Topping E30 DAC Review

[hwy61]

ok, thank you for the reply.....when i double click this (blue color) it just opens up output devices selection. and i don't see DSD playback method :ASIO native...............attachment below

 

[hwy61]

Hello again.
That's in Foobar2000: File / Preferences / Playback / Output (dropdown)
You must select Device: foo_dsd_asio
Then, also in Foobar2000: File / Preferences / Playback / Output / ASIO, in the Drivers section you must double-click on foo_dsd_asio and in the menu that will open select
Asio Driver: Topping USB Auido Device
DSD Playback Method: ASIO Navite
And save those settings.

ok Reco......i found it thank you.......should i check one of the two boxes (use 64 bit asio drivers) or (run with high process priority)

 

[Recopilatorio]

ok Reco......i found it thank you.......should i check one of the two boxes (use 64 bit asio drivers) or (run with high process priority)

OK, I'm late (lunchtime in Spain), but you've already solved it.
Yes, I have both checked ("USB 64-bit ASI Drivers" and "Run with high process priority").
Nice job!

 

[tomstoll]

received mine direct from shenzen and im extremely pleased. dead quiet via mac usb->Topping e30 -> atom headphone amp -> audioengine a5+ powered speakers. not sure it matters but my serial # starts with 2006.

in case anyone was interested i set the e30 to DAC mode and am using low gain on the atom and have the a5+ at 100% volume. i control the volume through Mac Volume slider.
set it to 24bit /192khz sample rate via Audio Midi Setup utility and everything is working great.

 

[JRM_PT]

I've tested today with the RPi 4 and USB works fine too. I haven't finished the RPi 4 install but it played the radio ok. The strange behaviour of the coax input is still a mistery to me.

 

[vrobec]

I've tested today with the RPi 4 and USB works fine too. I haven't finished the RPi 4 install but it played the radio ok. The strange behaviour of the coax input is still a mistery to me.

Are you using Volumio on RPi4?

 

[JRM_PT]

No, PiCorePlayer. But the only problem is with the coax connection

 

[vrobec]

No, PiCorePlayer. But the only problem is with the coax connection

Ok, thanks for letting me know. I'm planning to put Volumio or LibreElec.

 

[raif71]

received mine direct from shenzen and im extremely pleased. dead quiet via mac usb->Topping e30 -> atom headphone amp -> audioengine a5+ powered speakers. not sure it matters but my serial # starts with 2006.

in case anyone was interested i set the e30 to DAC mode and am using low gain on the atom and have the a5+ at 100% volume. i control the volume through Mac Volume slider.
set it to 24bit /192khz sample rate via Audio Midi Setup utility and everything is working great.

@JohnYang1997 or anyone...how does Topping determine the serial number...mine is 2004 and I just bought it less than 2 weeks from a local supplier. Now I see that it is at 2006. Is it based on some cut off date of manufacturing output, manufacturing out batch version etc? Thanks

 

[Recopilatorio]

@JohnYang1997 or anyone...how does Topping determine the serial number...mine is 2004 and I just bought it less than 2 weeks from a local supplier. Now I see that it is at 2006. Is it based on some cut off date of manufacturing output, manufacturing out batch version etc? Thanks

The serial number refers to the year and month of production: 2004 (year 2020, month 04 -April-), 2006 (year 2020, month 06 -June-). Perhaps there has been no production in May .

 

[JRM_PT]

Mine is 2004, as so I didn't have to install the newer firmware. But probably still has the polarity issue on the coax and optical inputs. But I can live with that. Not understanding why the coax stops working after a few seconds is what really troubles me.

 

[tankas]

NO! Since serial no 2004 everything is sorted.

 

[JRM_PT]

Thanks for the info. I thought that April was to soon to Topping manage to have all sorted, but I was wrong.

 

[Pluto]

I recently found some information on the net posted by a JDS Labs representative that said that pretty much all the DACS they had ever tested (from different companies) had significantly more optimal THD+N levels when run below 100% windows volume (even just 99% was ok as an improvement

This statement is potentially dangerous (in the context of audiopiles who, as a class, are prone to paranoia at the best of times) and requires clarification. AFAIK, the scenario described above can only occur when the audio application is using the Windows "direct sound" interface i.e. the one that is subject to manipulation by Windows mixer etc. Whenever you are concerned about sound quality, use audio software that supports either WASAPI or ASIO, preferably the former unless there is a good solid reason to need ASIO. This ensures that the digital output of your software will reach the physical output unchanged (“bit-perfect”).

Any half-decent DAC will not have a distortion issue with consistent 0dBFS (i.e. the maximum possible PCM sample value) which, obviously, potentially entails the phenomenon of levels (dBTP “True Peak”) a little above those expected. It is worth noting that if your DAC really does not have the headroom to handle this kind of situation appropriately, knocking the digital level back to 99% may not solve anything because, depending on the nature of the programme material, TP can – typically – be 2dB, maybe 3dB over that expected from a 0dBFS digital sample.

It is theoretically possible for dBTP to exceed the expected value for 0dBFS by considerably more than this, but that would require a specially designed (artificial) pathological waveform that would not occur in nature.

 

[Cheztumoé]

Oh well, looks like I have been overly enthusiast about this... On the Topping site there isn't any vendors for Canada. I reached out to Apos (usa), which were suggested in this forum, and they don't ship to Canada, unfortunate because I really liked the look and feature set of this little Dac. Any fellow Canucks here that knows a way to have access to topping gear?

https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/gp/produ...in_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&language=en_CA&psc=1
I have ordered one on the 15 June 2020 (2004 version) and received it yesteday 23 June 2020. It work perfectly.

 

[Robbo99999]

This statement is potentially dangerous (in the context of audiopiles who, as a class, are prone to paranoia at the best of times) and requires clarification. AFAIK, the scenario described above can only occur when the audio application is using the Windows "direct sound" interface i.e. the one that is subject to manipulation by Windows mixer etc. Whenever you are concerned about sound quality, use audio software that supports either WASAPI or ASIO, preferably the former unless there is a good solid reason to need ASIO. This ensures that the digital output of your software will reach the physical output unchanged (“bit-perfect”).

Any half-decent DAC will not have a distortion issue with consistent 0dBFS (i.e. the maximum possible PCM sample value) which, obviously, potentially entails the phenomenon of levels (dBTP “True Peak”) a little above those expected. It is worth noting that if your DAC really does not have the headroom to handle this kind of situation appropriately, knocking the digital level back to 99% may not solve anything because, depending on the nature of the programme material, TP can – typically – be 2dB, maybe 3dB over that expected from a 0dBFS digital sample.

It is theoretically possible for dBTP to exceed the expected value for 0dBFS by considerably more than this, but that would require a specially designed (artificial) pathological waveform that would not occur in nature.

I use Direct Sound I believe, because I use Equaliser APO and haven't asked the DAC or player to use any WASAPI or ASIO....so praps a reason for me to not run at a full 100% volume. I do use roomEQ filters in Equaliser APO of course, so I do run a negative preamp in there already so that's knocking it down away from the 'danger area' anyway, but I suppose in the boosted areas of the frequency curve I can be potentially at 0dBFS, so again praps a 97% windows volume will give a little leeway in those places re the phenomenon we're discussing.

 

[Tup3x]

I use Direct Sound I believe, because I use Equaliser APO and haven't asked the DAC or player to use any WASAPI or ASIO....so praps a reason for me to not run at a full 100% volume. I do use roomEQ filters in Equaliser APO of course, so I do run a negative preamp in there already so that's knocking it down away from the 'danger area' anyway, but I suppose in the boosted areas of the frequency curve I can be potentially at 0dBFS, so again praps a 97% windows volume will give a little leeway in those places re the phenomenon we're discussing.

It will still depend on what software you use. Firefox uses WASAPI (shared) and so does Groove Music for example. Equaliser APO would work with WASAPI shared mode too. Chromium probably does so too. Touching the Windows volume doesn't necessarily mean that Windows handles it. In case of Sound BlasterX AE-5, AE-7 and AE-9 for example it's handled by the DAC (at least in direct mode and probably in dsp mode too).

 

[yyzsb]

I am considering getting this DAC for a second headphone system. I would use an old Sonore microRendu to get the bits from wired Ethernet. I am curious as to how to power the unit. I will not have a computer anywhere near this system. What external power supplies are recommended for this DAC.

I will connect this DAC to the RCA inputs on a Bryston BHA-1 headphone amp.

 

[Standing in the rain]

I came home from work today to find a parcel, inside was a Topping E30 . I order one a couple of months ago, the one with reversed polarity which I already have. But I wanted to see the response from Topping if i complained about the polarity issue (that does not bother me in the slightest). They sent me a new one free, who does something like that. TOPPING do. Well that response has convinced me to by one of their headphone amp. Would be great if they could make something like a NAD m10 or a Naim unity atom. Come on Topping you know you can do it !!!!!!.

 

[Robbo99999]

It will still depend on what software you use. Firefox uses WASAPI (shared) and so does Groove Music for example. Equaliser APO would work with WASAPI shared mode too. Chromium probably does so too. Touching the Windows volume doesn't necessarily mean that Windows handles it. In case of Sound BlasterX AE-5, AE-7 and AE-9 for example it's handled by the DAC (at least in direct mode and probably in dsp mode too).

Thanks for the info re WASAPI and different players...I use iTunes which I think uses Direct Sound or Windows Session if I remember rightly as choosable options, can't remember which I use...the default one I think. Are you sure re the DAC "handling" volume control, my understanding is that if you're controlling the main windows slider then it's being handled by Windows and the DACs are just receiving that signal and then doing "what they want with it". I've got a Topping E30 too though, and I know for example that handles volume when in preamp mode as I can leave windows slider at 100% or 97% or whatever and adjust the volume directly on the DAC itself via remote control and the windows volume slider will stay where it is and instead the volume will change at the DAC...so my intuition tells me that this is the only time a DAC will handle volume control.