I’m considering a DAC / AMP and looking at a stack comparison. Looking for any comparisons on the TOPPING L30 + E30 stack vs the JDS EL DAC II + EL AMP II Stack.
I’m also considering a DAC/AMP combo unit Topping DX7 Pro vs Monolith 124459 but figure it’s more fair to compare stack to stack and combo to combo.
So generally I would say that the el stack would be more resolving, more impactful, and generally would have a larger and more defined soundstage. Also I think the el stack would have more accurate timbre as well. But of course you do pay for that
So personally I would pass on the monolith imo, I think the el stack would offer better performance imo, but the monolith does have some neat eq features if you are into that. The topping is just ok as well, but personally I would lean towards the stack
I own both the EL ll stack and the monoprice 788. I can tell you the EL stack sounds bigger than the 788 and really sounds more fun in general on just about ever pair of cans I have. One thing to consider though is if you listen to a lot of older recordings for the 60s to 70s and movies DIRC on the 788 is pretty freaking awesome.
Based on what? They both have a ruler flat frequency response, low output impedance, very low noise and distortion and similar channel crosstalk.
That is correct, but it’s a pretty audible difference, measurements aren’t everything. You can have something that measures similarly and sounds different
Is it fair to toss in / evaluate the modious / magnius from Schiit compared to the stacks I originally listed? The main feature difference I’m aware of is them capable of balanced versus single-ended, but unsure how else to rate or compare them to my original post.
What headphones would you be using? The magnius was alright, but personally I preferred the asgard 3 as imo that had more to offer with most headphones I tried with it compared to the magnius. The magnius + modius is going for a fairly neutral sound, so more in line with the topping e30 + l30 imo, where the el stack is a bit different while being neutral but also having a bit of sweetness in the treble (so different flavors of neutral)
Currently that’s still TBD.
I currently own a Sennheiser pc 373d but looking into nicer headphones. Current top candidates are a Sundara, a DT 1990, or a Focal Elex but I’m trying to evaluate the DAC/AMP (combo or stack) independently of a headphone I don’t own yet.
So with a sundara and 1990 I do really like the asgard 3 + modius stack, for the elex I might slightly prefer the jds el ii stack as the asgard 3 can get a tad too warm for my tastes there (but I still really like the asgard 3 with the elex)
Hello. I’m just gonna ask here, to avoid opening another repetitive thread (sorry op 
).
I bought a pair of hd 6xx, and I have a fiio e10k. I know some people told me it’s enough of a amp/dac but I’ll probably want to upgrade in the near future, just to use the sennheisers to the fullest.
Is the L30+E30 a good pairing with the headphones I’m getting? Where I live (Italy) the topping stack is my easiest option to get effortlessly (from amazon), and the price is in line with other used stuff (like atom stack, schiit stack, liquid spark etc, all stuff I can get only used not new).
I’m a total newbie here, so bear with me 
The simple answer is yes — that’s a good stack, and at least as good as the alternatives you mention as less available.
There are way more complicated answers, especially about the 6xx and tube amps; also the 6xx and some pieces by ifi… etc.
I like the simple answer, in this case, but there are plenty of other voices that might possibly express other likes.
Yeah I like the simple answer aswell. I know from reading here and there that tube amps pair very well with the hd 6xx, but they’re probably not for my budget. Furtermore, it’s my first entry in this hobby, so I probably wouldn’t even notice too much difference between al those options, and that’s why I’m trying to get the best bang for the buck, while maintaing quality, easy availability and upgradeability in the future (I don’t plan to upgrade soon but who knows…that’s why I’m also aiming for a stack not a combo unit like a k5 pro from fiio).
Thank you for your anwser, much appreciated.
Finally! A question on here I can answer! 
I literally own only two stacks: the e30/l30 stack and the atom stack. And I bought a set of hd6xx like two weeks ago. (I was born for this moment!)
Simple answer is the right one, you can’t go wrong. They both sound good and are fun to listen to on hd6xx. I’ve landed on the e30/l30 stack as my daily driver, with hd6xx on the headphone stand next to them. And every day I have a great time listening.
Atom stack is great, and without a lot of side by side comparison I couldn’t tell the difference. But when I started mixing different dac and amp, I found that I liked the sound (and features) of the e30 dac over the atom dac. If you are looking for longer term scalability, the e30 will pair nicely with many amps (imo).
For a while I ran e30+atom amp (before l30 was available). Really nice pair. I ended up getting the l30 mostly to have a matching stack. But the l30 does have more power, which I think I can hear in my harder to drive t50 mods. But to be honest, they sound very similar.
Hope you enjoy whatever you get!
First of all, love the enthusiasm, the “i was born for this moment” comment made my day
Thank you for the inputs, really appreciate it! I was almost sure I couldn’t go wrong with the topping stack, I was just kinda asking to see what people think about it on this forum, paired with the hd 6xx. I’ll definitely keep an eye on that for the moment, need to put aside some moneys for now to get it! Hopefully next month! Thanks again.
^ this.
I’ve had the Atom stack w/ the 6xx for awhile. It sounded good, but, when I paired it with the Bottlehead Crack the 6xx has not left that amp. There’s just something magic about the pairing. On the Bottlehead Crack the 6xx is on another level.
Well yeah, I’d love to get a good tube amp for the 6xx and judge myself but, those are really out of my budget.
Really appreciate the feedback. Still happy with the E30/L30 combo, do the Atoms get much time still?
Sold the Atom. Mainly because it wasn’t getting much play time. Only need so many “$100” amps and DACs on my desk.