Topping's new audio interface "E2X2" quick preview.

[restorer-john]

Topping entering the market will push out the bottom and force the top to improve or drop their prices.

The Focusrite 2i2v4 is a more accomplished, better looking and better supported product.

 

[tiramisu]

The Focusrite 2i2v4 is a more accomplished, better looking and better supported product.

At twice the price. It won't take topping more than 2 or 3 revisions to match or exceed Focusrite.

 

[kemmler3D]

Performance looks fine, but IME good, solid drivers and reliability matter as much as raw performance in an interface. As others have said, that will be Topping's real test if they want to be a serious player in the world of tools as well as entertainment.

If they have good results on that in 2-5 years on this unit then they can really start to join the ranks of the MOTUs and Focusrites, it simply can't happen overnight as only time can tell on this front.

 

[bloodshoteyed]

the HP amp makes no sense to me in a product like this, especially since it defeats the point of a bus powered device (for full power it needs USB power on the second USB-C)

neither of my interfaces ain't going anwhere for the time being (a Komplete 1 strictly for a mic on the stationary PC, going out to a dedicated HP amp if i really need to blow my eardrums out, nor a Minifuse2 which works damn fine while bus powered from a laptop but also has a USB throughput for MIDI components, besides the classic 5pin ports)

 

[carpman]

Performance looks fine, but IME good, solid drivers and reliability matter as much as raw performance in an interface.

Agree.

Does anyone know whether this will work on Linux Mint? I'm moving both my PCs to dual boot (Win7 x64 + Linux Mint on separate SSDs) and want an interface that can work with both or at least one). The Motu M4 (Win 10 and above) was top of the list (and seems to work with latest Linux kernel), but I'm hearing good things about the Focusrite 2i2v4 too. However, as to Linux compatibility on the Topping I can't find anything meaningful. On my main Win7 x64 machine I'm still using an M-Audio 24/96 -- but Win 7 is getting old.

Anyone have any thoughts on whether Topping has any interest in Linux? They just state compatibility with many operating systems but don't mention Linux.

Cheers,
C.

 

[Sombreuil]

Performance looks fine, but IME good, solid drivers and reliability matter as much as raw performance in an interface. As others have said, that will be Topping's real test if they want to be a serious player in the world of tools as well as entertainment.

If they have good results on that in 2-5 years on this unit then they can really start to join the ranks of the MOTUs and Focusrites, it simply can't happen overnight as only time can tell on this front.

Let's not pretend that Focusrite's drivers are good either. Same for MOTU's, it's barely useable on Windows for many users.
Topping could become an important factor if they don't mess up.

 

[kemmler3D]

Let's not pretend that Focusrite's drivers are good either. Same for MOTU's, it's barely useable on Windows for many users.
Topping could become an important factor if they don't mess up.

I've been using a MOTU M2 on Windows for a couple years with no serious issues...? Echo used to have the best drivers, but I haven't had a new interface from them in quite a few years.

 

[Sombreuil]

I've been using a MOTU M2 on Windows for a couple years with no serious issues...? Echo used to have the best drivers, but I haven't had a new interface from them in quite a few years.

I didn't say all users, but many. The M2/M4 are notoriously known to have issues on Windows (especially on AMD hardware).

 

[s4tch]

I didn't say all users, but many. The M2/M4 are notoriously known to have issues on Windows (especially on AMD hardware).

Hi, new user here who just googled the Topping and happen to have the Motu M2 for ~2 years with an all AMD computer (Ryzen cpu, Radeon vga): absolutely zero issues. I'm only considering the Topping because of the potentially better headphone amp experience. Cheers

 

[lkanies]

the HP amp makes no sense to me in a product like this, especially since it defeats the point of a bus powered device (for full power it needs USB power on the second USB-C)

The extra power in the headphone amp is a big benefit to me -- for multiple reasons, it's much better for me to just have one device, and this enables it.

And the power supply is, weirdly, a feature for me -- my Neumann KH 80s are really bad at auto on/off, but I can plug them into a smart plug with this and the plug should automatically turn them off and on when I slip the power on the interface.

 

[paudio]

For anyone that wants balanced outputs to their studio monitors, inputs and a good headphone amp all in one unit this thing is not bad for $230 CAD. It's annoying to be using different devices all the time for all 3 things. There is literally nothing that competes until you spend $1300 CAD on a RME Babyface Pro FS.

 

[JSmith]

@amirm's review is up;

Topping E2x2 Audio Interface Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Topping Professional E2x2 audio interface (ADC, DAC, Headphone Amp). It was sent to me by the company and costs US $159. As the British would say, the E2x2 definitely "looks the part" as far as fitting in the general offering of interfaces in...

www.audiosciencereview.com

JSmith

 

[Halcyon]

Topping solo model E1x2 OTG has a separate input (USB-C) for power (2 USB-C for data):

E1x2 OTG | TOPPING Professional

topping.pro

Also, FocusRite MIc preamps are not known to be the cream of the crop in their price range:

Whereas the Topping E2x2 looks to be decent for the price.

Most people buying cheap audio interfaces (needing both headphone output with an amp AND mic inputs) know they are making a compromise. You just have to balance where you make that compromise : features, output, input, quality, price, etc.