Introduction

DAC/amplifier combinations will always have a place in the desktop audio space, especially as we find our valuable desk room occupied by various peripherals ranging from keyboards, mice, controllers, and even webcams and microphones in this day of online working and gaming. But there is nothing that offers the flexibility of a separate DAC and amplifier, allowing users to be able to tweak their audio source chain as needed and even offer upgrade paths one at a time. This was indeed the case here, wherein HiFiGo had offered a TOPPING L50 headphone amplifier for review and my original plan was to use the JDS Labs Atom DAC+ with it. After all, it would have been a great way of showcasing the adaptable nature of audio components. Thanks to HiFiGo for providing TechPowerUp a review sample of the TOPPING L50.


But I then realized that this was going to be my first TOPPING review, and indeed the brand's debut here, too. TOPPING has quickly become a darling for those prioritizing clean DACs and amplifiers at low cost, almost to the point of newer products coming out quickly enough to make recent releases from yesteryear harder to justify. TOPPING also had the E50 DAC out, one marketed to be a perfect companion for the L50 amplifier. One thing led to another, so thanks go to SHENZHENAUDIO for providing TechPowerUp a review sample of the TOPPING E50 as well. The stack is available in four different colors, and I have the black version here, photographed above for reference. The other color options are silver, blue, and the red I used in the thumbnail to catch your eye. There's plenty more worth reading about, but we begin with a look at the product specifications below, which I have taken directly from the respective TOPPING product pages since there is much to report. Click on the respective thumbnail twice for the full-size image.

Specifications

TOPPING E50 DAC:


TOPPING L50 Amplifier: