Topping E70 Stereo DAC Review

[GPJ]

Not what you want to read as a recent E70 (and L70) purchaser. From what I can tell only one user had this issue though, or am I wrong?

It's the only time I ever heard of it with E70. Never heard of it with E50 (which I have used for a year and no problem). I don't doubt it can't happen but it would be nice to know exactly how this occurs, and not just speculation.

 

[funnychap]

Is there a audioble diference between this and the E50?
Thanks
/Marcus

Yes,
I love my Topping E50 + Jameco linear power supply, and I like the E70 better.

I'm streaming wireless using iPhone 12 Pro Max > Apple Music lossless > Apple Airport Express via Airplay2 > optical into Topping > RCA into my Denon Heos 7 speaker with builtin amp.

The volume level on both Topping are at -5db.
I compared 3 songs over and over.
- K.D. Lang's song 'So In Love'
- Cecile Bredie's song 'The Autumn Leaves'
- Simone Kopmajer's song 'Emotion'

The E50 creates higher treble, especially with snare drums and vocals.

The E70 does not create as highs as the E50. The E70 sounds more natural, smooth and the vocalists' vibratos are better. I love a singer's vibrato.

The Topping E70 lows (bass) and mids sound a little fuller than the Topping E50.

 

[Sokel]

Not what you want to read as a recent E70 (and L70) purchaser. From what I can tell only one user had this issue though, or am I wrong?

Hopefully only one that we know of for that model.
But we read stuff like that pretty often.

Topping D70S fried my speakers...

I don't know why but today when I switched on the Topping D70S the volume was at -0db. Of course, i never set the volume so high, and usually the dac reminds the volume of the previous time, but not today. Result: the amplifier fried the tweeter of one loudspeaker. I don't know what the Topping...

www.audiosciencereview.com

And it's not brand related,we have seen lots over the years across sound forums.

 

[Killingbeans]

The volume level on both Topping are at -5db.

Doesn't matter. You have no idea how "hot" the output stage is compared the other.

If you want actual precise level matching, you'll have to measure.

 

[Burns]

That settles it my E70 stays in DAC mode.

it's just programmatically disabling the function,
better would be a physical switch on the back of the housing like in the Yamaha WXC50,
In this case, only in DAC mode, can there also be a fault and a volume jump causing the speakers to overdrive and fry?
If so, that complicates things a lot!

topping in Polish sounds similar to the melting of glaciers

 

[BR52]

Nice Idea unfortunately this makes no sense in this case. The DAC has to be programmed. There is no wire you can switch on or of.

 

[Sokel]

Nice Idea unfortunately this makes no sense in this case. The DAC has to be programmed. There is no wire you can switch on or of.

Does it matter?
In dac mode the VC is disabled and is always at full output (normally,I don't know if Topping uses the term in another way)

 

[BR52]

Does it matter?
In dac mode the VC is disabled and is always at full output (normally,I don't know if Topping uses the term in another way)

Thats right. The problem is the "preamp mode"

 

[Gio]

Does anyone know which femto clock is used in the Topping E70?

 

[Leva]

Could anybody measure E70 knob diameter and depth please, does it have 6mm pin? Thanks

 

[Burns]

What power supply does topping e70 have? Linear or pulsed?

 

[Veri]

What power supply does topping e70 have? Linear or pulsed?

It's an on-board high grade "pulse" I believe, if by "linear" you mean toroid. See replies here.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1601764806343610369

 

[funnychap]

What power supply does topping e70 have? Linear or putopping website doesn’t say but i saw an article that said it’s a linear power supply.

topping website doesn’t say but i read an article that said it’s linear; i can post the url to that article later

I ran across this review of the Topping E70 which says it has a builtin linear power supply.

Topping e70 DAC full review

To begin to understand 'Chi-fi', in this case specifically Topping, one must have an understanding of Shenzhen, which many think of as China's 'Silicon Valley'. The region is historically known...

www.euphonicreview.com

 

[aka_Z]

If it's linear/toroid, what's the power consumption? And even more important, does it become warm/hot during longer usage?

 

[funnychap]

My current system, which I just built and I'm not going to change it entirely, is Sonus Faber Lumina V + Musical Fidelity M3Si + Topping E70 + I'm going to buy some XXXXX streamer (maybe Ifi Zen Streamer). I am currently using an android tv and a computer. I don't use XLR because the amp doesn't have them. The added value of Topping is a good built-in power supply and trigger! But I don't know if I can hear the difference in sound between E70 and DX3pro+. I don't think. They play the same?

I ran across this review of the Topping E70 which says it has a builtin linear power supply.

Topping e70 DAC full review

To begin to understand 'Chi-fi', in this case specifically Topping, one must have an understanding of Shenzhen, which many think of as China's 'Silicon Valley'. The region is historically known...

www.euphonicreview.com

 

[Burns]

Natknąłem się na tę recenzję Topping E70, która mówi, że ma wbudowany liniowy zasilacz.

Topping e70 DAC full review

To begin to understand 'Chi-fi', in this case specifically Topping, one must have an understanding of Shenzhen, which many think of as China's 'Silicon Valley'. The region is historically known...

www.euphonicreview.com

Thank you,
I went back to the e70 because it's an amazing device that plays very good sounds.

For comparison, I also have the SMSL DO200 mk2, it also has a nice sound, similar to the e70 (probably the stage is a hair less wide), it can decode MQA and that's where its advantages end.
There is no 12V trigger in it, it has a very ugly menu support for changing the source from the device. Very illegible display from a distance of 1 meter, no LED signaling that it is on. I hesitate with the decision, but I think I will return it to the seller. (I was tempted by the promotion, the price is the same as e70)

The E70 will probably stay with me forever.

 

[Burns]

If it's linear/toroid, what's the power consumption? And even more important, does it become warm/hot during longer usage?

Standby power consumption <0.7W
The Chinese do not say how much it has in the on mode, but I speculate that no more than 7W. SMSL DO200 claims 5W and the devices are similar. In both devices, the aluminum housing remains cold (room temperature), I did not notice the heating of the devices.

 

[GPJ]

(probably the stage is a hair less wide)

What is your scientific method for determining that? Please explain how totally transparent devices can influence the stage. Thanks.

 

[Burns]

What is your scientific method for determining that? Please explain how totally transparent devices can influence the stage. Thanks.

maybe i'm wrong
maybe it seems to me
maybe it's subconscious
maybe it's delusional
maybe it's a matter of price.
If you had read my previous posts, you would understand that I was looking for a better one and came back to Topping DX3pro+ twice as optimal.
I can barely hear the difference or not at all, but I do notice the features that annoy me:
DX3 pro+, power restart after each source connection - there was some mismatch, repeated on two copies.
SMSL DO200 ill-considered design I mentioned above.
I also tried Ifi zen one signature,
I have some kind of USB DAC built into an amplifier, I think Burr Brown.
It seems to me, I emphasize, that chips from different manufacturers sound slightly different, especially that I had several DAC devices at home in parallel
The lines on the graphs, although in different frequency ranges, are not identical 1:1
Coming back to the e70 - it's possible that it plays louder because I'm currently using the 2.5V output and hence the illusion of a wider soundstage.
Yes they are transparent, they are similar but not 1:1.
I emphasize that it seems to me that it is 1 : 0,98

In the case of the e70, it was the functionality that suited me.

The question is for You, won't one chip give more even characteristics than using two parallel chips or even multiples of them?

 

[GPJ]

Well, when the output of both DAC's push 120+ dB of SINAD, (well beyaond audible) with perfect frequency response 20-20Khz, they should be 100% indistinguishable. It shouldn't matter if there are 10 chips inside.

I guess that is what everyone is trying to find out, just what is causing the difference? You have to be very careful when comparing to make sure everything is identical to the tee with all bias eliminated. If there is indeed a difference in wide and narrow stage, a measurement shout easily pick that up.

No disrespect, just conversation.