Topping L30/E30 Connections to an iMac

[cysunza]

Hi, I'm really confuse, so I'm sure one of you guys can help me.
I've got E30/L30 combo and my intention is using it in my iMac, so I try to connect the USB from Mac to Input DAC, then From the headphones output of the Mac to RCA stereo Amp Input (L30) then RCA stereo from Amp Output to DAC E30, and finally from the Amp to my Logitech powered audio system at the Amp's headphone jack

Whit this configuration I get a noisy distorted audio and no matter in what gain position is the Amp, I get a very, very low volume. Horrible!!
If I inverted and make: headphones output of the Mac to RCA stereo Amp Output (L30) then RCA stereo from Amp Input to DAC E30 I receive the same audio quality that I had before I received the L30, nice, good gain, etc, but I feel that the DAC is doing nothing

 

[raif71]

Hi, I'm really confuse, so I'm sure one of you guys can help me.
I've got E30/L30 combo and my intention is using it in my iMac, so I try to connect the USB from Mac to Input DAC, then From the headphones output of the Mac to RCA stereo Amp Input (L30) then RCA stereo from Amp Output to DAC E30, and finally from the Amp to my Logitech powered audio system at the Amp's headphone jack

Whit this configuration I get a noisy distorted audio and no matter in what gain position is the Amp, I get a very, very low volume. Horrible!!
If I inverted and make: headphones output of the Mac to RCA stereo Amp Output (L30) then RCA stereo from Amp Input to DAC E30 I receive the same audio quality that I had before I received the L30, nice, good gain, etc, but I feel that the DAC is doing nothingView attachment 171939

Why not try this : Mac USB-> E30 RCA->L30 (RCA out)->Audio System

You can listen to headphone out of L30 if you chooses to.

 

[cysunza]

Why not try this : Mac USB-> E30 RCA->L30 (RCA out)->Audio System

You can listen to headphone out of L30 if you chooses to.

Hey thanks!… I follow your idea, but the result is: it doesn't matter if I turn off the L30 Amp or put the selectors in any posiition, the soaund is the same, the volume knob doesn't work and the quality of sound is like I don has connected anything.

 

[staticV3]

Your connections make no sense.
Please try:
iMac->USB->E30->RCA->Audio system.

I believe there are two fundamental misunderstandings here:
-you can only use one DAC at a time. Either the DAC+Amp that's inside your iMac, or the Topping E30. Not both.
-the L30 is a headphone amplifier and therefore not required to power your audio system. If you want to use it as a preamp in place of the E30's volume control via the remote, then please connect it like this:

iMac->USB->E30->RCA->L30 RCA input->L30 RCA output->RCA->Audio system.

 

[cysunza]

Your connections make no sense.
Please try:
iMac->USB->E30->RCA->Audio system.

I believe there are two fundamental misunderstandings here:
-you can only use one DAC at a time. Either the DAC+Amp that's inside your iMac, or the Topping E30. Not both.
-the L30 is a headphone amplifier and therefore not required to power your audio system. If you want to use it as a preamp in place of the E30's volume control via the remote, then please connect it like this:

iMac->USB->E30->RCA->L30 RCA input->L30 RCA output->RCA->Audio system.

Thank you very much! I’ll try your config and I updating tonight

 

[cysunza]

Your connections make no sense.
Please try:
iMac->USB->E30->RCA->Audio system.

I believe there are two fundamental misunderstandings here:
-you can only use one DAC at a time. Either the DAC+Amp that's inside your iMac, or the Topping E30. Not both.
-the L30 is a headphone amplifier and therefore not required to power your audio system. If you want to use it as a preamp in place of the E30's volume control via the remote, then please connect it like this:

iMac->USB->E30->RCA->L30 RCA input->L30 RCA output->RCA->Audio system.

hi!! you'r absolutely right, I do as you tell me and now all make sense and works smoothly, THANK YOU SO MUCH

 

[cysunza]

hi dear, as I mentioned I do what you recommended me and everything was perfect, but for unknown reasons, and of course whiteout any change in configuration, connections et al, this afternoon I turn on my equipment and I notices that the display of the DAC E30 show "USB" as it should be but now show 44.1 PCM and not the usual 00.0 db and also the volume now is lower that yesterday… the preamp is on and in +10db. everything exactly the same as yesterday but something change and I don't know why and above all how to back to previous status.
Can someone help me? Thanks in advance.

 

[Prana Ferox]

Look in the manual or Google how to switch the E30 between 'preamp mode' and 'DAC mode'. You were probably fiddling with the buttons and switched it by accident.

 

[cysunza]

Look in the manual or Google how to switch the E30 between 'preamp mode' and 'DAC mode'. You were probably fiddling with the buttons and switched it by accident.

ok, I see now that I could change from Prep to DAC by accident… but still confuse; as far as I understood from the manual, if E30 it's in DAC mode —and that is what I want— the display must show 00.0 db, and if I'is in Preamp mode it'll show 44.5, or any other resolutions that it's receiving from the input, but I get exactly the oposite.
I'm wrong and everything is working as expected? or my equipment is showing a wrong display.

 

[Prana Ferox]

Other way around, it shows sample frequency in DAC mode, volume setting (in dB) in preamp mode.

 

[cysunza]

ok, thanks so much.