Topping E30 DAC Review

[North_Sky]

▪ https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?pages/Audio_DAC_Performance_Index/

 

[Pring85]

Does pre mode allow you to see sample rate or does this mode just fix the display to volume?

 

[samsa]

Does pre mode allow you to see sample rate or does this mode just fix the display to volume?

The sample rate appears onscreen briefly at the start of each track, but the screen quickly reverts to displaying the volume.

 

[Pring85]

The sample rate appears onscreen briefly at the start of each track, but the screen quickly reverts to displaying the volume.

Many thanks, that's useful info

 

[Pring85]

Does anyone have any detailed info on the quality or implementation of the volume attenuation in pre mode? Just concerned about bit stripping if using straight into a power amp... Thanks in advance all

 

[aabman]

http://www.tpdz.net/newsinfo/391293.html

Above is the link for latest firmware V1.08

 

[Toku]

Does anyone have any detailed info on the quality or implementation of the volume attenuation in pre mode? Just concerned about bit stripping if using straight into a power amp... Thanks in advance all

It is superior to the analog volume control used in common Chinese audio equipment.
There is no step noise even when the volume is raised or lowered.
There is nothing wrong with connecting the E30 directly to the power amplifier.

 

[Pring85]

It is superior to the analog volume control used in common Chinese audio equipment.
There is no step noise even when the volume is raised or lowered.
There is nothing wrong with connecting the E30 directly to the power amplifier.

Thanks Toku, the reason I ask is that leaving the E30 in pure dac mode would ensure no degredagtion to signal output and when pairing with something like a passive pre that uses SMD Stepped attenuation such as this https://www.tisburyaudio.co.uk/mini-passive-preamplifier it should sound its best but... I'm glad you have provided some info because there's very little around on how the e30 actually addresses digital volume issues, even the dac white paper doesn't state how the volume control is implemented, apart from the number of digital steps on the dac chip. If the ratio between noise and signal is good as you say then there may be no need to get the passive pre at all. My E30 is still in its way and can not wait to try it in my system.

 

[NgxHS7]

My E30 is still in its way and can not wait to try it in my system.

Me too. But what makes it worse for me is that I can't even use my recently acquired speakers because I don't have anything to feed them with. They are just sitting there, looking pretty.

 

[Pring85]

Mine is a few days away, but getting closer. I've been really impressed with the D30 that I bought a few months ago, I recently acquired a Rega Maia (Clamshell) power amp and just thought the E30 was worth a pop for the money, especially with its feature set. Potentially the E30 could replace a Rega Dac I've had since new, I'll be very interested to see how it competes. Hope you enjoy your E30 when you get the gear to use it!

 

[Pring85]

Me too. But what makes it worse for me is that I can't even use my recently acquired speakers because I don't have anything to feed them with. They are just sitting there, looking pretty.

Have you thought about any particular power amp?

 

[odyo]

Is there anything like the E30 with xlr out coming from Topping? I dont feel like touching SMSL stuff after recent past mishaps.

SMSL designs are extremely ugly. How they can managed to look so bad lmao.

 

[odyo]

I was curious and actually thinking of asking what filter everybody else prefers last night but decided it would have a hard time getting noticed with the polarity discussion that's been dominating the thread lately. Filter preference is something you're just going to have to try for yourself to determine what you like. I like #2 and #4 but my preference doesn't mean someone else will prefer the same, in fact someone with exactly the same gear may even hate it. There are a lot of variables that could change your preference-various types of equipment, listening room layout and furnishings along with your hearing can all have an impact. I'm on day 7 with my E30 so my preference may change too. Be sure to let me know which filter you decide upon.

I'm very curious as well.

 

[NgxHS7]

Have you thought about any particular power amp?

I wasn't going to use a power amp since both speakers already have a power amp built within. They are going to be feed direct from the E30 in preamp/dac mode. I'll preset the level on the amps themselves to the maximum level I want (close to full) and then use the E30 to attenuate the signal feed to the speaker xlr input. This way, the analogue potentiometer is mostly out of the signal path, and the only adjustment will be through the DAC's digital output adjustment. At least, that's the plan.

 

[NgxHS7]

This was why I ordered the E30. I wanted one device that could adjust volume with a remote and feed the actives with a signal. Actives don't usually have a remote that you can use to adjust volume.

 

[mykeldg]

Not at all! The audible difference in your video was intriguing.

Okay, so I've gone ahead and gotten a 4-bar sample from Jack of Speed, and looped it a few times. Here is the download link. It's a 24-bit 44.1kHz FLAC, converted from the Tidal master and properly dithered.

• The first time it plays, it's in its original polarity.
• The second time is in inverted polarity.
• It plays ten more times. I chose by coin flip each time whether it would be in original or inverted polarity.

So, in theory, if it's indeed the polarity difference causing the change in sound, then the second time the loop plays should sound exactly like how it did before the DAC update. Would be interested in seeing if you can suss out which is which in the last ten loops, I'll show the answer in a bit!

Thanks for the Interesting blind test here is what i got. Curious to know about the result
1 +
2 -

3 +
4 +
5 +
6 +
7 -
8 -
9 -
10 +
11 +
12 +

 

[conuss]

This way, the analogue potentiometer is mostly out of the signal path, and the only adjustment will be through the DAC's digital output adjustment.

Bad plan. Or explain the technical aspect of your plan, how does a signal pass by an analog active speaker potentiometer?..

 

[Jimbob54]

Bad plan. Or explain the technical aspect of your plan, how does a signal pass by an analog active speaker potentiometer?..

You could turn the e30 on at full vol, turn on actives to loudest you'd want then just attenuate with dac volume.

But never "always on" and volume up for both

 

[conuss]

You could turn the e30 on at full vol, turn on actives to loudest you'd want then just attenuate with dac volume.

But never "always on" and volume up for both

This is understandable ). It is unclear only, I repeat, how the signal from the DAC bypasses the analog volume potentiometer of active acoustics?

 

[Jimbob54]

This is understandable ). It is unclear only, I repeat, how the signal from the DAC bypasses the analog volume potentiometer of active acoustics?

Other than having the pot wide open, it cant. Can it?