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Topping L30 Headphone Amplifier Review
- Thread starter amirm
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alekksander
Active Member
Wouldn't it be simpler (well, safer) to add power cord before transformator?
solderdude
Grand Contributor
Set the gain so that you have a very usable volume range.
Whether this turns out to be L, M or H (depends on several factors) is irrelevant.
There is nothing more to it and other than maximum volume differences there are no sonic consequences. All settings are equally transparent.
Differences are ONLY measurable, not audible.
Whether this turns out to be L, M or H (depends on several factors) is irrelevant.
There is nothing more to it and other than maximum volume differences there are no sonic consequences. All settings are equally transparent.
Differences are ONLY measurable, not audible.
All volume ranges are usable for me - I'm not going to sacrifice convenience here.
Seems that differences are minor, inaudible. Same to use M setting then, no reason to use L or H in my case. Before I used L because I thought it had lower distortion.
solderdude
Grand Contributor
L and M have the same gain/distortion in the amplifier part. L is just attenuated before it enters the amp.
solderdude
Grand Contributor
1: The faulty units should not be used and thrown out (once you received a new one for free).
2: The L30 can not/should not be used as a speaker amp. The output devices will overheat and switch off.
You also don't want to put full DC on your speakers when it blows.
3: Current limit is 0.5A in 8ohm = 2W... 0.5A in 4ohm = 1W
The power dissipated in the amp itself will be a many fold of this overheating the output devices.
2: The L30 can not/should not be used as a speaker amp. The output devices will overheat and switch off.
You also don't want to put full DC on your speakers when it blows.
3: Current limit is 0.5A in 8ohm = 2W... 0.5A in 4ohm = 1W
The power dissipated in the amp itself will be a many fold of this overheating the output devices.
Last edited:
EddieFreak
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Does the L30 have enough power in medium gain to drive the Sennheiser hd600 to loud level (105db)? Power seems to be about 13 mw.
Depends on the input level, the medium-gain setting is unity (0dB), so 1Vin ≈ 1Vout.
P=U²/R (Ohm's law for simplicities sake), so 2V would equal 13.3mW, that would be enough for 111dBSPL peak with the HD 600 (300Z, 100dB/mW). That is pretty loud, depending on the content that's an average of say 90-95dBSPL or something like that.
Apart from that I can tell you from experience that I never switch out of low-gain on my RME when using the HD 600, and the maximum output voltage in low-gain is 1.73Vrms.
EddieFreak
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Thanks, 3125b! I'm trying to decide between the E30/L30 stack or the D30pro/A30pro stack or the SMSL SU-8s/SH-8s. The fam is going to present it as a father's day gift.
I always get buyers remorse when I get expensive gifts
I always get buyers remorse when I get expensive gifts
Jose Hidalgo
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Hi, quick question :
In the E30 thread, it was said that the E30 power connector was exactly 5.5 x 2.1 mm : https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-e30-dac-review.12119/post-505883
AFAIK the L30 power connector is 5.5 x 2.5 mm.
So normally the E30 power cable shouldn't be able to fit into the L30 connector. Unfortunately it does, because like it was said, it "is universal and fits both 2.1 and 2.5". I believe that's why some people have had issues in the past, putting the wrong cable into the wrong connector.
Is this correct ? Are the E30 and L30 power connectors respectively 5.5 x 2.1 and 5.5 x 2.5 mm, or is it something different ?
In the E30 thread, it was said that the E30 power connector was exactly 5.5 x 2.1 mm : https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-e30-dac-review.12119/post-505883
AFAIK the L30 power connector is 5.5 x 2.5 mm.
So normally the E30 power cable shouldn't be able to fit into the L30 connector. Unfortunately it does, because like it was said, it "is universal and fits both 2.1 and 2.5". I believe that's why some people have had issues in the past, putting the wrong cable into the wrong connector.
Is this correct ? Are the E30 and L30 power connectors respectively 5.5 x 2.1 and 5.5 x 2.5 mm, or is it something different ?
It's the other way around.
If you forcefully insert E30's DC supply to L30, actually nothing would happen. Because L30 has DC detection and won't turn on. The issue was L30 was designed after E30, so it's perfectly safe for L30 but not the other way around. L30's higher voltage AC supply fits into E30's DC jack. That's what caused issue. But I can't remember since when (last year) E30 added another protection against higher voltage til 30V or so I believe.
Jose Hidalgo
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Great, I understand. But L30 power is 5.5 x 2.5 mm, right ? So the past incidents mean that the L30 2.5mm power plug would also fit the E30 2.1mm power connector.
My question is only to better understand the products specs, that's all. I have 7 of them now, so...
(but I'm only using 5 - the two others are the old L30 <2012 which I don't use anymore)
My question is only to better understand the products specs, that's all. I have 7 of them now, so...
(but I'm only using 5 - the two others are the old L30 <2012 which I don't use anymore)
You are correct.Great, I understand. But L30 power is 5.5 x 2.5 mm, right ? So the past incidents mean that the L30 2.5mm power plug would also fit the E30 2.1mm power connector.
My question is only to better understand the products specs, that's all. I have 7 of them now, so...
(but I'm only using 5 - the two others are the old L30 <2012 which I don't use anymore)
View attachment 136358
Veri
Master Contributor
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7Great, I understand. But L30 power is 5.5 x 2.5 mm, right ? So the past incidents mean that the L30 2.5mm power plug would also fit the E30 2.1mm power connector.
My question is only to better understand the products specs, that's all. I have 7 of them now, so...
(but I'm only using 5 - the two others are the old L30 <2012 which I don't use anymore)
View attachment 136358
@JohnYang1997, can you help @amirm update his out of date message at the top of the main page for this review?
I avoid linking to this review when helping others on Reddit choose an amp because it needlessly creates fear about a problem that's been solved. And quite frankly, it often initiates a discussion about what happened that I really don't want to get into.
So I pretty much stopped linking to it. I might not be the only one. And it's too bad, because the measurements are excellent and help the amp to sell itself.
I avoid linking to this review when helping others on Reddit choose an amp because it needlessly creates fear about a problem that's been solved. And quite frankly, it often initiates a discussion about what happened that I really don't want to get into.
So I pretty much stopped linking to it. I might not be the only one. And it's too bad, because the measurements are excellent and help the amp to sell itself.
Since you tagged Amir, probably he would update that soon.
@amirm If you have not been following, the issue was caused by ESD with low input resistance destroying the opamp. Units with 2012 and newer Serial Number have fixed DC and ESD protection.
Thanks in advance.
May I ask if there was any modification a the input section of the L30? Something like resistor before the op amp?
ESD protection so there's another path for ESD current to go instead of the input pin of the opamp. Newly designed models will have another layer of protection, dedicated ESD clamping diodes for every input and output.
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