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Topping L70 Headphone Amp Review

Rate this headphone amplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 14 4.4%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 2 0.6%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 29 9.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 272 85.8%

  • Total voters
    317

rarewolf

Active Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2022
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Is anyone aware of the error codes that might come up on the L70?

Mine came up with the code ‘r3’ when prompted to turn on via the 12V trigger, and then was unresponsive. I turned it off for a few seconds and then on again, and it’s now sweetly playing loud & clear again…
 

Jimster480

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Ok, so I've had my E/L 70s for 2 weeks now, so it's about time I contributed my impressions even though I really haven't wanted to, due to embarrasment.
I'm a recovering audiophile. I used to want expensive cables, $50k amps, $100k speakers etc. Over the last decade I've researched acoustics, joined forums like this one and hydrogen audio (they're cut-throat over there!) and it's help me recover from some silly beliefs. Well, I feel silly again. I think.

My stack is: Gentoo Linux computer mpv -> pipewire -> usb -> E70 -> L70 -> Sony MDR-7506

So, yeah my headphones are meh (I'll upgrade to DCA Stealth next), but the Topping units replaced a Focusrite Scarlet Solo which will be doing mic input duty now if needed.

What am I hearing and experiancing? I'm a fan of 菅野よう子 (Yoko Kanno). I have 866 of her tracks, a lot of favorites. "Favorites" not as in I really like them, but that I feel in love with the music. They feel like my own mind written out as musical notation. Even though I've listened to some of them hundreds of times, they make me weep every time. The first thing I played over them was her track "Medley" from Toko Sora. I didn't weep. I bawled. It felt like I was really hearing into it for the first time. It wasn't the usual "I've never heard that there was x instument there" this was actually hard to describe. I didn't hear a string section, I heard each string instrument as a separate entity all it's own.

This experiance is repeated with every track I've played since. Not the bawling, but the presense of individual instruments and voices. This combo takes things apart. The beach boys sound like separate people singing. It's still harmony, but it's not as ... melded? I don't hear "chiors" through these, I hear individual people. I hear the tremlo and of a sax solo that I've never noticed, and I swear I can hear the player's mouth movements. Kick drums don't go *thump* anymore, they have an envelope now and they produce notes.

One of my reference tracks is "Smile that Explodes" by Joseph Arthur. In the chorus a female singer appears to sing in both of your ears at once, while Joseph is in the middle. I'd wondered how they did that, and now I can hear that there's a delay in her voice in one ear.

All of these things I'm hearing are just there. I'm not listening for them. There so damned obvious now, as though someone changed the color of my walls from gold to bright yellow. These are definately awesome at the end of my studio chain.

So, different DACs should sound the same, amps of a type should sound the same. I haven't changed my software settings or anything and my hearing hasn't become better. What the hell am I hearing?

Addendum: There are some tracks that sound so different, that I'd swear they're not the same mixes. They are, but they don't sound like it.
Well if before you had a Scarlett; it has a kinda crappy amp overall. So really having a proper headphone amp that can drive your headphones properly does the biggest wonders for sound from everything in your chain except the headphones themselves. Although I have found more "normie" mundane headphones to sound much better through a proper amp because average everyday products just in general don't provide enough power for headphone amps. Most companies don't give it a thought and use a "single chip solution" and it sounds as such.
 

nagster

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
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593
I appreciate the response. Coming from the studio world, it just seems like such an odd measurement/spec to leave out.

Well, if anyone that has it could measure when the front end clips it would be much appreciated. Thanks again.
Four months have passed, but here is the L70 THD+N Ratio vs Generator Level graph.
tp_l70_rca_maxin_02.png
tp_l70_xlr_maxin_02.png
 

nagster

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
361
Likes
593
Are you saying that high amplification is better?
Theoretically, the lower the gain, the lower the output noise.
This graph does not allow direct comparison of each sweep line.
The Y-axis is the measured 1kHz sine wave level and the ratio of distortion + noise, but because the measured 1kHz levels of each sweep line are inconsistent. The X-axis here is the generator output level = L70 input level.
This measurement is mainly to understand the clipping level of the L70 input.
 

NexusOne

Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2021
Messages
58
Likes
7
I want to buy the E70 and L70 combo for my Edition XS because it is clean and neutral. I read in the other thread there is a channel unbalance. But that‘s Not a standard? I think if you Need a Remote there is no better choice than this?
 
Joined
Mar 27, 2023
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2
@staticV3 Hello! Do you have a graph of l70 power versus headphone impedance (balanced connections E70 4V with l70)?

I saw in one of the threads of the forum that you provided such a graph for the A30 pro (screenshot page mycurvefit.com).

Or please tell me what power the l70 has when using headphones with a resistance of 13 ohms (if using DCA Aeon 2 with a balanced cable)
 

Zeliya

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2023
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@staticV3 Hello! Do you have a graph of l70 power versus headphone impedance (balanced connections E70 4V with l70)?

I saw in one of the threads of the forum that you provided such a graph for the A30 pro (screenshot page mycurvefit.com).

Or please tell me what power the l70 has when using headphones with a resistance of 13 ohms (if using DCA Aeon 2 with a balanced cable)
 

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luv2fly3

New Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2021
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Hi, I have four questions on the functionality and use of this device as a pre-amp. Apologies if they are somewhat basic. Hopefully someone with technical expertise wants to chime in.

1) Is it possible to use both RCA-out and XLR-out simultaneously? (RCA to powered sub, XLR to power amplifier)

2) I wish to use it between a Topping D70s and a AUDIOPHONICS MPA-S125NC (=Hypex Ncore NC122MP). Is compatibility assured, which values (output and input impedance etc.) should I check?

3) Probably related to the previous question: should I connect the Topping D70s to the L70 through RCA or through XLR? Does this matter?

4) I don't plan to use these for headphone listening often, and if I do, my headphones are not hard to drive. Am I correct that in this use scenario, there are no advantages of the more pricy Topping A90D to the L70?
Did you ever get an answer for #1? I would like to do the same thing and power a sub off the RCA and amp off XLR. Do they work at the same time?
 

Shando

Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2020
Messages
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4
Just received the L70 today listening with HD6XX and HE400se connected via RCA to a Samsung tablet. First impression it looks sharp in all black and red accent on the volume knob. What can I say it sounds good to me with plenty of power. I really like that big display and It didn't take long to familiarize myself with the remote. I didn't realize having both headphones connected is such a convenience, just hit the programmed buttons to switch headphones. Waiting on E70 to arrive in a couple of days.
Can I ask you if you bought your L70 from massdrop and how much you spent on it please? Thank you. I am trying to figure out how much it cost on massdrop before deciding where to buy.

Also how would the L70 be for Hifiman Aryas or should I go with a Schitt Asgard?
 
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staticV3

Master Contributor
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Can I ask you if you bought your L70 from massdrop and how much you spent on it please? Thank you. I am trying to figure out how much it cost on massdrop before deciding where to buy.
The L70 is not available on Drop.
 

Shando

Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2020
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4
The L70 is not available on Drop.
Ah, I got it confused with another Topping 70 name. Thank you for the information.

Do you have any suggestions for an amp under $300 for a Hifiman Arya or Hifiman Ananda please?
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
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What connectivity (input and output connectors), functionality, form factor, remote/not remote, price range, performance, volume control accuracy, gain options, pre-amp or through out functionality or is neither O.K. ? Specific brands are you looking for (availability thing).
What is the music source ? DAC/streamer/analog/phone/tablet/laptop/PC ?
How loud do you want to play ? Extremely loud, just loud (occasionally), never above comfortable (all day) levels.
Tubes or SS ? TOTL signal fidelity or more than good enough for perfect sound ?
Plan to buy more headphones over the years ?

The Arya nor Ananda are very demanding headphones and output resistance of an amp does not matter.
 
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Ahmonge

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Do you have any suggestions for an amp under $300 for a Hifiman Arya or Hifiman Ananda please?
Fiio K5 Pro. Drives Ananda extremely well, even at 0dB medium gain
 

Shando

Member
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Aug 26, 2020
Messages
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What connectivity (input and output connectors), functionality, form factor, remote/not remote, price range, performance, volume control accuracy, gain options, pre-amp or through out functionality or is neither O.K. ? Specific brands are you looking for (availability thing).
What is the music source ? DAC/streamer/analog/phone/tablet/laptop/PC ?
How loud do you want to play ? Extremely loud, just loud (occasionally), never above comfortable (all day) levels.
Tubes or SS ? TOTL signal fidelity or more than good enough for perfect sound ?
Plan to buy more headphones over the years ?

The Arya nor Ananda are very demanding headphones and output resistance of an amp does not matter.
Whatever input comes with the Arya, not sure.

Just a good amp to take full advantage of the Arya.

Form Factor just needs to not be too hot when in use

Don't care if remote or no remote.

Under $300

Not sure about performance or volume control accuracy, gain options, pre-amp, or through out functionality.

located in the USA, don't have a preference for brand. Some people mentioned the Topping L70 is too clinical for the Aryas.

Music source would probably be from my PC and flac files normally.

I want to play it at a comfortable level, not looking to play very loud for the most part except maybe rarely.

No preference for tube or SS. I know tubes give it a warmer sound, but SS should be fine too.

Don't see myself buying another headphone after the Arya for a while.
 

solderdude

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Some people mentioned the Topping L70 is too clinical for the Aryas.
Nonsense.



for a good list that is already more than good enough see:
You can add:
FiiO K5 Pro
Topping L70
Sabaj A10h
AOSHIDA SMSL C200
Chord DAVE (just kidding)
 
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