plug it in and it works, job done!

 

[NgtFlyer]

It does not establish communication every time on the USB. It does most of the time, not always. Won't talk. Does not set rate. Windows does not see it even though it is set as the default. Just sits there. Won't pick it up even when Media server starts playing. Reboot solves. Never had that problem with my Muse, Focusrite, three SMSL SAD-01s, or even the Scansktit 10 I had for a couple of days. One of seven failing suggests it is not the PC. Not a made up test. Plug and play, plug and fail.

In the box with a UPS label on it. Going out Monday.

Hostile? I have an problem with a product and and I am told I am stupid. Some helpful forum. Sorry to those who have been helpful. Demanding answers from THE MANUFACTURE WHO SOLD IT. Yea. They are the ones who can't even tell a buyer they have to download and install a driver. Pathetic and I stand my ground. I have lost total respect for Topping. Never buying a product from them again.

Maybe my mistake. Is the purpose of this forum to gush over products, always say they are great, and get kickbacks on sales? Stereophile, Absolute Sound? If so , I missed that in the rules. I have more respect for amrim than that.

I have two sources connected to my E30 - my main PC via TOSlink and a secondary computer via USB. I have had zero problems with either. (I am listening to a FLAC stream on the secondary using WASAPI and the player is sending the audio direct to the dac without resample. Changes rates no problem and has never had an issue. (Lenovo i3 M72e Tiny form factor running Windows 10 Pro using the Topping driver). I am using the cable that came with the E30. Everything including DSD works perfectly.

I have heard there are issues sometimes with dacs at 32 bit on both Windows and Mac. That works fine for me. Pity you have it boxed up for return, switching to 24 bit may have solved the issue you were having.

Hopefully you find a solution that works in your environment.

 

[tvrgeek]

I WAS at 24.

Pugged it in. It DID NOT WORK EVERY TIME. Gad, can't some folks pay attention before they are snide!

Order to Schiit tomorrow.

 

[raif71]

I WAS at 24.

Pugged it in. It DID NOT WORK EVERY TIME. Gad, can't some folks pay attention before they are snide!

Order to Schiit tomorrow.

Heresy?

 

[Jimbob54]

Heresy?

Not if he wants a dac....

 

[raif71]

Not if he wants a dac....

My goodness, what was I thinking...yup a mistake by me.

 

[Perfect_pint]

L30 and E30 arrived. Sound good. Very clean sounding. Brings out the compression in Spotify but is great with Lossless on Foobar 2000.

For anyone having issues with setting their E30 on USB to detect and display the correct input rate with windows 7. Install ASIO for Windows 7 Foobar 2000. Sends the audio directly to the DAC bypassing the OS upscale/downscaling. After a few hours of playing around, I found this. https://www.asus.com/microsite/essence/tutorialpage/Foobar2000-ASIO.html
Works perfectly.

Spotify will use the OS audio driver and sticks with 32bit 192 upscaled.

 

[voodooless]

View attachment 89714

Sorry, can't help myself: you forgot to remove the protective foil. I really can't stand people doing that

 

[Perfect_pint]

Sorry, can't help myself: you forgot to remove the protective foil. I really can't stand people doing that

Ha ha yes I did. I literally just got it out of the box at work this morning, popped it on the desk and tried it...who has time to remove protective plastic?

 

[voodooless]

who has time to remove protective plastic?

They are usually the first thing to go @ unboxing. Can’t go wrong that way.

 

[Thalis]

Ha ha yes I did. I literally just got it out of the box at work this morning, popped it on the desk and tried it...who has time to remove protective plastic?

ha ha i still have not removed the plastic from both the E30 and L30... will keep them on

 

[Recopilatorio]

Security protocol requires keeping them for the first two weeks ... I think.