Topping L30 xploding and taking headphones out

Discussion in 'All Points Bulletin / Be on the Look Out' started by M3NTAL, Dec 17, 2020.

  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    LOL, to be fair, perhaps it should be that full objective due diligence should be performed on any product. I don't have any problem with Chi-Fi. But I do have a problem when some unknown company almost overnight gets so popular on the basis of one person's misinformation (e.g.,measurements past the point where they don't matter, comparisons to intentionally borked / sloppy measurements of competitors' products, almost deliberate massaging of information, etc.) and possible business relationship with said company.

    There is a lot of Chi-Fi we have covered here. Some extreme value, some forgettable (AG-D), some fun and cute (Little Dot).
     
  2. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Looks like they retrofitted something to ground the case
     
  3. M3NTAL

    M3NTAL Friend

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    Looks like their grounding solution. It's up to the viewer to decide if that looks like something they consider an acceptable resolution.
     
  4. bboris77

    bboris77 Friend

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    This is what they look like factory-fresh. To be fair, it appears like they had to act fast and retrofit this solution to a bunch of existing L30s. The question is whether there will be a neater solution in future L30 batches.

    I just found it humorous how nobody on ASR bothered to criticize the quality of soldering of this fix when they were very fast to jump on Schiit specifically for a variety of manufacturing issues.
     
  5. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    95% of dirt cheap audio products are made in China. They just tend to make terribly unreliable electronics vs the likes of Yamaha, MOTU, and Emotiva
     
  6. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    Well it’s a website owned by a unethical dealer of rival brands. He’s done similar trash for everyone else he has a beef with like ATC and PMC.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2021
  7. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Is that a little brass spring contact? I don't know the innards, but I feel like there could have been a better way to do this.
    And man, I've got cheap flux that's 20 years old that doesn't leave residue like that.
     
  8. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

    Pyrate BWC MZR
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    Well, doesn't that just reek of quality.
     
  9. OhmsClaw

    OhmsClaw New

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    Enlighten me master with a clearly superior set up for 150 and below
     
  10. Huhnkopf

    Huhnkopf Friend

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    Honestly, if there's one thing I find much more shameful than Amir's doings it's the absolute spineless minions who after getting such a garbage of a product still welcome it with open arms and gladly giggle about it with a fix I could do better if someone blindfolded me, tied my arms and left me under water with it and a few bull sharks too.

    I don't know if it's the rise of computer audio or streaming but when visiting fairs, meets and exhibitions it seems you meet a whole kind of other types of people than those at ASR or similar.

    It's as if the nerdy shutin crowd of yesterday found a new niche. No offense to nerds or people that prefer to be alone but you get my point.
     
  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Closest thing right now with IEM gain (-6bb) is the Drop THX ONE, but that's $199. Hoping the likes of Geshelli and Schiit will step up to the plate.
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2021
  12. mk801

    mk801 Almost "Made"

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    A bunch of Topping burner accounts or we're watching the effects of Stockholm Syndrome in real-time.

    At least Topping is staying consistent with their shoddy workmanship.
     
  13. bboris77

    bboris77 Friend

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    For a lot of people, their egos get in the way of common sense. It is hard to admit to yourself and publicly that you were wrong about something. I mean, the general premise of Amir's oversimplified approach to measuring audio quality is seductive at first. His whole initial spiel was: "I am here to educate the masses about the importance of measurements in audio, and by the way, here is this upstart Chinese company that properly engineers their products and even publishes measurements on their website. Plus, they are a great value." Then he reinforced his point by comparing them to their direct competitors in the value segment, Schiit, and put the latter down by implying that their engineering was subpar, their products were not grounded properly and did not measure well.

    Throughout this time, the reports of failed Topping units did not really make a difference because they were not taking out headphones in the process. Obvious engineering fails like OLED screens that burned in and reversed polarity in their DACs were dismissed by the ASR members and Amir just did not comment. Finally, it all came to a boiling point with this L30 fiasco when people realized that the Emperor was not wearing any clothes at all :) In other words, the spell was broken for most people and they realized that they've been had, similar to what happened to Qanon followers a few weeks ago. Funnily enough, even within that group, there are some that refuse to admit that they were manipulated and keep inventing further conspiracies rather than use their common sense. To go back to Topping, that is why I posted that photo of "fixed" L30 - I mean, who in their right mind can look at that photo and tell themselves: "wow, that is some clever engineering and workmanship"? You would really have to be deluded to see that as anything else than a really bad hack job that is just an amateurish band-aid solution to a serious problem.

    At this point, it must be clear to anyone who wants to look at things objectively that Topping has some serious issues with their QC, that their engineering and workmanship is far from perfect and that their customer support refused to do a full official recall of the L30 and to cover the cost of all the blown headphones. There is really no excuse for anyone to firmly stay in camp Topping considering that both Schiit and JDS are offering similarly-measuring products with significantly better engineering, QC and customer service.
     
  14. bhk1004

    bhk1004 Acquaintance

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    It's gross because topping just screwed him and you recommended another topping. don't play in iem land, so I have 0 recommendations to share.
     
  15. insidious meme

    insidious meme Ambivalent Kumquat

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    So he's reached QAmir status. Cool.
     
  16. robot zombie

    robot zombie Friend

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    Dude, tell me about it. I saw someone in there who had TWO dead L30s and he lost his only headphones and a speaker amp, which toppping wouldn't replace. He had a 3rd one to return, because he still doesn't have headphones. Says he likes his E30, just wants a working L30.

    There was another one way earlier where I thought for sure he was a shill... had like 30 posts... all of them in that thread. Was so ecstatic to sing his praises for the amp that killed his shit. Just obnoxious levels of hype. Couldn't wait to get his "little bomb" back. I thought I was in a parallel universe. And then I saw early in that he was asking newbie questions and realized it might not be a bot. And not the way bots do, where it looks like a conversation, but is actually just a way to get people highlighting features. Actual dumbshit questions.

    I dunno if I admire that serenity or despise it man. It's like... listening to an acquaintance talk about how much he loves his girl... meanwhile you, him, and everyone knows she's getting airlocked by two bodybuilders as you all speak. And you know there's no way he's actually cool with it deep down inside. My soul...


    The convoluted recall, unwillingness to pull as quickly as possible, and the lack of clarity is the most damning. Imagine how many bought can-killers from official resellers LONG after the issue was made known.

    Like... f**k man. That is just dumb. As a company you are shitting where you eat when MORE people's headphones die because they didn't know and you have to deal with them. Not only does this make you utter scum, but that slop is your own 3-point buttplug. You're f'ing yourselves, Topping.
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2021
  17. Meh

    Meh Friend

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    039EB7DE-EBAF-4E39-A81A-BCC95ECDD8AE.jpeg D 039EB7DE-EBAF-4E39-A81A-BCC95ECDD8AE.jpeg
     
  18. M3NTAL

    M3NTAL Friend

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    I'm just hoping Jason or Schiit are hard at work creating an all class-a / discrete room heating IEM amp. Some of the IEM's available really do scale. The LCD-i4 for example and surprisingly some of the balanced armature stuff can eek out a little more technical ability.
     
  19. OhmsClaw

    OhmsClaw New

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    That's why I rec'd a 789 used. Also a good selection but honestly another measurements race for SINAD AND THD+N. Value for money considerations very much in effect.

    Have a good one!
     
  20. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    Finally caught up with the thread. Feel a bit relieved as I didn't put any loaner headphones/devices at risk of topping fire (at this point I regard all current/previous Topping products as a risk factor of damaging failure).
     

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