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Topping L30 Headphone Amplifier Review

hottyson

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FYI
As per the following thread linked below "@$*-Fi" is no longer an acceptable term here on ASR. Please respectfully refrain from using it further; thank you.


https://www.audiosciencereview.com/.../lets-avoid-the-term-chi-fi.18243/post-594347

View attachment 106187
I apologize. I was attempting to equate the poor track record of all of my Chinese mass produced gear in comparison to all of my other gear. I had just finished repairing a broken Little Dot amplifier that was constructed poorly from the factory and got caught up in the moment. I shall not use that term here. No intention meant to insult anyone here. Please accept my apology.
 

filipduarte

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my seller has said that "Topping send you a version without problem" but there may be a language issue. as far as i know there's been no word yet of an ESD fixed batch?

Same with me, they are insisting that I send the serial number now and they will send "the latest version" when it becomes available ... :confused:
 

threni

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I respect your point of view, but personally, I don't agree with that.

If you bought an L30 and it damaged your headphone, due to a technical defect, in my opinion, Topping should be responsible for the amplifier and the headphone, as a indemnity (insurance compensation for damages or loss).

Imagine you buy an L30 ($150) and plug an Meze Empyrean ($3,000) into it. After a few days of use, the L30 explodes and damages your Meze.
Topping will have a loss of approximately $100 (cost of manufacturing and shipping an L30) and you will have a loss of $ 3,000.:rolleyes:

People keep saying Topping is legally responsible. To the extent that anyone is responsible, it's usually the supplier/seller who is responsible. It's nothing to do with the manufacturer. Perhaps it could/should/would be, but it's not. A manufacturer can offer a warranty, and can decide what they're going to cover, and Topping has already stated they're not interested in covering the repair/replacement cost of damaged headphones. You're better off contacting your home insurance, credit card company or retailer. Topping aren't interested.
 

Lucco

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People keep saying Topping is legally responsible.
Just to clarify: I never said that "Topping is legally responsible". Especially because each country has its own "consumer rights law".
As I said earlier, I respect your opinion and I respect Topping's "return and refund policy". The company is not forcing anyone to buy their equipment, but as a consumer, I also have the right to have my opinion, and...
in my opinion, Topping should be responsible for the amplifier and the headphone, as a indemnity (insurance compensation for damages or loss).
 

threni

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Just to clarify: I never said that "Topping is legally responsible". Especially because each country has its own "consumer rights law".
As I said earlier, I respect your opinion and I respect Topping's "return and refund policy". The company is not forcing anyone to buy their equipment, but as a consumer, I also have the right to have my opinion, and...

When I'm king, I'm going to ban covers of Beatles songs, but for now I'm powerless to prevent them. Likewise, you're free to hold your opinion that "Topping should be responsible for the amplifier and the headphone" (a right I'll probably let you keep as your king, unless you displease me). I was simply pointing out that it's not currently true. This is not an opinion.
 

Jose Hidalgo

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Jose Hidalgo

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raistlin65

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Musically you're right. But since it's a song about LSD, I believe that psudo-psychedelic cover is right on spot ! :D:facepalm:

I've always wondered if I should give him credit for being brave enough to put that album out there? Or whether he doesn't deserve any credit because he doesn't realize how bad he is?:facepalm:
 

threni

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Robin L

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I've always wondered if I should give him credit for being brave enough to put that album out there? Or whether he doesn't deserve any credit because he doesn't realize how bad he is?:facepalm:
It's not an issue of "how bad he is". He's as good as Ken Nordine, every bit as surreal. With his skills in voice-over work, "The Transformed Man" appears to be self-consciously absurd. This indicates that he's in on the joke:

I'd also like to point to the "Rocketman" performance, and Beck's paraphrasing of that performance in "Where It's At".

And one more thing:


We now return to apocalyptic reports of exploding headphone amps and headphones, which are already in progress.
 

threni

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I am not French. Try again. :facepalm:
Damn! I knew "From France" could have meant something else...

Edit: So, in the profile it says "Location: xxx" but when you hover over a nickname or click on it on mobile it says "From xxx". The latter is an incorrect assumption, and should say "Location" too.

It goes without saying that I apologize unreservedly for calling you French.
 
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vert

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Sorry if it looks like I'm piling on Topping, but in the heyday of, say, Japanese hi-fi, was it common for gear to actually blow up headphones? The low cost is too easy as an excuse. The cost of an L30 + headphones is actual money for some people,not to mention I wonder how it is that such products are allowed to pass regulatory tests nowadays.
 

Pdxwayne

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@JohnYang1997, may I know your tests involved multiple scenarios? How safe am I if my laptop, DAC, and L30 all have no ground?
 

threni

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Sorry if it looks like I'm piling on Topping, but in the heyday of, say, Japanese hi-fi, was it common for gear to actually blow up headphones? The low cost is too easy as an excuse. The cost of an L30 + headphones is actual money for some people,not to mention I wonder how it is that such products are allowed to pass regulatory tests nowadays.

I'm not sure it's accurate or meaningful to extrapolate from a handful of cases of damage from one revision of one amp design from one company to some wider statement about Chinese hifi. I've bought exactly two Sony products in the last 5 years; a phone and a TV and in both cases the display has failed leaving the audio/processing etc working fine and requiring repair/replacement. My anecdata is unlikely to sway anyone against buying from Sony, Canon etc just because they're in the same country.

It's just a guess but I'd imagine regulatory tests are related to safety, not consequential damage, and they they've all been successfully passed, if only because I doubt that they're all that elaborate or extensive.
 
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