Topping E50 Review (Balanced DAC)

[Ellie]

20-22 bits of distortion free range

I am curious when will we be able to listen to 24 Hi-res music? Will it be possible in the near future?

No, because there's no ADC in the world that can capture more than around 21 bits of audio. The noise created from the cosmic background radiation affecting the actual circuitry is around -123 dB or so, and 24 bits goes down to about -144.

To be frank, though, 16 bit audio encompasses the entire audible dynamic range, you can get down to like -120 dB with shaped dither on 16 bit sound.

 

[amirm]

I think the volume of new DACs is related to swapping AKM silicon for ESS due to unavailability of the former.

 

[amirm]

Perhaps I'm not interpreting correctly some of the plots. Is the volume control of this DAC, or any other DAC with volume control in similar reviews, tested in any way?

I don't test DAC volume controls. They are basically digital volume controls and excellent in performance. I have compared the volume control in the past and results are the same as doing the same in software in my Roon player.

 

[tecnogadget]

20-22 bits of distortion free range

I am curious when will we be able to listen to 24 Hi-res music? Will it be possible in the near future?

Why would you like that ? Nyquist-Shannon theorem debunks any claim for the need of higher than 16bit 44Khz. “
“24 Hi-Res” only makes sense in the recording studios workflow (read the book “The Art of Digital Audio” by Watkinson).
For consumer end reproduction “24 Hi-Res” is only meant for emptying easily biased audiophiles money. Ask your self who is one of the biggest promotors of that...Sony...one of the most comercial Brands out there...they just want to make money selling their licenses for Hi-Res.

 

[restorer-john]

It is a gorgeous bright orange display.

It is a great display. Orange/Red is the best colour for sure.

 

[daftcombo]

If someone already owns a Topping E30 and doesn't have a ground loop, is there any point in getting the E50?

 

[Giangi71]

Only dac performances, better E50 or EX5? Thanks

 

[JohnYang1997]

Only dac performances, better E50 or EX5? Thanks

E50

 

[Eneko]

For the people asking why a brand would have so many good products that are hard to put apart and pick one… well, my opinion (and I may be completely wrong) is that it is about marketing. Having many products to pick from (of the same brand) puts you in the mental frame of which one to pick. You stop considering other brands since the decision is already hard enough considering only one brand (that you already trust).

 

[olivier salad]

Can you switch off the screen completely with remote control?

 

[JohnYang1997]

Can switch off the screen completely with remote control?

There's auto off.

 

[hyperknot]

Can the E50 turn on "default silent"? I'd be using my DAC with a poweramp directly, and I'm afraid of any software glitches accidentally putting the volume to 100%. That's my only concern with a D10B, and I'm thinking about buying E50 instead. If it can ever save my speakers from being destroyed accidentally, then it's worth it's price immediately.

 

[PhnomPenhPaul]

I am not sure that I agree that Topping should cull its DAC product line as drastically as @YSC suggests.
Let's take those without integrated HP amp first. Entry level D10s and D10 Balanced - S/E only or Balanced only with a small cost difference [$30]. Mid range - E30 [S/E only] and E50 [S/E and Balanced for those who want the latter but with a large price difference contextually between them, $150 vs $270]. In the context of Topping's portfolio I would consider the D 50s and D30 Pro mid-range also. No feature advantage D30 Pro to the E50, but obviously a match for the A30 Pro H/P amp. D50s for those who want B/T without paying too much. Top end, D70S and D90SE. Same aesthetics and feature set but a $250 price difference is not insignificant at this level. Having both products might be considered as duplication. The two models with integrated H/P amps the DX7 Pro and EX5 fall in different price categories, midrange and top end [$350 vs$650] and have different features [which might, I suspect, not be important to many] . Choice , in my opinion, is good for the consumer when it doesn't involve duplication and I don't think there's much of that here.

 

[Paolo]

For the people asking why a brand would have so many good products that are hard to put apart and pick one… well, my opinion (and I may be completely wrong) is that it is about marketing. Having many products to pick from (of the same brand) puts you in the mental frame of which one to pick. You stop considering other brands since the decision is already hard enough considering only one brand (that you already trust).

Usually you want to have a product portfolio as small and clearly defined as possible to be well positioned according to marketing laws.
When a potential customer sees too many similar products it get stuck and may easily resolve his dilemma by looking elsewhere.
As is often the case, Apple has been for decades the best lead to follow in this regard, they had the internal rule to always have all the lineup exposed on a single “apple store” table, what couldn’t fit was out. Now, you may have doubt about the quality of Apple offer, but no sane person will doubt their marketing skills.

So, no, the Topping offer is a true disaster from that point of view. Fortunately you can’t go wrong whit Topping products in terms of quality.

 

[Giangi71]

E50+L50 which is the best connection between them rca or TRS? And where and how I have to connect active speakers? Thanks a lot

 

[Lupin]

For the people asking why a brand would have so many good products that are hard to put apart and pick one… well, my opinion (and I may be completely wrong) is that it is about marketing. Having many products to pick from (of the same brand) puts you in the mental frame of which one to pick. You stop considering other brands since the decision is already hard enough considering only one brand (that you already trust).

But there also is "Analysis paralysis"
The trick is to find the exact right balance.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Usually you want to have a product portfolio as small and clearly defined as possible to be well positioned according to marketing laws.
When a potential customer sees too many similar products it get stuck and may easily resolve his dilemma by looking elsewhere.
As is often the case, Apple has been for decades the best lead to follow in this regard, they had the internal rule to always have all the lineup exposed on a single “apple store” table, what couldn’t fit was out. Now, you may have doubt about the quality of Apple offer, but no sane person will doubt their marketing skills.

So, no, the Topping offer is a true disaster from that point of view. Fortunately you can’t go wrong whit Topping products in terms of quality.

People will either buy whatever fits the budget or whatever the newest.
Only thing that confuses some people is to choose between a stack and a combo.

 

[JohnYang1997]

E50+L50 which is the best connection between them rca or TRS? And where and how I have to connect active speakers? Thanks a lot

TRS. And use passthrough to connect active speakers. You can then use active speaker itself or the dac to chance volume.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Can the E50 turn on "default silent"? I'd be using my DAC with a poweramp directly, and I'm afraid of any software glitches accidentally putting the volume to 100%. That's my only concern with a D10B, and I'm thinking about buying E50 instead. If it can ever save my speakers from being destroyed accidentally, then it's worth it's price immediately.

E50 has volume control on itself. And the unit is default off when plugged in DC.

 

[Walter]

what is the advantage of the D50s over the E50?

Bluetooth. front panel controls, and in my apparently minority opinion, a more attractive display. But no balanced outputs, and measurements not as good, though quite probably not audibly inferior.