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Topping E30 DAC Review

Jimbob54

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I cannot use the E 30 in USB mode, too much noise, it seems mains noise but it aint, The Cambridge audio, same mode is absolutely silent, and this problem occurs at a friends too, same setup. No pops, but a never stopping grinding noise.

IS it the same noise in pre amp mode with volume at full?
 

knownunknown

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hey, can someone please help me setting this DAC up in windows 10. i've installed the newest driver already but i don't know what asio puffer sizes and format i should choose. besides that, i don't even know what asio means and reading previous forum posts around that topic only make me more confused. right now, regardless of what format i play (320kps mp3s or flac) the dac always shows 48.0 pcm, but shouldn't it display the bitrate?

ELI5 pleeeeaaase :D
 

Jimbob54

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hey, can someone please help me setting this DAC up in windows 10. i've installed the newest driver already but i don't know what asio puffer sizes and format i should choose. besides that, i don't even know what asio means and reading previous forum posts around that topic only make me more confused. right now, regardless of what format i play (320kps mp3s or flac) the dac always shows 48.0 pcm, but shouldn't it display the bitrate?

ELI5 pleeeeaaase :D

What software music player are you using? You need to set that to exclusive mode (which means it bypasses the W10 audio settings). Its the W10 settings that means anything not in exclusive mode will be resampled to 48 (or whatever is set as the default). In exclusive mode, it should play at whatever the native bit depth and sample rate of the file is. But also means the windows volume slider wont work.

Edit, and as robbo points out below, exclusive mode (ie using asio) will stop you being able to use any system wide eq software. Swings and roundabouts.
 
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Robbo99999

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hey, can someone please help me setting this DAC up in windows 10. i've installed the newest driver already but i don't know what asio puffer sizes and format i should choose. besides that, i don't even know what asio means and reading previous forum posts around that topic only make me more confused. right now, regardless of what format i play (320kps mp3s or flac) the dac always shows 48.0 pcm, but shouldn't it display the bitrate?

ELI5 pleeeeaaase :D
Jimbob can help you with how to setup ASIO, but I never use it....I just plug in the DAC and install the Topping drivers, then I make sure windows is set on 44.1kHz and 24bit and then I playback my lossless or 256 kpbs music in ITunes, whilst using EqualiserAPO for EQ purposes. I don't think you need to fuss with ASIO, in my opinion/experience the standard windows audio chain is fine.
 

companyja

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Windows audio is fine, you might want to apply a separate preamp of -0.2dB in EQAPO to avoid windows' limiter if you use the volume at 100%. Otherwise, you don't need to bother with ASIO buffers unless you start an application which will use ASIO (a DAW or a player set to ASIO mode).
 

knownunknown

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ok thank you. if i'm honest i don't care if it displays the bitrate as long as the music goes through the DAC and nothing compromizes it
 

companyja

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Unless you use ASIO, Windows will automatically resample your music to the rate you set in the Sound Panel. I suggest you select either 44,1 or 48khz depending on what most of your music library is. The resampling done by the current version of Windows 10 is mature enough and doesn't introduce distortions in the audible range, so you don't have to worry about windows messing up your audio by resampling it. But just keep in mind that this means that unless your audio is already in the sample rate set in windows, it will technically not be bit-perfect and it will be altered by the OS. Your DAC will absolutely display the sample rate correctly as it will only see the sample rate of the stuff coming out of DirectSound (whatever you set in the Sound Panel). The original sample rate will not reach the DAC if you use DirectSound/MME (default Windows audio)
 

Raoul Duke

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For your information the E30 seems unable to reproduce sound on some games (Battlefield4, RDR2, maybe more). I tried a LOT of workarounds on RDR2, being on contact with Rockstar for over a month, as RDR2 was the only game on which I had this issue. But then I reinstalled BF4 shortly ago and had the same issue.
My guess is that there is some kind of problem with the DirectX compatibility. Many other games and software works on the E30 however.
 

avatar

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I' ve seen that many shops have recently restocked. Are the new manufactured units still based on the ak4493 chip ?
Any notable difference ? God I wish Armin could review a new unit (same for the L30)
 

Poyo

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Hello guys, I'm new on the forum and I really need your help :(
When I'm playing games or listening music with my Topping E30, sometimes I have issues like Left channel not work for seconds or the sounds is "buggy".
I already had this issue with an E30 that I thought was faulty, but I guess it's not the case...
Topping drivers are installed, my Windows 10 is 1909 build.

Another things i'm testing right now : I uninstalled the Topping drivers but I installed only the drivers.inf without the application (Wasapi works, but no ASIO support), I'll see if the problems is still here... but right now i'm at the office, I'll test it in few hours :/

Do you have some advices for me please ?

Edit : I use an aftermarker good quality USB cable 1.5 meters, and it's powered by Samsung 5V 1A phone brick
 

threni

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Hello guys, I'm new on the forum and I really need your help :(
When I'm playing games or listening music with my Topping E30, sometimes I have issues like Left channel not work for seconds or the sounds is "buggy".
I already had this issue with an E30 that I thought was faulty, but I guess it's not the case...
Topping drivers are installed, my Windows 10 is 1909 build.

Another things i'm testing right now : I uninstalled the Topping drivers but I installed only the drivers.inf without the application (Wasapi works, but no ASIO support), I'll see if the problems is still here... but right now i'm at the office, I'll test it in few hours :/

Do you have some advices for me please ?

Edit : I use an aftermarker good quality USB cable 1.5 meters, and it's powered by Samsung 5V 1A phone brick

1) Rule out the PC by playing music from another device; different PC, phone, tablet etc, on the problematic pc with new drivers etc.
2) Does the left channel come back by itself?
3) Not work = silence, noise, quiet audio?
4) "sounds is buggy" explain please
 

threni

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I' ve seen that many shops have recently restocked. Are the new manufactured units still based on the ak4493 chip ?
Any notable difference ? God I wish Armin could review a new unit (same for the L30)

Their website still has AK4493 on it, in multiple places. So I'd be surprised if they're using a new DAC chip but still calling it the E30. Then again it also says 'A "small hot hatch" like DAC' which doesn't mean anything so I'm not sure who they're letting lose on that website, or why.
 

Poyo

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1) Rule out the PC by playing music from another device; different PC, phone, tablet etc, on the problematic pc with new drivers etc.
2) Does the left channel come back by itself?
3) Not work = silence, noise, quiet audio?
4) "sounds is buggy" explain please

1 : I don't have another PC, I don't have OTG cable for my phone :/
2 : Sometimes yes, sometimes no I switch source on the E30 and it comes back, very random, I can listen for 2 hours without problem, or just 5 minutes
3 : No sound at all or veeeery low sound
4 : Sound is off, I don't know how to explain, it just sound very bad :/ with left channel very low volume
 

threni

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1 : I don't have another PC, I don't have OTG cable for my phone :/
2 : Sometimes yes, sometimes no I switch source on the E30 and it comes back, very random, I can listen for 2 hours without problem, or just 5 minutes
3 : No sound at all or veeeery low sound
4 : Sound is off, I don't know how to explain, it just sound very bad :/ with left channel very low volume

Maybe swap the rca cables around and see if the problem 1) goes away, 2) the right channel now has the problem.
Maybe find/buy another cable, or find/borrow another device you can plug into the DAC.
 

Poyo

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Maybe swap the rca cables around and see if the problem 1) goes away, 2) the right channel now has the problem.
Maybe find/buy another cable, or find/borrow another device you can plug into the DAC.

RCA cable is OK (Audioquest Golden Gate), tested and still left channel issue.
I think it's windows the problem, maybe I should try to plug it without drivers, just for testing.
What's wrong if I use it "plug and play" ?

Asio/Wasapi Lost ok, but If i fix the correct rate before listening FLAC, is that good ?
(Btw it seems with plug and play I can't use 16 bits depth...)

Edit : This is my second unit Topping E30, the older was sent back for the same issue that I thought was the DAC itself...

Edit 2 : I've found this : https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-usb-mqa-dac-review.13732/page-32#post-656727
I have the exact same problem, with drivers it seems to have phase issue ? I'm testing with integrated USBAudio2.sys Windows 10 native, and at the moment no issue.

The DAC is connected to an USB 3.0 port, maybe should I try USB 2.0 instead ? (My motherboard have many USB 3 ports and only 2 USB 2 for mouse and keyboard)

Any help ? :)
 
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Poyo

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Hi, can't edit my previous post I don't know why.
With native Windows 10 driver the issue is still here :( I don't know what to do
Only thing I can test is to put the DAC in an USB 2.0 port and reinstaller the drivers.

If the problem persist, i'm out of solution.
Am I the only one is this situation ?

Edit 1 : Problem is still here on USB 2.0 ports, now I'm trying another USB cable...
 
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Ozu

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I made a quick research in the thread but I did not find about my issue, sorry if I am repeating which is already answered. On the screen of my brand new E30, via audirvana, nothing changing while I am playing pieces, only when I start to listen music, first piece shows the pcm value, but after all it is : - 0 0. 0. what should I do for seeing constantly the value of pcm that I am playing ?
 

solderdude

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I made a quick research in the thread but I did not find about my issue, sorry if I am repeating which is already answered. On the screen of my brand new E30, via audirvana, nothing changing while I am playing pieces, only when I start to listen music, first piece shows the pcm value, but after all it is : - 0 0. 0. what should I do for seeing constantly the value of pcm that I am playing ?

I suspect the E30 is in 'pre-amp' mode and shows the attenuation. You may want to set it to DAC mode. It will show the sample rate.
Default it comes in pre-amp mode.

If you don't plan on using the E30 as a pre-amp or use the volume control (remote), set the E30 in the DAC mode, just enter standby, press and hold the On/Off button on the touch panel for about 3 seconds until you see “DAC” written on screen, release the button and power it on.
 
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Poyo

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Well, I've tested everything, I don't know how to fix that. It seems that I'm the only guy with this problem... last chance is to update my windows but I don't think it'll work...
 

Thalis

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Well, I've tested everything, I don't know how to fix that. It seems that I'm the only guy with this problem... last chance is to update my windows but I don't think it'll work...


why not find an OTG cable just to see if the problem persists with your phone?
 
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