PSA: Topping L30 Damaging Headphones

Figured I’d post about it, I actually got my replacement shipped in like 3 days via dhl to mexico, my old one was still working fine since I bought it in September, pretty good service imo…

supposedly they added the fix into all the 2012 S/N they had on stock but there’s probably a few 2012s in the wild without it, I’d buy something else just to be safe but tbh I’d have to pay the ass in import taxes and shipping, plus this is the only thing that does the preamp function right at this price so whatever, not like other amps at this price point are reaally safer either (after the fix) ¯_(ツ)_/¯

About that:

  • JDS Labs Atom - Output buffer (not Op-Amps or integrated/discrete anything) is a DC-Servo meaning the buffers will compensate out any parasitic DC component.

  • Schiit Magni - Fused power input (so it does not catch fire under fault conditions)
    I am not 100% sure, but I think they have a diode on the output to open the relay responsible for start up delay when DC makes it to the output. Would need to stick some probes on the PCB to confirm.

  • iFi Zen CAN - Has some Op-Amp grid monitoring input and output, possibly feeding back to a quite powerful uController. Impossible to tell what the thing does without probing around the PCB (is a super complex board for what it is)

  • Monolith Liquid Spark - No idea. The black PCB successfully inhibits my curiosity from figuring out what is going on.

  • SMSL SAP9 - More complex input filtering and internal power supply than the L30, also has some chip on the output. Can’t tell what it is.
    image

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You realize you just said “no idea” or “not sure” on all of those? we actually have an idea of how safe the l30 is after all the scrutiny…
It should be fine lol

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Keyword here is “reasonable doubt”.

Yes we do. And it is bad!
The circuit marked DC_Det is known to be “less than functional” (if that actually got fixed is yet to be seen), there is no fuse or other system for limiting current under fault condition. But hey! At least Topping was so gracious to bodge in a grounding contact…

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Assumption the mother of all fuck ups…wouldn’t touch an L30 with your bargepole tbh, unless they do a total and tech transparent L30.2.

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topping needs to make plastic see thru cases with schematics lined up to the parts, you know they wouldn’t fuck up if they did that

A Geshelli, Topping, Drop L30XXXX Collab?..now there’s a thing.

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How many instances are there of other amps at this price point exploding and taking out headphones? I have not seen any reports of the Heresy or Atom having such a catastrophic failure wherein the drivers of the headphone actually exploded. It is really not at all a common problem with amps at this price point or even at a lower price point. I havent even seen reports of cheap ass dongles actually blowing the headphone driver in a way that would cause injury.

I would not recommend the L30 to anyone until its 100% clear that its a safe product, especially considering there are other solid options for the same price or less. The supposed fix hasnt been tested extensively and the pictures out there of the “fix” really dont inspire great confidence. Really has to be repeated again that its not just that people are getting their headphones damaged, there is a serious risk of physical injury here if you get a catastrophic failure of that magnitude and have the headphones on your head. It is actually dangerous to just assume the product is now “fine”, someone could get severe burns, hearing damage or worse.

Unless some independent agent actually extensively tests the L30 and verifies that it now has solid protections in place to prevent these failures, including documented attempts to set off a catastrophic failure no one should buy this product under any circumstances.

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that l30 repair is shameful. the fact that they posted that and the topping guy said “thats how i want to see the repair on all of them” and people just kept talking is MIND BLOWING. if my modius had anything inside it like that i would demand a refund. no wonder they banned the word chi fi on that forum. its all they have left.

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Lol
(lol at you guys thinking schiit or anyone puts better protections or has better quality just for not being chinese, not the poor guy, also schiit didn’t cover his headphones)

Just because people seem to not get past their tribal “Us vs Them”-think:
One fuckup does not un-fuck another fuckup.

Yes, Schiit needs to get that looked into and fixed.


However: Two faulty products in a row with the exact same failure mode is a bit odd.

Edit: Anyone got a photo of the underside of the heresey’s PCB?

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The topping fails were caused by lack of esd protection and that’s been solved, you’re the one making it tribal focusing on them like they’re the only ones that can have faulty units, and recommending other amps like you know sh*t about their reliability

Photos of both sides of the Heresy PCB from my unit. Not sure what the foam tan pad is used for.

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Dude, just chill out.

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Someone had to point the baseless talk going on here, john yang had already explained that no other amp at this price comes with any kind of special protection, they just overlooked grounding in the l30 and that’s been solved. I’m done tho.

I understand where you are coming from, theres just been a lot of drama on this forum lately lol

It would be a real problem if both manufacturers used the same chips. Then looking there would be the right way to go if the chip manufacturer has made a mistake. Then he would almost be responsible for it.
It is also curious that something like this occurs with probably both manufacturers.

@MazeFrame probably had exactly this thought.

And there is one more thing that might need to be mentioned.
I am sure that there is a lot of incorrect wiring in pretty much every household.
Just think, for those who use a dac combo, it takes 2 slots for the combo, plus the pc and monitor.
Many also have their chargers for the smartphone/tablet/printer and other things connected.
That makes quite a difference when everything is plugged into one power strip. No matter whether they are regularly switched off or run in standby.
In addition, it is then extended because the socket is somewhere else and so on.
It can also possibly be caused by something like this at the Schitt Herasy.

Thanks man!
Those are some impressively detailed shots.

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Which is not true (best example: JDS Labs Atom)
Find yourself photos of the amps (or if you have them on hand, take them apart) and look at spec sheets for the components. It is not hard to tell what is going on.

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you are flat out lying. john yang said people were purposefully breaking their headphones and this was being blown out of proportion on this very website and audio science. he was literally blaming the people that pay his salary for his trash product. he then tried to smear other companies by lying about the severity of their problems and comparing them to his which is a lie because jds and schiit did a much better job than topping did. schiit replaced the headphones and jds was like one headphone. the “fix” is literally laughable basically hand gluing a metal pin on the side. which btw only saves the headphone not actually fixing the problem fully with a redesign. and not only this they didnt tell any regulatory body because they are in china and dont have to . so please explain how that is anything like what other companies have done? remember the blind topping circlejerk is on audio science. you must have taken a wrong turn . also try not acting like 5 year old having a tantrum

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