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Topping L30 II Review (Headphone Amp)

Rate this headphone amplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 10 2.8%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 11 3.0%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther

    Votes: 28 7.7%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 314 86.5%

  • Total voters
    363

jindorii

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Feb 16, 2023
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Hello. I currently have a FiiO E10K which I'm using as DAC and L30 II as amp.

I'm planning to buy E30 II to partner with my L30 II.


My daily use case is:
E10K -> Line Out -> powered speakers
E10K -> Line out -> L30 II -> headphones

I have a question about the difference of preamps between E30 II and L30 II.

If I setup (E30II -> L30II), would I be able to use my powered speakers with L30 II pre-amp? So that I just need to flick the switch on L30 II whether I'm using speakers or headphones?

I'm currently swapping cables on E10K line out depending if I'm using speakers or headphones. And doing the same for using E30II as pure DAC would be a pain.
 

Miiksuli

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Oct 2, 2021
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Hello. I currently have a FiiO E10K which I'm using as DAC and L30 II as amp.

I'm planning to buy E30 II to partner with my L30 II.


My daily use case is:
E10K -> Line Out -> powered speakers
E10K -> Line out -> L30 II -> headphones

I have a question about the difference of preamps between E30 II and L30 II.

If I setup (E30II -> L30II), would I be able to use my powered speakers with L30 II pre-amp? So that I just need to flick the switch on L30 II whether I'm using speakers or headphones?

I'm currently swapping cables on E10K line out depending if I'm using speakers or headphones. And doing the same for using E30II as pure DAC would be a pain.
Yes. You can switch gain settings for your liking.
 

Roland68

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So that I just need to flick the switch on L30 II whether I'm using speakers or headphones?

I'm currently swapping cables on E10K line out depending if I'm using speakers or headphones. And doing the same for using E30II as pure DAC would be a pain.
My question is, why don't you connect both to the L30 II now and toggle with the switch?
Adding the E30 II wouldn't change that.
 

jindorii

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Feb 16, 2023
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My question is, why don't you connect both to the L30 II now and toggle with the switch?
Adding the E30 II wouldn't change that.
Yes, that's my main question.

I was just emphasizing that swapping cables on E30II would be harder since it would be two cables instead of one with the E10k. Especially if I stack them and put it below.

I don't use my L30 II when using speakers because I'm just being frugal since L30II would just consume electricity and I don't actually need a preamp.

It's just that if I get the E30II, I would have no choice but to use the preamp for convenience.
 
Last edited:

Roland68

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I don't use my L30 II when using speakers because I'm just being frugal since L30II would just consume electricity and I don't actually need a preamp.
Please keep in mind that the power supply of the L30 (II) always consumes power, as it is only a transformer, even if you switch off the L30.
 

jindorii

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Please keep in mind that the power supply of the L30 (II) always consumes power, as it is only a transformer, even if you switch off the L30.
Didn't know about this. But yes, I'm also plugging it off when I'm not using it.
 

shoto

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Jul 4, 2021
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all dac reviews use 100k load for testing, but very low input impedance 2.5kohm is on most of the topping amps I think.
How can we know the DACs perform at the level in the reviews under those low impedance loads? has it been tested??
isnt this something important to consider?
 

jasonhanjk

Active Member
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Mar 24, 2019
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all dac reviews use 100k load for testing, but very low input impedance 2.5kohm is on most of the topping amps I think.
How can we know the DACs perform at the level in the reviews under those low impedance loads? has it been tested??
isnt this something important to consider?
It's actually 10k ohm.

If uses old DACs (example a CD player), avoid these Topping amps as they are spec min 10k ohm.
If uses Topping DAC, hope that the engineer at Topping tested their DAC Amp combo.
Your best bet is to get DAC can drive HP, example Sxfi amp or 7Hz 71 dongle.

Yes it is important because loading too much will increase distortion at the source.
 

shoto

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all the dashboard measurement say 100k, where do you see 10k.

I know it is important, that is literally the point I am making, so why isnt it being tested?
 

jasonhanjk

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Mar 24, 2019
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all the dashboard measurement say 100k, where do you see 10k.

I know it is important, that is literally the point I am making, so why isnt it being tested?
Some history:

10k ohm is actual real world product specification.
For proper dac measurements, the engineer will use a 10k ohm load externally. Not the AP dashboard.

Why is anybody guess, for me I won't buy this product knowing it's won't fit my vintage player.
 

shoto

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Ok, thanks for history lesson, where is evidence the ASR dac tests use 10k load?
 

Piere

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Feb 24, 2022
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I am quite happy with the E30/L30-II stack on my desk. Great performance! But.... I don't know if it has already been noted, I didn't dig through all the past 35 pages, the power entries for both units are the same and near the same place. Powering can easily be interchanged by accident. The L30 will probably survive 5V DC but I don't think the E30 DAC will do the same when feed with 15VAC!

Topping-E30-L30.jpg
 

solderdude

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And to think that there are different versions of those barrel type power plugs that could prevent plugging higher/AC voltage plugs into 5Vdc receptacles.
 

Dunring

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Just got one of these and with the E50 DAC, it's really impressive how low the noise floor is. Compared to the SMSL SP200 it's really noticeable. Might get an XLR 4 pin to RCA 1/4" adapter for testing balanced headphones that come in and keep it as a daily driver. I have a Sabaj A20h next to it and for single end performance I think it's the best out there. The A20h has a ton of grunt on the balanced side, but if you like the 600 ohm Beyers, this and an adapter is the winner for me. Hope they make an E50 II with XLR someday with this performance. Until then I'm keeping this puppy. I have an A90 Discreet behind me too, but for single ended power this pulls way ahead. The A90D rocks the HE6se if you do a preamp reduction to equalize, but these and the He5xx and maybe get the DT880 600ohm again to compare.
 

Veri

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Just got one of these and with the E50 DAC, it's really impressive how low the noise floor is. Compared to the SMSL SP200 it's really noticeable. Might get an XLR 4 pin to RCA 1/4" adapter for testing balanced headphones that come in and keep it as a daily driver. I have a Sabaj A20h next to it and for single end performance I think it's the best out there. The A20h has a ton of grunt on the balanced side, but if you like the 600 ohm Beyers, this and an adapter is the winner for me. Hope they make an E50 II with XLR someday with this performance. Until then I'm keeping this puppy. I have an A90 Discreet behind me too, but for single ended power this pulls way ahead.
Sick amps set-up mate
 

Lambo1985

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Mar 12, 2023
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Greetings All,

This is my first post on this forum. I recently purchased the L30 ii. It is an incredible amp. I've been comparing to the highly rated/regarded usual suspects in this range/category (4 different HP Amps), and this is the sharpest, cleanest, and most dynamic of them all. Right now, the purpose/goal of the amp is to be my living room couch companion that I feed with a Galaxy S10+ (Snapdragon 855 version. Low output, but sounds awesome), and listen with an Edition XS & Ananda Stealth. - I have a question regarding the L50/L70. I do music production and have audio interfaces (Motu M4, Focusrite Clarett 2pre) with 1/4 balanced line outs. I'm curious to know if there is a difference (if any) in sound, between the L30 ii and the L50/L70 when fed with the same source/connection. I'm so impressed with the L30 ii, that I've been thinking of getting an L50 or L70 as a dedicated HP amp for my interfaces (I can feed them balanced 1/4). Given how great the L30 ii is, It's hard to imagine how much can be improved. Especially considering my needs for dynamics and neutrality in a studio setting.

Will there be any sonic improvement or change moving up to either the L50/L70 from the L30 ii? - Any objective or subjective opinions will be greatly appreciated! :) - Thanks!
 

Piere

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Feb 24, 2022
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You only can get subjective answers me think :) From a technical viewpoint: The interfaces you mentioned have balanced outputs where both "plus" and "minus" outputs are hard driven by an op-amp. So connect the L30 only to the tip of the jack to your interface and leave the ring open. No need to short the op-amp of the minus output of your interface!
 

Lambo1985

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You only can get subjective answers me think :) From a technical viewpoint: The interfaces you mentioned have balanced outputs where both "plus" and "minus" outputs are hard driven by an op-amp. So connect the L30 only to the tip of the jack to your interface and leave the ring open. No need to short the op-amp of the minus output of your interface!
I have RCA to unbalanced 1/4 adapters. So I would use RCA cables with the 1/4 adapters to connect to the interfaces. The signal just becomes unbalanced. It's not really an issue. The signal may not be as clean, but it's not significant enough to make an audible difference in practice. The reasons why I'd get an L50/L70, is if the sound is improved, first, then so I can use a balanced input connection, second.
 
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