Topping E70 Velvet (AKM 4499EX)

[aka_Z]

Hmm, audio reviewer has some statue on the subwoofer?!

 

[MadMaxx]

Hmm, audio reviewer has some statue on the subwoofer?!

Definitely some strong Geisha/Buddha vibes in his audio room.

He's also got quite a collection of dacs. Our brave little E70V looks like a toy in comparison.

 

[aka_Z]

Probably you got my point, having anything on the speaker is no, no. Especially something which can vibrate. In the same time he has acoustically treated room, electrostats, etc...
Anyway, I'm super happy with my minimalistic setup. Two small devices, Shield and E70V under the TV and Adam speakers. Even lovely females would considering it acceptable

 

[MadMaxx]

Probably you got my point, having anything on the speaker is no, no. Especially something which can vibrate. In the same time he has acoustically treated room, electrostats, etc...
Anyway, I'm super happy with my minimalistic setup. Two small devices, Shield and E70V under the TV and Adam speakers. Even lovely females would considering it acceptable

Yeah, I get it, but he doesn't seem to be bothered by it. I didn't know you were an Adam Audio guy. Good to know there's more of us out there. I was a passive speakers guy for over 20 years until switching to the A7V after hearing a demo last summer. Ain't never going back!

 

[aka_Z]

I'm using Adam even longer. I listened to a couple of different active speakers. For example KEF sounds weak, no deep bass, annoying highs... I was quite skeptical about the D class amplifier but Adam tweeter caught my attention. Went to Guitar center to try out and I was so impressed that I came home with a pair. Since then, I've avoided trying any other speakers. Why? Audiophile is sort of disorder and we need to know how to deal with

 

[MadMaxx]

I'm using Adam even longer. I listened to a couple of different active speakers. For example KEF sounds weak, no deep bass, annoying highs... I was quite skeptical about the D class amplifier but Adam tweeter caught my attention. Went to Guitar center to try out and I was so impressed that I came home with a pair. Since then, I've avoided trying any other speakers. Why? Audiophile is sort of disorder and we need to know how to deal with

My last speakers were the LS50 Metas. I drove them with a Parasound integrated amp, but wanted to go with a power amp once I started using separate dacs. Some of my talk radio friends suggested I take my KEFs to a local Guitar Center and try them with different amps. The guys at GC were super cool about helping, but after a few different amps failed to impress they said I oughtta listen to some powered studio monitors. Tried KRK, Focal, then the Adam A7V. I was hooked after just a couple Nine Inch Nails songs. Bought'em on the spot and sold my Metas, Parasound, and a couple home theater receivers gathering dust in my attic. Once I got the E70V, my 3 other dacs hit the road, too. It's gratifying to be cured of chronic upgrade-itis! LOL!

 

[RiseFall]

My setup is:

Chord Mojo + Audiolab 8300A + Acoustic Energy AE500

I'm actually trying the E70 Velvet (excluding the Mojo), sources are USB with Raspberry pi4 and TOSLINK with TV.

This is absolutely the best mid-bass attack I ever had in my room, including my previous experiences with Dirac Live, RoomPerfect and DSpeaker.

With the E70 Velvet I have the better bass response without using any dsp, correction or manual parametric EQ.

What left me not convinced is the mid-highs and highs.

While I feel not listeing fatiguing in those areas, I hear some "glare" sometimes in the female voices and in some instruments.

Also, the Chord Mojo gives more "organic/real" highs, here with the E70V are a little more dry.

The dac has not more than 10 hours of playing (for those who believe in burn-in).

I'm wondering if I have to try other Topping dacs to have a more natural highs while keeping this perfection on the mid-bass area (that I never had in my room).

 

[staticV3]

My setup is:

Chord Mojo + Audiolab 8300A + Acoustic Energy AE500

I'm actually trying the E70 Velvet (excluding the Mojo), sources are USB with Raspberry pi4 and TOSLINK with TV.

This is absolutely the best mid-bass attack I ever had in my room, including my previous experiences with Dirac Live, RoomPerfect and DSpeaker.

With the E70 Velvet I have the better bass response without using any dsp, correction or manual parametric EQ.

What left me not convinced is the mid-highs and highs.

While I feel not listeing fatiguing in those areas, I hear some "glare" sometimes in the female voices and in some instruments.

Also, the Chord Mojo gives more "organic/real" highs, here with the E70V are a little more dry.

The dac has not more than 10 hours of playing (for those who believe in burn-in).

I'm wondering if I have to try other Topping dacs to have a more natural highs while keeping this perfection on the mid-bass area (that I never had in my room).

Do proper level matching with a multimeter and you'll see hear all those differences vanish into thin air.

 

[foxpro]

Just registered to share my first impression of the E70 Velvet.

After 20 years(..) my vintage hi-end Audio Aero Capitole II DAC+preamp (https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0902/audioaerocapitolen.htm) started playing up recently. Some research brought me to reading about the Topping E70 here and a purchase of the E70 Velvet to have a crack at a selection of DSD files. Hooked the E70V up between Foobar2000 via USB and a Behringer A500 amp and Q Acoustics Q3030i speakers on the desktop system.

Tested with some DSD128 files (Britten Cello Symphony) I know well. First outputted as PCM 24/192 which yielded some sonic improvements over my DAC Methuselah. Bigger soundstage, clarity, no added tube candy. But the real kicker came by outputting the same files as DSD instead of PCM to the DAC. Huge soundstage, crisper details, better everything. Big improvement. Independently confirmed by an uninterested visitor who picked the DSD playback five out of five over PCM.

Direct DSD playback is impressive in both DAC mode and preamp mode. Maybe a little better still in DAC only mode. But could also be a slight difference in volume levels. Nice unit for the money spent.

 

[JSmith]

Just registered

Hey and welcome to ASR.

could also be a slight difference in volume levels

Yes, this is most likely... volume matching is imperative when conducting such comparisons.


JSmith

 

[Bach]

What thoughts are there to post? Its a DAC.

Well I must agree with you. I can not think of anything.
Whith this dac in use, it just seems there is no dac and yet there is: Its just a dac.

 

[mugecabin]

hi every bod
I have Fx Audio M1 dac. I was thinking to buy Topping E70 velvet. do you think I will hear any differences? motly i use it as a dac and bluetooth(rarely) streamer.

 

[JSmith]

do you think I will hear any differences?

As a DAC... no;

FX Audio DAC-M1 Review (DAC & Headphone Amp)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the FX Audio DAC-M1 DAC, headphone amplifier and Bluetooth receiver. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $219. The DAC-M1 is a cute little thing! It also comes in vibrant blue and pink! A very responsive OLED display shows all the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

JSmith

 

[aka_Z]

hi every bod
I have Fx Audio M1 dac. I was thinking to buy Topping E70 velvet. do you think I will hear any differences? motly i use it as a dac and bluetooth(rarely) streamer.

Of course you will! Every new piece of audio equipment sounds better... while it smells as new

 

[mugecabin]

As a DAC... no;

FX Audio DAC-M1 Review (DAC & Headphone Amp)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the FX Audio DAC-M1 DAC, headphone amplifier and Bluetooth receiver. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $219. The DAC-M1 is a cute little thing! It also comes in vibrant blue and pink! A very responsive OLED display shows all the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

JSmith

thanks for your reply. will you please describe a bit more?? i didnt get what you mean exactly.

 

[mackat]

I just received an E70 Velvet, and I am having an issue.

The audio keeps dropping out for about a second every 15-45 seconds, randomly and intermittently.

I have it connected to an M1 Pro MacBook Pro and the issue is occurring both with Roon in exclusive mode as well as Apple Music playing through system audio.

Sample rate doesn't seem to make a difference.

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

 

[Snoopy]

Probably due to the apples powersaving mode. Try soundsource and increase the buffer size.

Or you could update to Mac os Sonoma Beta.

And a simple solution for roon is using a raspberry pi as endpoint with RoopieXL. That way you use ALSA and get around all those issues.

 

[staticV3]

I just received an E70 Velvet, and I am having an issue.

The audio keeps dropping out for about a second every 15-45 seconds, randomly and intermittently.

I have it connected to an M1 Pro MacBook Pro and the issue is occurring both with Roon in exclusive mode as well as Apple Music playing through system audio.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...utters-with-usb-dacs-on-macbook-m1-pro.42001/

16 pages of Apple users struggling with USB Audio stutter regardless of what DAC is used. It's not the E70.

 

[aka_Z]

So, it's a feature? I guess, BT is not an option due lack of LDAC or aptX?

 

[Salt]

thanks for your reply. will you please describe a bit more?? i didnt get what you mean exactly.

What he means is, that both DACs are transparent, means, what comes in comes out without audibly changes.