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Topping E30 DAC Review

PhnomPenhPaul

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I don't often post here, but I was rather shocked by the tone of @Robin L's reply to @nerone's observation about the behaviour of his E30. [On my reading at least] it appeared arrogant and condescending. I know everyone has a bad day sometimes, but I hope that on re-reading his post @Robin L feels he could have posted differently [as did @half_dog who, to his/her credit, actually tried to help the OP].
 

voodooless

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I don't often post here, but I was rather shocked by the tone of @Robin L's reply to @nerone's observation about the behaviour of his E30. [On my reading at least] it appeared arrogant and condescending. I know everyone has a bad day sometimes, but I hope that on re-reading his post @Robin L feels he could have posted differently

What’s the problem? He pointed out an obvious factual error and some valid questions about the methodology..
 

Robin L

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I don't often post here, but I was rather shocked by the tone of @Robin L's reply to @nerone's observation about the behaviour of his E30. [On my reading at least] it appeared arrogant and condescending. I know everyone has a bad day sometimes, but I hope that on re-reading his post @Robin L feels he could have posted differently [as did @half_dog who, to his/her credit, actually tried to help the OP].
I'm sorry, but CDs didn't even appear until 1971. That's not being flippant, that's simply the truth. And the description of the problem by Nerone sounds like subjective nonsense. There may be a language issue here, but my response is not out of line.
 

half_dog

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I'm sorry, but CDs didn't even appear until 1971. That's not being flippant, that's simply the truth. And the description of the problem by Nerone sounds like subjective nonsense. There may be a language issue here, but my response is not out of line.
There may be a language issue here indeed but how he has described the sound it seemed to me a format incompatibility...
 

Robin L

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There may be a language issue here indeed but how he has described the sound it seemed to me a format incompatibility...
What I was reading was disappointment because of the lack of certain "audiophile" qualities. I only just saw the thread about the E30 and compatibility issues. So, sorry if I widened the circle of confusion.

Somehow, I lucked out, getting an E30 a year ago, and I'm really impressed by its performance. I don't have compatibility issues. The DAC is hooked up to my laptop and a Sony Blu-Ray player with a coax out.
 

half_dog

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What I was reading was disappointment because of the lack of certain "audiophile" qualities. I only just saw the thread about the E30 and compatibility issues. So, sorry if I widened the circle of confusion.

Somehow, I lucked out, getting an E30 a year ago, and I'm really impressed by its performance. I don't have compatibility issues. The DAC is hooked up to my laptop and a Sony Blu-Ray player with a coax out.

Yeah, there is some reports related to drop outs when using spdif connection but that's about syncing problems... His case remined me the first time I've connected my E30 to the living room TV. I didn't know that it doesn't process other formats as Dolby audio and soon as I turned the tv on... Oh gosh haha
The sound was terrible. My vocabulary is not good enough to describe it... That reminded a circular saw cutting a steel plate!
 

selthier

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hi , i just got my E30 just now, and i didnt see any power suply in it

i see it rated 5v1a , but is it safe to use 5v3a in it? kinda paranoid with using wrong power supply , tried using wrong power supply at external hdd and it burnt immediatelly
 

JohnYang1997

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hi , i just got my E30 just now, and i didnt see any power suply in it

i see it rated 5v1a , but is it safe to use 5v3a in it? kinda paranoid with using wrong power supply , tried using wrong power supply at external hdd and it burnt immediatelly
Yes it's safe. Just generic phone charger with 5V will do just fine. Current with 3A is ok. The device only draws what it needs.
 

threni

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I don't often post here, but I was rather shocked by the tone of @Robin L's reply to @nerone's observation about the behaviour of his E30. [On my reading at least] it appeared arrogant and condescending. I know everyone has a bad day sometimes, but I hope that on re-reading his post @Robin L feels he could have posted differently [as did @half_dog who, to his/her credit, actually tried to help the OP].
Maybe you don't read here often either, because @Robin L's response is exactly what I'd expect to see here. Thankfully, this site just isn't like the others.
 

nerone

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The Topping E30 sounds good when I listen to music but it has nothing to do with my vintage 1983 cd player, I apologize if I was wrong to write about 50 instead of 40.
However, it is not a question of comparing the volumes if they are lower or higher, the cd player has an exceptional low range compared to the Topping E30, the latter has a thinner and less full-bodied sound.
This is just my take on what I hear in my listening environment at any listening volume.
 
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Yeah, there is some reports related to drop outs when using spdif connection

A chip has been changed. Deeply irritating for recent E30 owners (me). But in the grand scheme of things, liveable with. Cheap DVD player has issues, cheap Blu-ray doesn't.
 

PhnomPenhPaul

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Pleased to hear @serendipitydawg say the E30 doesn't have a problem with cheap blu-ray players because mine's definitely towards the bottom end of the spectrum - a Goldmund Eidos Reference Player 4K it is not! I'm waiting for the Topping E50 to come out, but am quite expecting this to have the same 'locking' issue as later E30 models due to the change in receiver chip as mentioned by @JohnYang1997 and @serendipitydawg. (Perhaps whilst I am waiting for the release of the E50 I will write to Goldmud in Switzerland to ask why their above-mentioned player is - per their website - a South Korea exclusive. Why can't Kim Jong-Un buy one north of the 59th parallel (or other dictators and plutocrats elsewhere for that matter)?
 

selthier

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i have another question, does the idle mode work well?
i pair this E30 +L30 with headphone and speakers , and im gonna use it in my home office setup,and i will be there like 8-10hr a day ... should i turn it off everytime i dont use it or just when i leave the office?
 

billdylan

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Maybe you don't read here often either, because @Robin L's response is exactly what I'd expect to see here. Thankfully, this site just isn't like the others.
Maybe you don't read here often either, because @Robin L's response is exactly what I'd expect to see here. Thankfully, this site just isn't like the others.
Hey Threni .
You must you mean that Ironically I presume ?

Do you have Any Recommendations for Other sites with Equally Technically Savvy members

But with honest advice From the DAC Company representatives posting on them..

That would be appreciated

Bill
 

billdylan

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I don't often post here, but I was rather shocked by the tone of @Robin L's reply to @nerone's observation about the behaviour of his E30. [On my reading at least] it appeared arrogant and condescending. I know everyone has a bad day sometimes, but I hope that on re-reading his post @Robin L feels he could have posted differently [as did @half_dog who, to his/her credit, actually tried to help the OP].
I too was suprised by The tone of posts by some members, I guess Don't be suprised in future...

Good Luck

Bill
 
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threni

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You must you mean that Ironically I presume ?
No.

Do you have Any Recommendations for Other sites with Equally Technically Savvy members

But with honest advice From the DAC Company representatives posting on them..
No, I'm not sure they exist.

I too was suprised by The tone of posts by some members, I guess Don't be suprised in future...
As you use this site for the second month you might slowly start to detect a difference between ASR and the rest of 'em. For example, go to head-fi and type "The E30 is dead sounding, without the airiness of the the Modi 3. I prefer the latter's rich bass and plankton" and they'll probably greet you as one of their own. You're entitled to your opinion right? Damn right. Try typing that here, though, and you're going to get "uh huh", ignored or perhaps even a "dude, wtf are you talking about?". That's because that sentence is a mixture of opinion and meaningless jargon, which therefore cannot be defended objectively with measurements or double blind comparisons. It's of no value to anyone considering a purchase.

So when someone types something like "I did several tests to compare the audio quality with a good vintage cd player unfortunately it does not hold up to comparison. The latter digests all musical genres with an extraordinary dynamics that the E30 dreams of." then it has a certain smell...and you can tell immediately that they did not, in fact, perform any meaningful test, and if they did, they either did it very badly or have a faulty E30 because to the extent that "extraordinary dynamics" has any meaning, they were not found to be wanting when Amir performed his tests. There's no way a recent, more-or-less state of the art audio DAC is getting out-performed by a 40 or 50 or however many year old CD player.

I think you have an axe to grind about Topping which is colouring your views here. I have to say, despite being a very happy E30 owner, what I've read about Topping's kit has made me think...well, they're certainly not guilty of over-testing their equipment, are they? I seem to have a lucky E30 which was built after the phase problem but before the spdif one! At least with this product my headphones are safe. I thought I was safe simply waiting for other people to be early adopters and find any flaws before I make a purchase (which is a sensible approach for any consumer product really) but your situation - where something is changed but insufficiently tested many months after initial release - shows that this is a little optimistic. The only thing to be done really is to thoroughly test all functionality upon purchase so that it can be returned as early as possible. But there's no reason to believe Topping are any worse in this regard than any other company. I will consider them for future purchases.

But I've seen nothing remotely dishonest about JohnYang1997's comments. I think you just don't like his bluntness. He suggested you return it. I suggested you return it. Why didn't you return it?
 
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