Topping L30 II Review (Headphone Amp)

[okok]

are anyone here loving their L30 MK2? I've been pairing it with my headphones for 2 days (dt990/hd650/...) but I don't find the sound as good as I hoped.

measuring good don't mean sounding good, there's a JDS atoms used to be very hyped

 

[achingears]

are anyone here loving their L30 MK2? I've been pairing it with my headphones for 2 days (dt990/hd650/...) but I don't find the sound as good as I hoped.

I paired it with my r70x. it sounds amazing and better than previous one( l30 mk1 ) in every aspect. I guess it wasn't enough to handle r70x with 6vrms power output. and now I got l30 mk2 which can provide 13vrms @300 ohm, I can clearly hear the difference in overall sound quallity.

I really love my l30 ii. they are really powerful even with SE output, which means you don't need to spend extra money for a balanced cable.

 

[Miiksuli]

measuring good don't mean sounding good, there's a JDS atoms used to be very hyped

For me high gain sounded the best. Punchy bass, dynamic and sharper treble. I'm happy for it. Medium gain had clean lows and smooth upper frequencies. A bit lifeless but for evening listening could be better and easier to control volume. I think it's the distortion thing but I like it.

 

[Curvature]

For me high gain sounded the best. Punchy bass, dynamic and sharper treble. I'm happy for it. Medium gain had clean lows and smooth upper frequencies. A bit lifeless but for evening listening could be better and easier to control volume. I think it's the distortion thing but I like it.

Making stuff up as you go, are you?

 

[bitonio]

are anyone here loving their L30 MK2? I've been pairing it with my headphones for 2 days (dt990/hd650/...) but I don't find the sound as good as I hoped.

I got it as an cheap experiment and the more I am in this hobby the more I realize the full pairing along the full chain end up being rather important.
And that's not only amp + headphone but source + DAC + amp + headphones + your ears!

What you don't like? Compared with what other setup?
What are your source and headphones?

 

[Veri]

measuring good don't mean sounding good, there's a JDS atoms used to be very hyped

I mean

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

measuring good don't mean sounding good, there's a JDS atoms used to be very hyped

Obviously, you made a wrong turn and got lost....

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

For me high gain sounded the best. Punchy bass, dynamic and sharper treble. I'm happy for it. Medium gain had clean lows and smooth upper frequencies...

Obviously, you made a wrong turn and got lost....
Part 2

 

[nyxnyxnyx]

feel free to criticize or discuss my impression, there's no way I did listen to it in a valid or scientific manner.
with beyer dt880 600 ohm it just sounded like the headphones can still use a bit more oomph. would be interesting if someone here also owns 600 ohm beyer cans and share his/her impression

 

[Snoopy]

feel free to criticize or discuss my impression, there's no way I did listen to it in a valid or scientific manner.
with beyer dt880 600 ohm it just sounded like the headphones can still use a bit more oomph. would be interesting if someone here also owns 600 ohm beyer cans and share his/her impression

Time for better headphones If the L30 doesn't "sound" good enough

 

[dontpokethebear]

How useful would this be for a dedicated pre-amp? I've been looking for something with RCA in/out that can give me a 10-20db boost with as little noise or distortion as possible. I've mentioned in a couple other threads that I use the SVS Soundpath Tri-Band wireless for my rear-surrounds and I'm struggling to get an amplifier to power speakers to level match my fronts. Cranking any amp I have on hand to max volume seems to get the job done but the static noise is awful.

This looks to solve my problem; take a 1v low volume signal and pre-amp it into dedicated speaker amplifier so that I only need to crank it halfway instead of maxing it out. Would the high-gain on this device be a good purpose for that? Or medium gain with max volume?

 

[bitonio]

Might work. I use something similar with my other amp (Jot V1).
I have RCA out to Aiyima A07 with a pair of passive speakers, and the Aiyama as a Jack out wired on the RCA in, I send this to the powered sub.
The Jot low gain, volume often less than 9' oclock and the Aiyama around 11 oclock.

 

[AndreaT]

Wow…Wow and Wow! The Cinema Show by Genesis, 2007 remastered edition (the one with SACD layer, but FLAC from 44.1/16 layer)…sound chain composed by Hidizs AP80 PRO digital USB C output to Topping E50 and SE cable to Topping L30 II, medium gain, Fiio FD5 IEM…great emotional impact…L30 II volume at 12:00…short of modifying my cranial nerve VIII receptors and re-uptake of neurotransmitters…there is not much left to upgrade the joy of reproduced sound…all this with a system for less than $ 1,000. Eons better than the already good HP output of the Hidisz…I am rekindling to IEMs and HPs…Thank you Amir for guiding us through the perilous path of high quality sound reproduction…you are an indispensable guide!

 

[Veri]

How useful would this be for a dedicated pre-amp? I've been looking for something with RCA in/out that can give me a 10-20db boost with as little noise or distortion as possible. I've mentioned in a couple other threads that I use the SVS Soundpath Tri-Band wireless for my rear-surrounds and I'm struggling to get an amplifier to power speakers to level match my fronts. Cranking any amp I have on hand to max volume seems to get the job done but the static noise is awful.

This looks to solve my problem; take a 1v low volume signal and pre-amp it into dedicated speaker amplifier so that I only need to crank it halfway instead of maxing it out. Would the high-gain on this device be a good purpose for that? Or medium gain with max volume?

You will need high gain (medium is unity gain!) but yes I don't see why it wouldn't work for your use

 

[notabenem]

I got it as an cheap experiment and the more I am in this hobby the more I realize the full pairing along the full chain end up being rather important.
And that's not only amp + headphone but source + DAC + amp + headphones + your ears!

What you don't like? Compared with what other setup?
What are your source and headphones?

For a budget of under $400, I am undecided between:
1. DX3 Plus (because I probably would not hear the difference anyway) for ~200
2. DX3 Plus AND later add an L30 II (to have 16bits at 50mV - is this very important? Is it audible?) for ~350
3. E30 II + L30II (best parts given the budget) for ~280

What would you pick and why?

 

[Ashimaru]

For a budget of under $400, I am undecided between:
1. DX3 Plus (because I probably would not hear the difference anyway) for ~200
2. DX3 Plus AND later add an L30 II (to have 16bits at 50mV - is this very important? Is it audible?) for ~350
3. E30 II + L30II (best parts given the budget) for ~280

What would you pick and why?

do you mean DX3 Pro Plus?
If you can't hear the difference in sound, then the DX3 Pro Plus is a good choice because the design is simpler (just one box instead of the E30 and L30 stack), and you get bluetooth.

Meanwhile, if you can hear the difference between SINAD or SNR difference, then the E30 II and L30 II will be better because of the analog volume of the L30 II. But you lose bluetooth and simplicity.

 

[staticV3]

What would you pick and why?

#3, because it has a lot more power. Especially at low impedances.
The DX3Pro+ has 1.9W at 16Ω, the L30II has 3.6W. That's 20% louder.

 

[tlr125]

high impedance is the main advantage of L30II, 250mw vs 550mw, L30II have no clipping at 300ohm and higher, +separate power supply, stack is always better and more flexible, you can swap dac or amp whatever you like (in case you want to upgrade)
L30II is better for low impedance IEMS's too, works fine at 12ohm and higher
there is no cheap combo unit with same power as L30II

 

[192kbps]

50 mV
-100dB? How?

 

[bitonio]

For a budget of under $400, I am undecided between:
1. DX3 Plus (because I probably would not hear the difference anyway) for ~200
2. DX3 Plus AND later add an L30 II (to have 16bits at 50mV - is this very important? Is it audible?) for ~350
3. E30 II + L30II (best parts given the budget) for ~280

What would you pick and why?

You list options, which is good, you've started to do your homework.

I'd love to know your headphone/s and source/s, existing setup (if any).

Going separate opens up some possibilities but it also adds more mess with more cables, especially power cables which need to run to a powerstrip.
The little DX3+ Pro is pretty neat for desk decluttering: nice LCD display, one remote etc...
Also the volume button, which is important to me, is really cheap on the L30 II, it feel it may fall apart on day one. DX3+ is better *BUT* it is not continuous, it has "clicks". Some people are bothered with it, some don't. I feel the DX3+ Pro construction is slightly better than the L30 II.