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We evaluate the Topping E70, which is an ES9028Pro-equipped Bluetooth-capable desktop DAC providing as much as DSD512 and PCM768kHz decoding. It’s priced at $349.
Disclaimer: This pattern unit was despatched to us in change for our trustworthy opinion. We thank the group at Shenzhen Audio and Topping for giving us this chance.
Click on right here to learn extra about Topping merchandise that we’ve got beforehand featured on Headfonics.
Notice, that this text follows our newest scoring tips which you’ll learn here.
A latest rely revealed that Topping has over 30 audio parts listed on their web site and that quantity is gonna continue to grow it appears. We have now no scarcity of Topping DAC evaluations right here both with the price range E30 II and the following one down from this explicit evaluate right now, the E50 as latest examples.
Subsequent up from the E50 are the not too long ago launched L70 headphone amplifier and the E70 DAC which have been designed to pair completely collectively not solely visually but in addition synergistically.
There are two distinct fashions of the E70 mannequin quantity specifically. One employs a Velvet sound AKM DAC part and the opposite makes use of an ESS Sabre Professional DAC variant.
At the moment we’ll discuss concerning the E70 with the ESS variant DAC part. The E70 is a digital multi-input Bluetooth-capable receiver preamp with distant management functionality. The E70 is out there in two colour schemes; black and silver.
Tech Highlights
So this explicit Topping E70 unit makes use of a single ESS Sabre ES902PRO 32-bit Hyperstream 2 chip which claims the business’s highest normal 124db SNR score together with a good encrusted time area jitter eliminator. Topping appears to be assured in that this single-chip resolution can prevail.
One explicit facet of the circuitry design throughout the E70 that Topping says made a giant distinction was clear energy so that they designed a customized inverted voltage or IV circuit design that allowed Topping to push the DAC part to its high restrict in efficiency with out including any electrical noise.
The numbers on paper all look superb beginning with a really low 0.00006% THD-N score which is A-weighted. Dynamic vary was listed at 132 decibels rounded off from 132.819 decibels. so it’s nearer to 133 decibels.
Most measurements have been greatest on the XLR output so these specs use that supply which carries a 100Ω output impedance opposite to the RCA out which carries a 50Ω ohm measurement.
Digital Codecs
One explicit reality some would possibly discover an antagonistic level on the Topping E70 is that it has no MQA functionality. It does excel in terms of PCM which may attain 32bit 768kz charges, DSD at as much as native DSD512, and DoP at as much as DSD256.
Now, these capabilities are solely obtainable on the USB enter port aspect which is dealt with by way of an XMOS XU316 and its Thesvcom customized driver. The optical and coaxial inputs will solely attain 24bit/192kHz charges and DSD64.
So it appears the E70 is greatest in constancy manufacturing by means of its USB enter though the 24bit/192kHz bit price functionality is nothing to giggle at. I’d in all probability use these optical and SPDIF inputs for a cable field or TV output because it appears you would comfortably use the E70 in a house theatre setup.
On a Home windows system, nonetheless, to benefit from these greater bit charges you must use the driving force that you just obtain from Topping’s web site. The motive force appears so as to add some stability on the highest of bit charges.
One difficulty I bumped into was that I needed to set up this driver twice for it to tackle my Home windows 11 machine for the reason that first try gave an error. Then once more, the posted driver didn’t record the E70 as a appropriate mannequin however it will definitely took it anyway.
Design
If I used to be to label the Topping E70 design as a hybrid for the reason that entrance panel has a contact management pad on one aspect and a multi-use rotary knob on the opposite aspect of the entrance panel.
So we’ve got a mixed contact management and rotary quantity knob management set that works together to entry sure parts of the menu which is then displayed on the LCD display up entrance.
The cupboard itself is a completed steel however the entrance panel appears to be made from tempered glass which seems nice lengthy as you retain your fingers off it as a result of it’s a large fingerprint magnet.
The unit’s physique measurement is round 1.7 inches tall, 7.8 inches large, and 5.4 inches large so it’s a very good measurement for a desktop setup. The included distant management signifies the E70 was additionally designed for dwelling theatre use in thoughts the place the E70 can act as an enter swap plus inject a Bluetooth sign into your setup.
I/O
The E70’s predominant enter is an XMOS XU316 USB stage and is able to working on most trendy OS techniques. Home windows customers also can obtain and use a customized Teyscon driver however Home windows doesn’t want the driving force to perform for the reason that E70 appears to work on plug-and-play drivers moderately nicely.
The opposite inputs, all rear-mounted by the way in which are an optical enter and a SPDIF enter connection. Plus, there’s yet another approach to faucet into the Topping E70 which is through the use of a Bluetooth transmission.
There are additionally a few 3.5mm connections on the rear panel however they’re 12-volt triggers that work significantly nicely with their L70 amplifier.
There’s one neat function throughout the output stage on the E70 and that’s the variable and selectable output ranges. In different phrases, you would swap between XLR 4-volt or 5-volt outputs. Simply the identical, the RCA aspect additionally has selectable 2-volt or 2.5-volt outputs.
Controls
The Topping E70 combines a multifunction rotary knob with digital controls. I discover it just like what a median DSP does which routinely combines bodily quantity controls or a rocker sort mixed with contact controls however is considerably simplified right here for desktop customers.
I discover the controls a bit awkward as a result of partially you must use a rotary quantity knob and a contact panel in conjunction at instances. The humorous factor is that the included distant management has direct entry to all of the options however not the entrance panel. Among the options are usually not so simply reached upfront.
There’s not a lot else however a rear-mounted energy swap which is completed the proper approach. Most models with rear-mounted energy switches flip the unit on completely. The E70 activates or off by an extended contact motion on the entrance panel touchpad.
The unit additionally goes on standby if there’s no sign current. Meaning you simply go away the rear swap on on a regular basis and both contact the contact management pad or activate the unit by feeding it a sign which additionally prompts the unit and powers it up.
Options
The Topping E70 has 7 inside digital filters. There’s a complete of seven on the PCM aspect however DSD has its personal 4 separate settings. As I scroll by means of all of them I might barely discover a distinction between them and I believe this function is there for many who wish to tinkle with nuances in audio gear or measure them electrically.
One function I did like is the truth that you would choose what output is gonna be used. So when you have one thing related to the XLR and the RCA outputs, you would choose them individually, flip them off or use each concurrently.
There’s additionally a 3-mode power-on and standby mode selector and you would additionally swap the unit into preamp mode or DAC mode with an output mode setting that prompts or disables the variable output or fastened output on the 2 rear outputs.
There are another options like display brightness and time-out setting plus a steadiness management. So there’s extra to this unit than what the attention can see on the floor.
Wi-fi Connectivity
The Topping E70 has a QCC5125 onboard that handles most modern-day codecs together with LDAC. Now needless to say the E70 can solely obtain a sign and never transmit one. It really works out nicely, significantly for these sofa junkies that need to feed the DAC with a pill or telephone wirelessly.
The topping E70 is able to working LDAC, AAC, and SBC plus all of the aptX variants together with Low Latency and Adaptive. The feed works over a BT 5.1 radio and customary protocols.
Throughout use, I had no points far as dropouts and was in a position to transmit an LDAC sign off my telephone and into the E70 from over 35 toes away in a straight line. I additionally transmitted a sign from an Amazon pill and a FiiO BTA30 to the E70 with no points.
Latency was of no significance right here since you possibly can solely inform on video and never listening to music. However should you transmit a BT sign off a pill let’s say, with a youtube video on, latency didn’t appear to be a difficulty since I did take a look at that state of affairs and observed a minimal quantity of delay if any in any respect.
Packaging & Equipment
In case you’ve seen any Topping desktop mannequin packaging then you must know the place that is going. The E70 is available in an all-black field with the Topping title on high. The principle unit comes inside a customized foam mould which safely cradles the unit as much as its vacation spot.
The remaining is normal fare. You get some literature, a 3-prong energy twine which in my case is for a 120v 60Hz energy system, a Bluetooth screw-on antenna, the distant management, and a 4-foot USB wire. Oh, yea, batteries are usually not included and the distant makes use of two normal AAA batteries.
Click on page 2 below for sound impressions and our select pairings
