Topping E70 Velvet (AKM 4499EX)

[jareinertson]

Just to clarify, I’m not completely set on the Topping E70 Velvet yet—it’s just a tentative idea. I'm looking for a DAC that sits right in the sweet spot: not low-end, not crazy high-end, but a true price-to-performance champion that has been verified and measured by competent people.
For context, here is my current setup:

• Digital: PS5 -> LG OLED C2 -> WiiM Pro (WiiM Pro is pretty much the only streamer on the market in this price range that offers PEQ) -> DAC (Topping E70 maybe ?) -> Marantz PM-17 Mk2 -> B&W 601 S2
• Analog: Nordmende RP 1400 turntable with an AT72 cartridge

The most crucial piece of the puzzle right now is the DAC. I want something with enough potential and technical overhead so that it won't become a bottleneck in the future. I am already planning ahead for a speaker, so the DAC needs to be high-performing enough to do justice to much better gear later on without needing to be replaced.

As a satisfied owner, I can recommend the SMSL RAW MDA-1, currently $280. This product has been reviewed here on ASR in August of 2024.

 

[Panelhead]

The dac chip used in the velvet is what sets it apart from all other dacs in that price range. Topping is invested in sticking a 100 dollar chip in a 349 product. If the rest of dac was free, the material cost versus sale price ratio is off.
The discussion of whether a 100 dollar dac chip performs better than a 20 dollar chip is immaterial. I saw the top ESS dac chip is outperformed by the chip right under in hierarchy.
Seems like there is a lull in SOTA AKM and ESS dac chip releases. They may be focusing on features, reliability, volume, and of course COST right now.

 

[Panelhead]

As a satisfied owner, I can recommend the SMSL RAW MDA-1, currently $280. This product has been reviewed here on ASR in August of 2024.

I have both. Been using the Velvet. Mainly for the trigger.

 

[RandomEar]

Just to clarify, I’m not completely set on the Topping E70 Velvet yet—it’s just a tentative idea. I'm looking for a DAC that sits right in the sweet spot: not low-end, not crazy high-end, but a true price-to-performance champion that has been verified and measured by competent people.
For context, here is my current setup:

• Digital: PS5 -> LG OLED C2 -> WiiM Pro (WiiM Pro is pretty much the only streamer on the market in this price range that offers PEQ) -> DAC (Topping E70 maybe ?) -> Marantz PM-17 Mk2 -> B&W 601 S2
• Analog: Nordmende RP 1400 turntable with an AT72 cartridge

The most crucial piece of the puzzle right now is the DAC. I want something with enough potential and technical overhead so that it won't become a bottleneck in the future. I am already planning ahead for a speaker, so the DAC needs to be high-performing enough to do justice to much better gear later on without needing to be replaced.

Why would you add an external DAC to that setup at all? There is no bottleneck there - your system will be limited by your speakers and room anyway and even that amp performs worse noise- and THD-wise than the DAC in the WiiM. The Pro Plus has been measured on ASR, the Pro is a little worse according to the WiiM spec sheet. But with the Marantz in the chain, there isn't much if anything to gain by upgrading the DAC. If you are concerned about its performance, I would simply sidegrade to the Wiim Pro Plus and be happy.

 

[Westsounds]

Just to clarify, I’m not completely set on the Topping E70 Velvet yet—it’s just a tentative idea. I'm looking for a DAC that sits right in the sweet spot: not low-end, not crazy high-end, but a true price-to-performance champion that has been verified and measured by competent people.
For context, here is my current setup:

• Digital: PS5 -> LG OLED C2 -> WiiM Pro (WiiM Pro is pretty much the only streamer on the market in this price range that offers PEQ) -> DAC (Topping E70 maybe ?) -> Marantz PM-17 Mk2 -> B&W 601 S2
• Analog: Nordmende RP 1400 turntable with an AT72 cartridge

The most crucial piece of the puzzle right now is the DAC. I want something with enough potential and technical overhead so that it won't become a bottleneck in the future. I am already planning ahead for a speaker, so the DAC needs to be high-performing enough to do justice to much better gear later on without needing to be replaced.

Most things by Topping or SMSL fit that bill nicely, just look around for the best deal. Don't waste money when you don't have to.

 

[Westsounds]

Why would you add an external DAC to that setup at all? There is no bottleneck there - your system will be limited by your speakers and room anyway and even that amp performs worse noise- and THD-wise than the DAC in the WiiM. The Pro Plus has been measured on ASR, the Pro is a little worse according to the WiiM spec sheet. But with the Marantz in the chain, there isn't much if anything to gain by upgrading the DAC. If you are concerned about its performance, I would simply sidegrade to the Wiim Pro Plus and be happy.

I have to agree that Marantz is a decent player, it had a number of chip changes but they were all fairly good. The only thing a new dac may bring is perhaps more linearity or clarity but it might lose a bit of easier on the ear that Marantz are well known for.

 

[TomasCZ]

Why would you add an external DAC to that setup at all? There is no bottleneck there - your system will be limited by your speakers and room anyway and even that amp performs worse noise- and THD-wise than the DAC in the WiiM. The Pro Plus has been measured on ASR, the Pro is a little worse according to the WiiM spec sheet. But with the Marantz in the chain, there isn't much if anything to gain by upgrading the DAC. If you are concerned about its performance, I would simply sidegrade to the Wiim Pro Plus and be happy.

As a beginner, I’m still exploring what the ideal setup for me is, but my main goal is to get the best value for money—whether that means going for a separate combo, for example the WiiM Pro with an SMSL RAW-MDA1 for around €400, or sticking to a simpler all-in-one solution like the WiiM Ultra, which costs roughly the same in my area, if it gives me everything I need or even cheaper solution as Wiim Pro Plus.

 

[Roland68]

The dac chip used in the velvet is what sets it apart from all other dacs in that price range. Topping is invested in sticking a 100 dollar chip in a 349 product. If the rest of dac was free, the material cost versus sale price ratio is off.
The discussion of whether a 100 dollar dac chip performs better than a 20 dollar chip is immaterial. I saw the top ESS dac chip is outperformed by the chip right under in hierarchy.
Seems like there is a lull in SOTA AKM and ESS dac chip releases. They may be focusing on features, reliability, volume, and of course COST right now.

The notion that DAC chips carry a high price tag is a misconception—one primarily fueled by the very high unit prices often seen at distributors.
For manufacturers of DACs and audio devices, the prices of flagship DAC ICs—such as those from ESS, AKM, Rohm, and others—are all roughly on par. In fact, when purchased in volume, the prices for less widely used DAC chips can actually be even lower.

 

[RandomEar]

As a beginner, I’m still exploring what the ideal setup for me is, but my main goal is to get the best value for money—whether that means going for a separate combo, for example the WiiM Pro with an SMSL RAW-MDA1 for around €400, or sticking to a simpler all-in-one solution like the WiiM Ultra, which costs roughly the same in my area, if it gives me everything I need or even cheaper solution as Wiim Pro Plus.

If value for money is the goal, then don't buy an additional DAC, unless you need specific features the WiiM does not have. An external DAC will not audibly improve the sound of your system.

The value option here is to get a used UMIK-1 for ~80 €, measure the FR of your system and adjust your EQ in the WiiM accordingly to fix any issues with your speakers / room.