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Topping L30 Headphone Amplifier Review

B1ackbird

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Reading through some of the issues, may I ask the following just to be sure. I am using the L30 with ATH-R70x and sometimes noticing slight crackling noises that feel a bit like an electrostatic shock. Occured a few times while moving upwards with the headphones (no issues as a preamp).
Just ordered it a few weeks ago and serial number (the small number at the bottom on the white sticker?) is 2101xxxxxx. Should I be concerned about any safety issues here? Otherwise I am really happy with it.
 

velasfloyd

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which volume pot feels nicer? L30 one or A50s?

it is secure to get a 2012+ version or for 100% risk-free I should get a 21+ version?
 

NgtFlyer

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Reading through some of the issues, may I ask the following just to be sure. I am using the L30 with ATH-R70x and sometimes noticing slight crackling noises that feel a bit like an electrostatic shock. Occured a few times while moving upwards with the headphones (no issues as a preamp).
Just ordered it a few weeks ago and serial number (the small number at the bottom on the white sticker?) is 2101xxxxxx. Should I be concerned about any safety issues here? Otherwise I am really happy with it.

2101 serial has both fixes in place, there is virtually no risk of damage to your headphones. The crackling sound you hear may be source material or some other anomaly further back in the chain.
 

AdamG

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Reading through some of the issues, may I ask the following just to be sure. I am using the L30 with ATH-R70x and sometimes noticing slight crackling noises that feel a bit like an electrostatic shock. Occured a few times while moving upwards with the headphones (no issues as a preamp).
Just ordered it a few weeks ago and serial number (the small number at the bottom on the white sticker?) is 2101xxxxxx. Should I be concerned about any safety issues here? Otherwise I am really happy with it.
Welcome Aboard @B1ackbird.
 

Jose Hidalgo

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Just wanted to report that Aoshida (one of the main Topping sellers in China/AliExpress) is saying that they still don't have any 2102+ L30 units for sale. Not for new units, and not for replacement units.

Given that we're at the end of April and they're in China, I find that very surprising. So what has happened with the whole february batch ? Has it suddenly disappeared for nearly two months after being manufactured before hitting the stores ? @JohnYang1997 , any hints ?

2021.04.23 - 20.14.54.png
 

kernelpanic

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I see a lot of reports about the L30 running warm. Mine is in the same boat. What I noticed is that is also runs really warm when I have it in pre-amp mode. Shouldn't the amp inside be switched off when it is in pre-amp mode as it is just passing through audio? Anyone know what the expected behavior should be?
 

mslim

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Just wanted to report that Aoshida (one of the main Topping sellers in China/AliExpress) is saying that they still don't have any 2102+ L30 units for sale. Not for new units, and not for replacement units.

Given that we're at the end of April and they're in China, I find that very surprising. So what has happened with the whole february batch ? Has it suddenly disappeared for nearly two months after being manufactured before hitting the stores ? @JohnYang1997 , any hints ?

View attachment 125853
? Related to AKM factory fire perhaps.....
 

Jose Hidalgo

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Exactly.

Besides, Topping uses monthly batches: the M batch is sent to retailers around the world, who receive it during M+1 (for China retailers) or M+1/M+2 (for Europe/US I guess). For example I bought my first L30s on 11.11 (in China), and their S/Ns are 2010xxxx, so just the month before, which is completely logical. Now, at the end of April, China retailers should be selling 2102 or 2103 models. So if they're not, I'm just asking: where are they? Like their S/N suggests, they were produced in february and march. So... where are they now? :oops:
 

Arius

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Hey. Im a silent reader and luckily I read about the Topping Problem before something bad happened to me.
I wrote Shenzen through Amazon (germany) and one month later (yesterday) I received my replacement finally. 1-2 weeks ago they wrote me that my unit is still in production. Its got the serial number 2101. I'm wondering a little bit too. thought it should be 2103 or something. But tbh it doesnt matter.
With just 2 short emails and almost effortless they sent me the new unit and I have to say thank you very much.

My first unit was one of the first! Serial number 2005. Im so happy that nothing happened to me. I used it every 2-3 days since then. Haven't touched it for a whole month now and never will.

I didnt notice any changes in the new L30. I also feel like its not as hot as my previous model but Im not sure about that. Sound is the same for me.

Thanks again for the replacement!
 

liu

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Exactly.

Besides, Topping uses monthly batches: the M batch is sent to retailers around the world, who receive it during M+1 (for China retailers) or M+1/M+2 (for Europe/US I guess). For example I bought my first L30s on 11.11 (in China), and their S/Ns are 2010xxxx, so just the month before, which is completely logical. Now, at the end of April, China retailers should be selling 2102 or 2103 models. So if they're not, I'm just asking: where are they? Like their S/N suggests, they were produced in february and march. So... where are they now? :oops:
My educated guess is they are facing supply chain issues.
Recently the chip industry went madness. STM8/STM32 chip's price went up 50x.
ST chips are used extensively in Topping products, including L30.
So they cannot produce it anymore.
 

solderdude

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My guess is that they made a bunch of 'replacements' so that there is enough to go around to replace all that were sold.
Not many folks used the 'get a free replacement service' and because of the reputation it got sales plummeted.
As the replacements were sent out to dealers they were now stocked and won't order new ones before they (as well as Topping) ran out of stock.
So some sellers have ordered or gotten new ones already and others are still using the 2012 ones from their stock before ordering new ones.
Depending on where one buys it they will get older or newer versions.
 

bigfudge13

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Hello guys,

a also own a Topping L30 with the failure (2010). I will get a replacement from my retailer. He told me, that they can ship a new L30 2101 today. Should i go for that version or should i better wait vor 2102, if there are major differences?

Thank you for your advice.
 

Veri

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a also own a Topping L30 with the failure (2010). I will get a replacement from my retailer. He told me, that they can ship a new L30 2101 today. Should i go for that version or should i better wait vor 2102, if there are major differences?
Don't see why you wouldn't go for that 2101, it's gonna be perfectly fine in every way.
 

velasfloyd

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Im comparing this one with a50s... apart from balanced and unbalanced and all the rest... Im wondering about the power suply adaptor... I am right thinking is better to have a 15Vdc than a 15vac? I think is much more easy to replace if broken right? and somehow may be more secure?
 

Bsdzilla

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I got mine as well today, also Shenzen Audio via amazon.de. It was shipped from a central site in Germany itself, it seems. Also 2101xxx. Happy this is resolved, and in a no hassle way, except for a two month delay, not found too often these days. It has the ground plane of the PCB connected to the outer case.
 

Atanasi

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Im comparing this one with a50s... apart from balanced and unbalanced and all the rest... Im wondering about the power suply adaptor... I am right thinking is better to have a 15Vdc than a 15vac? I think is much more easy to replace if broken right? and somehow may be more secure?
In general DC is easier for the user: easier to find replacement power supplies or power in a portable situation. However, A50s is probably not designed to be battery-powered. I suppose AC is easier for the amp, since both positive and negative voltages are readily available.
 

Bsdzilla

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Im comparing this one with a50s... apart from balanced and unbalanced and all the rest... Im wondering about the power suply adaptor... I am right thinking is better to have a 15Vdc than a 15vac? I think is much more easy to replace if broken right? and somehow may be more secure?
Unless you're willing to modify your unit, you don't have a choice. It's set up for a 15v AC power supply. And a DC power supply is not inherently better than a AC one, so there would be no reason to use a DC one for quality reasons. They're just not as easy to obtain, since almost all adapters used these days are DC switching versions these days. And yes, they might be slightly safer in that some of them have short-circuit protection in some form, while the supplied AC adapter does not, if I remember correctly. On the other hand, they contain electrolytical capacitors of often dubious quality..
 
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liu

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Im comparing this one with a50s... apart from balanced and unbalanced and all the rest... Im wondering about the power suply adaptor... I am right thinking is better to have a 15Vdc than a 15vac? I think is much more easy to replace if broken right? and somehow may be more secure?
no need to worry about the adapter is going to be broken --- ac adapters are very simple in structure --- a solid metal plus coil wires. Very hard to be broken.
on the other hand, a switching power supply has a lot of components and has much higher failure rate.
your amp will definitely break before the adapter.
 
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