 By Andrew Ballew When diving into the world of high-fidelity audio, the Topping E30 II Lite DAC emerges as a nice contender for audiophiles on a budget. Priced at an incredibly accessible $99, the E30 II Lite offers impressive features for its category. It is built around the AK4493S DAC chip, which uses the Switched Capacitor Filter technology that AKM had perfected before their recent shift away from it into DACs with resistor based elements. The E30 II Lite supports high-resolution audio formats up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512. In addition, the XMOS XU208 USB interface enhances its versatility and performance. Topping also makes an E30 II 'standard' model which takes audio performance a step further. This model uses two AK4493S DAC chips in differential configuration, which provide improved Noise Floor and Dynamic Range compared to the Lite's single chip. The E30 II standard also includes a discrete Low Noise Reference Driver (LNRD) circuit to minimize noise and enhance power stability, making it superior in handling background noise and ensuring a cleaner output. Additionally, the E30 II supports MQA decoding across all digital inputs, catering to audiophiles who prioritize high-resolution streaming capabilities. Both models share the same design and set of inputs, including USB, optical, and coaxial. However, no balanced XLR output is present on the E30 II Lite, nor on its big brother, the E30 II 'standard' model. I am still quite a bit shocked at the advanced formats and how much performance is stuffed into this little $99 miniature box, that is small enough to tote around with you and use off-site with say, a laptop or smartphone. (Sorry, it isn't truly a portable device that you can stuff in your pocket and stream DSD512 while you are out jogging.) I am NOT shocked that it measures very well; it is a Topping: that is what they do. I am NOT of the persuasion that measurements are directly linked to absolute sound quality. I have heard too many 'perfect' measuring cheaper devices be embarrassed in playback by the actual audio produced. As I have said before, 'better' sound is sound I simply enjoy more, so then, who cares about the measurements? I however DO think measurements are an excellent insight into what is going on inside a black box, they can point out marketing mumbo-jumbo to show what makers are hiding, and certainly can tell us when a product is poorly engineered and to be avoided. There are so few actually poorly engineered products these days, however. One engineering challenge, especially at the price of the Topping E30 II Lite, is how to deal with noise entering its clock, conversion stage and analog output. It has a unique method of receiving power. The internal 5v PSU is driven by an included power cable with a male USB type A connector. You can plug it into a computer, cell phone charger, or in my case, I chose to use a battery pack for clean power. Even with the clean battery power, there was residual noise that was only removed when I added a galvanic isolator between the battery and the 5v power input on the DAC. THD+N was also further improved by adding another Galvanic Isolator on the USB data line. So even though the product is only $99, to get the best performance out of it, you may have to start adding accessories that will quickly increase the price by matters of magnitude. However, the performance without any noise isolation is good enough that at the price, I venture to guess most people would never notice a difference. Both the E30 II 'standard' and E30 II 'lite' boast DSD 'direct' or 'bypass' mode. Based on previous experience with Topping products (their E70V did NOT offer the bypass mode, as confirmed by measurements and Topping support, in spite of what was reported in the press) and based on the measurements and behavior of this E30 II unit, I am inclined again to strongly believe there is NO DSD 'bypass' mode on offer here. Yes, you can lock the volume control for both PCM and DSD into 'full' or 'zero attenuation' for use as DAC only (no pre-amp functions), however, another logic mode must be activated internally inside the AKM chips that is not simply activated by locking the volume control (or bypassing the volume control). It isn't so much the volume control that is the big deal of the bypass mode. It is the DSD bypass of the multi-bit Delta Sigma modulator that is the big deal! You can read more about the controversy by clicking here. OR here as well.  Let's move away from the technical stuff, and let's get into how this amazingly inexpensive piece of gear sounds. All my reviewing was done with the Topping E30 II Lite amplified by an Icon HP8 MKII headphone amplifier, and Focal Clear MG Professional Headphones. The entire signal chain is unbalanced, and Kimber Tonik RCA cables were used between the Topping and the Icon amplifier. Generic headphone cables were in use.  I began listening to Alisa Weilerstein play the first movement (Allegretto) of Shostakovich Cello Concerto no. 1 in E flat major, Op. 107, composed in 1959. The format was FLAC 96khz 24bit. The file was from my home NAS storage, streamed via Roon. As I alluded to in my introduction, no DAC this price should sound this good. Wow. There really isn't anything 'wrong' here. Is it going to take down more expensive DACs? No. It isn't. When you have a $99 product with so much digital tech stuffed in, something has to give, and that will ultimately be the analog stage. But, for the price, again things are impressive. The Cello tonality is pretty good. It is missing the finest of detail and timbre, but what it CAN do is very, very good. Imaging is decent here as well. The horns at approx. 3 minutes in are distinctly presented to the left of the stage and behind the Cello soloist, but they are a bit loud and start to muddle the overall performance a bit. This could be a mix issue, but I determined it was not after listening to the same track under the same conditions on two DACs that are more expensive; the iFi ZEN DAC V3, and the SMSL D300 DAC. Overall, though, I can't fault anything I heard. For most listeners, this would have been received very well and an engaging reproduction.  Next I went after some SuperBass 2 in DSD64, and no, I am not talking about the Minaj kind, although I must embarrassingly admit I have a soft spot for that track. Once again, we have an overall good presentation that is difficult to fault at the price. I chose to have a listen to the track "Papa was a Rolling Stone." It is quite an experience to listen to a trio of the greatest jazz bassists of all time, in Ray Brown, John Clayton and Christian McBride. This is one of those early Telarc pure DSD recordings done back in the 'glory days' of the old Sonoma systems and 'DSD-Wide' editing. Some guys would do anything to not go multi-bit editing back then, bypassing DSD-Wide editing by sending their multitrack raw recordings directly to a DAC and then do the mix on an analog console and master straight to 2-channel (or surround as well if needed) DSD. I am not sure that I would have done things that way myself; the DSD-Wide filtering was pretty gentle, and it you didn't have to add a whole lot of effects, I would imagine the end results would have been preferable to doing something as complicated as mixing in analog. But, you know what? Every Telarc recording I know that was mixed that way (like most of Hiromi's albums) sounded damn good. How ever things are mixed here (I think it is much simpler than that, since it was a purely live take), things are reproduced very well by the Topping. My only real complaint is there is a lack of dynamic/transient response. When we take a look at the DSD filters, there is no reason to think they are to 'blame' for any slowness in the transients; rather I am guessing it's the analog section again that holds things back compared to more expensive DACs. The analog stage may be suffering from some slew rate issues.  As a degreed pianist by trade, I cannot help but LOVE listening to the improvisatory genius of Chick Corea. My training is classical, and I dabble in jazz. I am always utterly stunned by what the best Jazz guys can just naturally do at the keys. On this album, adding Gary Burton on mallets creates just a special experience. (I also played mallets: Xylophone, Orchestra Bells, Vibes, Marimba in High School... all our drill was Drum Corp. style, so I am especially fond of this album.) I will again sound like a broken record, but the Topping E30 II Lite does a bang-up job of reproducing this work. It is quite admirable, and enjoyable. Once again as you might imagine with two percussion instruments in piano and vibes, that transients and dynamics are going to be super important. They are a bit underwhelming here, and it is this factor that really separates this budget DAC from those more expensive. The next level up iFi ZEN DACs, of any generation, are able to do everything as well as this Topping, but then they have that dynamic 'pop' that really makes things special. The same goes for the SMSL D300 DAC, one of my absolute favorite pieces of gear under $500. But I will reiterate, for the price of this Topping E30 II Lite, it has NOTHING to ashamed about. back to the dsd question I must say, however, whatever the case may be, Direct DSD or not, no matter what mode I used the Topping in, be it fixed mode or volume control mode, DSD sounded excellent. I could hear no difference in the two modes. Everything always just sounded very good. And that is not surprising, since AKM is a master of DSD in its Switched Capacitor DACs. Its Digital DSD filter, combined with the very high-resolution granular control of those SCF's means they can make the filters do just about exactly what they want, in order to best filter DSD. Based on what I see and hear, again, I think their marketing on this product is incorrect. I could be very, very wrong. Both DSD output modes measure at the same output voltage at full output, and both are right at 3db less than PCM at 0dbfs. In many cases I could use this as evidence of DSD manipulation, however in this case, my understanding is AKM actually adjusts the reference voltage output for each format, in order to maximum signal to noise ratio by format. But what I am really trying to get at, is IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER HERE. Their DSD processing on the AK4493 chips (and this is actually the newest version AK4493S 'Velvet' version) is excellent, SOUNDS excellent, and at this price point? It should not be any real concern. It was only a concern to me from the beginning because I am like that. A complete compulsive-obsessive audio nerd who, if at all possible, would love to have a BYPASS capable AK4493 based DAC at under $100. But that is MY concern. CONCLUSION My advice to you? Unless you share my concerns, don't worry about the DSD thing. Knowledge is always power and holding companies accountable for their products is I believe a GOOD thing. But bottom line, this is a $99 dollar DAC that processes DSD512, PCM at 768khz, and sounds pretty fine doing it. It works well, no real bugs I can tell you about (other than an occasional muting issue that allows a loud click to pass through when it has not played music for awhile, and is coming out of mute mode), and it sounds very, very fine, (did I mention already it sounds fine?) and will impress all your 'compressed music listening friends' who have no idea this kind of quality sound is available to them. It's a big thumbs up, and just buy this thing! OUR RATING: (0-10 scale. 8 or higher numbers represent best of industry. For the final score calculation, each category is given a (undisclosed) weighting and is tallied for final score. Although perfect 'fairness' is unlikely, our system tries to be as unbiased as possible. sound quality: 7.5 build quality: 8.8 ease of use: 9.8 measurements: 9.1* value: 10.0 TOTAL RATING: 86.8 * lowered significantly because to achieve best measurements, a very, very clean power source is required, in addition to galvanic isolation of the digital input. MEASUREMENTS As mentioned above, you really need solid clean power and clean data to get the best measurements out of this device. It can make as much as a 10db difference in THD+N. Once you are feeding it clean power and data, things look very, very nice. Dynamic Range: 121dB (A) THD: -119.6dB / 0.000105% THD+N: -116.2dB / 0.000155% IMD: -116.4dB / 0.000151% JITTER: 29.3ps Peak / 7.1ps RMS LINEARITY at -100dB: <0.1dB error LINEARITY at -115dB: <0.5dB error LINEARITY at -120dB: <2.3dB error THD+N Multitone 32 Test: -102dB / 0.000794%  THD (Total Harmonic Distortion): The THD of -119.6 dB indicates an extremely low level of harmonic distortion, which is a hallmark of high-quality DACs. This level of performance ensures that the E30 II Lite reproduces the audio signal with high fidelity, introducing minimal harmonic coloration. THD+N (Total Harmonic Distortion plus Noise): At -116.2 dB, this metric confirms that the combination of harmonic distortion and noise is kept exceptionally low, contributing to a clean and clear sound output. Dynamic Range: The dynamic range of 121 dB (A-weighted) is impressive, ensuring that the DAC can handle the quietest and loudest parts of the audio signal without introducing significant noise. This wide dynamic range is essential for maintaining the integrity of the audio across varying volumes. 2nd Harmonic: The second harmonic distortion at -126.6 dB is very low, indicating that the DAC introduces minimal even-order harmonic distortion. 3rd Harmonic: The third harmonic is also kept low at -121.1 dB, reflecting minimal odd-order harmonic distortion, which can be more audible and undesirable. 4th Harmonic: With a 4th harmonic at -144.6 dB, the Topping E30 II Lite demonstrates excellent suppression of higher-order harmonics, contributing to its overall clean sound profile.  COMPARISON OF THE TOPPING'S 6 PCM FILTER'S FREQUENCY RESPONSE TO 22,050KHZ  The J-Test graph for the Topping E30 II Lite, provides insights into the DAC's performance regarding clock stability and signal integrity. Here's a detailed evaluation: The noise floor is exceptionally low, remaining well below -140 dB across the frequency spectrum. This indicates a high level of precision in the DAC's output and minimal interference from unwanted noise. The primary jitter spike is visible at 11.025 kHz, a standard for J-Test signals, and is expected. The magnitude of this spike is controlled and does not exhibit significant deviation, suggesting effective jitter suppression. Additional spikes or noise that could indicate clock inaccuracies or instability are minimal, with only a couple tiny artifacts, reflecting the DAC's ability to maintain signal integrity. The stability of the clock signal is crucial in digital-to-analog conversion as it ensures accurate timing for the conversion process. The minimal jitter spikes and low noise floor in the J-Test graph indicate that the Topping E30 II Lite has excellent clock stability. This stability is essential for achieving high fidelity in audio playback. The graph shows that the DAC maintains high signal integrity, with very low levels of phase noise and timing errors. This ensures that the digital audio signal is converted to analog with high precision, preserving the original sound characteristics. The consistent performance across the frequency spectrum, as shown by the low and flat noise floor, suggests that the DAC can handle a wide range of audio signals without introducing artifacts. This makes it suitable for both critical listening and professional audio applications. The J-Test graph for the Topping E30 II Lite demonstrates its superior performance in terms of low jitter, high dynamic range, and minimal harmonic distortion. These attributes ensure that the DAC delivers clean, precise, and high-fidelity audio playback. For audiophiles and professionals seeking an affordable yet high-performing DAC, the Topping E30 II Lite stands out as a compelling option.  MULTITONE 32 TEST - Noise Floor: The noise floor remains consistently low, around -130 dB or lower, indicating excellent noise performance and suggesting that the DAC introduces minimal noise into the signal path. Signal Tones: The primary signal tones are clearly visible and uniformly spaced. This indicates that the DAC is accurately reproducing the input signal across the frequency spectrum without introducing significant harmonic distortions or intermodulation products. Spurious Tones and Harmonics: There are no significant spurious tones or harmonics visible above the noise floor. This suggests that the DAC has good linearity and minimal distortion, as it is not introducing unwanted frequency components. Dynamic Range: The dynamic range appears to be excellent, with a wide separation between the signal tones and the noise floor. This indicates that the DAC can handle a broad range of signal amplitudes without significant degradation. Intermodulation Distortion (IMD): The lack of visible intermodulation distortion products between the primary tones is a positive indicator of the DAC's performance. IMD can be a significant issue in DACs, but this graph suggests it is well-controlled in the Topping E30 II Lite. Overall, the Topping E30 II Lite demonstrates excellent performance in the Multitone 32 test. The results show that it maintains a low noise floor, accurately reproduces signal tones, and exhibits minimal distortion. This makes it a strong candidate for high-fidelity audio applications where accurate and clean signal reproduction is crucial. Finally, we will have a look at what is going on with the various DSD filters and measurements. One "bug" to note. DSD filter 1 has the HIGHER cutoff and most liberal allowance of ultrasonic noise. DSD filter 2 is has the LOWER cutoff and is more conservative in how it deals with ultrasonic noise. I put "bug" in quotes because while not exactly that, it reverses usual expectations. Also, other than the fact that both Pre-amp mode with volume control and Fixed mode have the same filter profiles, they measure the same in every way. This is unusual unless they are using the same signal path. DSD that follows a direct, or BYPASS route, produces certain difficulties for analog stages that create notable difference in noise floor, distortion, etc. I wish I could say for 100 percent sure that this DAC is NOT making use of the BYPASS mode, I cannot. For me to make that evaluation at 100 percent certainty, I would want to see more of the signal above 192khz, which at this time with my ADC I just cannot see. As it stands, I am fairly certain, all factors considered, the marketing is incorrect. The Topping E30 II Lite, uses the 'standard' DSD path that traverses through the multi-bit Delta Sigma modulator, which is why everything measures identically.  TOPPING E30 II LITE 'FIXED' VOLUME DSD FILTER 1  TOPPING E30 II LITE 'PRE-AMP MODE' VOLUME DSD FILTER 1  TOPPING E30 II LITE 'FIXED' VOLUME DSD FILTER 2  TOPPING E30 II LITE 'PRE-AMP MODE' VOLUME DSD FILTER 2  I even took DSD filter measurements with the volume control set at -20dB to show that the filter profile is still the same at a setting other than 0.0dB. DSD FILTER 1 AT -20dB  DSD FILTER 2 AT -20dB The gallery above is a comparison of Fixed Volume or the alleged 'Bypass' Mode DSD at all speeds. Click on an image for a larger view and then to best see the effect, advance by clicking left or right. The results here are NOT normal for a DSD DAC using a 'Direct' or 'Bypass' mode at this price. Only the very best and more expensive Direct DSD DACs will maintain similar noise and distortion levels at each speed tier. The majority of 'Direct' DSD DACs will have notable drops in performance, especially at DSD 512 and higher. The Topping E30 II Lite is a $99 dollar DAC, and it is supposedly outperforming much more advanced DACs. Where this kind of consistent behavior is more likely and EXPECTED is when DSD is NOT used in a 'Direct' mode, rather is remodulated via an onboard Multi-Bit Delta Sigma Modulator. That is the kind of behavior being show here in the Topping. I think the evidence is really leaning strongly to the fact that the marketing material saying DSD uses the 'Bypass' function is incorrect. Each speed has a THD+N of right at -111db. I have seen the original AK4493 chip in the RME ADI-2 PRO act in a very similar way in direct mode up until DSD 256, but again, it cost 20 times the price. So that is why I cannot 100 percent say this isn't the true 'bypass' mode, but I am still 90 percent sure it is NOT, for all the reasons articulated.
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seb
7/28/2024 09:20:14 am
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