• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

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
H

Hifihedgehog

Guest
With this kind of "near perfection" gear we are getting closer to the end of our hobby. The fun will be over soon.
Give me a dongle with >120 dB SINAD that can run off of an iOS device or Android tablet without external power and I will call game on this hobby. All of the >120dB SINAD champions require either AC power or will cause a power warning on iOS devices. Right now, I believe we top out at around 116 dB in dongles (in balanced mode on the Moondrop MoonRiver 2). THX Onyx and E1DA 9038D come in close at around 108 and 110 dB respectively.

EDIT: @IVX 's updated 9038D6K has "a typical SINAD 118-120db+." Only question is can it run off an iPhone without external power?
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Steve Dallas

Major Contributor
Joined
May 28, 2020
Messages
1,201
Likes
2,784
Location
A Whole Other Country
Give me a dongle with >120 dB SINAD that can run off of an iOS device or Android tablet without external power and I will call game on this hobby. All of the >120dB SINAD champions require either AC power or will cause a power warning on iOS devices. Right now, I believe we top out at around 116 dB in dongles (in balanced mode on the Moondrop MoonRiver 2). THX Onyx and E1DA 9038D come in close at around 108 and 110 dB respectively.

Monoprice gets us pretty close, if their specs are to be believed.

@amirm has one of mine in his overworked little hands to test.
 

Killingbeans

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
4,089
Likes
7,547
Location
Bjerringbro, Denmark.
Give me a dongle with >120 dB SINAD that can run off of an iOS device or Android tablet without external power and I will call game on this hobby.

Why the need for a dongle? Why not just get iOS device or Android tablet to a point where they have >120 dB SINAD outputs themselves?
 

Jim Shaw

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
616
Likes
1,159
Location
North central USA
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.
Speakers have come a long way in price vs. performance. But then, they had a long way to come. And they still have a long way to go.

I'm waiting for the Chinese to complete their study of PSAudio and B&O, et al, and to launch into components that sell hype for 10X the price of 'very good.'
Audiophiles seem to crave this.

(It's called 'marketing' but audiophiles will tell you endlessly how they despise marketing.)
 
H

Hifihedgehog

Guest
Why not just get iOS device or Android tablet to a point where they have >120 dB SINAD outputs themselves?
Uh... Many devices don't have headphone jacks these days because of Apple courage. So given this reality, you're better off to decouple from the device anyway and have reliable performance you can use everywhere.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

alekksander

Active Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
219
Likes
144
Location
NRN PL
not happy to be first announcing this, but this is such a poor design (in terms of looks)… in my eyes easily the worst looking topping device that came out. this looks a bit like toy. silver version (not a big fan of silver) helps a bit in that regard, but here – that blueish tint in display…

also not happy to see that 30hz region more distorted than rest of the band (again!). i know, it's noticeable only for savants, but come on, we are buying specs at this point… (measured, not declared ofc).
 
H

Hifihedgehog

Guest
Monoprice gets us pretty close, if their specs are to be believed.

@amirm has one of mine in his overworked little hands to test.
Interesting! I added this post initial send. Looks interesting.

EDIT: @IVX 's updated 9038D6K has "a typical SINAD 118-120db+." Only question is can it run off an iPhone without external power? EDIT: Yes, if you use a specialized adapter to trick the iPhone into supplying higher power.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Savi

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2020
Messages
69
Likes
51
Give me a dongle with >120 dB SINAD that can run off of an iOS device or Android tablet without external power and I will call game on this hobby. All of the >120dB SINAD champions require either AC power or will cause a power warning on iOS devices. Right now, I believe we top out at around 116 dB in dongles (in balanced mode on the Moondrop MoonRiver 2). THX Onyx and E1DA 9038D come in close at around 108 and 110 dB respectively.

EDIT: @IVX 's updated 9038D6K has "a typical SINAD 118-120db+." Only question is can it run off an iPhone without external power?
Luxury & Précision W2 has a sinad of 118.5db in balanced mode.
 

sq225917

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 23, 2019
Messages
1,360
Likes
1,610
With all dacs looking and meaduringvthe same I think it's time for a bit more user experience from Amir. How does the dac function, where are the clicks and pops, what's it like fed from the top 5 software players across different OS, how's the remote function.


It's time to up the game Amir to help differentiate amongst the wash of cheap hifi.
 

BostonJack

Active Member
Editor
Joined
Jul 2, 2019
Messages
288
Likes
350
Location
Boston area, Cambridge, MA
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..
Plus there is the whole "listening to music" thing (which I know can slip down the priority list).
 

alekksander

Active Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
219
Likes
144
Location
NRN PL
With all dacs looking and meaduringvthe same I think it's time for a bit more user experience from Amir. How does the dac function, where are the clicks and pops, what's it like fed from the top 5 software players across different OS, how's the remote function.


It's time to up the game Amir to help differentiate amongst the wash of cheap hifi.
there is plenty of other websites/reviewers doing that already.
 

alekksander

Active Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
219
Likes
144
Location
NRN PL
topping already announced something new coming up and it's based on 2xAKM again folks!
 

BeQuietZen

Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2022
Messages
23
Likes
67
Sabaj A20d 2022 has more or less similar measured results and functionality, but for $70 more offers decent onboard HP amp. The design, display and remote are different, mostly subjective preferences. I wonder which one have better build quality and will last longer (better reliability).
 

pickyAudiophile

Active Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2021
Messages
121
Likes
79
Location
Fajãzinha, Flores, PT
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.
Indeed I think it will be some sort of "adhesive sound film" one day which won't cost more than a roll of LED illumination tape on Aliexpress. Yet giving the most expensive beryllium and kraton equipped speakers a run.
 

Killingbeans

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
4,089
Likes
7,547
Location
Bjerringbro, Denmark.
also not happy to see that 30hz region more distorted than rest of the band (again!).

The IMD test? I think you get more intermodulation in the lower region of this kind of multitone test, no matter what you do as a designer. It's just physics. You can't fight it.

i know, it's noticeable only for savants, but come on, we are buying specs at this point… (measured, not declared ofc).

Intermodulation products at -120dB at 30hz? I guarantee you that not even the most exceptional savant in the world will be able to notice that :)
 

Redwine

Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2022
Messages
99
Likes
31
How to choose as a “new in business”, pros/cons?

1)

TOPPING E70 +​

AUDIOPHONICS MPA-S250NC XLR Class D Stereo Amplifier Ncore 2x250W​

2)

AUDIOPHONICS DAW-S250NC Class D Integrated Amplifier NCore DAC​

 

confucius_zero

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Nov 22, 2018
Messages
541
Likes
345
Next step.
- Bluetooth at 120db Sinad
- DAC "emulation" : tube mode, r2r mode, harmonic order controls
- Hiby MSEB implementation
- Smartphone app sync to remote control the DAC, switch filters, and apply DAC emulation.
 
Top Bottom