Topping E70 Stereo DAC Review

[Labjr]

Talk about ending up in the weeds. How do you possibly improve a device that is 100% transparent to the source?

Improve reliability and lifespan.

 

[Labjr]

Do you have some data on the E70 relating to "reliability" and "lifespan"? Or, just hypothesizing?

Do you have any data to show better capacitors wouldn't improve reliability? I've done electronic service for more than 40 years and have seen plenty of failures caused by inexpensive caps.

 

[aka_Z]

Don't be too tough on him. He has some points. Low cheap/quality electronic components, usually capacitors, can fail over time. Changing them now will not make any difference. Especially not in sound. But in the long term, it might.

 

[Labjr]

Again ....

Do you have some data on the E70 relating to "reliability" and "lifespan"? Or, just hypothesizing?

And what capacitors in particular on E70 are problematic?

You have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[boredatwork]

I purchased my e70 from apos on Nov 16, and today it started showing this error code and stopped working. Searching on topping's website shows the error code means the unit is defective. No other explanation of error other than "defective". Don't really know how to feel about this...
I guess I'll have to contact Apos for refund or exchange.

 

[aka_Z]

Luckily, it happened quickly within return policy

 

[pavlo_y0l0s]

I purchased my e70 from apos on Nov 16, and today it started showing this error code and stopped working. Searching on topping's website shows the error code means the unit is defective. No other explanation of error other than "defective". Don't really know how to feel about this...
I guess I'll have to contact Apos for refund or exchange.
View attachment 330768

Did you try flashing it with latest firmware? If I remember correctly Topping has its own utility that flashes even bricked DACs. It’s been a while since I reviewed my DX5 so I don’t remember exactly. Might be worth a try.

 

[voodooless]

Improve reliability and lifespan.

But those were not the claims of the modder. They were about audibility.

 

[pavlo_y0l0s]

But those were not the claims of the modder. They were about audibility.

Yeah, hearing is not the most precise instrumentation to say the least

 

[staticV3]

Yeah, hearing is not the most precise instrumentation to say the least

Heaven's no. Your hearing is laughably easy to trick. There are few instruments as unreliable as the human ear.

Here's just one example of how unreliable your sense of hearing is:

 

[classical-trumpet]

I had hoped to enjoy an E70, but while the unit powered up, I was never able to get an audible output. Just nothing.
It went straight back to Apos, who processed my refund without hassle. Great specs are not a compelling reason to play the unit-to-unit problem game.
My Modius (AKM) still sounds good, and I think I'll just keep that.

 

[Jimster480]

I had hoped to enjoy an E70, but while the unit powered up, I was never able to get an audible output. Just nothing.
It went straight back to Apos, who processed my refund without hassle. Great specs are not a compelling reason to play the unit-to-unit problem game.
My Modius (AKM) still sounds good, and I think I'll just keep that.

It's probably not that serious. You likely just got a defective unit.
, However, if your other DAC is high performance already and sounds fine, then there's also no reason to buy another one.

 

[boredatwork]

I had hoped to enjoy an E70, but while the unit powered up, I was never able to get an audible output. Just nothing.
It went straight back to Apos, who processed my refund without hassle. Great specs are not a compelling reason to play the unit-to-unit problem game.
My Modius (AKM) still sounds good, and I think I'll just keep that.

How did you start the return and refund process? Apos has been dodging my emails all week and I'm just sitting here with a defective dac in its box.

 

[classical-trumpet]

How did you start the return and refund process? Apos has been dodging my emails all week and I'm just sitting here with a defective dac in its box.

I contacted them at [email protected]
I also clicked on some button in one of their emails to reply about my purchase. They had some way to initiate a return there.

The person who replied did say they are kind of swamped with returns. Mine was handled quickly. Maybe since mine was defective upon arrival they expedited it.

 

[Paulos]

Am tossing up between Topping E70 and E50. The performance difference between them is of no concern but is there an advantage in having an onboard PSU (E70) apart from convenience?

 

[Vladetz]

Am tossing up between Topping E70 and E50. The performance difference between them is of no concern but is there an advantage in having an onboard PSU (E70) apart from convenience?

12V trigger is also a nice feature

 

[boredatwork]

Really is just convenience. I would say the main difference between the two are the lack of XLR and bluetooth on the e50.

Am tossing up between Topping E70 and E50. The performance difference between them is of no concern but is there an advantage in having an onboard PSU (E70) apart from convenience?

 

[pavlo_y0l0s]

Am tossing up between Topping E70 and E50. The performance difference between them is of no concern but is there an advantage in having an onboard PSU (E70) apart from convenience?

E70 and E50 have different DAC chips. E70 is rolled off on the top. E50 is more linear.

 

[staticV3]

E70 and E50 have different DAC chips. E70 is rolled off on the top. E50 is more linear.

That depends entirely on which oversampling filter you set the two DACs to:


You can make the E50 roll of early and the E70 ultra linear, or vice versa.

 

[pavlo_y0l0s]

Finally got my E70 in the mail today! Took it apart for some pictures.

Tried prying I/V plastic cover to see what’s inside but no luck so far…

Best sound for me was on PCM F-2 and F-4 filter settings. Base was not as delayed as on F-3 that is default. Maybe just my system…