Topping Professional E2x2 - A new challenger! - USB Audio Interface Review

[@JulianKrause]

Additional Info: According to a mail I got from Topping Pro, the input impedance has been increased to 1.5 kOhm in the second batch run. That would be a nice improvement, just be aware that depending on your point of purchase you might or might not end up with the newer batch.

[@v_shkafu]

Wow. That's great. Couple days ago at aliexpress seller didn't tell me anything useful about this. Thanks for sharing!

[@tstein88]

Julian, you do an amazing job reviewing these audio interfaces. Thankyou so much. Do you know if Topping will release a 4x4 audio interface as well?

[@JulianKrause]

@@tstein88 I have heard rumors about a 4x4 and it seems likely that they would release such a version. But I have no further info on that.

[@mjc4423]

@@JulianKrause 已经确定会在今天发布了

[@aliozankarci]

This is an excellent channel thank you , topping is a rising brand but i would like to see uad apollo twins results in your channel too.

[@Sagi-chan]

I'm surprised that Julian still hasn't made a website for his stats. Would love to have it for quick reference.

[@shApYT]

or just a spreadsheet

[@sqwop]

I'm not, 90% of people can't even be bothered to Subscribe or even like this video so they don't deserve it, me included.

[@lwrncl8329]

no youtube ad revenue if you just get all the stats from a spreadsheet

[@KPGuitarStudios]

@@lwrncl8329 Patreon or KZbin membership and then put it behind a paywall. That would be perfect and help those out who are serious about this gear

[@hinky7729]

That would be great!

[@Barncore]

Best interface review channel in the history of the internet

[@Valeriy7D0]

6:02 dynamic range mic input: 116.7 dB(A) 6:39 preamp noise mic input: -131 dBu(A) 8:43 dynamic range line input: 116.7 dB(A) 9:30 dynamic range main output: 115 dB(A) 11:34 headphone output noise floor @ min gain: -123.4 dBV(A) Thank you for such a wonderful review!

[@danta7320]

Danke! for the review I got the sound card yesterday I make music with headphones at home I got the sound card yesterday it's amazing I have a Moto M2 what a difference topping is with gain button like I have other headphones everything is much more present and the bass comes through better I keep laughing. This sound card for everyone who mixes with headphones is a must buy. I am very satisfied

[@JulianKrause]

Thanks as well, enjoy your new interface and happy mixing! 😀

[@Producelikeapro]

Julian you always do the best reviews! Thanks ever so much for another amazingly detailed and insightful review!

[@JTCPingas]

I know most of you won't care, but I bought a Topping E2x2 to test on Linux and it works out of the box. I haven't tried it on Ubuntu interim versions, LTS releases or other Debian derivatives, but on distros like Fedora and Solus it works out of the box without issues. EDIT: I can also confirm that the gain range on the mic input is really weird. It jumps up suddenly when you approach the end of the dial, so it does make it more difficult to set appropriate gain staging. The headphone output power is unheard of for a audio interface. The numbers remind me of the Objective 2 amp, where that amp was somewhere around 613 mW @ 32 ohms, and this isn't that far off. While more power doesn't hurt and does help for songs mastered at a low volume, it does become a bit silly when headphone amps pursue this chase of more power than what is necessary for the vast majority of headphones on the market.

[@petas874]

I just want to reply to say that I'm interested in the Linux support, as I will use my AI exclusively on Linux.

[@rexsrb]

The behavior of the dial for the input gain that you are explaining is quite common. It's due to the quality of the potentiometers that are essentially the dials for the gain. It's a really common thing and usually you don't want to be on the end range of the dials (your mic is too weak and you could use a cheap fethead).

[@jake_with_the_BIG_snake]

so you can easily power 2 high impedance headphones with a simple splitter then?

[@Skygge.]

Thanks for the info, I'm exclusively on Linux. This gain knobs behaviour is the same in M-Audio AIR 192|14, which I'm currently using. Is this audio interface fully controllable without control app, which is unavailable under Linux? I want to control all basic features: gain, monitoring, phantom power, Instrument/line-in switch. I'm not interested in additional features: cue mixes and routing...

[@eyko_]

Hello I bought recently mine. Have you all your input and output bridge into one on Linux too ?

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke!

[@JulianKrause]

Gleichfalls, vielen lieben Dank Reiner!!

[@artysanmobile]

Your review is worth its weight in gold for Topping. Calling attention to very fixable, but serious, shortcomings is just what a newcomer to a market needs. I hope they take your observations seriously, Julian. Ergonomics, particularly, are poor and though expensive to change, do not involve major engineering time. Given your careful review, I would expect a much-improved line of interfaces from Topping in the near future. Excellent job!

[@maailmanalku]

Wow - this is an amazing value interface for the money. A real contender in a busy market!

[@Terribleguitarist89]

Man, honestly cool to see Topping jump to the interface world. Their DAC/Headphone amps are exceptional so I'm not too surprised to see it kill at those specs. Let's see if FIIO and the others decide to make the same jump.

[@btsr2553]

Thank you. As always a topping presentation. Your hack at 4:15 made my day. I have never laughed so much at a sound interface presentation. Remove the knob and you can operate the volume control without any problems. Great solution. From then on I had problems to follow your, as always, excellent presentation. Thank you, you are so great. Keep up the fantastic work. I think we all, all subscribers, appreciate this more than you can think of. One question, does it make sense to use the Sound Device Mix Pre 3 Mark II or 6 Mark II as a pure sound interface? Yes, because of the 32bit ... yes I know 32 bit float ... but that just appeals to me. Best regards from Bavaria

[@yugorpaul6927]

The work you do is amazing…Have been recommending your channel to all my musician friends…I learned a lot that I’ll take into my gear choosing for life

[@yo3429]

Yeah, nice to see the first interface with flawless headphone output, hope this will raise the bar and other manufacturer follow. for ergonomics, you may put a small volume knob on it.

[@dennish9543]

Awesome work Julian, as always. I was looking forward to this review. I am glad it was purchased by you privately. No special tweaked review versions.

[@Frank-in-NY]

Outstanding technical review! I too am a fan of having an on-off switch and LED Meters. No need to have the audio interface powered up if not in use. I have a MOTU M4, and I am extremely happy with it. I'd certainly consider one of these Toppings if I find myself in need of another interface. Good Job Julian!

[@vitalWord]

Great job! Thank you very much for your efforts!

[@blinkingmanchannel]

Julian, I love your approach to all things sound. I found you first while trying to understand the headphone-to-box impedance mismatching problem. Now I feel like I'm ready for another bite of knowledge. 🤔 Please bear with me for being a total noob. My kids showed me, during COVID, how much KZbin evolved between 2014 and 2020! Now it looks like a basic skill everyone will need. (Even dads!) Please explain how to think of the chain of gear that comes after the microphone. I can see I need an audio interface with very low noise and prolly twice as many mic ports as I think I could ever need... Right now I'm thinking of the SSL-12. But then I realized you could come at this as "portable..." Tascam DR-70D... And then I finally realized I will be producing and storing and doing version control on SOUND FILES! 🤦‍♂️ Thank goodness I'm not recording/mixing music! I guess the assumption is that files go on the computer to get edited in the DAW... But then I realized I could look at the Rodecaster Pro II, which seems to be a mashup of interface plus file storage plus some in-box processing... Does that connect to DAW or am I still pulling files down to a dedicated device? Don't we have cloud solutions for all this storage? Or is this another round of filing systems? I really don't want to build another RAID box. I thought that was over with...?🤪 Then I realized I am again looking at a string of components -- like audio playback. And then I realized I'm such a noob that I have no idea. Do I just plug a SSD into the interface and call it good (for sound files) or do I need to think again? (I liked the SSL-12 because it has an ADAT port and 32bit float... Forward-compatible enough for me to climb the learning curve before the technology changes away? But am I seeing this food chain fully?) Yesterday, I saw somebody plug their microphone into their CAMERA and I about fell outta my chair! SD card? Really?! (don't tell me about lav mics...) So I need an overview before this gets completely outta control?! 🤪🙏👀 I learned on actual film. But I assume nothing from then is still true.

[@derechtedev9411]

Hi Julian, Im not that into audio gear and am currently learning about how I can upgrade my current setup. Your videos are a great for me beacause of your easy to understand explanations while having more in depth analysis than most reviewers. Always thankful for your videos when I come across one!

[@BigMTBrain]

As always, wonderfully thorough and objective as possible. Very nice to see how a device's performance aspects compare in your charts. Thank you, Julian.

[@omicron-prsnl9806]

Topping has been KILLING it in the audiophile DAC and amp market for for years, so I'm really excited for them to be getting into pro audio interfaces as well. Let's hope they revolutionize this market too!

[@AndyHenryROGBUILD]

Ordered one of those today. Can't wait to get it in hand. Thanks for the great review.

[@shawnandrewusic]

I come here to watch interface reviews!

[@danieljung2810]

Wow Topping making audio interfaces. Should be exciting seeing if they are going to push this tech forward. Need more inputs, optical and coaxial.

[@lilwombat]

I just got this I'm very happy with it was looking at getting an amp from them for a while now and randomly wondered if they had a full interface.

[@JasonPolakPhotography]

Nice review! I rarely watch KZbin but your reviews are an exception. Well done!

[@复联通猫猫]

Amazing! Thanks for your job, I have waited its review for a long time.

[@Valeriy7D0]

12:24 Is it correct, that adding digital gain will also increase preamp mic noise level, while normal (analog) gain won't? so, applying +20 dB of digital gain means increasing preamp noise level from -131 dBu(A) to -111 dBu (A)?

[@MattStevens9824]

The headphone output gain's a great thing other manufacturers should pick up on. Many times, we've been unable to push the volume on high impedance headphones. I love that the software it has, comes with a slew of monitoring and boosting options. It seems the manufacturer really wanted to help you see what's happening directly with your recording, real-time and on playback. The preamps are looks like a clean performer too.

[@nielsbosmobile]

Excellent review once again! Thank you Julian.

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

Great review. Thank you, Julian.

[@clouden79]

You mentioned in the video that a cloudlifter isn't necessary for dynamic mics because the noise level of the preamps is already very low, but due to the recessed highs when the preamp gain is turned way up, wouldn't a cloudlifter help dynamic mics in terms of flattening the frequency response by not needing to turn the gain up?

[@v_shkafu]

Fair point.

[@PileOfEmptyTapes]

Correct. Besides, if a Cloudlifter or Fethead is a bit rich for your blood, one of the cheap Klark Teknik mic boosters should do much the same while being a much more justifiable expense.

[@adrianmierzwa3238]

I use it for guitar. RTL is 5.7ms 96kHz 32 samples as for today. Very nice! Clean input and output.

[@jcisme]

Thanks Julian. You are the best.

[@roamthesurface8410]

I was just about to place the order for a Motu M2/4 for my 37 ohm Slate VSX headphones when I saw this. Immediately ordered the Topping. It's perfect for my setup at such a great price! ILY

[@roamthesurface8410]

I also trust them because of the DX3 Pro+

[@robertfontaine3650]

Nice to see topping enter the market. They do a heck of a job with the numbers. I'd like to see inserts and midi connectivity but it's exciting to see a company that competes on price and specs in the market. I would expect/hope to see updates and new models at the same rate as their other hardware.

[@ajiraditya]

Hi Julian.. Fluid Audio also interesting too. Your review will help alot of musician. Thank you Julian

[@KunalVaidya]

This functional and simple design of the enclosure and basic quality of life feature like a power switch make this such a nice device. i have to plugout my audient iD4 type C cable to restart it when linux has issues or want to power it down , specific switch for IEM vs high resistance headphone makes so much sense , more devices should do this

[@yourforeignlocal]

Been a long time since I asked them to make an audio interface. Glad it measures well (Topping reliability issues aside)

[@happywholewave]

this audio interface or ssl2 mkii?

[@ahriik]

Very interesting! I think this fills a niche that's historically been pretty underserved, that being the headphone enthusiast on a budget that's getting interested in home recording or content creation and thus has a need for a real interface, but isn't satisfied with many of the options in the sub-$200 category. Obviously connecting a dedicated headphone amp to an interface's outputs has always been a solid option, but I'd imagine theres got to be more than a handful of people who, for whatever reason, just prefer a more compact/all-in-one solution. Or maybe needs something a bit more portable. Curious to see if we get more offerings like this down the road, hopefully with more extensive and robust I/O options. Or personally, I'd be very interested in a hyper-portable solution (similar to those new Zoom interfaces or the iRig line) with just like a single input, solid headphone amp, and proper ASIO driver.

[@ronmaison8690]

Hi Julian , Hope you are well. I am using windows 10 did download the software still no lights on the e2x2 what should I do ?

[@tporter23]

You do the best audio hardware reviews anywhere! Thanks for another one. Were you hoping the Topping would “top” the charts too? 😂

[@bugeyedmudafuka2]

Topping DAC's and headphone amps have great technical measurements. Would a Topping DAC and headphone amp actually perform better than an audio interface for monitoring playback from a DAW?

[@kunee51]

Overall this is much better not only among its price range but higher. Wish they'll come with more outputs

[@刁培望]

Julian you are my Superman

[@torontowill]

Thanks very much for this Julian! Really valuable to get totally unbiased measurements and impressions. I'm very familiar with Topping, being a headphone enthusiast. Their M.O. for headphone amps is spectacular technical numbers, but with things like quality control, design, user experience and customer support being a relative afterthought. Not necessarily terrible, just much less of a point of emphasis. That can translate into them reviewing well, among the reviewers who get free test units and only live with them for a day, but not necessarily being good value in the long run. Their technical spec superiority is more placebo than anything, because it's well beyond human perception (or as relates to power output, is well beyond safe listening levels). This unit fits those expectations for the most part, although the fact that the mic numbers are just "good" rather than "great" (especially that frequency response at high gain, yikes) suggests that this is more of a "why not" product for Topping, rather than an aggressive attempt to assert themselves in this market. They have a lot of the parts already, and maybe even a surplus of chips from older generation headphone amps. Those chips are only "average" for a headphone amp, but still exceptional for a an audio interface, so there's a niche for them to carve out as "the audio interface with the best headphone amp".

[@PM-yz8fx]

what would we do without you, always top :)

[@whalespruce]

shame this interface doesn't have midi i/o. Does anyone know how to resolve this?

[@CamariMusic]

Thank you for the review

[@moumonmusic]

Hi Julian, I have been intensively watching your videos and still unsure if what audio interface I should consider as an upgrade from my M-Audio Air 192/4. Can you please suggest me Audio Interface that checks all these boxes: 1) Atleast two mic inputs (to record my guitar in stereo) 2) Less preamp noise (as I also use a sm58) 3) good headphones output power (that can drive headphones like dt770) 4) good dynamic range 5) works with windows pc (and also with Mac if I make any future upgrades to apple) 6) good microphone gain levels I hope you understand my concern abd please help me out, much respect for your knowledge 🙌🏻

[@PileOfEmptyTapes]

Wow, they got _better than datasheet_ dynamic range out of the codec's ADC, that's remarkable. (I never would have guessed that it could be ahead of the CS4272 by this much.) 900 ohms Zin is definitely too low though, and the noise generated when adjusting levels seems to bother some people. DAC performance is probably limited by the chip, at 115 dB(A) DR and -100 dB THD+N it's exactly hitting its specs. The headphone amplifier section is the star of the show as expected. It beats a Topping DX1 and scores roughly like an O2 amp with a bit more _oomph,_ definitely not at all shabby. The _chipfuscation_ seems a bit silly when you can comfortably count the number of potential candidates on one hand (and that's with woodworking accidents already included). And speaking of counting, 30 pins narrows it down a lot more... We really are living in a golden age for good inexpensive audio interfaces right now. Only a few years ago I preferred a contraption involving a used small external mixer (first a Behringer, later a Mackie 402VLZ4) run into an Asus Xonar D1 over the likes of a 2nd gen Scarlett... it sure was cheaper and not a whole lot worse. Mind you, this may still be a good option for those who have solid onboard audio. A bunch of sub-$100 audio interfaces have converters that don't even compare to an ALC1200 ADC, let alone an ALC1220.

[@JulianKrause]

Yeah, glad the CS4272 times are over, although I have the feeling it will still stick around in the one or other product. It's definitely crazy how good of an audio quality you can get these days for little money.

[@johnyang799]

Also the THD+N. E2x2 achieved -110dB THD+N for the input.

[@davidfuller581]

Yep, 900R input impedance is way too low.

[@PileOfEmptyTapes]

@@johnyang799 Looks more like 105ish tops to me, or right around the chip spec of -102 dB at -1 dBFS. Again, probably as much as you can possibly ask for under these circumstances. BTW, are you _the_ John Yang...?

[@PileOfEmptyTapes]

@@JulianKrause I mean, I certainly don't mind the CS4272 if it's being squeezed out as well as we've seen in recent years, topping out at 111-112 dB(A) on the input. It was only 106ish back then. The output also definitely requires some attention to ultrasonic noise suppression (the Minifuse headphone out really upset Amir's AP, and you don't want to be looking at a Behringer UMCxxxHD output on a scope either).

[@VincentVegardSvart]

It's possible to integrate a midi port or midi in midi out?

[@skorpers]

A new interface! Since it's marketed on the headphone output I am definitely interested how it compares to the MOTU M2.

[@nhbjhbbhbhgvb]

Same!! Would it perform better that the motu for the hd800?

[@mikeazmos]

muuuuuch better in all cases@@nhbjhbbhbhgvb

[@80843]

@@nhbjhbbhbhgvbI would think so, the M2 wasn’t good enough for me with HD600’s… I’m ready to try this thing.

[@substance90]

1:50 the Arturia 16Rig has a gain setting in the software, at least that's what I think it does under the hood. You can select a resistance range for your headphones between < 50, 50 < 150 and > 150.

[@Alex-no9er]

It would be interesting to add the Apollo interfaces, to see what results are obtained. Good job!!!!🙋🏻‍♂️

[@eZstah]

Where to buy it in Germany?

[@JulianKrause]

Hey, right now I don't think you can buy it in Germany. I bought it from Aliexpess and I expect it to be available at audiophonics.fr at some point in the future.

[@GrumpiestKitten]

Your reviews are so good. If they come out with a slightly more upscale version similar in build to their a30pro i might finally retire my 2i2 2nd gen :)

[@Jason75913]

Upgrade to a Presonus Studio 24C

[@GrumpiestKitten]

@@Jason75913 The 24C unfortunately doesn't have the headphone out performance that I'm looking for.

[@DigIntoGaming]

I was just considering selling my motu m2 but was struggling to find a good replacement with better pre amps, but topping e4x4 has ticked all the boxes, assuming it performs the same as the e2x2. Thanks again for all your hard work! I couldn't make an educated purchase without you!

[@ZackPomerleau]

How you like it?

[@Mandovzkis]

The main question I have now is, how does the headphone output on this AI compare to a dedicated amp like the Topping l30? 🤔

[@johnyang799]

L30(l30ii), since it's a dedicated amp, is vastly superior objectively. Many times of the output power for high and low impedance loads, even lower noise (about a quarter of the noise). But the amp on e2x2 is certainly good enough probably in any realistic application.

[@PileOfEmptyTapes]

As stated, neither maximum voltage nor current output rival an L30 II, but it's definitely not a slouch for what it is. Somewhere between a DX1 and DX3Pro+. Roughly the same as the trusty NwAvGuy O2 amp. And that was designed to drive basically anything bar the most punishing outliers. Unless you need to drive K240DFs or HE6s to deafening levels, it should get the job done just fine. We've just gotten used to spectacular headphone amps.

[@DM-sc4zy]

The notable HF rolloff past 80% mic gain is a bit concerning as you're guaranteed to exceed that gain level with dynamic mics - Just bought the E1x2 OTG, Does anyone know if this issue has been improved on the new version?

[@L4ghts]

Hi Julian, thanks for the great, informative review. Why on earth would Topping and other audio interface makers do the direct monitoring of the microphone's audio digitally? This implies AD - DA conversion of the microphone signal that un-necessarily affects signal quality and latency. Would greatly appreciate your insight.

[@delicrux]

Thank you i have been looking for a good audio interface and thanks to you i have finally found one i think fits my setup. I have several highend headphones and iems aswell as 2 presonus eris 8xl studio monitors and my electovoice microphone has been difficult to drive with cheaper interfaces.

[@matoflynn]

That looks awesome

[@Mr_Kri]

@JulianKrause As a side note Julian, the headphone table is not an eyesore, it's a thing of beauty. I'm sure the community will all agree with me ☝️

[@FabioKasper]

Wunderbar. 👍

[@adambluming8569]

Hi Julian -- at 4:13 in your video, you've pulled off the black input/playback knob. Was this easy to do and how did you do it safely without damaging the unit? And do you happen to know if it would be the same procedure for pulling off the volume knob?

[@AverieS820]

Very nice! My biggest worry are the ASIO drivers stability, which is why I tend to stick with MOTU and RME on windows.

[@_BangDroid_]

MOTU's windows drivers? From my research nothing but issues there. Why I didn't buy the M2 and still shopping. RME on the other hand very good reputation, I just can't justify the cost right now.

[@AverieS820]

@@_BangDroid_ At least for me, Motu has been solid for the past few years I've been using it on PC. Of course, RME is still the gold standard for drivers, for a professional device, the cost is absolutely worth it.

[@johnyang799]

RME is better. Motu on the other hand can't be said the same. I'm not trashing Motu but my M2 certainly has more problems than others including focusrite rme audient on low buffer settings. Never had issues with my old 828es tho.

[@erinburke9711]

​@@_BangDroid_Nothing but issues? I have an M4 on Win 10. Never a single hiccup. Rock solid & beautiful interface.

[@CuckooStudio]

After upgrading to the latest driver, I have not had any problems with stability in the more than 1 month I have been using it.

[@Animetrix-WAV]

does the brand offer a headphone amplifier that matches the quality of the one in inisde the interface? Pretty awesome.

[@Valeriy7D0]

7:41 "Btw, the noise of E2x2 is pretty much the same of that of the Cloudlifter or the FetHead, and that means it's literally no benefit in using these devices with the E2x2 in terms of the preamp noise" -- very important point, thank you!

[@GL1TCH3D]

Definitely nice to see something with better headphone output. There are definitely some headphones out there that won't get enough juice from the Topping but 99% of use cases should be covered here. For example, the Heddphones would want more.

[@everything-bagel]

I got the Topping E2X2 OTG and unfortunately have experienced a litany of issues. The instrument inputs cut out randomly , instability at 96k+, inconsistency with the OTG output. Maybe I just received a bad unit. I updated the firmware, plugged the interface to power, and use the Windows software. Also, while the headphone amp is indeed loud, my 2i2 Scarlett’s headphone amp sounds clearer (although too quiet against high impedances 🤨). Disappointing as I was hoping this would be the cheap interface that had an A+ headphone amp. Hope others have better luck 🫡

[@p0worejtih]

I'm gonna get the E2x2 on sept 19 and write a comment how my unit performed (I'm coming from the classic Mainboard realtek audio)

[@everything-bagel]

@@p0worejtih good luck, I hope you get a better functioning unit than the one I received. Let me know how it goes if you get a minute after review!

[@Gractus]

​@@p0worejtihHow'd it go? Considering swapping from a 2nd gen Scarlett 2i4 which is giving some issues on wake from sleep.

[@p0worejtih]

@Gractus its pretty good but the last 15% thing of what he talked about affects every knob And the included USB cable Just stick with yours Or upgrade to a newer one from focus rite I should've rather got a dac

[@p0worejtih]

@@everything-bagel basically everthing julian said is right tho every knob has that last 15% thing but I'm not sure if its my fifine am8 mic thats shit or if its the "tad bit openness" from the interface i guess mostly the mic but the delivered cable both the usb a to c and the c to c are dogwater i needed to use a own one

[@D-One]

I don't get the insistency of audio brands with front controls on devices not meant to be used in a rack, if it's for a desk then put it on top...

[@mitkothemacedonian]

It would be fun to know what ic it uses for the headphone output.

[@johnyang799]

It's a proprietary two stage design hint by the NFCA-LE. Opamp+discrete to be exact. It's a cost down version of the amp circuit in Topping G5 and NX7.

[@Bl00dWolf]

Hello! Would topping e2x2 gain be enough for Shure SM7B? 0_o

[@milanzeeman4454]

Has anyone have any idea on if they are coming with a even higher tier audio interface anytime soon. Where would you guys place this audio interface in a list of a top 10 list.

[@ronmaison8690]

Hi Julian it was a wonderful review.Can you please review the new scarlet 2i2 4th gen mic pre amp please.I just wanted to know how is stacking up with topping , motu and other devices.Thanks.

[@GumiHagamal]

Would you please test the Neve 88m?

[@INeedsMoneys]

Yes please

[@DerBacke]

Can you check, if the monitor output can handle an unbalanced TS jack? I could not find any description in the manual.

[@DerBacke]

I got answer from topping: "Technically it works with the TS 6.35 mm plug." So I think, it means, that it's okay to use unbalanced connection cables for unbalanced studio monitor inputs.

[@hopjumponetw0]

bought an e4x4 pre but the daw on my windows laptop is having a hard time recognizing it. topping support over at aliexpress is less than helpful, and am about to return the item. too bad because i really need the headphone amp on these. works okay (with noticeable latency) on an older macbook though. just a thing to consider if you’re planning on getting one.

[@p0worejtih]

what buffer size and sample rate should i use for gaming? or does it not matter?

[@bu83]

Any idea where to buy this in europe? Toppings ali store does not ship to Germany and can't find any alternative shops.

[@Wuppie62]

Ever heard of Google? >> Audiophonics in France (EU).

[@ffxsam]

Not available on Amazon Not available on Sweetwater .. ?? Do they want to sell this thing?

[@dragonstone6594]

Great review as always. Can you also review some Sound Blaster audio interfaces like the Sound Blaster X5 and the G6? Thanks!

[@ubacow7109]

I always thought that E1DA would be the first in Chifi to make it to pro Audio, but not surprised a larger company like Topping made it to here first~ Would love to see more high performing Chifi Interfaces. I'll consider it when they make a 2x4 or 4x4 interface. Topping does have quality control issues across a broad number of products making the reliability not particularly good in the pro audio scene.

[@amyodov]

Let's hope you'll have a chance to test some Schiit Audio DACs for their headphone support quality...

[@lamasteve6905]

Julian, you are helping them ! We want more headphone ports and mix perimeters ?

[@lamasteve6905]

Performer headset-Mix engineer headset-other musicians headsets-producer headset etc...

[@_BangDroid_]

@@lamasteve6905Kind of asking a lot from an entry level interface

[@lamasteve6905]

two channel minimum two headphone outs Mix Bluetooth ? two line in's now levels for mix software mix and rout to headsets ! Then 4 in 4 out plus two for speakers ? Or just make some more headset ports ! Great start Julian said great headset so give us 4 headsets and routing software @@_BangDroid_

[@scot_smith]

No one is topping this review!

[@Error_4x5]

Rim shoot 🥁

[@Jason75913]

Ba-dum-tsss

[@Mr_Kri]

Top comment! 😂

[@shiftyparadigm7049]

Best review I've seen. Thanks. Just wondering about your perspective on class a transistor amps. My understanding is that with an isolated toroidal transformer per channel and large capacitor overhead they can quickly respond to changes in volume. Could you add a dynamic range response time/impulse derived cross talk response graph to the amp part of the review or is it pointless?

[@byronabadia]

Great audio interface!!! 😮 price/quality the Best.

[@yfcvtiybr]

price/spec, not quality

[@StanislavSPB]

Is it possible to change input level and panorama in direct monitoring mode?

[@tiannavevo2766]

What's the best sample rate for recording vocals with E2x2

[@alseick]

it sounds compressed/nasal to me, compared to 5$ DACs, returned mine. Somebody compared Andelope discrete 4 and Topping, Audelope sounded more open also (like DACs) - is it accurate, I have no idea, but it is different for sure. Yet both Topping and the other Andelope model measured flat in your results, apparently there must be other factors as they do not sound the same

[@lowphase9077]

It has a dedicated Asio driver?

[@austin7125]

Where the heck do you buy one of these in the US? Hard to find

[@1ben99]

Topping now have a new model E1x2, with 1 input and 2 outputs still. I like that they did this as it makes the uni a lot smaller if you don't need two inputs. But still sad to see that they didn't fix the bad ergonomics present here, otherwise I would've definitely purchased one.

[@bananaroch5306]

so it's the same but Les inputs and smaller right

[@reyestrada3295]

Thanks for the very informative review of the E2X2. One question though. Does E2X2 have an ASIO driver? For online jams, ASIO is required.

[@porfiriolocascio4672]

Hi, what you think about iCon Duo44 Dyna interface?

[@thenetpagan]

I'd love to see a review from Amir from AudioScienceReview, I've used his reviews buy chi-fi products due its measurements.

[@jacobhutchings4119]

So is this interface good enough to power low impedance magnetic planar headphones such as the hifi man Sundara ?

[@LayersOfSilence]

Bought e2x2 today and already have sundara as my main headphones. Great result! With “gain” on it's really nice

[@VeitLehmann]

So, a great headphone amp with a nice 2-channel audio interface built in? This is really interesting! Might be the right device for me! I wish the roundtrip latency was a bit better, this is also pretty important for me. My main application would be practicing/recording electric bass/guitar with software amp simulation plugins via a 600 Ohm Beyerdynamic DT880, and driving the same headphone for casual and critical listening.

[@nu_soul]

Hello! how good works your set? Dt 880 get enough power? I just want buy same gear as you, but saw this guy say topping amps l30 and a90 is "piercing" kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3XEhqaJZ9d5qM0si=sUIi_iI57-MZjxCb 10:55 Can you agree this with e2x2? Thanks