- Compact size with good connectivity, LDAC and aptX
- S/PDIF and ADAT auto detection and mode switching
- $199 / €199 (around £175 / AU$400)
“Topping launches a new DAC” isn’t really news: it makes a lot of them, from the ultra-affordable D10 to the G5 portable DAC/headphone amp and the premium D90 III Sabre. But the new E50 II is interesting because it’s an impressive high-resolution audio DAC that takes up a lot of space in its desktop-friendly size.
It’s cheap too: $199 / €199 (around £175 / AU$400). That means it undercuts many of the best headphone DACs and is priced similarly to the fairly good iFi ZEN DAC 3, although the two devices have key differences: the iFi is also a headphone amp, but it lacks the Bluetooth capabilities of the Topping.
Topping E50 II: key features
The Topping E50 II is built around AKM’s AK4497S DAC and over USB is capable of linear PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD up to DSD512 (DoP DSD up to DSD256).
Despite the compact size, there’s plenty of connectivity here with USB-C, coaxial, and optical S/PDIF. RCA and balanced jacks handle the outputs.
The digital interface is based on the XMOS XU316 and the digital inputs support both S/PDIF and ADAT (the latter on the optical input). The E50 II automatically detects whether the input handles S/PDIF or ADAT and changes modes without you having to lift a finger.
Wireless support is also good, thanks to a Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth module with LDAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive and aptX HD in addition to the mandatory SBC and AAC codecs. However, there is no such thing as aptX Lossless.
The Topping E50 II is now available in three finishes: black, silver and white. The front panel comes in any color you want, as long as it is black.
The best headphone DACs for every budget
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
