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Topping E30 II DAC Review

Rate this DAC:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 14 4.3%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 22 6.8%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther

    Votes: 103 31.7%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 186 57.2%

  • Total voters
    325

srkbear

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Over the decades I can't recall any device that I've owned requiring to turn it off to change settings via the remote.
Me neither. I’ve racked my brain trying to figure out the benefit of that choice—which seems consistent across the board for their DACs.

But honestly, in my setup I have the D90se fixed with the preamp turned off, the voltage set at 5, the Bluetooth radio off, and the filter set at 7. I don’t mess with the IIS settings because I don’t use that interface, and I haven’t played around with the new “tube” vs “transistor” sound signature settings, because they seem disappointingly gimmicky.

So the only setting I ever modify is the input source (between USB for my streamer and coax for my SACD player) and that can be changed easily via the remote or by the button on the front panel, so having a remote isn’t really necessary for me—plus I keep my system on my nightstand, so fumbling for the remote is more time consuming than just reaching for the knob!
E26EC602-FB61-4814-AC8A-2BE1B1E991ED.jpeg
 
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Trell

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Me neither. I’ve racked my brain trying to figure out the benefit of that choice—which seems consistent across the board for their DACs.

But honestly, in my setup I have the D90se fixed with the preamp turned off, the voltage set at 5, the Bluetooth radio off, and the filter set at 7. I don’t mess with the IIS settings because I don’t use that interface, and I haven’t played around with the new “tube” vs “transistor” sound signature settings, because they seem disappointingly gimmicky.

So the only setting I ever modify is the input source (between USB for my streamer and coax for my SACD player) and that can be changed easily via the remote or by the button on the front panel, so having a remote isn’t really necessary for me—plus I keep my system next to my nightstand!View attachment 221516

My usage of remotes is for the usual suspects: TV, AVR, cable, Blu-ray player, etc, where I don't have to turn off the device first to see/hear the changes in settings.

For desktop usage I've the RME ADI-2 DAC FS that does have a very nice remote that works very well from all angles. I generally don't use it for day-to-day operations but it is handy for testing, like EQ on/off, loudness on/off. Sometimes I sit a little further back than usual, so the remote is useful. Another use case is during video call when I discreetly want to adjust the volume.

The performance of so many devices measured on ASR is great that the focus should be more on other things like usability, build quality, connectivity, service&support, documentation as well as features, and price of course.
 

giordy

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a question :
do you know if the E30 II manages the 48khz on dsd?
the E30 doesn't
 

Veri

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a question :
do you know if the E30 II manages the 48khz on dsd?
the E30 doesn't
If the E30 doesn't, it's unlikely E30 ii will do 48kDSD. (a format that can't even be purchased anywhere.. right?)
 

srkbear

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The performance of so many devices measured on ASR is great that the focus should be more on other things like usability, build quality, connectivity, service&support, documentation as well as features, and price of course.
Now THAT I totally agree with—especially for DACs. Given that we’ve all (for the most part) recognized that the vast majority of DACs tested are equivocal in regards to what our ears can detect, I think that Panther, in addition to reaching in the piggy bank, should just plain refuse to stand up unless a product is priced in accordance with its worth, and achieves a minimum benchmark of ergonomic satisfaction, no matter how far it climbs up the SINAD charts.

That’s why I got kinda grumpy when the DAVE got a recommendation despite it’s clunky, Byzantine and hard to read GUI, fussy buttons, its lone single ended headphone jack, and lack of a streamer. No matter what one believes about balanced headphone connections, for $14,000 that thing should be able to accommodate anything, and do everything.

Actually there’s a bigger problem with giving a rating to products in the $14,000 range—there are no digital devices that warrant costing even half that. There’s no product category I can think of that gouges its prices with such a lack of justification as audiophile components do—there’s nothing especially costly about the parts involved, or the labor—and whatever R&D investment they made should have been recouped long ago after eight years on the market.

Topping is innovating new configurations all the time that are apparently able to be profitable at very modest prices right out of the gate. Maybe if Rob Watts stopped trying to be so wizardly with his home grown circuitry, he could reduce his premarket investments—especially since his inventions perform no better than those utilizing prefabricated chips. I would give anything to see his profit deltas compared to manufacturing costs!
 
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srkbear

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a question :
do you know if the E30 II manages the 48khz on dsd?
the E30 doesn't
That’s a good question—iFi just released a firmware upgrade to the xDSD Gryphon that supports 48khz DSD, although I haven’t a clue where to find media that could prove it…
 

Robbo99999

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I use the same remote for E30, D30Pro and D70 and never, never had aiming problems at all...
Could the problem be environmental, or related on the location of the device?
It's been a recurrent problem with the same device (E30) vs TV and Roku Stick remotes/devices that are located in the same place, and that's occurred in two different places I've lived......so the E30 remote is always underperforming in usable angles here.
 

srkbear

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Looks like they’ve got a refresh of the DX7 pro, called the “DX7 Pro+” on deck for late August. How is this company managing all these new products in such a short period of time? Mixing and matching internal components perhaps?

 

Asma

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Looks like they’ve got a refresh of the DX7 pro, called the “DX7 Pro+” on deck for late August. How is this company managing all these new products in such a short period of time? Mixing and matching internal components perhaps?

A very interesting device. DAC + amplifier in one package, it's so convenient. Hopefully the price won't be too high.
 

Katji

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Actually there’s a bigger problem with giving a rating to products in the $14,000 range—there are no digital devices that warrant costing even half that. There’s no product category I can think of that gouges its prices with such a lack of justification as audiophile components do—there’s nothing especially costly about the parts involved, or the labor—and whatever R&D investment they made should have been recouped long ago after eight years on the market.

Topping is innovating new configurations all the time that are apparently able to be profitable at very modest prices right out of the gate. Maybe if Rob Watts stopped trying to be so wizardly with his home grown circuitry, he could reduce his premarket investments—especially since his inventions perform no better than those utilizing prefabricated chips. I would give anything to see his profit deltas compared to manufacturing costs!
Total cost of production. And I would like to see how much is spent on marketing. Ok, not total cost of production, that would include costs allocated to properties/premises and human resources. which vary with company philosophy and so on.

And returns and replacements of faulty goods / number of units sold. The information we have on that is hardly even estimates. So I can develop more accurate impressions of forum members - or people in general, perhaps - than I can regarding reliability, failure incidence, QA. (Sure, people do often point that out, but the impressions continue.)
Note, iirc, one person bought 4 or 5 Chord products and 2 failed or gave trouble. And there were :rolleyes: remarks about the company sorting it out "free of charge." :rolleyes:
 

srkbear

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A very interesting device. DAC + amplifier in one package, it's so convenient. Hopefully the price won't be too high.
Knowing Topping it’ll be priced reasonably and competitively, probably along the lines of Gustard’s X16/H16 combo, as this DX7 Pro is their mid-tier line. The D90se (or LE)/A90 combo is $1,399 right now, and that’s their flagship line. The Gustard stack is running at $899. We shall see!
 

Katji

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Looks like they’ve got a refresh of the DX7 pro, called the “DX7 Pro+” on deck for late August. How is this company managing all these new products in such a short period of time? Mixing and matching internal components perhaps?
I hope they do have that competency.
The same applies to software development.
 

srkbear

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Total cost of production. And I would like to see how much is spent on marketing. Ok, not total cost of production, that would include costs allocated to properties/premises and human resources. which vary with company philosophy and so on.

And returns and replacements of faulty goods / number of units sold. The information we have on that is hardly even estimates. So I can develop more accurate impressions of forum members - or people in general, perhaps - than I can regarding reliability, failure incidence, QA. (Sure, people do often point that out, but the impressions continue.)
Note, iirc, one person bought 4 or 5 Chord products and 2 failed or gave trouble. And there were :rolleyes: remarks about the company sorting it out "free of charge." :rolleyes:
And we must not forget how much they pay websites to photograph the thing like it’s going in the Louvre and to speak about it as if they were reviewing Guernica…
 

Katji

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And we must not forget how much they pay websites to photograph the thing like it’s going in the Louvre and to speak about it as if they were reviewing Guernica…
Yes, if we had information like that, then we could talk about how it is rationalised, and the difference in company philosophies and so on. considering that some of these "high-end" pay expensive ad agencies and expensive professional photographers...and there are some members here who are amateur photographers that can produce excellent photos. So there are alternative ways of doing it.

Of course it's all not even "wishful thinking."

Talk about "high-end" and Chord, one of the things I might say to that guy, if I had the opportunity, is "What? Are you high?!" :D
 

Music1969

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a question :
do you know if the E30 II manages the 48khz on dsd?
the E30 doesn't
Are you sure original E30 doesn't?

Someone I know said it does (using integer upsampling to 48k DSD rate - easier CPU load with integer)

Can @JohnYang1997 confirm ?
 

raif71

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Me neither. I’ve racked my brain trying to figure out the benefit of that choice—which seems consistent across the board for their DACs.

But honestly, in my setup I have the D90se fixed with the preamp turned off, the voltage set at 5, the Bluetooth radio off, and the filter set at 7. I don’t mess with the IIS settings because I don’t use that interface, and I haven’t played around with the new “tube” vs “transistor” sound signature settings, because they seem disappointingly gimmicky.

So the only setting I ever modify is the input source (between USB for my streamer and coax for my SACD player) and that can be changed easily via the remote or by the button on the front panel, so having a remote isn’t really necessary for me—plus I keep my system on my nightstand, so fumbling for the remote is more time consuming than just reaching for the knob!View attachment 221516
What sony player, you're using?
 
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