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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
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Give a quote from the manufacturer on this, including what exactly THIS is due to.
Find your own quote. The product page for this new version IMHO "appears" to address the "Toslink issue".

I merely expressed an opinion. Please tell us your opinion instead of demanding a "quote"
 

conuss

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Find your own quote. The product page for this new version IMHO "appears" to address the "Toslink issue".

I merely expressed an opinion. Please tell us your opinion instead of demanding a "quote"
Again, your IMHO "The new model appears to correct these "issues"" is based on what? According to what are you assuming? If this is what you wish and believe, what is the novelty of the opinion here, and more importantly, the specifics? What is the essence of DIR "Digital Processing"?
 
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Look at post11 in this thread where John Yang is moderately optimistic that issues are resolved. Enough, I'm sure you would agree, for me to say "apparently".
 

martytoo

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@JohnYang1997 I bought an E30 DAC in 2021 (S/N starting with 2106). The unit is producing drop-outs from time to time when using toslink. Any chances Topping can exchange my unit to the new model?

Best regards
Actually the other question is whether the E30 II has the same drop out problem as the later E30's did. This was a very interesting problem and I solved it 3 different ways.

First, the later E30 that had all the drop outs with many CD players did not have any drop outs with any of the BluRay players that I tried.
Second, there was a list of CD players that didn't have the drop out problem and I was able to purchase one of those cheaply on EBay.
Third is that I feed my Wiim streamer into my E30.

Finally I also purchased an E50 so that I can have a decent DAC going on 2 different systems.

If the new E30 II no longer has the drop out problem, I hope that Topping gives us a break and lets us do a trade in. The least they should do is give us a discount on the E30 II. For those that don't know, the early E30's didn't have the problem. Topping changed the chips they used in order to keep producing the unit when some of the original chips were no longer available (due to the chip plant fire??? - I no longer remember!).
 

conuss

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Look at post11 in this thread where John Yang is moderately optimistic that issues are resolved. Enough, I'm sure you would agree, for me to say "apparently".
Why are you referring me to this post when I started with a link to it precisely to show the manufacturer's lack of confidence in solving the problem, while other manufacturers don't see THIS as a problem at all?! If you decide to answer , you should stick to the question and not just read into your irrelevant posts.
 
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bahamot

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It seems that the new Topping E30 II is not to everyone's liking.
Now I remember him. He hates anything related to crinacles too. (like this one)
I won't take any of his videos seriously
 

MajorP

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conuss

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Well I have contacted Topping support but so far I had little to no success...
The person I talked to does not acknowledge that the drop-outs are a problem and that it is caused because my PC is "incompatible" with the DAC...
I elaborated more in this post:
https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-e30-ii-dac-review.36028/post-1265871
Thus, against the background of other manufacturers, I repeat, this office in this matter signs its incompetence and openly sneers at users who have paid for the necessary function, which works correctly on ALL other similar devices.
 

fireboy1968

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I know i am late to this thread to respond to the original post. But reality check here. The reason Shitt changed the name of the Modi to Modi 3E was that they changed from the AK chip to the ESS Sabre chip and that was a way of letting you know
 

staticV3

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I know i am late to this thread to respond to the original post. But reality check here. The reason Shitt changed the name of the Modi to Modi 3E was that they changed from the AK chip to the ESS Sabre chip and that was a way of letting you know
is that a statement or a question?
if it's the latter then: Yes!
 

Jimster480

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I know i am late to this thread to respond to the original post. But reality check here. The reason Shitt changed the name of the Modi to Modi 3E was that they changed from the AK chip to the ESS Sabre chip and that was a way of letting you know
At the end of the day I don't think it matters much. It only matters the performance, features, reliability at a given price.
 
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And whether the SP/DIF inputs (Toslink & coax) allow a far wider selection of older CD & DVD players to input a signal without the problems of the last incarnation of the E30
 

Artzox

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Any suggestion what I should get - d30 II or smsl d-6? I am interested in the best sound and not features (bt, balanced out).The Smsl has an integrated psu from what I see.
 

Jimster480

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Any suggestion what I should get - d30 II or smsl d-6? I am interested in the best sound and not features (bt, balanced out).The Smsl has an integrated psu from what I see.
SMSL has an integrated PSU. D30 II? I mean you mean E30 II. There is only D30 (original) and D30 Pro.
It also depends on what features you want as a whole. Both DACs are a good value and I don't think you could "hear" a difference.

If you don't also have a great Amp then I think that a Topping DX3 Pro would actually be the best bet since the performance is basically the same but it has a great amp in it also and it isn't much more money than either of these....
 

Artzox

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SMSL has an integrated PSU. D30 II? I mean you mean E30 II. There is only D30 (original) and D30 Pro.
It also depends on what features you want as a whole. Both DACs are a good value and I don't think you could "hear" a difference.

If you don't also have a great Amp then I think that a Topping DX3 Pro would actually be the best bet since the performance is basically the same but it has a great amp in it also and it isn't much more money than either of these....
Yes, typo, I meant E30 II. I do actually have a great amp and putting a tube pre in the chain as well, so amplification is a non-issue and in this case I want to spend the money on the DAC part itself.
Was also looking at a used Project pre-box s2 + a linear supply which will cost me around 100 bucks more than e30ii/d-6 new, but is at this point an old (but well designed) machine. I am currently rocking a DAC with akm 4490, which I would describe as musical ( this implementation), but it has problems (swapping dsd channels, audio drop-outs), so I need to switch that asap.
 

Jimster480

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Yes, typo, I meant E30 II. I do actually have a great amp and putting a tube pre in the chain as well, so amplification is a non-issue and in this case I want to spend the money on the DAC part itself.
Was also looking at a used Project pre-box s2 + a linear supply which will cost me around 100 bucks more than e30ii/d-6 new, but is at this point an old (but well designed) machine. I am currently rocking a DAC with akm 4490, which I would describe as musical ( this implementation), but it has problems (swapping dsd channels, audio drop-outs), so I need to switch that asap.
well if you are doing a tube pre setup then I would just buy whichever one of these cheaper DACs you like more. Or go for a JDS Atom if you are in the USA and want something with local support.
It is cheaper than either one and technically they all have great performance, which won't be audible especially through tubes.
 

Artzox

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well if you are doing a tube pre setup then I would just buy whichever one of these cheaper DACs you like more. Or go for a JDS Atom if you are in the USA and want something with local support.
It is cheaper than either one and technically they all have great performance, which won't be audible especially through tubes.
Thanks for your input, but I am not in the US and would like native DSD support (or at least DOP up to 256). Also, while different tubes really do make a difference, if you don't like the sound signature before them, then usually you also don't like what is coming out.
 

Jimster480

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Thanks for your input, but I am not in the US and would like native DSD support (or at least DOP up to 256). Also, while different tubes really do make a difference, if you don't like the sound signature before them, then usually you also don't like what is coming out.
Well DACs don't typically have "sound signatures" I've done tons of testing and am hard pressed to say any DAC's that aren't R2R have real "sound signatures". It typically depends on your Amp.
I'm saying though that buying a DAC with top tier SINAD performance which will be utterly obliterated through Tubes; doesn't matter. Meaning that you can buy anything from the higher range of products, and it will sound fine.
Check out the https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09C597TH3/
See if you have it in your country and what the price is.
 

Artzox

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Well DACs don't typically have "sound signatures" I've done tons of testing and am hard pressed to say any DAC's that aren't R2R have real "sound signatures". It typically depends on your Amp.
I'm saying though that buying a DAC with top tier SINAD performance which will be utterly obliterated through Tubes; doesn't matter. Meaning that you can buy anything from the higher range of products, and it will sound fine.
Check out the https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09C597TH3/
See if you have it in your country and what the price is.
Thanks.
While I do agree that there shouldn't be a difference I am currently switching between a Tempotec Serenade idsd and a fiio x5 iii DAP (using it as a DAC). Sound signature is radically different. The Serenade has a wide soundstage (great separation)but instruments have no heft to them and bass is quick and not too extended. The fiio is much narrower, soundstage bordering on claustrophobic, instruments are not as clearly defined but sound realistic (piano sounds like a piano...),bass has heft but is boomy.
Both use akm 4490, different opamps thought.
I have tried listening to both with the tube pre and without (connecting directly to the integrated amp)and there is no mistaking them.
So overall I agree that SINAD is not a factor in my case, sound signature is.
I like that I can replace the opamp in the fx audio you suggested. I have a burr-brown and a burson dual opamp lying around.
 

Jimster480

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Thanks.
While I do agree that there shouldn't be a difference I am currently switching between a Tempotec Serenade idsd and a fiio x5 iii DAP (using it as a DAC). Sound signature is radically different. The Serenade has a wide soundstage (great separation)but instruments have no heft to them and bass is quick and not too extended. The fiio is much narrower, soundstage bordering on claustrophobic, instruments are not as clearly defined but sound realistic (piano sounds like a piano...),bass has heft but is boomy.
Both use akm 4490, different opamps thought.
I have tried listening to both with the tube pre and without (connecting directly to the integrated amp)and there is no mistaking them.
So overall I agree that SINAD is not a factor in my case, sound signature is.
I like that I can replace the opamp in the fx audio you suggested. I have a burr-brown and a burson dual opamp lying around.
In my experience either the Burr Brown Opa or the njm are the cleanest ones.
Since you are using portable products though it also has to do with the output impedance of the product versus the input impedance of your amp. This can't cause a sound signature change based on mismatched impedance.
When listening directly if will depend on the overall power output at the load that your headphones require for your desire listening volume.

Back before I got my thx789; I tested various amps and sometimes they would sound different through different DACs.
This is also a partially how I got into orthodynamic AKA planar headphones as they typically have a totally flat impedance response.

Typically once you get over 105 signad there is no more sound signature. People often think that well measuring devices are bright. But this is actually just because the higher the sign ad rating the lower the noise and distortion at higher frequencies. Since noise is multiplied by the frequency basically any additional Distortion will come out more in high frequency tones. So typically even with poor performing devices; the bass is fine. The highs will either be muddy or just not clear. This is most apparent with string instruments. As their ability to produce sustained High frequency exposes distortion to the max.
 
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