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Topping L50 Review (Headphone Amp)

tential

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Some reviewers say the A30 has more dynamic punch, better bass, maybe a bit warmer on top.. Can some of it be?
Maybe just with harder to drive headphones?
Because the crowd that finds this content interesting wants to hear that. If you were to go and say that both sound the same, then you'll get comments telling you how boring of a reviewer you are and how you have no soul. These are the comments I saw on topping l50 videos that did not say this type of crap.
These guys make their living by telling you that there are better Sparkles, better transients, this is more warm than that.

As we've already stated numerous times, these guys cannot pick an amp out during an ab-test. If it sounds so different, they'd easily be able to tell which amp is which. These guys even go as far as to say the cable matters, some will tell you other insane stuff matters. Lifting the cable off the ground, having a unicorn poster, etc.

It has long been a Hallmark of the audiophile world to have extremely subjective descriptions of things to sell products.

You can put the same amp into different housings and they'll tell you they sound different.

When it comes to marketing, you don't Market necessarily what the product does, you actually just Market what people want to hear. The audiophile world people want to hear that each amp is unique and special and can bring out new nuances in their music every time they upgrade. Just go onto headfi. Every year the company produces a new product, it's significantly better than the old one to the ear. In 2015, the flagship product was amazing and sounds great, and then 2021 now the new flagship is 10 times better than the old flagship. But wouldn't that make the old Flagship terrible, why was the old Flagship regarded as great if audibly, it didn't do the sound tracks justice?

It's very hard to sell something on scientific data that isn't getting audibly better, as we've covered on this forum, it's scientifically impossible to tell two good amps apart. So I can't sell on science. So my best strategy is to say the science doesn't matter, and sell you on subjective sparkle words. This way, you can't measure my claims and I can keep selling you new products every few years talking about how great the dynamic punch is, how great the transients are, etc. And each year, I'll use new marketing speak to tell you how good it is.

If I told you a gtx 3090 is better than a 2080ti purely because it has "better colors" with no measurements, people would freak out. Because that community accepts scientific testing and measurements and the products do get measurable better easily. In audio, not so much, so marketing speak is easier to use to sell.

It even happens with the stock market on YouTube, You'll see people say that XYZ stock is going to the Moon, despite the company having zero revenues and no reason to go up. But that's what certain people want to hear so that content exists for people that need to hear that their favorite stock is going to go up 5, 10 x for no good reason. You can find content on YouTube that tells you that the Earth is flat, just because someone says it on YouTube doesn't make it real.
 
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Dogcoop

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Hi @amirm
would you use the high gain with the dca stealth or would you avoid the high gain as mentioned in your review?

Thanks for your help!
 

bsas

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Any reason why this amp is not on the "Rankings" main list? I am trying to compare it with the A50s :D
 

jdoe

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Recently got my hands on L50 and was really surprised. I though there was nothing which may actually amaze me again after purchase of SMSL M500, but I was wrong. I've even tried it with some old interfaces (Creative AE-5, Asus U7, even smartphone) and got an impression that L50 literally "upgrades" all of them to the next level. The most of the improvements are the soundstage and bass control. I didn't find any weak spots at all. Currently I'm using AKG K712 as main daily driver, L50 pushes even more details from the old records and made me to re-listen a lot of tracks from my collection again.
As for technical side L50 sometime gets warm, but mostly it is cold. I found that gain setting "M" sounds a little bit crispier and full-bodied (more bass) in comparison to "L".
Because I'm using K712 I can't say if balanced output brings any improvements, however I've ordered some 4-pin xlr connectors and planning to rewire old K701 for balanced use. Later I will post here if it brings any difference soundwise.
I think L50 (and L30) might be one of the best headphone amplifiers for its price. Highly recommended.
 

kchap

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I own an L50. Very happy with it. The outputs on the L50 are unbalanced, the L & R 'cold' pins on the 4 pin XLR connected together. Some argue that it is still better than sharing a common sleeve on a 6.35 mm TRS connector as it results in a lower resistance path but I suspect it will not make any audible difference.
 

Itamarz

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Recently got my hands on L50 and was really surprised. I though there was nothing which may actually amaze me again after purchase of SMSL M500, but I was wrong. I've even tried it with some old interfaces (Creative AE-5, Asus U7, even smartphone) and got an impression that L50 literally "upgrades" all of them to the next level. The most of the improvements are the soundstage and bass control. I didn't find any weak spots at all. Currently I'm using AKG K712 as main daily driver, L50 pushes even more details from the old records and made me to re-listen a lot of tracks from my collection again.
As for technical side L50 sometime gets warm, but mostly it is cold. I found that gain setting "M" sounds a little bit crispier and full-bodied (more bass) in comparison to "L".
Because I'm using K712 I can't say if balanced output brings any improvements, however I've ordered some 4-pin xlr connectors and planning to rewire old K701 for balanced use. Later I will post here if it brings any difference soundwise.
I think L50 (and L30) might be one of the best headphone amplifiers for its price. Highly recommended.
I wait for mine. The xlr is not balanced, only a connector. It's a single ended amp with balanced inputs and outputs, the connector should not change anything from what iv'e read.
 

Itamarz

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I have to say I compared the L50 with my RME Baybyface Pro FS Headphone out, and the RME felt more detailed and open in the high end. the Topping was warmer and less detailed. Also the bass felt more colored. It was a surprise for me!
I used good cables to connect between them, 1ft Mogami 2549. Is there a chance the RME is actually better or i may did something wrong? The transient could be a bit better in the Topping though.
Which amp should top the RME than for neutral sound for mixing-mastring? I heared about the Gustard h16 and Singxer sa-1
 

Dmitriy

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I have to say I compared the L50 with my RME Baybyface Pro FS Headphone out, and the RME felt more detailed and open in the high end. the Topping was warmer and less detailed. Also the bass felt more colored. It was a surprise for me!
I used good cables to connect between them, 1ft Mogami 2549. Is there a chance the RME is actually better or i may did something wrong? The transient could be a bit better in the Topping though.
Which amp should top the RME than for neutral sound for mixing-mastring? I heared about the Gustard h16 and Singxer sa-1
compare with A/B I think you will be surprised
 

Itamarz

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I have to say I compared the L50 with my RME Baybyface Pro FS Headphone out, and the RME felt more detailed and open in the high end. the Topping was warmer and less detailed. Also the bass felt more colored. It was a surprise for me!
I used good cables to connect between them, 1ft Mogami 2549. Is there a chance the RME is actually better or i may did something wrong? The transient could be a bit better in the Topping though.

compare with A/B I think you will be surprised
Compare what? I did a/b the L50 with the Baybyface
 

jdoe

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the Topping was warmer and less detailed. Also the bass felt more colored. It was a surprise for me!
For me M500 headphone output bass a little bit more refined, but L50 bass "hits like a bulldozer", which I prefer on heavy metal and on some jazz.
Topping was warmer and less detailed
Yes, I think it is more warm due to a slight bass coloration, but detail retrieval was on the same level as before, in comparison to the M500 headphone output (at least on gain setting M, I've tried to listen on L, and on some track it sounds indeed a little bit less detailed). I think this is one of the reason, why some people say that Topping A30Pro better in terms of bass response.
Is there a chance the RME is actually better or i may did something wrong?
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...yface-pro-fs-portable-interface-review.12313/ - RME is already excellent DAC and headphone amplifier, no wonder it is hard to tell if L50 brings any improvement. I would recommend to compare low impedance headphones, which could be affected by high output impedance of RME headphone amplifier. Something like 32 Ohm and lower might show substantial difference in lower frequency rendering.
I used good cables to connect between them, 1ft Mogami 2549
I'm using Canare cables (3 ft long) and today tried to connect old stock receiver RCA cable (6 ft long), difference was subtle. I would also recommend to try L50 with CirrusLogic DACs (like ID14MKII, or Asus U7), which have slightly different timbre in comparison to ESS DACs.
 

Itamarz

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For me M500 headphone output bass a little bit more refined, but L50 bass "hits like a bulldozer", which I prefer on heavy metal and on some jazz.

Yes, I think it is more warm due to a slight bass coloration, but detail retrieval was on the same level as before, in comparison to the M500 headphone output (at least on gain setting M, I've tried to listen on L, and on some track it sounds indeed a little bit less detailed). I think this is one of the reason, why some people say that Topping A30Pro better in terms of bass response.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...yface-pro-fs-portable-interface-review.12313/ - RME is already excellent DAC and headphone amplifier, no wonder it is hard to tell if L50 brings any improvement. I would recommend to compare low impedance headphones, which could be affected by high output impedance of RME headphone amplifier. Something like 32 Ohm and lower might show substantial difference in lower frequency rendering.

I'm using Canare cables (3 ft long) and today tried to connect old stock receiver RCA cable (6 ft long), difference was subtle. I would also recommend to try L50 with CirrusLogic DACs (like ID14MKII, or Asus U7), which have slightly different timbre in comparison to ESS DACs.
My headphones are pretty low impadance, I use HD58X and HD560S, the rest I have is blon-03.
"some people say that Topping A30Pro better in terms of bass response" than L50 or what?
I don't need a bulldozer I need a correct sounding amp for mixing that can be a bulldozer if a mix is a bulldozer
 

Jtakob

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I just received my l50 and noticed that it's unusually hard to plug in and unplugg the 1/4" connector. There is just way more friction than when I use the atom amp or my zen can. Is that normal or should I be concerned?

Another thing is that when switching from high gain to medium/low there is a slight popping noise on the left channel.

I hope you huys can help me out:)
 

jdoe

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Finally got some time to respond for the questions.
I just received my l50 and noticed that it's unusually hard to plug in and unplugg the 1/4" connector. There is just way more friction than when I use the atom amp or my zen can. Is that normal or should I be concerned?
This is normal for new equipment, some time later it will become more loose and easier to plug 1/4 jack. When I got M500 couple years later I was afraid that I can break its 1/4 socket because it was incredibly tight, but some time later it become more loose. Btw, it is possible to manually increase/decrease socket tension if you know how to disassemble it, thou I do not recommend.
Another thing is that when switching from high gain to medium/low there is a slight popping noise on the left channel.
I do not hear any popping noise on my unit, it might not be a problem if it works fine.
"some people say that Topping A30Pro better in terms of bass response" than L50 or what?
Yes, in comparison to the L30/L50. It is due to a slightly different amplification schematics implementation. Both are using "NFCA", but L50 is considered an improvement over A30Pro.
It really depends on what kind of content someone is listening to. For example I can clearly hear that CirrusLogic DACs better at acoustic guitar and movies SFX reproduction (like shattering glass, etc.) in comparison to ESS. That is why I got myself ID14MKII (after listening session at my friends place, where we concluded that ESS sound is a bit different). However if you are not using DAC for movies or for acoustic music then it is very hard to differentiate modern DAC chips. One more thing is that different DACs have different harmonics level, which is clearly measurable and can lead to a different sound distortion, which is usually perceived as different timbre or sound coloration. For example a lot of people prefer "AKM Velvet Sound" to ESS, because for some music genres it sounds "more musical" and not too "analytical", even if both units measures the same.
I don't need a bulldozer I need a correct sounding amp for mixing that can be a bulldozer if a mix is a bulldozer
Couple days ago I've borrowed new DX3Pro+ from my friend for a listening session (one, which uses ESS instead of AKM). I was able to listen only for a couple hours and built-in headamp sound was too "thin" for me (bass was there, but not full bodied, like on ID14MKII or M500). I've tried to connect it to the L50 and bass didn't improve (L50 and DX3Pro+ are using the same headamp approach - "NFCA", but implementation is different), so I think L50 does not bloat the bass and can be safely used for sound mixing, however please keep in mind that the product is quite new and two units of the L50 might sound slightly different due to the production quality. In case if you do not like sound of L50 please consider different options, it is always possible to return or resell for a different amplifier.
 

half_dog

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Couple days ago I've borrowed new DX3Pro+ from my friend for a listening session (one, which uses ESS instead of AKM). I was able to listen only for a couple hours and built-in headamp sound was too "thin" for me (bass was there, but not full bodied, like on ID14MKII or M500).
Sorry, I didn't get it. You said DX3 Pro Plus (ESS version) doesn't have a "full bodied" bass probably because of its DAC chip. But SMSL M500 has this characteristic although it has a ESS as well...?
 

jdoe

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Sorry, I didn't get it. You said DX3 Pro Plus (ESS version) doesn't have a "full bodied" bass probably because of its DAC chip. But SMSL M500 has this characteristic although it has a ESS as well...?
Yes, this is so confusing. Let me post here more details. So far I was able to listen L50 with following devices:
- M500V1 (not V2): DAC ES9038PRO (with ES9311 as voltage regulator), output stage opamps OPA1612. Bass response is fine, you can hear it goes very low and gives you "subwoofer" feeling, all bass notes are easily distinguished and readable.
- Audient ID14MKII: DAC CS43198, output stage opamps OPA1662 (??? not sure, can't find exact data and don't want to disassemble unit while it still has local warranty, maybe someone can tell which opamps are used). Bass is good and punchy, but not detailed as on M500. Onboard headphone amplifier is powerful, but in comparison to L50 lacks soundstage and bass is not that deep.
- Creative AE-5: DAC ES9016K2M, output stage opamps LM4562. Bass is good, deep and low, but a little bit less detailed in comparison to the M500.
- Asus U7 (first revision, not MKII): DAC CS4398, output stage opamps LME49726: bass is exceptionally good, very close to the M500, but mids and highs are very similar to the ID14MKII with a little bit less details. I bet in blind test most of the people might not be able to differentiate it from M500 if L50 is used. This fact frustrates me, because 50$ device with proper amplification might give you performance of high-end dacs.
- Topping DX3Pro+: DAC ES9038Q2M (no voltage regulator), output stage opamp LM4562 (??? I was able to google some photos, but not completely sure). Bass is not deep like on M500 or AE-5, despite the fact that all of them are using ESS dac chips. One of the possible explanations is that dac output stage implementation might affect the final sound signature, or even firmware processing can affect it. It would be great if someone else can do the same comparison with L30/L50 and different dacs. I would definitely ask my friend to lend me dac for more time, maybe it has "burn-in period", which is usually criticized as pseudo-science (from my experience I can tell that both AKG K701 and K712 do change sound signature with burn in, but they are not DAC, just headphones, which at least allow to somewhat explain burn-in changes). I'm also looking for an AKM dac, probably will purchase one just for fun in couple months, who knows, maybe "Velvet Sound" is not just marketing by AKM. Right now I can only say that DAC chip alone does not define final product sound. Five years ago people were avoiding ESS DACs because there was a belief that ESS sounds "too analytical, too harsh with a lot of sibilants", however nowadays no one would say that ESS is that bad.

I think that L50 gives ability to benchmark DAC output much better than other amplifiers, but it might be also related to my current headphones. I might try to find low impedance pair and high-impedance pair just to confirm that K712 is not a limiting factor for the L50 DACs comparison.
 
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dheepak10

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L50 is basically a cost down version of A30pro. There are two reason for no preamp for L50. One is that the amplifier is single ended. So to output a balanced output you either need to convert again or use some trick to do the balanced output without differential signalling. The second thing is that there's not enough space on the front panel for another switch like a90. There are some ways that can do all these but at a higher cost :)
Does the volume pot work with pass through? Or is it no volume control at all? The product description says use DAC pre-amp function, so I'm understanding that L50 doesn't do anything to the signal at all.

Also with the L30, in pre-amp mode, do the gain settings have an impact?

I know these are basic questions but it's appreciate the help!!
 
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