A $900 DAC for $270? Topping E50 and L50 DAC and Headphone Amp Review

Topping E50 amzn.to/301ySJJ
Topping L50 amzn.to/3ab3SZC
Dan Clark Aeon Closed X amzn.to/301zFKH
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[@cheapaudioman]

+++++++Topping E50 amzn.to/301ySJJ ____________Topping L50 amzn.to/3ab3SZC (((((((((((((((((((Dan Clark Aeon Closed X amzn.to/301zFKH *******************Sennheiser Drop 6XX massdrop.7eer.net/Ao00MK $$$$$$$$Amazon Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9

[@laurelhardy4064]

Hi Randy, Just want to ask, do you think the Topping E-50 dac can improve the sound of a $300 Yamaha CD-S300 cd player? Thank you.

[@error4159]

It's truly amazing what you can get now a days for under $300. A dac this good would have cost over $1000 10 years ago and it wouldn't have all the features. This dac is going to be endgame for a lot of people. Great review.

[@yuckysamson]

Man sith audio is working overtime on product development.

[@WarEagle256]

The nicest thing about the L50 is as long as you are running balanced input, it has the same single ended output as the XLR output unlike the A50s, Mobius, or 789. I'm running my L50 with the D10 balanced and its really nice. Thanks for the great review!

[@OOnti-dz4jd]

Great review. I ordered the E50 and I’m going to run it balanced with an SMSL D09 and Elac B6.2 +Sub1010.

[@spacehopper77]

I just added this E50 DAC between my Sony CDP-CX355 300 CD megastorage multiplayer and my Pioneer SX1250 receiver which then feed KF Q35.5 speakers. Wow I was never happy with the 300 CD player sound when compared to my other sources, this DAC has transformed the sound. Very happy and thanks for the review. 🦉

[@syedzgaming]

The point you made at 4:10 earned you a subscriber. No one on youtube has said this and it makes total sense, amps that measure bad especially with channel imbalance I guess can add to the illusion of soundstage.

[@stephenstevens6573]

Great review, Randy. Nice to see a reviewer that is excited about the products that he is reviewing. Rock on, brother!

[@inhopeofabettername]

2 years later and I'm still loving my audiophile sander. It sounds so amazing, especially with the $4000 cable I just got :D

[@shipsahoy1793]

I recently received a Topping E50, which I purchased new for $199 shipped, and I’m lovin’ it.🥳 No problem here on the sound. I have a MultiBit DAC that sounds the same to me after matching levels and using filter 3 (F-3) on the E50. All the filters only have subtle differences. Default F-1 is the most clinical, but still smooth, and F-2 has a more veiled presentation. F-3 seems to be the best compromise IMHO. Great value in a natural sounding DAC if you need one. More natural sounding than say a Modi+. Not to say modi is bad. Good dac for $129, but a little too sharp on speakers with razor sharp focus in the highs, so use on warmer speakers. Fwiw, my exp but ymmv (your mileage may vary). 🥂

[@traditional50shightech30]

Amazing how good this gear keeps getting better while being low cost. Thanks Randy!

[@ranbymonkeys2384]

Not much better and almost double the cost. You may want to rethink that.

[@ranbymonkeys2384]

@Douglas Blake There are printing money issues right now too. If one goes up the other goes up so that really doesn't factor in the double the price for .0002 THD and 5db of dynamic range that is the difference between the two, (TOPPINGS NUMBERS)

[@ranbymonkeys2384]

@Douglas Blake The E50 may sound better "every day of the week" but I doubt $140 better.

[@ranbymonkeys2384]

@@mat.b. E30

[@NathanPallas]

Randy, you are killing me. Keep it up! Edited to add your description of an analogue sounding DAC over analytical was literal perfection. That's exactly how I think of it too.

[@jonathanluttrell1380]

I like that you push reasonable priced gear and don't push me to take out a second mortgage for quality sound. I also ordered the Aeon Closed X because of your review on the RT. Keep up the good work. This stack will be next.

[@doifeellucky]

Good review. How close does this get to the Ares II and others in that price range?

[@patrickhager22]

When it comes to the overall performance of all of your tools together, do you prefer the sanding qualities of a direct drive sander or a belt drive sander as part of the system?

[@cheapaudioman]

I’d prefer a belt drive. But I’m too cheap

[@nascarracer886]

I have this set up. Using the DAC as a preamplifier to power Yamaha amp. Input 1 is wiim mini, input 2 tv (coax) I can switch inputs and volume from the remote. And the headphone amp connected using the balanced TRS set the headphone volume about half and you can then use volume on DAC!

[@Panslapper]

Cheers Randy, your comparison against the e30 is very welcome.

[@toddwalker4301]

Grabbed a coffee, sat on the couch, and found a new video from Randy. Life is good. Oh, and the the Sony SSCS5 speakers are arriving today, thanks to your recommendation.

[@digitalnation2876]

comparison vs ares ii ?

[@snoeplau2126]

So not much soundstage with a speaker setup? Was the E50 set to preamp or pure DAC mode? Or would that not have made a difference to soundstage?

[@eeyorebill04]

Another great one Randy! Could you go into more detail about the differences between the E50 and the Geshelli J2?

[@kyron42]

Another reviewer thought all these topping amps were so clean that unless you need ultra power you may as well just get the L30.

[@chefsteve8381]

If it wasn't for topping and smsl reviewers would have not much to do !

[@kyron42]

@@chefsteve8381 I'm hoping topping and smsl start bringing out tube amps. Something to compete with mt602 and mt604.

[@cheapaudioman]

They are cranking out the products for sure

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

@@chefsteve8381 they seem to be launching every possible combination of features while always making some sort of upgrade. a more powerful l30 would do ir for me. or a cheaper single ended ONLY l50.

[@cablebrain9691]

@@chefsteve8381 There are plenty of other brands of DACs out there, just not in the lower budget range. And I'm guessing that due to their cost, they are not being passed around as freely. Also it would be pretty embarrassing if a "budget" DAC was reviewed better than a multi-thousand dollar DAC.

[@CJDilag]

Thanks and appreciate the review Randy! Sounds like a DAC and amp stack I can use in my office. I really enjoy watching your content 👍

[@GreyTileGaming]

Thank you Randy, great review! Was in the market for a solid-state HP amp under 500. Picked up the L50 and so far really like it with the Meze 99 Neo and Freya+ tubes. Had to swing by guitar center because I forgot about the TRS to XLR but that was my fault. Going to use this with the Schiit Modius as a low-profile setup at the office.

[@starcatify]

Thanks for the video! The TRS are 6.3mm (only the smaller ones are 3.5mm)

[@AdiMaco]

Ok, Randy, you convinced me! I am in a need of a DAC with a fuller and punchier bass but also affordable. I will buy this one. Thanks for the review!!!

[@sayeduzzamanrayan9387]

Do you think this DAC will be a meaningful upgrade to the Bluesound node 2i internal DAC for stereo (mid-field) listening?

[@MrKrapule]

Got the same question. Presently Node 2i used as a preamp directly into power amp with the Criton 1tdx. Great Soundstage but highs could be more refined... thinking using e50 as dac... what preamp should I use? Thanks

[@foblivio]

Yes, an external DAC will improve on the one in the NODE 2i. I have an SMSL SU-8s connected to my 2i. Definite improvement. I also gave a Topping E30. That made a smaller improvement, but is still better. I’d imagine the E50 would be noticeably better.

[@Streaml1neJMoose]

I hear the audiophile sanders lend a lot of air to the sound coming from your speakers because of the micro dust that's added to the room when you apply them to the speaker cases...

[@kohnfutner9637]

I like how prices always go up on the heels of hype videos.

[@Nordraw]

Do you have any videos on the best way to "hook" these two (E50 L50) together and then to a computer?

[@bernardosilva7306]

Hey dude, great video (as always). I was wondering, what about the paring of the new "Topping D10 Balanced" DAC with the 'fixed' version of the "Topping L30" headphone amp? Both measure extremely well but I know that doesn't necessarily translate to good sound. It would be awesome if you could review those as even an cheaper combo! Thanks for all!

[@shaunyweaver1144]

Well after 4 weeks it arrived .. I must admit it's sodin awesome . I got the iFi iPower2 - Low Noise DC Power Supply - that was mentioned in some other review . I tried both phone and ifi . well the soundstage didn't appear any wider but what was there did . Bass Mids Treble all improved with more detail . Thanks for the heads up Randy you got this dac bang on ..

[@diemotta]

Great review. How Topping E50 could be compared to khadas tone 2 pro (In balanced DAC mode)?

[@sidesup8286]

ANSWER To Tuesdays "What Speaker Am I " question? The speaker was the unique brainchild of famed speaker designer Lincoln Walsh, who passed away shortly before it hit the audio marketplace. Using his unique upside down cone shaped driver he named after himself; the Walsh Driver. The speaker was the Ohm Model F. It's shape and uniqueness was not just to be different. Instead of beaming the sound at the listener from forward facing woofers and tweeters, the Walsh Driver dispersed sound 360 degrees, to the sides and back as well as the front, just like a real musical instrument would. Walsh also wanted to avoid phase errors and timing errors introduced by crossovers by coming up with a full range driver of exceptional properties so it wouldn't have to have and use a crossover network. It was tops for coherency with an unusually spacious, seamless and full sound that most other speakers barely hinted at. The Walsh driver upside down cone was made of the usual paper speaker driver material at the bottom, then used aluminum and titanium higher up at the point of the cone, where the treble dispersed. The wide part of the cone filled the cabinet with bass energy and the cabinet itself got wider at the bottom and was big enough for it to have deep bass. Ohm's bass response spec was very conservative. The engineer who was hired from South America, who little is known about, wanted to retire and his work was not a consistent daily 9 to 5. That, and the fact that some people were calling it the best speaker ever made, precipitated its price rise from $900pr. when it was introduced to $3,995 when it was retired. It needed hundreds of watts ideally, but a little too many and it would destruct. It had reliability issues and they eventually discontinued it. The cone required damping with a stuffing material inside it and finding a used pair where the inside stuffing material is still in optimum condition is unlikely. There is a guy whose first name is Dale who lives in Ohio, (abbreviated OH as in OHM, a coincidence), who out of his love and belief in the Walsh Driver, builds and works with them. After many years Ohm came out with the Walsh 2 speakers. Their efficiency was brought to normal levels and they could go really loud without fear of damage. However the once true full range Wash driver was then substituted for by an upside down driver that covered most of the frequencies but needed a crossover and a tweeter for the top end. With good engineering it still sounded more seamless and coherent than most speakers with a wide sweet spot and depth that sounded non- interfered with, having no wood, (which is reflective) behind the drivers. They had flat non-hyped frequency response, tight bass and they made speakers that didn't seem like they sounded like a box, sound like a box in A/B comparisons. They had a little tiny port at the bottom of the cabinet to let the bass out. The Walsh 2 had badges on the front. One speakers badge saying Ohm (to be used as the left channel) and the other saying Walsh 2, which had to be placed as the right channel speaker.

[@nc3419]

Looks like it is either this or the geshelli as options...which is good. Narrows down affordable high performance budget gear. Need MQA, the E50. No MQA, the Geshelli. Call it a day. I bought the D70S and it's nice, but more than double the price. If it were me, I'd go Geshelli.

[@ginom407]

Great Review! Thanks Randy.👍

[@JMJM75257]

Just received this dac and have been doing a/b testing with my old Sanskrit 10th MK2. I immediately noticed the e50 is more neutral and detailed. The Sanskrit to my ears has a slightly more forward midrange with a warmer presentation. I'm detecting more instrument seperation with the e50 and definitely a wider soundstage. Also the bass seems to be quicker and tighter. I have a sealed sub so perhaps it's easier to hear smaller differences. I owned the topping d10 with an ess chip. Compared to that the e50 is much less harsh. Definitely easier to listen with for long music sessions! For the money I'm really pleased with this dac and can't wait to do more listening. Thanks for the review that led me to this purchase! @cheapaudioman

[@deadline7610]

Thanks. I heard topping has a firmware upgrade for the e50. Have you found any reference on your dac which firmware came with your unit & where to find it ?

[@JMJM75257]

@@deadline7610 This is the first Ive heard of the firmware update I'll have to look into it. I doubt it'll make much if any difference to the sound but I guess there is only one way to know for sure! Thanks.

[@JMJM75257]

@Rom_troy wow that's a pretty expensive op amp for such a cheap dac! All in the name of tinkering hey!! I also messed with op amps with the old topping d10 I had namely the lme49720, opa 1612 and opa 1642. All improved things in different ways but really not too noticable on anything less resolving. Perhaps that burson op amp was the magic that dac needed. May I ask how you fitted that op amp I wasn't aware the Sanskrit had a removable one? Also to add Since I got the topping e50 I have purchased a linear power supply. Namely the "studer900 30w toridal lpsu" from Ali express. Improvements are clear. Noise floor is much lower, everything is tighter with more microdetail. It even helped with smoothness. Alas the differences for the average consumer aren't great but definitely noticably to me! Deffo an end game dac for most.

[@IanRS63]

Love the topping stuff - all tend to measure well and also sound good, but probably won't upgrade from the E30 and L30 atm which are also very good. The only issue with Topping is that there are so many options to choose from!!

[@DanielGomez-ts6uv]

Funny thing about toppings products is that for the most part they all sound the same they just offer different features such as more power or bluetooth

[@IanRS63]

@@DanielGomez-ts6uv yeah I think that’s very true particularly with the Dacs. The headphone amps do vary more imho based on their power output.

[@kato2395]

So many to choose from but they all sound the same

[@Saetun.]

Randy, I want to upgrade my TVV DAC for no reason, as we do... & was wondering if the E50 is worth the current $199 being asked of it? i know if I had no DAC it wouldn't be a tough question but i have a $20 Chinese DAC w/ a remote as the converter for my digital sources on my vintage HiFi living room set up. I have no qualms with the cheapie & the system sounds great. I just wonder if I'm missing out by not upgrading. I need a remote on the DAC so my Sofabaton can handle everything. Your thoughts? Am I experiencing FoMo or is there a tangible benefit to be had?

[@mickael486]

So where would I plug my headphones in? The E50 or the L50? They both have inputs and I'm confused. thank you. Wait. so the picture of the E50 I guess shows the L50??

[@gestsessentaenove8873]

@cheapaudioman Soundwise only, what´s better: Topping E50 or dx3 pro plus? Thanks!!

[@lwdp74]

I’ve been living with an E30 for about a year. I found it a little boisterous in the upper midrange and have been trying to diminish it. This is one case where interconnects (and their contacts) make an audible difference. I just obtained a P50 power supply and the improvements are leading up an E50 which is on order.

[@BFArch0n]

How would you run a sub with the E50 and TRS? Can you use the RCA outputs at the same time? (RCA to SUB, TRS to AMP)???

[@Satyajit_Dey]

Between ifi Zen One Signature/Zen Dac V2 (whichever is available) vs Topping E50 which one do you suggest me to get just for sound quality & soundstage wise? Please I need this info. My setup is KEF Q300 and Cambridge Audio azur 650A amp and am gonna use the dac with my stereo setup as well as with my DT 1990 pros. So far I have been using the Asus Xonar STX soundcard on my PC which has a burr brown 1792A dac chip and I love the sound on it.

[@azitaulava]

So i have the a2 plus+ and planning to buy the E50 and L50 topping combo for my headphone. Is their a way for me to integrate this combo to control the volume of my headphone at the same time volume of active speaker? I know its possible to control the volume of the speaker when connected via rca of the e50 using rc, preferablly i want to use the l50 since unlike e50 it has the physical knob is it possible? Thanks !

[@ansafmaaz1006]

Hi thank you for the review. I have a question Can I get hi Res audio by hooking up my arylic s50 pro+ to the E50?

[@pdcragin33]

You and Passion For Sound are in agreement on E50 DAC. PFS notes the head amp L50 passes through audio to outputs but does NOT control volume the way the E does. That may matter to folks looking at just the amp.

[@akosvarju192]

Looking on only the sound signature. Loxjie A30 vs. Geshelli J2 vs. Topping E50+L50 ? Liking the neutral-warm, analogish or tubey sound. (maybe add a tube preamp, like Aiyima T8) AKM chips i the way or ESS could be good also?

[@akosvarju192]

Speaker is currently a Dali Lektor 2. I will buy an Elac Debut B6.2

[@lwdp74]

E50 Firmware update 1.07 seems a little smoother.

[@thomasward00]

Between my Schiit Modi 3+ and the ESS Sabre DAC in my Arcam amp, the ESS is a bit more clinical, but both are great.

[@RanTausi]

Hi Randy and Thanks for the video , yesterday I bought from Amazon the Fosi Audio P1 tube pre amp for 45.99usd and bought additional GE tubes Riverstone Audio 7-Pin GE JAN 5654W, delighted to get it and test it with my Topping E30 and my Beast ADCOM GFA 555MK2. Maybe one day you can review this Fosi P1 and tube comb

[@DomRivers67]

These latest higher end ESS DAC's are a step forwards, it's amazing they can squeeze one in something at this price point, after years of AKM and Wolfson chips I found digital and grating and the more tolerable Burr Brown/Texas ones I've got an ESS 9038 based DAC and it hits all the right spots, if this units 9068 is even better then it's a no brainer.

[@grhaggerty]

I'm buying this now on your say so, I just ordered a couple of days ago this and I'm waiting for it to come. I have a D10 with a sparkos ss3602 dual descrete opamp which sound s pretty good. Do you know if I could put the sparkos opamp on the E50? You are the least borish brandy sniffing audiophile guys on youtube. Your pretty down to earth. I have contracted the dreaded disease of "upgrade-itis" so keep the tips coming.

[@tz7813]

Much is made of improving the E50 by providing a better power supply? I found a 20,000mAh power bank improved it, but I then went a step further. If you have a higher quality power bank that can simultaneously charge via 5VDC, whilst also discharging its battery to supply the DAC, then you never have to worry about re-charging, and the DAC is buffered from any noise in the mains supply. Saves about $100.

[@jamesmuller9837]

Hi, I'm considering upgrading from my E30? I use Tidal, although I can't say I'm a fan of MQA. I also don't get how the RCA outs can be balanced. I thought you needed an XLR in/out/cables for that. What type of cable would you use? And could you connect the balanced out in this unit to an amp that has an XLR in?

[@pdcragin33]

Yes, any store catering to musicians can set you up with TRS male (which connects to Topping’s larger inputs which are NOT the RCA inputs also there) to XLR. If you get it as a cable you want male TRS plug to male XLR that will connect to your speaker or amp. If you want an adaptor to use with XLR cables you separately own, then male TRS plus on one side and male XLR prongs on the other.

[@jamesmuller9837]

@@pdcragin33 Thanks for the reply! I saw an example on Shenzen's page as well. I'd honestly never heard of TRS until Topping came out with the balanced D10 and now the E50. Good to know :)

[@Cmdaddy88]

Ended up going with the EX5, no regrets it's a solid combo.

[@antoinesp1483]

I did the same coupled with the PA5

[@eeyorebill04]

How do this and the Geshelli compare with the Ares II?

[@hunter4229]

Wonder how this compares with the D50s?

[@BenBayle]

Great review! If you are going to compare against D90 why not the Bifrost? E50 or Bifrost?

[@islubio]

Any chance of you pairing this with the new toppings pa3s. Or a comparison between the pa3s with the smsl da9/a0200?

[@kamildrohomirecki791]

Elac debut b5.2 + topping E50 + smsl DA9 Would that work fine?

[@RitzyBusiness]

I wonder how it is compared to my aging multibit bifrost 1. Been looking for maybe a smaller solution, solid state amp included replacement for my bifrost and lyr2 that wont sacrifice the fidelity I am used to.

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

The new 2021 loxjie d30 has the same flagchip as the e50 :) It isn't balanced but has a headphone amp, bluetooth 5.0 with apxHD, an integrated low noise power supply and a bit more features through a better screen. Haven't seen any reviews on it though... Maybe you could dig into it Randy? :)

[@ah.l]

Integrated power supply should be a must in all DACs.

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

@@ah.l it's great...if they don't malfuncion or get dmaged... If it's external it's much easier to fix, just get a new one :) Still, it's much cleaner, you just need a cable and being a low noise one, better.

[@ah.l]

@@JoseFerreira-zb7whwhatever it is, they should just stop providing usb power input. Or else me and many others just hook up mobile chargers to these dacs. Without realizing what we are missing.

[@pdcragin33]

Passion For Sound reviewer suggested using a battery pack intended for phone or tablet recharge, said it would be more linear than most wall-USB warts, and last likely days of use. Interesting.

[@ah.l]

@Douglas Blake makes sense.

[@burghelvasile3313]

I follow your work with great admiration. I want to buy a DAC (Topping E30 mk2 or E50) without being able to listen to them. I will follow your recommendation. I listen to rock ballads, pop, jazz blues. Should I buy the E30II or pay 100 E more for the E 50? (I will supply them with IFI iPOWER2). Thanks.

[@kevinchoi8076]

Hi, thanks a lot for your review. I have a question on L50. I am using Sony mdr z7m2 using 4.4mm balanced cable. I have two questions. 1. Is L50's XLR 4Pin fully balanced output?? 2. If XLR 4PIN is fully balanced, is it OK when I use 4.4 to XLR 4Pin adaptor to connect my 4.4mm balanced headphone cable.

[@VRforAll]

No the XLR 4Pin isn't connected to a true balanced amplifier. True balanced headphone amplifiers have close to double the power on balance output compared to single-ended output which only uses half the amplification stage. Obviously you still get a better connection on XLR vs the 6.3mm jack. XLR just has more metal to metal contact. L50 XLR output is mostly for convenience.

[@stevezeidman7224]

These are nice looking products. Nice job!

[@joaogoulart29]

can i use this with a monitor? a KRK Rokit G3 for example?

[@PhoggHawk]

So, why not just get an EX5 and save $200ish, instead of investing in the separate components? Only one thing to plug in and has the same basic capabilities, plus Bluetooth, if that floats your boat.

[@burghelvasile3313]

A very well-known gentleman (reviewer) on KZbin, out of respect I will not name, said "I felt that the E50 has a flatter and more neutral sound, a little more airy. The E30ii is warmer in the bass line, a little darker in the high, but even louder. Apart from the differences in tone, they are the same." What does "flatter" mean? Is it bad? Thanks.

[@clabbem74]

Great review !! , im with you, this E50 is very nice (headphone user) , you are an expert hifi reviewer so if its possible to tell me what dac is the next level o big jump in terms of sound, imagen, soundstage and so forth going from E50... (i use headphone) best regard....

[@brendanhoffmann8402]

I was going to get these two but decided to get a Topping DX3 Pro+ (headphone amp and DAC combined) instead. It was half the price to go with the DX3 Pro+ and I'm not massively into audiophile equipment so thought I'd better not overspend! I still haven't received my DX3 so can't really speak first hand of it's quality but I know it should drive my 600 ohm Sennheiser HD520 which I am unable to adequately drive with my current setup. I can't decide whether to run my new DAC through my Kenwood reciever (140 w with 140 watt Sony 3 way speakers) or my Mackie CX4... the mackie's a definitely more neutral but I will have to wait and see.

[@Vercus100]

I have a Schitt Modi 3 (not plus) that I've been happy with, but this review makes me want to try the L50. Do you think it would be a worthwhile upgrade?

[@Likeitornot91]

Good question, I was looking at the modi 3 (the plus) and wonder how those models rank up with this.

[@timc_2433]

did you wind up comparing the 2? what headphone amp/power amp are you using in conjunction?

[@Nordraw]

Can you run the DAC through a dac/amp combo (fiio 5pro)

[@jeffwilliams6681]

Does Sith Audio have a listening room air treatment to ensure pristine audiophile sound waves?

[@rhyselliott9170]

can these drive bookshelf speakers and my headphones (560s)

[@roadfordays]

The Sith Audio sander is no good unless you replace the power cable with the $400/ft Snake Oil helium-free cable. Then it really opens up and gets transparent.

[@Bob.martens]

My next DAC. The E30 has outstayed it's welcome:)

[@debashishmitra]

You sir - are the man. Love your reviews about great finds and high value products - wish you all the best

[@pc_decisions8764]

It may be awesome and all, but if I will end having something that sounds the same on the new line up, I would get something like the dx3pro + (almost 2w for 200usd combo)

[@leonardopapantoniou4227]

I have E50 with speakers and no problems

[@marcusm5127]

I started of with a smsl SU9 for its mqa support because tidal was the first available high res subscription. Then after getting Roon and Qobuz rolling out here I bailed on mqa. I don't want to pay for mqa licenses again they are a lossy high res scam when lossless flac is available. 1.4 Mb/s for cd quality is not much when we have gigabit ethernet compressed audio is a sin.

[@DistroUser]

I bought the Topping E50 and compared it to my Schiit Modi Multibit, the Schiit wins hands down! The tonality and texture of the of the Schiit is fleshed out which gives it more musicality and realism. The E50 may win in dynamics and bass slam but beyond that it sounds flat and 2 dimensional. My two cents!

[@Mr.Meme01]

Schiits products are really good but they're so bare bones and miss common features. They're great but I feel like they want you to buy their whole catalog.

[@DistroUser]

@@Mr.Meme01Ultimately, it comes down to sound quality to me and so far I lean in the direction of Schiit. However, that does not mean ALL their products.

[@Mr.Meme01]

@@DistroUser I agree, just wish that they included more i/o /Bluetooth/ volume knobs on all their stuff. There would be almost no other choice if they did especially with the made in America factor.

[@rochmoreau2384]

Thanks for the excellent review. I mainly use tidal ... MQA attraction for a full decoder dac so I bought the brand new one! I have both (E30 and E50), I don't know why but the rca output in pure dac mode of the E50 is too high compared to the E30 and the high frequencies are a bit metallic or rough at this time for the E50. When I use the -20dB preamp path, the musicality of the E50 exceeds the E30. Strange, why the output level @ 2Vrms is not the same on the two models topping for the amplifier input? why this negative effect on the result in pure dac mode?

[@FreqAMP]

I am having E30 too, planning for E50. Would u recommend going forward ? Little difference or big which can justify the upgrade ..?

[@rochmoreau2384]

@@FreqAMP Yes! Using the preamp is an awesome dac. I use most of the time Tidal in my setting.

[@rochmoreau2384]

And the difference was well, but it depends of your component too, amp and speakers, I use Polk with low sensitivity 89 dB and 90 dB.

[@FreqAMP]

@@rochmoreau2384 Hey thanks for the reply. Appreciated 👍. BTW i will b using it as a PuRe-DAC mode feeding directly to SMSL AO200 ClassD Amp abd then to AE Lite One speakers (Which are on the warmer side.) My speakers are too 89db sensitive with a silk dome tweeter.

[@FreqAMP]

@@rochmoreau2384 My E30 is good. But i am still skeptical if E50 is worth it. Ofcoz i can get the balanced signal as an advantage. But can u elaborate honeslty what improvements u felt on e50 over e30 ?

[@ohorguN]

I paired my asgard with the e50 this january... and i can say since then i have ended my headphone fidelity journey... Oh sorry.. i meant journey for the dac n amp pair.. we will always need some new headphones.. 8D

[@beergutzplatoon]

what dac did you use before i have asgard and soncoz laqxd1, i wondering if this would be better

[@wojciechczupta]

how does it compare to Schiit Modi 3 (speakers)?

[@bongofury3176]

Is the sander for vinyl or CD ?

[@jakegoodboyy]

Would you please suggest dac amp or stack for my audioengine a2+ speaker please.

[@jakegoodboyy]

Do you think only L50 is enough for this little speaker or should I get the L50 together?

[@MaybeTiberius]

do you have by any chance a guideline as a video or like a website or something for used avr hunting? I m just getting into audio and i m going to need a decent stereo amp soon. You have recommended one that is an option in your 350? dollar setup video but those videos usually go with new products. There are SO MANY used avrs around our area ranging all in between 40-150 bucks for example from onkyos to denons to pioneers to marantz.. and i was wondering if i can snack some really good bargain there but the amount of used avrs is unreal to a point i cant really check every single one individualy for some old reviews. is there like a list or something on "like: ''hey here are 15 great older avrs that go for cheap used, check if you can find any of these'' so at least you have a more narrow perspective on what exactly you re looking for

[@BobFonseca]

Rand-Man, can you please clarify? Are you saying the E50 is no bueno for speaker listening at all? I like speaker listening, and I enjoy MQA technology via opt or coax. I want to give this DAC a shot. Gracias, Amigo.

[@cheapaudioman]

No. It’s great for speakers. It just doesn’t soundstage or sound as open as some other DACs I’ve heard in the same price range. But to be clear, it’s very good. The topping stuff tends to be a little bit more narrow than others I’ve heard.

[@happymax3381]

@@cheapaudioman Sorry Randy what are those DACs because i too am looking for a dac with this price range to use with Dali oberon 5 speakers and rca connection. Thank you for your great reviews.

[@jimcoope7194]

I especially loved the part where he waves the boxes around! It gave me a headache...

[@ranbymonkeys2384]

Got my sander on sale for $1,190 best investment I bought this year!!!

[@markwasilow2173]

WOW! In a short time, you are about to surpass Ron! Great Job!!

[@Morgrain]

Polk just released the successor to the S20 (the ones you recommended), the Signature Elite ES20. Could you test those?

[@MakerManu]

Greetings from Argentina!! how is my country now your channel is going to be n1 !! Please if you can help me with a question, my idea was to buy a zen dac v2, but watching this video I am thinking that maybe I should buy an e50 and connect it to my NAD 325bee, obviously it would give me less mobility but the only thing that what matters is the best possible sound quality. I currently have a HD280pro and a KPH30i. Speakers PSB t1. I mostly listen to Soft Machine & Zappa. I am a psychiatrist, it is my recess to listen to music. Thanks!

[@jamesfulkman3644]

E50 is $199 today. Has anyone compared it to the Geshelli Labs J2? J2 was my first choice but I don't want to wait and I'm looking for a good substitute in the price range.

[@leonardopapantoniou4227]

Why this is not recommended for speakers?

[@leonardopapantoniou4227]

Can E30 work with xduoo mt 602?

[@Paul_Henshall]

The l50 looks a great amp, could I run a chord mojo line out into the amp?

[@VRforAll]

L50 was tested to 4.85Vrms on the input side. www.topping.audio/productinfo/697657.html Chord Mojo orig outputs 3V when set to line out mode. L50 can handle that no problem. You will need a 3.5mm(male) to RCA(male) cable. Get one that is shielded with metal, it will minimize noise. Like this one www.amazon.com/dp/B077GQNFW5?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_DSW38NAQSPC873BPM0TS

[@kyron42]

E50 or J2?

[@willmac5642]

Waited for this :) maybe running thru a tube amp wd help soundstage?