Topping L30 Review

Topping L30

Build and form-factor

 

If you’ve come across the Topping E30 before then you know exactly what you’re in for in terms of how the L30 is put together. If you haven’t, then you’re likely to be pleasantly surprised when you first get a peek at it when you lift it out of the unassuming, white ‘Topping’ box. The L30’s main chassis is an all-metal unibody, made from nice-to-the-touch brushed aluminium. It’s solidly put-together and feels surprisingly premium given its price. This review example is black, but the L30 is also available in silver. Thankfully, HiFiGo shipped me a black unit because the Topping E30 I have here is also black, and thankfully I needn’t have OCD concerns. 

The L30’s ‘face’ is a clear, shiny gorilla-glass like panel, with markings for the increments on the switches written underneath in somewhat hard-to-read white writing. There’s a minuscule white LED dot on the front of the L30 to indicate that power is on – it’s kinda hard to see, but on the flip-side, at least it’s not blinding you while you’re getting work done at your desk. 

Topping L30

The two three-way toggle-switches are precise, with a nice firm throw. So firm, in fact, that when you go to switch them upwards you inevitably lift the whole unit up off you desk. Therein lies one of the downsides of the L30’s form-factor. Because the L30 is only about the size of a passport, it can happily pop onto the smallest of table-tops, but it’s also liable to be moved around easily when cables are tugged or when you’re adjusting its controls. The L30 sits on four small rubber feet which are reasonably ‘grippy’ on most surfaces but tend to get ‘slippy’ when parked on top of its companion E30 DAC. Those of you who become E30/L30 ‘stackers’ will need to get used to realigning their flat faces in line with one another to keep them flush. 

If you plan on using a device like the L30 to power both headphones and act as your desktop pre-amp, then you’re likely to be adjusting volume with it. A lot. The L30’s rather sporty-looking red-trimmed volume pot is reasonably nice to the touch and is both smooth and precise in operation with only a slight amount of ‘play’ compared to the rock-solid, butter-like pot on the A90. The L30’s knob is far less ‘scratchy’-feeling than the Magni 3’s volume pot, and less toy-like than the SMSL SP200’s rather awful knob that was not only loose but also had noticeable channel imbalance. My only real complaint with the L30’s form-factor is that the volume pot is sometimes hard to reach and manipulate because it sits adjacent to the 6.3mm headphones out. If you have the L30 sitting on your left-hand side, then you’re likely to get your finger stuck between the knob and your headphone’s jack. 

The analogue-out RCA output on the back of the L30 is variable, meaning that the L30 can work happily as a pre-amp upstream of a power amp or pair of powered monitors. It’s a nice feature to have at this price and adds to the overall value equation of the little Topping amp. It sounded expectedly excellent when used upstream of a Burson Bang power amp and a pair of KEF LS50’s, and proved to be an easy-to-live-with volume control in that configuration.

Topping L30

I must note that the L30’s matte black outer layer and shiny faceplate are prone to collecting fingerprints, so if you’re interested in keeping yours pristine then you’re going to need to be prepared to give it a wipe from time to time. 

Those (very minor) gripes aside, the build and form-factor of the L30 are pleasingly first-rate, and it feels like it’s made to stick around for years. I also think that it happens to look pretty cool with its minimal, matte-black vibes offset with the red ‘flair’ on the volume pot. The L30 reminds me of a race-tuned ‘hot hatch’, complete with tinted windows and a purposeful, low centre of gravity. But does it have ‘hot hatch’-like performance where it counts: in the sound department?

The review continues over the jump on page 3

4/5 - (70 votes)
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedin

Hailing from Sydney's eastern beaches, Matty runs his own beer business, 'Bowlo Draught', as well as working in creative advertising. When he's not enjoying his hifi and vinyl collection at home, he can probably be found rolling-up on the green at his beloved Bondi Bowling Club.

12 Comments

  • Reply October 27, 2020

    Sandeep

    Hi, nice review. Any idea how this would fare in comparison to the ifi zen can?

    • Reply October 27, 2020

      Matty

      The L30 is ten bucks cheaper with slightly higher single-ended output, but no balanced capability. The Zen requires strange 4.4mm adapters for use as a pre-amp, so you’d need to factor that into your overall purchase-price.

      If you don’t need balanced, choose the L30.

  • Reply October 27, 2020

    Musikverein

    So true, Matty.
    This gem (and its little heavy 15V power secret) is even capable to drive my DT880/600 to more than just satisfyng level in terms of smooth quality and no-distortion-quantity.
    That is why it serves as my office rig amp since late summer, happily.

    • Reply November 20, 2020

      Michael

      Wonder how well this would drive the HiFiMan Arya…

  • Reply October 29, 2020

    Wills

    Hi Matty, do you reckon there is any difference between this and the smsl sp200? Just by looking at the review they seem similar imo. Also, if I also add the Topping A90 into the match, do you think the A90 is a huge step up from the others? Thanks

    • Reply October 29, 2020

      Matty

      Hey Wills, they have only a very slight difference in terms of their voicing. The SP200 sounds a little leaner than the L30, but for the most part you’re getting an entirely faithful representation of what your music and headphones sound like. I’d choose the SP200 only if you really need the extra power (perhaps for certain planars), or if you need the XLR socket for convenience. The L30 is a pretty each choice otherwise at less than half the price.

      • Reply November 20, 2020

        Michael

        Wonder how well this would drive the HiFiMan Arya…

        • Reply November 21, 2020

          Matty Graham

          The Arya should only need 7.65 mW to get to 100dB. The L30 will do fine with the Arya.

  • Reply October 30, 2020

    Loz

    Hi Matty, thanks for the review. Having spent many hours recently viewing and reading reviews like this, I’m still on the fence about the benefits of a dedicated amp like this with an equivalent DAC, or a combo like the earmen sparrow, if I’m only using Spotify through my phone. I’m on the fence regarding the benefits if not using better quality source material, and also as I sometimes listen to music in bed, where a stack isn’t really a viable solution, if a sparrow or hip dac is more than good enough. I currently have Beoplay H6 gen 2, generally well reviewed, and am considering upgrading to something like the Sundara, but appreciate that needs a dedicated amp. Based on a budget of £500-550 for everything, I’d appreciate your thoughts on best bang for my buck. I listen to classical, electronic, metal, and nearly everything in between. I want something that will make me go wow. I really like Spotify for the new music I’ve found since using it and wouldn’t be in a hurry to switch, but wouldn’t rule it out completely. Thanks in advance for any help.

    • Reply October 30, 2020

      Matty Graham

      Hi Loz, thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. Spotify is bloody great for music – it’s algorithm and discovery features are second to none. At the end of the day, enjoying music is about listening to what makes you happy, so if that’s working for you stick with it. With your budget in mind and Spotify as a source, you might enjoy using a dedicated Bluetooth headphone like the Drop x Panda, or Audeze Mobius and call it a day.

  • Reply October 31, 2020

    Loz

    Thanks for the suggestions Matty. I looked at your review (and a few others) of the Panda and they look very interesting. Getting Drop stuff to the UK is another story. They tested a few select products, 6XX etc, for Europe, but that didn’t go anywhere. Shure Aonic 50 might be another option. Thanks again.

  • Reply November 26, 2020

    Andrew

    Hi Matty! Thank you for an interesting review of this small but capable unit that absolutely left only one question in my mind about L30: Does it play well with entry level and popular like Fostex T50Rp Mk3 (base model)?

    T50Rps are hungry and inefficient that led me to spend a few months reading forums trying to pick an amp without subjecting my wallet to inhumane destruction (resisting temptation to spend a ton on D90/A90 with some dedicated power supply before knowing ins and outs and nuances…)?

    Would L30 give enough to drive them (my current “interface” is Roland Quad Capture,
    and old-ish unit with 48Ohm output resistance on headphone jack, only gets them to sub-average volume and volume knob is maxed out at all times) without limiting them in any way or i should consider something along the lines of SMSL SP200 because of that THX stuff? Thanks!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.