Topping E30 II DAC Review

[raif71]

I was being sarcastic!

Besides that, I was asking about the actual post where someone said their HP was destroyed.

Even if you weren't being sarcastic it was a valid question to be asking especially here... yes rolleyes to some people who had seen the posts of HP destroyed but you have not, right? It's like some people here saying they heard this and that about a gear and yes, they too got rolleyes by the majority asking for evidences. Another note, your nametag "sarumbear", I always pictured this in my head...

Saruman + Bear

 

[HappyMetalGuy]

So guys and how about the e30 II?

 

[Jimster480]

also this E30 II has dual 4493s chip

These chips are surprisingly affordable considering their performance. Literally available for around $5.50 from Mouser if you buy a spool of like 3k units... even the 1 unit price is around like $10.30 or something where the ES9038Pro is $90 and the ROHM DAC is $95.
Even the 9018K2M is like $7-$11 and the 9038Q2M is like $10-20. CS43196 = $14-16.
The thing is that the AKM chips apparently don't have as many features as the ESS ones including jitter rejection so it requires other chips to manage that where the ESS chips have a more "SoC" design if I read the papers correctly.

 

[Veri]

The thing is that the AKM chips apparently don't have as many features as the ESS ones including jitter rejection so it requires other chips to manage that where the ESS chips have a more "SoC" design if I read the papers correctly.

Yeah unless in sync mode I believe ESS chips use ASRC to easier lock onto digital input.

 

[Roland68]

Does anyone know which input chip is used for SPDIF in the E30 II?
Is it still the CS8416 or another chip?

AKM is rumored to be producing the AK4118 and AK4137 again, but they're not expected to be available until the end of the year.

 

[Atanasi]

Does anyone know which input chip is used for SPDIF in the E30 II?
Is it still the CS8416 or another chip?

The datasheet says Digital Processing, which suggests Topping's implementation based on a microcontroller.

 

[sarumbear]

Even if you weren't being sarcastic it was a valid question to be asking especially here... yes rolleyes to some people who had seen the posts of HP destroyed but you have not, right? It's like some people here saying they heard this and that about a gear and yes, they too got rolleyes by the majority asking for evidences. Another note, your nametag "sarumbear", I always pictured this in my head...
View attachment 220815

Saruman + Bear

Old Sarum - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Roland68]

The datasheet says Digital Processing, which suggests Topping's implementation based on a microcontroller.

On the topping homepage and on Hifigo it says that the E30 II also decodes MQA?

 

[Veri]

Does anyone know which input chip is used for SPDIF in the E30 II?
Is it still the CS8416 or another chip?

See earlier here. No off-the-shelf chip seems to be used (looks like replacing the AK with CS one gave too much trouble)

Topping E30 II DAC Review

Good point. I think those are excellent points. I'd say, however, there's a difference between getting an exchange from, say, Western Digital or Samsung. Those brands are typically sold to consumers via retailers (not always, of course), and it is most often easier to deal with an...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[raif71]

Old Sarum - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Thanks for the heads up

 

[conuss]

The datasheet says Digital Processing, which suggests Topping's implementation based on a microcontroller.

Continue to speculate, but, it is necessary to have, so, let the developer answer clearly. If this version will again be stupid with S/PDIF (then polarity, then jitter) in contrast to other manufacturers, then it's time for this developer to sign off on the mediocrity.

 

[Veri]

Continue to speculate, but, it is necessary to have, so, let the developer answer clearly. If this version will again be stupid with S/PDIF (then polarity, then jitter) in contrast to other manufacturers, then it's time for this developer to sign off on the mediocrity.

You have your answer here. In any case it should be improved from the E30s that have CS8416, they made the E30-II with bad jitter source compatibility in mind. But it remains to be seen if it will be flawless in real world usage.

 

[HappyMetalGuy]

On the topping homepage and on Hifigo it says that the E30 II also decodes MQA?

Don't know what they mean by support, I think it reads as any other DAC (without unfolding software and hardware).

 

[Triliza]

I feel for the people that have had problems with Topping's product and of course the company should stand up and remedy the problems. I don't own and of their products (yet), but I have to said that I like Topping (and the other Chinese audio companies) and wish them the best, I think they have contributed immensely to get us where we are, buying top performance products for this amount of money.

And yes, support local companies too of course (if their prices are reasonable at least), as far as I know around here no one makes dacs and amps, so it's the same to me from that point of view.

 

[tcli]

No off-the-shelf chip seems to be used (looks like replacing the AK with CS one gave too much trouble)

It probably decodes spdi/f by the XMOS , so it will explain that it could decode MQA from coax/toslink sources too. (jitter results are not really great by the way)

 

[Veri]

It probably decodes spdi/f by the XMOS , so it will explain that it could decode MQA from coax/toslink sources too. (jitter results are not really great by the way)

Ah, good catch. I thought it just said "MQA Support over USB".

 

[Kevinfc]

This comment thread is interesting, I always assume I only hear about the bad things with products and for every bad one there's 1000's working fine. I'm sure topping has a large market share in their segment so more products in the wild to go bad more people to complain. Anecdotally I still have a topping d20 that's probably 20 years old now and it's still fine, you're not going to normally read that on forums it's usually "my dacs making funny noises" etc but I digress.

Had no idea they have been around so long.

 

[staticV3]

Had no idea they have been around so long.

The D20 is ten years old. Topping's copyright dates back to 2008, so not quite 20 years

 

[Spocko]

Very Nice device. Performs better thant the Chord for a fraction of the price.

Which Chord? LOL

 

[Rahan]

Which Chord? LOL