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Topping E70 Stereo DAC Review

Rate this DAC:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 8 2.1%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 8 2.1%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 45 11.9%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 317 83.9%

  • Total voters
    378

amirm

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This is a review and detailed measurements of the Topping E70 stereo USB DAC with Bluetooth. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $349.
Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth Balanced Review.jpg

I really like the new white multi-segment display with its large volume level indicator. Response is excellent as you rotate the encoder. A select button on the left turns on the unit and then selects the input in sequence. Or you can use the included remote control:
Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth Balanced remote control desktop Review.jpg

Nice to see 12 volt trigger being a standard feature on new Topping products, allowing you to turn on one unit and have it turn on the others like amplifiers automatically.

The output can be programmed to be nominal 4 volts (default) or 5 volts. I focused on testing the former.

Edit: forgot to mention that you have independent control over the outputs. You can have either RCA or XLR active or both.

I had a minor compatibility issue with USB input defaulting to 16 bits instead of 24 bit as far as Windows is concerned. I was able to easily override this using Topping ASIO driver. I wonder if this is something to do with my system or a new thing with this DAC. Operation was otherwise flawless.

EDIT: above is fixed with a firmware update: https://www.tpdz.net/newsinfo/778017.html

Topping E70 Measurements
Let's start with our usual balanced output measurement:
Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth Balanced Measurements.png


I expect superb performance from Topping and that is exactly what we have, landing the E70 near the very top of the best DACs ever tested:
Best stereo hifi USB DAC review.png


Distortion is incredibly low at -145 dB or so. SINAD as a result is dominated by the noise of the DAC combined with my analyzer:
Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth RCA dynamic range Measurements.png


Even using RCA outs we get full audible transparency:

Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth RCA Measurements.png


I have modified my THD+N vs output level to show broader range:
Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth Balanced THD vs Level Measurements.png

As noted though, as you reduce output, the analyzer noise becomes more dominant as well so above is not a true picture of the DAC's performance.

Multitone performance is superb as expected:
Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth Balanced Multitone Measurements.png


Likewise for IMD distortion:
Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth Balanced IMD Distortion Measurements.png


Linearity is perfect of course:
Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth Balanced Linearity Measurements.png


Jitter is now nicely handled across both older S/PDIF and new USB interfaces:
Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth Balanced Jitter Measurements.png


As usual you have a menu of DAC reconstruction filters but I suggest staying with default filter 3:
Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth Balanced Filter Measurements.png

Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth Balanced Frequency Response Measurements.png


The excellent attenuation of the filter translates into great wide-band distortion+noise measurement vs frequency:

Topping E70 Stereo USB DAC Bluetooth Balanced distortion vs frequency  Measurements.png


Conclusions
The E70 is another meticulously engineered DAC from Topping at a reasonable price. The bright and large display is great to read from far, making the DAC just as suitable for general 2-channel system as well as desktop. Nice add-ons such as trigger support, auto on/off, etc. complete the picture of a DAC approaching and essentially achieving perfection.

It is my pleasure to add Topping E70 DAC to my recommended list.
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
 
Last edited:

Ziroz

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I had a minor compatibility issue with USB input defaulting to 16 bits instead of 24 bit as far as Windows is concerned. I was able to easily override this using Topping ASIO driver. I wonder if this is something to do with my system or a new thing with this DAC. Operation was otherwise flawless.
There is firmware update on topping's website, it now works in 32bit after updating it.

E70 version V1.03 firmware update
 

Adi777

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The fun will be over? For who? And we speak only about DACs. A lot of people won't even look at Toppings, S.M.S.L and other Chinese DACs. As far as I know, the biggest room for improvement is in the case of speakers.
 

morillon

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This is a review and detailed measurements of the Topping E70 stereo USB DAC with Bluetooth. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $349.
View attachment 243627
I really like the new white multi-segment display with its large volume level indicator. Response is excellent as you rotate the encoder. A select button on the left turns on the unit and then selects the input in sequence. Or you can use the included remote control:
View attachment 243628
Nice to see 12 volt trigger being a standard feature on new Topping products, allowing you to turn on one unit and have it turn on the others like amplifiers automatically.

The output can be programmed to be nominal 4 volts (default) or 5 volts. I focused on testing the former.

Edit: forgot to mention that you have independent control over the outputs. You can have either RCA or XLR active or both.

I had a minor compatibility issue with USB input defaulting to 16 bits instead of 24 bit as far as Windows is concerned. I was able to easily override this using Topping ASIO driver. I wonder if this is something to do with my system or a new thing with this DAC. Operation was otherwise flawless.

Topping E70 Measurements
Let's start with our usual balanced output measurement:
View attachment 243629

I expect superb performance from Topping and that is exactly what we have, landing the E70 near the very top of the best DACs ever tested:
View attachment 243630

Distortion is incredibly low at -145 dB or so. SINAD as a result is dominated by the noise of the DAC combined with my analyzer:
View attachment 243632

Even using RCA outs we get full audible transparency:

View attachment 243633

I have modified my THD+N vs output level to show broader range:
View attachment 243634
As noted though, as you reduce output, the analyzer noise becomes more dominant as well so above is not a true picture of the DAC's performance.

Multitone performance is superb as expected:
View attachment 243635

Likewise for IMD distortion:
View attachment 243636

Linearity is perfect of course:
View attachment 243637

Jitter is now nicely handled across both older S/PDIF and new USB interfaces:
View attachment 243638

As usual you have a menu of DAC reconstruction filters but I suggest staying with default filter 3:
View attachment 243639
View attachment 243640

The excellent attenuation of the filter translates into great wide-band distortion+noise measurement vs frequency:

View attachment 243641

Conclusions
The E70 is another meticulously engineered DAC from Topping at a reasonable price. The bright and large display is great to read from far, making the DAC just as suitable for general 2-channel system as well as desktop. Nice add-ons such as trigger support, auto on/off, etc. complete the picture of a DAC approaching and essentially achieving perfection.

It is my pleasure to add Topping E70 DAC to my recommended list.
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
in general you also slip in the measure of jtest the toslink input...
possible to add it?
can be very useful for many...
;-)
thank you..
 

Tangband

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Seems to be very good .:)
Some critisism:
Why blutooth ? It has nothing to do with this performance and belongs to units below 50 dollars.
The day topping fixes DNLA, TIDAL connect, Apple lossless and Qobus and a bug-free interface for all this, it would be much more interesting. Im sure its coming in the future.
 

Endibol

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The fun will be over? For who? And we speak only about DACs. A lot of people won't even look at Toppings, S.M.S.L and other Chinese DACs. As far as I know, the biggest room for improvement is in the case of speakers.
The fun will be over for people that look at specs. I agree with you that there is more to gain in speakers, although also there with brands like Revel we are close to perfection in passive speakers. I expect however that we will see quite some improvement in active ones.
The hobby will mainly still be fun for subjectivists, guys that think they can here te difference between a top class D amp and a top class A/B amp.
But let's not start that endless debate again..;) Not n this thread anyway..
 
OP
amirm

amirm

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OP
amirm

amirm

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in general you also slip in the measure of jtest the toslink input...
possible to add it?
can be very useful for many...
;-)
thank you..
I misplaced my Toslink cable and didn't want to hold up the review for that. Can add in the future. For now, when Coax is good, it usually means Toslink will be just as good.
 

Talisman

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Seems to be very good .:)
Some critisism:
Why blutooth ? It has nothing to do with this performance and belongs to units below 50 dollars.
The day topping fixes DNLA, TIDAL connect, Apple lossless and Qobus and a bug-free interface for all this, it would be much more interesting. Im sure its coming in the future.
Why not?
bluetooth is incredibly convenient, and for casual listening it's fine, plus frankly I have serious doubts that an average user can hear audible differences between a bit perfect signal and a bluetooth Ldac 990kb/s
But going back to the product, thanks for the review Amir, but it's another fantastic clone of all the same dacs with all the same functions that I didn't feel the need for
 

respice finem

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VintageFlanker

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(almost) no Hump, good!

Many thanks, @amirm . Assuming this should be reliable enough, I will get one as a reference DAC/tone generator for my measurements.

For now, when Coax is good, it usually means Toslink will be just as good.
Usually. Not always, as you know.;)

Why blutooth ? It has nothing to do with this performance and belongs to units below 50 dollars
I'm perfectly fine with BT. When your family and friends are non-audiophiles, I call it a requirement. Even myself, I happen to play content straight from my phone that way. Not to mention subjectiviste SQ is excellent with LDAC.

Like MQA, if you don't want it, just don't use it. ;)
 
Last edited:

JakeK

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Why not?
bluetooth is incredibly convenient, and for casual listening it's fine, plus frankly I have serious doubts that an average user can hear audible differences between a bit perfect signal and a bluetooth Ldac 990kb/s
But going back to the product, thanks for the review Amir, but it's another fantastic clone of all the same dacs with all the same functions that I didn't feel the need for
I doubt the difference between CD and APTX of any type can be heard at all.

It would be good to see some sort of review or even test of the bluetooth function of these devices. Lots of people, myself included, will want to use BT. Sometimes you just want to play something from your phone on the speakers.
 

Pojjo73

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getting tired of the new dac's and spec's. I love to listen to my music instead of reading charts and measurements........how 'bout you?.
It's nice to have a top of the charts dac. But in the end the only thing that counts is the end result , meaning : how does it sound?.

have a nice day
 

MCH

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I doubt the difference between CD and APTX of any type can be heard at all.

It would be good to see some sort of review or even test of the bluetooth function of these devices. Lots of people, myself included, will want to use BT. Sometimes you just want to play something from your phone on the speakers.
If you want transparency, better go for ldac instead of aptx
 
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