Topping E70 Stereo DAC Review

[CALCULATOR]

Well, if you resell down the road Velvet could hold its' value a bit better. Above all, just enjoy it. It will be excellent.

I'm sure I'll enjoy it a lot. The Gustard opened my eyes that yes, a dac can make or break your system.

Having tried the D90(? I think it's called that, it was the $900 best of the best from topping at the time) I was so very impressed with how clean it sounded compared to anything else I've tried- the D70 will be, probably, even better.

This will be my nearfield set up for my desk, I'm excited to have a lot of very accurate signal and power on speed dial, my iFi zen and sim audio combo will be retired to my bedroom

My hearing changes from week to week. I'll go away for work and come back home on the weekend and my gear sound better than I remember.

 

[Daorom]

Yes, quality DSD excellent! Started collecting more DSD.Here

 

[Joachim Gerhard]

Is this with AKM or ESS DA ?

 

[staticV3]

Is this with AKM or ESS DA ?

E70 is ESS, E70 Velvet is AKM.

Here are measurements for both versions:
https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/topping-e70/
https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/topping-e70-v/

 

[Joachim Gerhard]

Thank you.

 

[MadMaxx]

I'm sure I'll enjoy it a lot. The Gustard opened my eyes that yes, a dac can make or break your system.

Having tried the D90(? I think it's called that, it was the $900 best of the best from topping at the time) I was so very impressed with how clean it sounded compared to anything else I've tried- the D70 will be, probably, even better.

This will be my nearfield set up for my desk, I'm excited to have a lot of very accurate signal and power on speed dial, my iFi zen and sim audio combo will be retired to my bedroom

My hearing changes from week to week. I'll go away for work and come back home on the weekend and my gear sound better than I remember.

The E70V is one of the best bang-for-the-buck dacs on the market. I'm quite pleased with mine.

 

[smokey_mountain_asr]

Lmfao

I am waiting for my E70V and PA7+ stack to arrive Friday.... I guess my $100 extra wasn't worth it for the other chip

I felt the same when I blind tested the slow mid and fast filters on my Gustard R26. I could not tell a difference.

I don't know how people hear a difference or maybe think they hear a difference.

I also fast switched through the firmwares on the iFi Zen DAC between the GTO and non GTO filtered versions... Could not tell a difference.

Maybe I'm getting old at 31 years of age and my hearing isn't what it used to be?

Or maybe.... it literally just sounds the same to our human ears.

What content are you testing with, I am finding that jazz and classical music is one test but Armstrong/Fitzerald voices are a very different test. Diana Krall sounds the same on any device.

 

[staticV3]

The E70V is one of the best bang-for-the-buck dacs on the market. I'm quite pleased with mine.

What does the 30% more expensive E70V get you over the less expensive E70 though?
In my mind, that extra $100 for the Velvet is just wasted money better spent elsewhere.

 

[Veri]

What does the 30% more expensive E70V get you over the less expensive E70 though?
In my mind, that extra $100 for the Velvet is just wasted money better spent elsewhere.

Like on a good restaurant

...

 

[MadMaxx]

What does the 30% more expensive E70V get you over the less expensive E70 though?
In my mind, that extra $100 for the Velvet is just wasted money better spent elsewhere.

Well, now we know what's in your mind. I made no comparison between the E70V and E70; never heard the latter. I simply stated that I was quite pleased with my E70V. I've spent as much as $1800 on a dac (Denafrips Pontus 2) and could tell no difference in audio quality between it and my E70V. I call that a damn good bang-for-the-buck value. Sold my P2 for $1725, so I think I did okay.

 

[zenon]

Easier to read (compared to the original madness) user manual.

 

[Sokel]

Once upon a time,a looong time ago AKM was rightfully famous because of this:



(AKM)

...versus this:




(ESS)

(not directly comparable as the ancient AKM chip is worst in terms of THD+N)

But it was that clean spectrum that "inspired" people back then.
No more of course,you can see the (way better despite the spurae in the inaudible territory) new AKM chips.

 

[CALCULATOR]

What content are you testing with, I am finding that jazz and classical music is one test but Armstrong/Fitzerald voices are a very different test. Diana Krall sounds the same on any device.

House and techno

If there is any sort of decay I always think I'd hear it. But maybe my hearing is not so good, and I want to stay out of the discussion of which one is better or if the Velvet is worth it. I bought it because more qualified reviewers said so, and I'm one of those people. I don't do music listening as my job, I just want what's renown as good.

And I understand that it can be super subjective. And that's why we all lean on Amir's measurements

There is a NOTICEABLE difference between R2R and this kind of DAC. I like both, a lot.

I won't be able to test again the regular vs velvet as I only got velvet.

I am excited to show you guys my set up

Getting ready for a "practice session" now

I'm not an actual DJ I just like to hear my favorite tracks laid over with other drums and samples.

 

[MadMaxx]

House and techno

If there is any sort of decay I always think I'd hear it.

There is a NOTICEABLE difference between R2R and this kind of DAC. I like both, a lot.

I won't be able to test again the regular vs velvet as I only got velvet.

I am excited to show you guys my set up

Getting ready for a "practice session" now

I'm not an actual DJ I just like to hear my favorite tracks laid over with other drums and samples.

Cool setup. mate! Are your speakers the Klipsch 600M? Lots of favorable reviews of those beasts!

 

[CALCULATOR]

Well, now we know what's in your mind. I made no comparison between the E70V and E70; never heard the latter. I simply stated that I was quite pleased with my E70V. I've spent as much as $1800 on a dac (Denafrips Pontus 2) and could tell no difference in audio quality between it and my E70V. I call that a damn good bang-for-the-buck value. Sold my P2 for $1725, so I think I did okay.

The R2R's, to me, have a particular sound having tried the base dena and a Gustard R26.

The kind that Topping E70 is (forgot, delta??? Whatever the designation is called) sounds much more transparent and accurate. My Gustard R26 has more... Depth.

I like both, I always encourage my audio friends to try both kinds. Two of them say "dacs are all the same"

They really are not. They're different, and definitely not everyone's cup of tea. And I think it largely depends on WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LIKE.

My iFi zen, love how it sounds with rock and metal.

The Gustard is good with anything.

The topping and smsl dacs I have I do not enjoy with rock and metal as much when paired with a class D amp, and that, I think, is because a good class D is so frocking good and accurate that I can hear the imperfections in how the track is mastered.

We all gotta remember that nowadays we probably have better more accurate equipment in our rooms than most studios where the music is made lmao

And with that you'll hear some things that will throw you off, don't worry, some music is just poorly produced.

 

[CALCULATOR]

Cool setup. mate! Are your speakers the Klipsch 600M? Lots of favorable reviews of those beasts!

Yes sir! And thank you. I retired my sim audio to another room and settled on a compact topping stack, more room on my desk now because I also do engineering work in the same seat.

I tried a variety and always go back to these because all their imperfections aside, they are very good with electronic music.

I'm waiting on the mark II to drop in price to around $400 and I'll snatch a set.

And the RP8000 mark II's

Eventually I'll move all 8 reference premiere speakers to the home theater set up and move on to something more unique when I'm older and have more money (hopefully)

 

[CALCULATOR]

A couple of hours in with the Velvet and PA7 and I am amazed by how good I'm hearing my music.

It's a different experience from my tower+Parasound+Gustard configuration in the living room right behind me in the picture

For what it's worth- if you're on the fence about getting an E70- DO IT!

 

[smokey_mountain_asr]

I have to agree with you. Scientifically speaking DACs should sound the same but our brains play tricks and we hear different genre of music differently on different DAC, @CALCULATOR and I share the same feel. JDS Labs DAC that is Saber-based is not forgiving to metal and rock but with good jazz and classical JDS sounds phenomenally good sometimes eclipsing my SL-1200GR reproduction with AT-540ML cart. I had done a lot of A-B DSD to vinyl comparisons of the same records and jazz DSD on modest JDS Atom+ gets to me play those files again and again. 3 Doors Down that is supposedly decently mastered album sounds dry, shallow on Atom+. I bought Velvet to see if AKM implementation will sound better than JDS Atom +.

 

[CALCULATOR]

I have to agree with you. Scientifically speaking DACs should sound the same but our brains play tricks and we hear different genre of music differently on different DAC, @CALCULATOR and I share the same feel. JDS Labs DAC that is Saber-based is not forgiving to metal and rock but with good jazz and classical JDS sounds phenomenally good sometimes eclipsing my SL-1200GR reproduction with AT-540ML cart. I had done a lot of A-B DSD to vinyl comparisons of the same records and jazz DSD on modest JDS Atom+ gets to me play those files again and again. 3 Doors Down that is supposedly decently mastered album sounds dry, shallow on Atom+. I bought Velvet to see if AKM implementation will sound better than JDS Atom +.

I have a feeling that even if I, personally, put the Saber and AKM side by side I wouldn't be able to tell a thing.

R2R was a noticeable difference for me, but, it is still a very mild one. It's hard to explain but it is THERE. AND I DIG IT A LOT.

I played with the PCM filters non stop of the D90SE, and now with my E70V, and I swear I cannot hear a damn difference at all.

I think some people may have super hearing, mine is definitely decayed a bit and I've tested it at a doctor 4 years ago... So I'm sure now it's even worse.

Anyway, all that said I am beyond pleased with the E70V so far I can't believe I waited so long to decide to get it.

 

[smokey_mountain_asr]

I have a feeling that even if I, personally, put the Saber and AKM side by side I wouldn't be able to tell a thing.

R2R was a noticeable difference for me, but, it is still a very mild one. It's hard to explain but it is THERE. AND I DIG IT A LOT.

I played with the PCM filters non stop of the D90SE, and now with my E70V, and I swear I cannot hear a damn difference at all.

I think some people may have super hearing, mine is definitely decayed a bit and I've tested it at a doctor 4 years ago... So I'm sure now it's even worse.

Anyway, all that said I am beyond pleased with the E70V so far I can't believe I waited so long to decide to get it.

I do agree, measurements support that we shall not be hearing difference, it is all psychoacoustics.