Topping E50 Review (Balanced DAC)

[MLaranjeiras]

Sorry if this was already discussed, but is hard to read all 94 pages:
can Topping E50 be fed only by the USB connection to the PC (cable length = 1.5m), without an external power supply ?

Yeap! Here, it works fine with its original power cable on a Mac Mini

 

[dsnyder0cnn]

Sorry if this was already discussed, but is hard to read all 94 pages:
can Topping E50 be fed only by the USB connection to the PC (cable length = 1.5m), without an external power supply ?

Not in my experience. It needs two cables. One for signal, a second for power.

 

[MLaranjeiras]

Not in my experience. It needs two cables. One for signal, a second for power.

I meant via power cable, not ubs only.

 

[Palladium]

You need both the power and the data cables plugged to 2 different ports on the same PC if you don't want an external power supply.

 

[Laserjock]

I meant via power cable, not ubs only.

I know it’s not necessary but I like a dedicated power supply. This one works well. Amazon USA link

 

[MLaranjeiras]

I know it’s not necessary but I like a dedicated power supply. This one works well. Amazon USA link

I had a Topping P50 Power Supply, but on my listening conditions, it did not give me any audible benefit, so I sold it. the good Topping User Support told me that any 5V 1A usb power source is eneough to the E50.

 

[SeriousSam70]

Thank you all for the replays!

 

[Laserjock]

I had a Topping P50 Power Supply, but on my listening conditions, it did not give me any audible benefit, so I sold it. the good Topping User Support told me that any 5V 1A usb power source is eneough to the E50.

Yeah, like I said. Not needed and it’s not a separate box like the P50. Just a wall wart

 

[Bleib]

New firmware:

E50 version V1.09 firmware update - TOPPING AUDIO

www.toppingaudio.com

Fixes known issues, but doesn't specify what

 

[Gradius]

One bug was while using balanced only (TRS) sometimes the DAC just refused to continue to work and turned off.

I hope they fixed that.

 

[Aldoszx]

I hope they have been fixed the stand by issue also !
I have a big problem with the DAC failing to woke up from standby at first attempt in ROON.
I am gonna flash the firmware and comeback with feedback.
Edit:
Unfortunately, it was not solved !
There is somebody else here that has the same problem?
I am using Ropieee as ROON endpoint.
Maybe it is related to Ropieee, but I have to check.

 

[forart.it]

Hi everyone,
as a - quite satisfied - E50 owner, I need your help to understand how to better setup the DSD playback in foobar2000.

Someone in this Gist argues that (every ?) DACs internally converts DSD to PCM so it's clearly better to perform it before sending the signal from PC...

...can someone clrify (and suggest the best settings for DSD playback) ?

Thanks in advance !

One bug was while using balanced only (TRS) sometimes the DAC just refused to continue to work and turned off.

I hope they fixed that.

I've always - since november 2021 - used mine in balanced (both TRS<>TRS and TRS<>XLR) mode and never noticed such kind of problem, btw I'll perform the firmware upgrade soon.

 

[staticV3]

I need your help to understand how to better setup the DSD playback in foobar2000.

Here's how to play DSD natively in foobar2000:


All relevant links:

foobar2000: Components Repository - ASIO Output

foobar2000

www.foobar2000.org

Super Audio CD Decoder - Browse /dsd_transcoder at SourceForge.net

Super Audio CD Decoder input plugin for foobar2000. Decoder is capable of playing back Super Audio CD ISO images, DSDIFF, DSF and DSD WavPack files.…

sourceforge.net

V5.68 driver for most of TOPPING DACs - TOPPING AUDIO

www.toppingaudio.com

Instead of "Comtrue ASIO Device GB" you'll have to select the ASIO interface of your Topping E50.

 

[forart.it]

Here's how to play DSD natively in foobar2000:
View attachment 387510

All relevant links:

foobar2000: Components Repository - ASIO Output

foobar2000

www.foobar2000.org

Super Audio CD Decoder - Browse /dsd_transcoder at SourceForge.net

Super Audio CD Decoder input plugin for foobar2000. Decoder is capable of playing back Super Audio CD ISO images, DSDIFF, DSF and DSD WavPack files.…

sourceforge.net

V5.68 driver for most of TOPPING DACs - TOPPING AUDIO

www.toppingaudio.com

Instead of "Comtrue ASIO Device GB" you'll have to select the ASIO interface of your Topping E50.

I do actually use foo_input_sacd (but I'm consideting the switch to foo_input_udsd)+ foo_dsd_processor + dsd_transcoder + foo_out_asio+dsd, but the question is: does E50 (= ES9068AS) really support native DSD or - as someone claims in that gist - it "will convert to PCM anyway and it probably won't do as good a job as the DSD2PCM plugin does" ?

 

[staticV3]

I do actually use foo_input_sacd (but I'm consideting the switch to foo_input_udsd)+ foo_dsd_processor + dsd_transcoder + foo_out_asio+dsd, but the question is: does E50 support native DSD or, as someone claims in that gist, it "will convert to PCM anyway and it probably won't do as good a job as the DSD2PCM plugin does" ?

The ES9068AS' block diagram shows no native signal path for PWM (DSD) audio, so I believe it is converted internally:


Whether the DSD2PCM plugin truly outperforms the DAC chip's internal converter, would have to be measured first.
It is not a natural conclusion to make without evidence.

 

[forart.it]

In their v0.3 Product Brief document ESS claims it "supports up to 32-bit 384kHz PCM, 96k S/PDIF and DSD1024 audio data" but they don't clarify which is the native one...
As you rightly said, the quality of DSD <> PCM internal / external conversions should be finely measured, however it does not make sense to convert - as I have done so far - PCM into DSD, right?

Last but not least: why in the world DAC producers do not fully exploit the potential of the chips that mount ?
The ES9068AS has integrated support for both analog and digital mics that would be useful for Realtime Room Correction applications...

 

[forart.it]

Sorry if this was already discussed, but is hard to read all 94 pages:
can Topping E50 be fed only by the USB connection to the PC (cable length = 1.5m), without an external power supply ?

...just 3 pages back: https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...ng-e50-review-balanced-dac.26219/post-2005097

 

[Palladium]

I have switched to PC Realtek SPDIF optical-out to the E50 and operation is still impressively flawless like on USB. No lag or sample rate switching glitches of any kind, the auto on/off standby function continues to work like a charm.

The D50S/III is even better as toggling to USB or SPDIF will still continue to maintain the existing Bluetooth connection from a device. If would be more so if there's a function to auto-switch inputs based on user set priority so there's one less reason to hit the remote.

A far cry from SMSL and Fiio DACs where they always have annoying usability issues one way or another. In the case of the FiiO BTA30 Pro, not only is the buttons physically hard to toggle, it also doesn't remember the last input used when in DAC mode and SPDIF still has the SMSL-like startup lag.

 

[forart.it]

I have switched to PC Realtek SPDIF optical-out to the E50 and operation is still impressively flawless like on USB. No lag or sample rate switching glitches of any kind, the auto on/off standby function continues to work like a charm.

Uhm, I don't think is a good move to involve another audio interface in the chain (more drivers, more jitter, etc.)...

 

[staticV3]

Uhm, I don't think is a good move to involve another audio interface in the chain (more drivers, more jitter, etc.)...

Switching from USB to Toslink does not add drivers, meaningful amounts of jitter, or anything else that could limit sound quality.

In fact, the electrical isolation may reduce interference noise and actually improve sound quality.