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Topping E70 Stereo DAC Review
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
I still have e70 and smsl do200mk2 in tests.
On each, the piano sounds the same (Chopin), so I think I have two DACs made of metal
Do the two mentioned DACs sound identical, as indicated by the very strong group here? Yes, but I still maintain that 99.2%.
What is this 0.8% in my subjective opinion. I can define it in two ways: Wider soundstage (different concentration of instruments). The SMSL DO200 plays behind a slight fog, narrower stereo, more to the center.
e70 plays more space. The shortest and easiest way to describe it is as if I switched the DSP processor effects in the home theater receiver and turned on the hall effect for the e 70.
Let me remind you that I have one source, two DACs working at the same time, one M3si amplifier, so I only change the source on the AUX1, AUX2 amplifier
It's really a minor difference. In a blind ABX test, I would rather not distinguish which one plays, but I would distinguish that once it plays one and the other time.
What it comes from ? Different ESS, different company, different implementation, different PCBs, different paths, different capacitors - in a word, I don't know.
(e70 with a 2.5V output, the hall effect increases because it starts to play louder. Without measurements, I don't know if 2.5V is good for my amplifier or there is no distortion, there is a difference in the sound, but I don't like the sound it will seem distorted, I went back to 2V to be safe).
One last point.
I'm not a fan of MQA, but I have another problem with the DO200. Example of Tidal (this is also not my favorite music service) If I turn off MQA decoding in Tidal, if I switch from Master to HiFi package and DO200 detects that a given track is encoded with MQA, it decodes it anyway. The MQA mark appears on the DO200 display. Tidal is forcing MQA at all costs - a problem described on the forums.
To sum up, DO200 does not give me the control menu and the option to turn off MQA when I don't want it.
The summary will look like this
DO200 - return to the seller
E70 - probably will stay because I like its additional functions (trigger, display)
Unless, after sceptical assessments, I will return to the DX3pro + (but there I had to reset the power after connecting each new cable, there was some mismatch and instead of sound there was a squeak and noise from the speakers, I confirmed it on two pieces. I understand that cables are not switched outside of the tests , but I stopped trusting him that once my speakers would burn, maybe the Chinese forgot about some choke? - I don't know)
All of the above are my subjective feelings, I don't care about convincing anyone to the only right way.
On each, the piano sounds the same (Chopin), so I think I have two DACs made of metal
Do the two mentioned DACs sound identical, as indicated by the very strong group here? Yes, but I still maintain that 99.2%.
What is this 0.8% in my subjective opinion. I can define it in two ways: Wider soundstage (different concentration of instruments). The SMSL DO200 plays behind a slight fog, narrower stereo, more to the center.
e70 plays more space. The shortest and easiest way to describe it is as if I switched the DSP processor effects in the home theater receiver and turned on the hall effect for the e 70.
Let me remind you that I have one source, two DACs working at the same time, one M3si amplifier, so I only change the source on the AUX1, AUX2 amplifier
It's really a minor difference. In a blind ABX test, I would rather not distinguish which one plays, but I would distinguish that once it plays one and the other time.
What it comes from ? Different ESS, different company, different implementation, different PCBs, different paths, different capacitors - in a word, I don't know.
(e70 with a 2.5V output, the hall effect increases because it starts to play louder. Without measurements, I don't know if 2.5V is good for my amplifier or there is no distortion, there is a difference in the sound, but I don't like the sound it will seem distorted, I went back to 2V to be safe).
One last point.
I'm not a fan of MQA, but I have another problem with the DO200. Example of Tidal (this is also not my favorite music service) If I turn off MQA decoding in Tidal, if I switch from Master to HiFi package and DO200 detects that a given track is encoded with MQA, it decodes it anyway. The MQA mark appears on the DO200 display. Tidal is forcing MQA at all costs - a problem described on the forums.
To sum up, DO200 does not give me the control menu and the option to turn off MQA when I don't want it.
The summary will look like this
DO200 - return to the seller
E70 - probably will stay because I like its additional functions (trigger, display)
Unless, after sceptical assessments, I will return to the DX3pro + (but there I had to reset the power after connecting each new cable, there was some mismatch and instead of sound there was a squeak and noise from the speakers, I confirmed it on two pieces. I understand that cables are not switched outside of the tests , but I stopped trusting him that once my speakers would burn, maybe the Chinese forgot about some choke? - I don't know)
All of the above are my subjective feelings, I don't care about convincing anyone to the only right way.
Last edited:
It has been said that the MQA license doesn't allow it: if the DAC has MQA support, it cannot be disabled. However, adding a little dither should have the same effect, as MQA can no longer be decoded.
Trell
Major Contributor
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This is obnoxious.
aka_Z
Active Member
Apos Audio is running a sale on the E70 Velvet for $382 and no Velvet for $296. I ordered Velvet edition, powered by George Costanza
I bought an e70 velvet, I have to convince myself that there will be no difference in sound vs e70Apos Audio is running a sale on the E70 Velvet for $382 and no Velvet for $296. I ordered Velvet edition, powered by George Costanza
aka_Z
Active Member
Me too! Not sure how smart was that considering that amirm didn't test velvet, yet.
I will have two on thursday. e70 and e70 velvet. I am consumed with curiosity that chips from different manufacturers cannot sound identical. Besides, velvet probably has better capacitors. Gold -haha
aka_Z
Active Member
When did you order yours? I ordered around 4pm yesterday and it's not yet shipped. Funny, Apos is a few miles away. I could pick it up yesterday if they have such an option.
Amazon EU, unfortunately at a higher price than yours. Once I decide which one to stay then I'll find a shop with a lower price.
aka_Z
Active Member
Well, Apos is using AfterShip. After a quick googling, it's a Hong Kong startup company... Looks like Apos is just a reseller without a warehouse in the US. It will take a while to get the device from China. Even tough, Apos is claims to be 5 to 15 business days, plus processing time.
This forum is registered to what country? I see a different problem than delivery time. Chi-Fi can't keep the price value.
aka_Z
Active Member
I'm not sure do I understand your question? Apos is an US company, located in Santa Clara but it looks like the shipment is from China.
Audiosciencereview forum was born in the USA ?
aka_Z
Active Member
I'm not sure and how is that relevant?
It isn't...I'm not sure and how is that relevant?
can matter a lot. a lot of Chinese products are tested here. I'm trying to judge if there's so much or if it's sponsored by chifiI'm not sure and how is that relevant?
Tell what you have in mind upfront... Couldn't end well, IMHO.
I checked:
Amir
Founder, Audio Science Review
Founder, Madrona Digital
Location Seattle Area
now I see that ChiFi DACs must have the highest measurements
Regards
Last edited:
Veri
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Aftership is just a track and trace tool. 'After' Ship....
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