Topping E50 Review (Balanced DAC)

[respice finem]

@CedarX This is the stuff forums live from Endlessly discussing things the average user doesn't give a **** about

 

[gvl]

Vinyl fans change cartridges like digital listeners change DACs, so what makes you think switching to vinyl will help? And styli wear: 1,000 hours is the most you are likely to get. ;-)

It's different because it's done because of necessity and there's a rational reasoning for the expense.

 

[BostonJack]

@gvl & @AudioSceptic Audiophilia is a chronic addiction, belonging to the family of sadomasochistic disorders (insert clown icon here)

I'm guessing Obsessive-compulsive Disorder. Here are two excerpts from ICD-10 research criteria:


Obsessions (thoughts, ideas, or images) and compulsions (acts) share the following features, all of which must be present:

1. they are acknowledged as originating in the mind of the patient, and are not imposed by outside persons or influences.

[or objective qualities of the audio system]
......
The obsessions or compulsions cause distress or interfere with the patient's social or individual functioning, usually by wasting time.

 

[AudioSceptic]

You should read this:
https://www.mojo-audio.com/blog/the-24bit-delusion/

Thanks. Similar to what Monty wrote at Xiph.org.

 

[respice finem]

I'm guessing Obsessive-compulsive Disorder. Here are two excerpts from ICD-10 research criteria:


Obsessions (thoughts, ideas, or images) and compulsions (acts) share the following features, all of which must be present:

1. they are acknowledged as originating in the mind of the patient, and are not imposed by outside persons or influences.

[or objective qualities of the audio system]
......
The obsessions or compulsions cause distress or interfere with the patient's social or individual functioning, usually by wasting time.

Wasting time by "comparitis", "upgradeitis" and "forumitis" (the above remark was not meant seriously anyway)
As a patient once said, "as long as I know how crazy I am, I'm not yet insane".
Applies to me too, somehow, otherwise I probably wouldn't be here, at least not that often.
Essentially I'm perfectly happy with the sound of my stuff, so my "profit" is to stay up to date and maybe learn some science I didn't know.

 

[respice finem]

It's different because it's done because of necessity and there's a rational reasoning for the expense.

Yes, but, only if one regards buying a turntable in this day and age as rational...

 

[AudioSceptic]

It's different because it's done because of necessity and there's a rational reasoning for the expense.

Well, when the stylus is worn you can replace it (MM) or have it retipped (MC), or more probably try another cartridge altogether because the stylus is ⅔ or ¾ of the total anyway. On top of that, many like to change cartridges for a different sound and not because of wear.

 

[gypsygib]

Any chance for a DSP dac or maybe in the next DX7?

 

[Lupin]

A phone charger will do much better than USB supply from computer or Linear PS.

And the whole subjective audiophile based community is going bananas now, the heresy!

 

[Svperstar]

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

I've been thinking similar thoughts for months. My Topping D30 is still going strong for a couple years now. I have a balanced amp but so far I haven't got a balanced DAC because especially at my age and with hearing loss I doubt my ability to tell the difference. I mean it would be fun to go balanced I guess but why?

 

[drake5000]

If price is not a concern, and spdif compatibility issue aside, D30pro is indeed better overall especially as preamp.

Can you please elaborate what kind of SPDIF issue you are talking about? I've been considering to get D30 Pro with the main use case of its TOSLINK input connected to PC onboard audio optical out. Is that a bad idea?

 

[JohnYang1997]

Can you please elaborate what kind of SPDIF issue you are talking about? I've been considering to get D30 Pro with the main use case of its TOSLINK input connected to PC onboard audio optical out. Is that a bad idea?

Having issue is still relatively rare. You can certainly try it.

 

[jawbfl]

Is that it? for about $500 you can have this stack now so it's a matter of time before something like this can be had for under $250. Is audio a solved problem now? should we even care about anything now except lower and lower prices in the same ballpark performance?

 

[Lupin]

I've been thinking similar thoughts for months. My Topping D30 is still going strong for a couple years now. I have a balanced amp but so far I haven't got a balanced DAC because especially at my age and with hearing loss I doubt my ability to tell the difference. I mean it would be fun to go balanced I guess but why?

Check the BAL vs. SE performance of the E50 in the review, they're more or less the same to 5 digits behind the comma. Hearing damage or not there is no way you're going to hear a difference if everything else works as it should (aka no ground loop issues etc.)

BAL is a good measure against ground loops but it doesn't magically improve the sound quality, make the background blacker or whatever mumbo jumbo the subjective audiophile uses to justify BAL over SE.

In your case I would spend the money on something else, something that actually does make a difference.

 

[Lupin]

Can you please elaborate what kind of SPDIF issue you are talking about? I've been considering to get D30 Pro with the main use case of its TOSLINK input connected to PC onboard audio optical out. Is that a bad idea?

I think that would work fine (works fine for me at least)
So far I've read the people with S/PDIF issues are the people who want to connect standalone CD/BD players or TV's through S/PDIF. Think PC is pretty safe bet it works just fine.

 

[giordy]

On 50 you can make a bypass internal filters?

 

[ElNino]

A couple of people on this thread have asked about the filters, but I haven't seen a response yet. Are they all linear phase?

 

[JohnYang1997]

A couple of people on this thread have asked about the filters, but I haven't seen a response yet. Are they all linear phase?

F-1 and F-2 are linear phase. F-3 is minimum phase.

 

[Labjr]

BTW @amirm, I hope you will divide the SINAD list into different colors "Good" "Great" "Fair"...etc. or at least top 20. I can't read the list the way it is. Thanks.

 

[Eetu]

BTW @amirm, I hope you will divide the SINAD list into different colors "Good" "Great" "Fair"...etc. or at least top 20. I can't read the list the way it is. Thanks.

Like this..?