Topping L50 Review (Headphone Amp)

[Yorkshire Mouth]

I might be wrong here but I don't believe it is balanced from beginning to end. As shown in this image, it can accept a balanced input and output a balanced signal, however internally it is single ended.

I believe Amir said something in a video about this; effectively, "So what!"

There are advantages to the end user of balanced inputs (eliminate ground loop), and balanced outputs (more power for tough 'phones), but what happens in between only matters in as far is it affects performance. So look at the performance, rather than the topology.

If it measures great, and is balanced right through, or measures exactly the same and isn't balanced right through, what difference is that to the end user.

 

[TK750]

I believe Amir said something in a video about this; effectively, "So what!"

There are advantages to the end user of balanced inputs (eliminate ground loop), and balanced outputs (more power for tough 'phones), but what happens in between only matters in as far is it affects performance. So look at the performance, rather than the topology.

If it measures great, and is balanced right through, or measures exactly the same and isn't balanced right through, what difference is that to the end user.

I wasn't claiming it matters at all, simply pointing out a misconception/difference the person I was replying to mentioned.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

I wasn't claiming it matters at all, simply pointing out a misconception/difference the person I was replying to mentioned.

No worries.

I pass on to you that which I received.

 

[o7_brother]

L50 is basically a cost down version of A30pro.

Will this heat up as much as the A30 Pro? Maybe not the amp itself since the PS is external, but would the combined heat output of L50 and its power brick be the same as the A30 Pro? I like my A30 Pro but in summer it heats up my desk space too much... A90 is better in this regard.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Will this heat up as much as the A30 Pro? Maybe not the amp itself since the PS is external, but would the combined heat output of L50 and its power brick be the same as the A30 Pro? I like my A30 Pro but in summer it heats up my desk space too much... A90 is better in this regard.

It will run pretty much cool. It will be cooler than A90. It's basically the heat from L30 but dissipated in a larger box.

 

[Xyrium]

So many deserved wows in this thread...this thing has to be the darling of the amp market right now.

I may have missed it, and need to go back and read, but, metal chassis?

Edit: ok alu chassis, plexiglass front? I like it, reminds me of an old guitar amp that I adore.

 

[FireLion]

Wait.....they made a balanced amp with no balanced output? Not even a 4.4?

Wasted opportunity in being able to compete with the zen dac and zen can. There are many users especially IEM desktop users that like to a avail of this connector.
.

 

[kchap]

It can drive balanced headphones. It has a 4 pin XLR connector. It will deliver the the same power, noise, distortion etc. to both balanced and unbalanced headphones.

 

[Giangi71]

Passthrough means it's fixed only.
In order to use SE passthrough, you need to also connect SE input with the DAC output. So both RCA and TRS are needed to be connected between the dac and the L50.

Ok, that's true

 

[wyup]

Connectionwise, I think Topping should provide with either L50 or E50 a straight angled TRS connector similar to those bridges found in some integrated amplifiers connecting line pre-outs and power-ins. Even having a short TRS 1/4'' cable between them makes a hard bend at the back in such a short distance between E50 and L50. This way we wouldn't need to buy or make this special cable and have a neat arrangement when going for the stack.

 

[ShiZo]

@JohnYang1997 what is the fw port for?

 

[JohnYang1997]

@JohnYang1997 what is the fw port for?

Firmware upgrade.

 

[Bel Canto]

Has anyone here listened to the new L50 yet?
Very interested in sound impressions.

 

[L-Train]

Has anyone here listened to the new L50 yet?
Very interested in sound impressions.

I just got mine in this morning and am listening to it now with a Lynx E44 going into the balanced input, outputting to a pair of HD 600s. Subjectively I find it incredibly detailed across the spectrum, moreso than the THX 789 it replaced. In particular, the bass sounds more defined and feels like it has a realistic "weight" to it, maybe because the L50 is DC coupled on its balanced input (I think?). The 789 on the other hand sounded a bit wooly(?) in the low end. The L50 reminds me very much of the amp I was using prior to the 789, "The Wire" headphone amp by opc over on the diyaudio.com forum, which was ruthlessly detailed (in a good way) and dead neutral. The Wire was the first amp that made my HD 600s sound "holographic" in a way, which I found was lost with the 789, but the L50 brings back that quality in spades.

To follow up on a question I asked earlier in this thread, the TRS jacks aren't spaced far enough apart to allow for TRS to XLR adapters. A TRS to XLR cable (or short adapter cable) is needed.

 

[JDA]

Hi,

Just had a listen to an E50/L50 stack, in an A/B with an E30/L30 stack, using Sennheiser HD600s. I could hear a difference, but it was VERY slight, and I honestly could not say I preferred the more expensive kit.

Someone with better ears / cans might be able to I'll post this in the E50 and L50 threads.

Regards,

JustDacs

 

[ShiZo]

Hi,

Just had a listen to an E50/L50 stack, in an A/B with an E30/L30 stack, using Sennheiser HD600s. I could hear a difference, but it was VERY slight, and I honestly could not say I preferred the more expensive kit.

Someone with better ears / cans might be able to I'll post this in the E50 and L50 threads.

Regards,

JustDacs

Im not surprised. The e30 l30 stack is amazing. The l30 is still SOTA. You could try the e50 on the l30 and vice versa to see what you hear.

 

[JDA]

Im not surprised. The e30 l30 stack is amazing. The l30 is still SOTA. You could try the e50 on the l30 and vice versa to see what you hear.

Hi,

Yes, I did that, and it was even more difficult to notice a difference. I didn't do A/B (E50/L30-E50/L50 / E30/L50-E50/L50) or I would have had to unbox two of each unit. But E50/L30 vs E30/L50 sounded almost identical to me.

Regards,

JustDacs

 

[EKbluesboy]

As you can see from my signature I have a Topping L30. For a long time I had a very heavily (R.G.) modded Musical Fidelity X-Cans V2, which served me well especially with some of my higher impedance cans. Looking for more valve-rolling ability, I sold the MF V2 and bought a Little Dot MkII which also drove my hungrier cans nicely. However, something about my taste obviously began to change as the valve sound became increasingly unsatisfactory to me. Later I bought a Class A Myryad Z40, again which drove my higher impedance cans nicely. Realising that I was beginning to prefer cleaner sounding electronics rather than valve 'grunginess', I came across a review by Amir of the Topping L30. Looking at the specs whetted my appetite, and I thought I'd dip a toe in the waters. I made sure I got one (in a gorgeous red case) with a serial number which meant it couldn't damage my headphones (2012). Finding out about this amp is what prompted me to join and donate to the forum.

Well the L30 was a revelation. Super-clean, super-fast, I really loved it. I've only had it about a month or so, but have realised that unfortunately, although it could drive my higher impedance cans, there just wasn't much headroom left. Beyerdynamic DT 880 (600 ohms), A.K.G. K240 Sextett (600 ohms), were perfectly listenable but couldn't really rock out. My 300 and 250 ohm cans also felt as though they could do with just a little bit more 'oomph'. So I have kept a hold of my Myryad and Little Dot. I just wished I could get the L30 to really get a grip of my big boys.

So, in search of more power, I was about to pull the trigger on an A30 Pro, or get my credit card out and bite the bullet for an A90, but up popped the review of the L50. I thought it just might fit the bill as it would have (hopefully) the little bit of extra power that was lacking in the L30. Also, having balanced inputs meant I would be able to use the 4 volt balanced XLR outputs of my Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6 which again should provide another little uptick in power.

So it arrived yesterday, and tonight was the first chance I have had to plumb it in to my rack and have a listen. One nice thing was I only had to swap out the amps, keeping my original L30 power supply in situ (it's the same PSU for both models).

I'm listening at the moment to my DT 880's. I've got the amp on high gain, and I'm about 40% on the volco and it's plenty loud, but with the ability to go much louder if I want to go bat-shit crazy for a few tracks. It goes without saying that for all my lower impedance cans (300, 250 and lower) my ears give up long before the amp does.

I think someone earlier in the thread asked how the L50 sounded. I'd be slightly suspicious of someone telling me how these amps 'sounded'. Flowery audiophile descriptions of the sound is all very well for various Class A or valve amps (or different forums), but these amps have flat FR's and vanishingly low THD, etc, etc. The most I feel comfortable about describing it is to say that it is powerful, neutral, detailed and clean.

I've only been listening for a couple of hours but I know I can now sell my Myryad, Little Dot and all the valves that I bought for it, and also my red L30.
The L50 can drive all my headphones to levels which satisfy me.

P.S. Of course now I'm wondering what improvement I would gain (if any) by buying an E50 balanced DAC, and feeding it from the digital out of my Stream Magic (Network Digital Pre-amp streamer) which is a few years old now and uses Wolfson dual differential WM8740 24-bit/384kHz DACs. Reading the specs for both DACs the Topping looks much better. However I wonder if it would make a significant, audible improvement to the sound? Any thoughts??

From the Stream Magic User Manual :-

D/A Converters Dual Wolfson WM8740 24-bit DACs
Analogue filter 2-Pole Dual Differential Bessel Double
Virtual Earth Balanced
THD @ 1kHz 0dBFs <0.001% 24-bit (at volume set to full)
THD @ 1kHz -10dBFs <0.001% (at volume set to full)
THD @ 20kHz 0dBFs <0.002% (at volume set to full)
Frequency Response 20Hz-20kHz +/- 0.1dB *
Signal to Noise ratio -112dBr (at volume set to full)
Total correlated jitter < 130pS
Crosstalk @ 1kHz < -100dB
Crosstalk @ 20kHz < -90dB


Thanks for reading, any thoughts,comments welcome,

Jeff

 

[AnalogSteph]

P.S. Of course now I'm wondering what improvement I would gain (if any) by buying an E50 balanced DAC, and feeding it from the digital out of my Stream Magic (Network Digital Pre-amp streamer) which is a few years old now and uses Wolfson dual differential WM8740 24-bit/384kHz DACs. Reading the specs for both DACs the Topping looks much better. However I wonder if it would make a significant, audible improvement to the sound? Any thoughts??

No, I wouldn't expect any. You've pretty much got 22 dB of extra dynamic range over even the best recordings and distortion levels that are inaudible as-is. For a line-level source, that's really as good as it needs to be.
According to here, the Stream Magic 6 v1/v2 (which I assume this is) even slightly beats its specs with a 114 dB(A) dynamic range over XLR (maybe RCA is a bit worse), and distortion of a -60 dB tone comes in at 0.04% or -128 dBFS, so linearity is to something like 21 bits.

Note that the unit seems to be using an upsampler which is likely to hard-limit at 0 dBFS, so I would make sure that enough digital headroom (maybe ~3 dB) remains at all times, especially for hot recordings. Not sure what your options are in this regard. Looks like you'd be in much the same boat as this guy. If you are already streaming from a media player that can apply ReplayGain on the fly (Foobar2000 with the UPnP Server component being one of them), you'd be fine, otherwise this is a route I would investigate. Obviously providing enough headroom for hot recordings is more of a side effect of RG, but a welcome one.

Should you find that applying RG drops your max levels too much, don't sell your E30 just yet and use that between the Stream Magic and the E50 (with an adapter cable) to provide the extra gain required if need be. I would shoot for handling of not only RG enabled, but about -3.5 dB of preamp as well - then even the most dynamic recordings (e.g. some Mahler symphonies) should be within the setup's reach.

 

[EKbluesboy]

I've just got in from work, switched the amp on, and have got a blinking LED power light and no sound!