Topping L30 Headphone Amplifier Review

[Veri]

Don't forget, it's a $140 amp. So, A90 would have more power both with balanced inputs (more voltage than RCA) OR balanced output (dual mono amplifiers used), and exponentially more power when combining balanced in + out. A90 is $500...

I feel some people are acting a little spoiled if you are using Arya, Susvara or LCD-4, surely you can afford a more expensive amp than the tiny L30? LCD-4 is US$3,995.00 for god's sake Susvara RRP even more expensive.

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

So it is The Gain Issue. Another rave review: https://soundnews.net/amplifiers/headphone-amps/topping-l30-review-a-little-big-amp/

"II. The Bad / Output power
I will slightly alter my reviewing process as I want to mention all the bad parts of this unit before going forward. When you put the little one driving heaviest loads as Audeze LCD-4, Hifiman Susvara and Arya headphones, then I’m here to say that it was good sounding, but not great sounding. The power output and power storing in those electrolytic caps are the culprits in here. There are few older albums with a super high dynamic range (-13 to -15 DR), like those first albums of Beatles and Deep Purple, Sotho Blue by Abdullah Ibrahim (Tidal / Spotify) is also an excellent example. With such recordings, I was fully maxed out on the highest gain and I still wanted a bit more volume with Audeze LCD-4. Do note that I’ve fed it a stronger signal than usual, Matrix Audio Element X offers 2.3 V Rms of power on the RCA out instead of the standard 2V and yet I wanted to raise the volume a bit higher. With such heavy loads, the little L30 will be struggling in offering you tons of headroom or effortless presentations. Swapping the Element X with something like a Topping D90 or E30, worsened the outcome as the volume dropped by another 1.2 dB. L30 will struggle with heavy loads, especially when a higher dynamic range track starts playing."

The guy earlier might not really push his Hifiman's if he is happy with the 12 o' clock position. And also those posting the specs of HE-4xx really do not understand that the specs do not tell the truth about the volume on Hifiman's. They are hard to drive.

Don't get me wrong. L30 sounds great but I just hope it had slightly more gain.

there is something wrong with your setup. The amp isn't the issue. The L30 has more than enough juice to drive the HE4xx to dangerous levels. I have the 400i's. Essentially the same as the 4xx...and they ain't that hard to drive. I don't own the l30, but even the Fiio E10k drives the 400i to dangerous levels. The L30 isn't much different in power from the Heresy (which I do have) and it'll get the 400i to monstrously loud levels. With my setup running through Foobar and using Mathaudio with I believe Oratory's EQ settings for the 400i, i run the volume full in Foobar (using the wasapi plug in) I have the Heresy volume in High gain set at roughly 2 O'clock. Then, I have the volume in the E30 dac at generally -13 to -11 depending on the individual track gain and it's hugely loud. If I maxed out the Heresy, I'd have to turn the volume on the E30 down to probably -16 or something...

 

[JohnYang1997]

You can't expect an amp to give you enough loudness if your EQ settings are at -20dB.

 

[highpurityusbcable]

So it is The Gain Issue. Another rave review: https://soundnews.net/amplifiers/headphone-amps/topping-l30-review-a-little-big-amp/

"II. The Bad / Output power
I will slightly alter my reviewing process as I want to mention all the bad parts of this unit before going forward. When you put the little one driving heaviest loads as Audeze LCD-4, Hifiman Susvara and Arya headphones, then I’m here to say that it was good sounding, but not great sounding. The power output and power storing in those electrolytic caps are the culprits in here. There are few older albums with a super high dynamic range (-13 to -15 DR), like those first albums of Beatles and Deep Purple, Sotho Blue by Abdullah Ibrahim (Tidal / Spotify) is also an excellent example. With such recordings, I was fully maxed out on the highest gain and I still wanted a bit more volume with Audeze LCD-4. Do note that I’ve fed it a stronger signal than usual, Matrix Audio Element X offers 2.3 V Rms of power on the RCA out instead of the standard 2V and yet I wanted to raise the volume a bit higher. With such heavy loads, the little L30 will be struggling in offering you tons of headroom or effortless presentations. Swapping the Element X with something like a Topping D90 or E30, worsened the outcome as the volume dropped by another 1.2 dB. L30 will struggle with heavy loads, especially when a higher dynamic range track starts playing."

The guy earlier might not really push his Hifiman's if he is happy with the 12 o' clock position. And also those posting the specs of HE-4xx really do not understand that the specs do not tell the truth about the volume on Hifiman's. They are hard to drive.

Don't get me wrong. L30 sounds great but I just hope it had slightly more gain.

What do you mean not pushing? I listen loud enough. It's already loud at 12 o'clock. These drivers are also not hard to drive at all. I don't know what you're doing there to be honest so whatever.

 

[raif71]

What do you mean not pushing? I listen loud enough. It's already loud at 12 o'clock. These drivers are also not hard to drive at all. I don't know what you're doing there to be honest so whatever.

Look at the source he's using. I think that is the difference. I too have some sources that needed more power but to be honest, if I need it I just flip to the +9db gain and be done with it.

 

[highpurityusbcable]

Look at the source he's using. I think that is the difference. I too have some sources that needed more power but to be honest, if I need it I just flip to the +9db gain and be done with it.

By source you mean Khadas tone board? I thought it's a good DAC. I don't even have a DAC here, only the old line-out from E10K for now.

 

[JohnYang1997]

By source you mean Khadas tone board? I thought it's a good DAC. I don't even have a DAC here, only the old line-out from E10K for now.

I think he meant the music he was listening to. Different music have different loudness.
IMO, it's the settings on the equalizer apo that caused the low volume.

 

[solderdude]

And also those posting the specs of HE-4xx really do not understand that the specs do not tell the truth about the volume on Hifiman's. They are hard to drive.

I agree that the reviewer walked into the gain issue.
However, the mentioned headphones in that review are notoriously inefficient in voltage efficiency.
This means the require a rather high voltage and high gain to reach impressive levels.
Even 3.5dB louder would not have made a difference in that evaluation.
The L30 simply is not suited for this task and is much more suited for normal to high sensitivity headphones (The HE4XX is normal efficiency)

The HE4xx is quite sensitive, certainly in comparison, so the guys posting the specs do understand the truth about its volume and they certainly are not hard to drive at all. They have a pleasant impedance and are quite sensitive.

When a HE4XX doesn't sound loud enough they have too much attenuation somewhere in the chain. It is that simple.

 

[highpurityusbcable]

I think he meant the music he was listening to. Different music have different loudness.
IMO, it's the settings on the equalizer apo that caused the low volume.

It's weird. Oratory's 400i preset is only -6db, I use it sometimes too and it still gives the same comfortable volume level if everything else is maxed in OS.

 

[raif71]

By source you mean Khadas tone board? I thought it's a good DAC. I don't even have a DAC here, only the old line-out from E10K for now.

Sorry...yes like what @JohnYang1997 said...the music. In my case, it was classical music.

 

[highpurityusbcable]

Sorry...yes like what @JohnYang1997 said...the music. In my case, it was classical music.

I understand. But I still don't understand how there could be not enough volume. I also listen to old classic live recordings sometimes and every small breath in the audience is present even with eq presets.

 

[raif71]

I understand. But I still don't understand how there could be not enough volume. I also listen to old classic live recordings sometimes and every small breath in the audience is present even with eq presets.

Some....not all, also his ears, your ears and mine are not to standard

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

Sorry...yes like what @JohnYang1997 said...the music. In my case, it was classical music.

Classical gets real quiet at times yeah, but even so the loud parts are still very loud and there's no way the L30 won't drive the 4xx such that those loud parts won't be deafening...

 

[raif71]

Classical gets real quiet at times yeah, but even so the loud parts are still very loud and there's no way the L30 won't drive the 4xx such that those loud parts won't be deafening...

Must I comment the ears again, especially to you

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

Some....not all, also his ears, your ears and mine are not to standard

well yeah they are. We're all human. 100dbs is loud to everyone. If he's only getting 70dbs out of the 4xx at max volume something is wrong, and it isn't the amp.

 

[Veri]

well yeah they are. We're all human. 100dbs is loud to everyone. If he's only getting 70dbs out of the 4xx at max volume something is wrong, and it isn't the amp.

Agreed something is off?

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

Look at the source he's using. I think that is the difference. I too have some sources that needed more power but to be honest, if I need it I just flip to the +9db gain and be done with it.

He's already using high gain maxed out...

 

[raif71]

well yeah they are. We're all human. 100dbs is loud to everyone. If he's only getting 70dbs out of the 4xx at max volume something is wrong, and it isn't the amp.

You have a earful point there

 

[raif71]

He's already using high gain maxed out...

I really like to get what's he's listening to though I will only try with hd600, hd6xx and sundara and listen for myself

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

I'm assuming of course that the amp is functioning properly. If it's a defective unit that's a different story...