Comments on: Topping L70 Review https://headfonics.com/topping-l70-review/ Independent Portable and Desktop Audio Reviews Mon, 27 Mar 2023 07:33:53 +0000 hourly 1 By: John Geens https://headfonics.com/topping-l70-review/#comment-16792 Mon, 27 Mar 2023 07:33:53 +0000 https://headfonics.com/?p=62236#comment-16792 I have ordered the Topping L70 after reading the online reviews so I was very keen to receive it and compare it to my older Benchmark DAC1. Intention was to add the Topping to my reconding studio setup to use it as my secondary headphone amp. Here are my findings after trying 2 CD’s: Oio Anima and Audiophile Bossa Voices II.
First I tried Anima, which is a recording from 1991 and published by Sony Music. One of my favorite albums of all time by the way, played it a lot through the years so I know this recording inside-out. As I said it’s released in 1991, which means that it is free from the “loudness wars” or “EQ-wars”. Here I can say that both the Benchmark and the Topping almost sound the same. Almost: the Benchmark sound more “controlled”, a bit smoother perhaps. In louder parts of the recording the Topping sound more in-your-face. The Topping sound a bit more brittle and detailed in the very high frequencies compared to the Benchmark. The Topping lacks a bit of the lower frequencies on the other side. The differences compared to the Benchmark are minimal.
But than I listened to Audiophile Bossa Voices II. Wow, the difference here is very clear… Audiophile Bossa Voices II is a modern mastered album which means that it not only sounds louder but the various frequencies are more pronounced as well. The Benchmark here shows its dominance over the Topping: Bass is more present but the other frequencies as well. Soundstage is bigger, Dynamics are way better handled. The Benchmark just controls anything wayyyy better ! What a difference! The Topping sounds too much in-your-face, lacks “breath”, instruments sound mixed up and because of that looses details.
I was so astonished by these findings that I plugged my headphones in to my Presonus Central Station built-in headphone amp. This headphone amp is just an average one but even there the difference was clear: the Topping really isn’t a good amp. It just cannot cope with louder, very dynamic passages with lots of going on in the recording. It’s fine for quiet stuff without loud bass and only a very few instruments playing. Like solo-vocals, a capella, solo guitar etc.
So, needless to say that I returned the unit.
For this comparison I used various headphones and audio-sources and it really didn’t make any difference.

]]> By: Carlo https://headfonics.com/topping-l70-review/#comment-16748 Tue, 14 Feb 2023 07:03:00 +0000 https://headfonics.com/?p=62236#comment-16748 A friend invited me to confront his Naim super pre with the best Topping headphone amp used as a pre.

The Topping was way better for detail, dynamic, neutrality. A bit thin at first but was the Naim that induced coloration with a sorte of loudness effect.

]]> By: Marcus https://headfonics.com/topping-l70-review/#comment-16746 Mon, 13 Feb 2023 18:32:00 +0000 https://headfonics.com/?p=62236#comment-16746 In reply to Tony.

Hi Tony, thanks for commenting. I suspect there is less discussion on the preamp as we are primarily a headphone review website rather than a speaker or HiFi website. That is out audience. That being said, I will let Louis chime in if he had done any preamp testing at the time.

]]> By: Tony https://headfonics.com/topping-l70-review/#comment-16745 Mon, 13 Feb 2023 18:23:07 +0000 https://headfonics.com/?p=62236#comment-16745 Hello,

Why don’t you talk about preamp section?

Again, these units are identified as headphone amp and preamp. Lots of audiophiles are using power ampsclass AB or class D, and could consider these units as preamp choices, but never a folk will test preamp use ….

Btw : is there a benefit to use l70 as a preamp if we already use the dac a70 as a functional preamp in front of a class D power amp?

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