Topping E50 Review (Balanced DAC)

[JohnYang1997]

If this is an ESS DAC, does it have adjustable PLL settings? If not is the stock setting forgiving enough for high jitter sources?

Since the handling of external sources is by a external chip. The PLL setting on the ESS register does nothing beneficial.

Also I have not encountered a source which doesn't work with default PLL setting magically work on higher settings, were the internal receiver being used.

 

[PhnomPenhPaul]

E50 is -30dB default.

Dear Mr. Yang, Thanks for the answer, much appreciated.

 

[linuxfan]

I'm tempted to jump in and buy an E50, to see how such a new-techology-good-value DAC compares to my somewhat pricey HQ-Audio ES9018 DAC circa 2013.
But I'm wondering about the power supply ... I don't wish to enter into the "are linear power supplies better" debate, I just want to know if a DAC of the E50's calibre will benefit from a power supply with good noise/ripple figures? "Audiophile" power supplies aside, I understand there are some SMPS wall warts, such as early model Apple iPhone power supplies, which have low noise/ripple. Will such a thing have a benefit, either audibly, or measurably? Or do the E50's internal regulators mitigate noise/ripple such that the quality of the 5V supply is irrelevant? JohnYang?

 

[Headchef]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?pages/Audio_Equipment_Reviews/

In the 2nd page you can see SINAD numbers on the right side.

yep, I’ve seen that but it renders horribly on iOS / OSX, shame it’s not possible to see it in thee graph format though

 

[JohnYang1997]

I'm tempted to jump in and buy an E50, to see how such a new-techology-good-value DAC compares to my somewhat pricey HQ-Audio ES9018 DAC circa 2013.
But I'm wondering about the power supply ... I don't wish to enter into the "are linear power supplies better" debate, I just want to know if a DAC of the E50's calibre will benefit from a power supply with good noise/ripple figures? "Audiophile" power supplies aside, I understand there are some SMPS wall warts, such as early model Apple iPhone power supplies, which have low noise/ripple. Will such a thing have a benefit, either audibly, or measurably? Or do the E50's internal regulators mitigate noise/ripple such that the quality of the 5V supply is irrelevant? JohnYang?

Use the the kinds that comes with phone like iPhone, samsung, huawei, oneplus etc. The quality of those phone chargers are better than those LPS or higher priced audiophile SMPS.

 

[Moosi]

I find it hard to take that guy serious as he also claims he can hear a difference between SE and BAL out

I knew this guy would get screwed, that's not the point. The point is him pointing to the D50s having not the best op-amps, thus recommending to change them with higher tier ones, which is quite frankly true. Even Topping admits that between the lines, giving you the opportunity to swap them easily with sockets and advertising that swappability. I'd be really interested in Amir measuring the D50s with some high tier op-amps in order to see if there is any difference and how big it might be.

 

[JohnYang1997]

I knew this guy would get screwed, that's not the point. The point is him pointing to the D50s having not the best op-amps, thus recommending to change them with higher tier ones, which is quite frankly true. Even Topping admits that between the lines, giving you the opportunity to swap them easily with sockets and advertising that swappability. I'd be really interested in Amir measuring the D50s with some high tier op-amps in order to see if there is any difference and how big it might be.

No swappable opamps anymore. And there would probably be actually less than 5 opamps in mass production that can achieve the same performance from our low end model D10 Balanced and up. Opamp performance is crucial in achieving these performance.

 

[linuxfan]

Use the the kinds that comes with phone like iPhone, samsung, huawei, oneplus etc. The quality of those phone chargers are better than those LPS or higher priced audiophile SMPS.

Thanks.

 

[Grooved]

@amirm
Now that you tested both L50 and E50 separately, it may be interesting if you can test the combo and measure from DAC input to headphones output, and compare it to the EX5 values, for example. If you still have both device, is it possible to do it ?

 

[Sonny1]

Okay, I might have to get one of these. When my wife questions me I’ll tell her it’s a fancy new alarm clock. Looks like one What time is -0.0 o’clock?

 

[JohnYang1997]

@amirm
Now that you tested both L50 and E50 separately, it may be interesting if you can test the combo and measure from DAC input to headphones output, and compare it to the EX5 values, for example. If you still have both device, is it possible to do it ?

It will be pretty close with a little bit of SINAD reduction due to accumulation of noise and reduction in output level in interfacing. The second one is actually artifacts due to the noise of AP itself is affecting the result. You would still be getting 121dB of performance.

 

[Music1969]

Very nice @JohnYang1997

Still waiting for your ADI-2 killer - DAC and powerful headamp in one box, no channel imbalance with headamp.

 

[Walter]

Okay, I might have to get one of these. When my wife questions me I’ll tell her it’s a fancy new alarm clock. Looks like one What time is -0.0 o’clock?

Tell her it's a really small clock radio, and the display is broken but the sound is great!

 

[JohnYang1997]

Very nice @JohnYang1997

Still waiting for your ADI-2 killer - DAC and powerful headamp in one box, no channel imbalance with headamp.

EX5 is pretty close minus the DSP function.

 

[zuhandenheit]

EX5 is pretty close minus the DSP function.

I'm personally looking out for a Topping power amp...

 

[PeteL]

I'm personally looking out for a Topping power amp...

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/topping-pa3-review-stereo-amplifier.20085/

 

[zuhandenheit]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/topping-pa3-review-stereo-amplifier.20085/

Maybe one with better performance...

 

[Moosi]

Yes. Topping doing some nice amp with ICE or Hypex modules and add their very sohpisticated DAC designs into it would be a killer combo. They could easily make some amp+dac network player for 700-900$ that could rival those 3-5k devices from Maratz, NAD, PS audio ect..

 

[respice finem]

Half-educated guess: When the day comes, Topping will release an amp with Topping modules, which will at least be on par with the ones known as top today. It is what large parts of the "audio industry" have long lost: ambition.

 

[PeteL]

Half-educated guess: When the day comes, Topping will release an amp with Topping modules, which will at least be on par with the ones known as top today. It is what large parts of the "audio industry" have long lost: ambition.

But So far Topping, as far as I know, have been always designing products based on optimal implementation of off the shelf Silicon ICs. The Idea of a "Topping" module seams quite a long shot. By topping module you mean using discrete circuitry? You mean patentable technology? I believe it's not the Topping way but I may be proven wrong.