Topping "e" series entry level interfaces
Feb 16, 2024 15:56:18 GMT -6
chessparov and noob like this
Post by sirthought on Feb 16, 2024 15:56:18 GMT -6
Some time around mid summer to early fall, Topping released it's first recording interfaces. Many folks on this board likely have heard of Topping for their production of audiophile DACs and headphone amplifiers, but this is their first entry into interfaces. And based on the reviews from Audio Science Review and Julian Krause, it seems like a unique beast that could really help people with certain needs.
The biggest plus for anyone will be a headphone amp that rivals or beats many very expensive standalone headphone amps. Based on the data shown on ASR it beats most interface headphone amps, with the ability to handle any impedance level headphones and it can easily work with IEMs without killing you. The second surprise is it has an excellent ADC. (In ASR's top tier.) The third headline is that the DAC is quite good (ASR's second tier), but not nearly as great as most Topping DAC devices sold, which is kinda confusing, but they are likely targeting entry level consumers.
These are portable desktop units with limited features. They can be bus powered, but also can run on an included power supply. 48v phantom is available. They have a software monitoring mixer that offers near zero latency. MacOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. No DSP effects, but full features for people needing loopback for doing streaming/podcasting with live performances.
They can also run standalone away from a computer, so if you wanted to use it for a home stereo setup, it will work well. And it has a power switch!
I'd guess that experiences will show this is very much a new venture for this Chinese company, but the prices are so good it's worthy of discussion. So far there are three models available, all sold solely through Ali Express. Topping e1x2 is $159. The e2x2 is $154. The e4x4 is $254. A company rep said they are looking at distributors in the US and elsewhere, but just Ali Express for now. 15 day return policy.
If you have to travel for any time away from the studio and want to mix ITB on headphones, this unit will do the job nicely. And if you need to track something with one or two channels, you aren't going to be scraping the bottom of the barrel with the ADC. It's not going to take outboard, MIDI, or high channel counts, but it's price reflects that.
This is targeting people seeking entry level features, competing with entry models like Focusrite Scarlett and MOTU M2. It has zero expandability and would really be most useful for someone who is mixing 100% in the box. But the preamps are clean and you could line in with nicer gear.
The e4x4 has four preamps/line combos, and the first two channels can take Hi Z inputs for guitar and bass. That model also has four TRS outputs, so you could send a mix to two sets of monitors or a larger headphone distribution box, etc. No Hi Z on the other two units.
A guy who works for Topping is in the thread at ASR talking about how in China there is a market for home studio recording, but the much larger market for the country is people who want to perform music live in streaming or doing online broadcasts. That's why their focus was on the detailed loopback software, zero latency, quality ADC, etc.
There are people in the thread who purchased and are reporting software bugs, and one guy who didn't agree with how well the gain controls worked. But I've spoken with other folks who have owned them for months and report no issues at all and seem to really love them. A lot of the complaints were in the first months, so perhaps any bugs have been worked out.
www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-e2x2-audio-interface-review.49127/
The biggest plus for anyone will be a headphone amp that rivals or beats many very expensive standalone headphone amps. Based on the data shown on ASR it beats most interface headphone amps, with the ability to handle any impedance level headphones and it can easily work with IEMs without killing you. The second surprise is it has an excellent ADC. (In ASR's top tier.) The third headline is that the DAC is quite good (ASR's second tier), but not nearly as great as most Topping DAC devices sold, which is kinda confusing, but they are likely targeting entry level consumers.
These are portable desktop units with limited features. They can be bus powered, but also can run on an included power supply. 48v phantom is available. They have a software monitoring mixer that offers near zero latency. MacOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. No DSP effects, but full features for people needing loopback for doing streaming/podcasting with live performances.
They can also run standalone away from a computer, so if you wanted to use it for a home stereo setup, it will work well. And it has a power switch!
I'd guess that experiences will show this is very much a new venture for this Chinese company, but the prices are so good it's worthy of discussion. So far there are three models available, all sold solely through Ali Express. Topping e1x2 is $159. The e2x2 is $154. The e4x4 is $254. A company rep said they are looking at distributors in the US and elsewhere, but just Ali Express for now. 15 day return policy.
If you have to travel for any time away from the studio and want to mix ITB on headphones, this unit will do the job nicely. And if you need to track something with one or two channels, you aren't going to be scraping the bottom of the barrel with the ADC. It's not going to take outboard, MIDI, or high channel counts, but it's price reflects that.
This is targeting people seeking entry level features, competing with entry models like Focusrite Scarlett and MOTU M2. It has zero expandability and would really be most useful for someone who is mixing 100% in the box. But the preamps are clean and you could line in with nicer gear.
The e4x4 has four preamps/line combos, and the first two channels can take Hi Z inputs for guitar and bass. That model also has four TRS outputs, so you could send a mix to two sets of monitors or a larger headphone distribution box, etc. No Hi Z on the other two units.
A guy who works for Topping is in the thread at ASR talking about how in China there is a market for home studio recording, but the much larger market for the country is people who want to perform music live in streaming or doing online broadcasts. That's why their focus was on the detailed loopback software, zero latency, quality ADC, etc.
There are people in the thread who purchased and are reporting software bugs, and one guy who didn't agree with how well the gain controls worked. But I've spoken with other folks who have owned them for months and report no issues at all and seem to really love them. A lot of the complaints were in the first months, so perhaps any bugs have been worked out.
www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-e2x2-audio-interface-review.49127/
