Topping TP30 Mark 2 versus Topping VX1

I’m planning to setup my bedroom with volumio music !!

Setup is to be WAF compatible 8^)… so speakers will be small, 20w 8ohms.

I’ll use a rpi 2 B…

Question is to choose between

Topping TP30 : http://www.tpdz.net/en/products/tp30mk2/

[code]Tripath TA2024 Digital Amplifier
TI PCM2704 USB DAC
TI OPA2134 Operational Amplifier

HIFI Electronic Components:
TOKO digital amplifier Inductance
ALPS Potentiometer
KOA Resistance
nichicon FW Capacitance
nichicon MUSE ES Capacitance
WIMA Capacitance
EPCOS Capacitance
TAKAMISAWA Relay

Analog input RCA input x 1 (L & R channel)
Digital input USB
Amplifier output Binding Post (L & R channel), BTL output
Headphone output 3.5mm
Maximum sample bit of DAC 16bit
Maximum sample rate of DAC 48kHz
Net weight Approx 530g (unit only)
Dimensions Approx 17.7CM x 12.2CM x 3.8CM
Includes 1 x TP30MK2
1 x AC 100V-240V input, DC12V3A output adapter
(CE, FCC, PSE, UL certified)
1 x USB cable
1 x user’s manual
Speaker amplifier:
Suitable Speaker Impedance 4-8Ω
Maximum output power 16.3W(RL=4Ω, THD+N=10%)
9.7W(RL=8Ω, THD+N=10%)
Output resistance 0.2Ω
Minimum THD+N 0.003%
THD+N(@1kHz) 0.012%
Frequency response 20-20kHz±0.6dB
Input sensitivity 390mVrms
Noise <1mV
Gain(@1kHz) 28dB
Headphone amplifier:
Suitable Headphone Impedance 16-300Ω
Maximum output power 140mW(RL=32Ω, THD+N=1%)
Maximum output voltage swing 10Vpp
Minimum THD+N 0.001%(RL=32Ω, Pout=45mW)
THD+N(@1kHz) 0.03%
Frequency response 20-20kHz±1.2dB
Input sensitivity 1.0Vrms
Noise <10μV
Gain(@1kHz) 6.5dB

[/code]

and

Topping VX1 : http://www.tpdz.net/en/products/vx1/index.htm

[code]Auto turn on / turn off synchronously with your PC (Only in USB mode)
Tripath TA2021B Digital Amplifier
VIA VT1620A USB to S/PDIF
NXP UDA1351TS DAC
TI OPA2134 Operational Amplifier

HIFI Electronic Components:
TOKO digital amplifier Inductance
ALPS Potentiometer
KOA Resistance
nichicon FW Capacitance
WIMA Capacitance
EPCOS Capacitance
TAKAMISAWA Relay

User's manual download
Specifications

Analog input RCA input x 1 (L & R channel)
Digital input USB
Amplifier output Binding Post (L & R channel), BTL output
Headphone output 6.35mm
Maximum sample bit of DAC 24bit
Maximum sample rate of DAC 96kHz
Net weight Approx 700g (unit only)
Dimensions Approx 20CM x 13.2CM x 5CM
Includes 1 x VX1
1 x AC 100V-240V input, DC14V4A output adapter
(CE, FCC, PSE, UL certified)
1 x 6.35 to 3.5 headphone adapter
1 x USB cable
1 x user’s manual
Speaker amplifier:
Suitable Speaker Impedance 4-8Ω
Maximum output power 24.4W (RL=4Ω, THD+N=10%)
13.9W (RL=8Ω, THD+N=10%)
Output resistance 0.19Ω
Minimum THD+N 0.003%
THD+N(@1kHz) 0.019%
Frequency response 20-20kHz±1.1dB
Input sensitivity 420mVrms
Noise <1mV
Gain(@1kHz) 27.2dB
Headphone amplifier:
Suitable Headphone Impedance 16-300Ω
Maximum output power 140mW (RL=32Ω, THD+N=1%)
Maximum output voltage swing 3.6Vrms
Minimum THD+N 0.002% (RL=32Ω, Pout=50mW)
THD+N(@1kHz) 0.020%
Frequency response 20-20kHz±0.6dB
Input sensitivity 1.1Vrms
Noise <10μV
Gain(@1kHz) 6dB
Built-in USB DAC:
Maximum output voltage swing 2.44rms@1kHz
THD+N(@1kHz) 0.0082% (96kHz sampling rate)
Noise <25μV
SNR 101dB
[/code]

Price difference is as low as 8€ (10%)…

I have already x2 setups :
TP30 (discontinued)
TP30 Mark 2

Both are perfectly working with volumio 1.55, with the On/Off capability, meaning you can power Off then On the Amp without the need to reboot RP, some kind of hotplug capabilityi and volume control.

Is the VX1 hotplug and volume control capable with Volumio ?

VX1 is 96khz capable (48khz for Mark2) and more powerfull…

Your recommandations are kindly requested…

You might leverage the WAF to look at something like https://volumio.org/forum/audio-359-summer-2015-update-t3411.html
Especially the small-set looks very interesting from both audiophile and WAF perspective :slight_smile:

Thanks for the info but it’s a little out of topic… It’s nice but not dust proof at all… (Madam is looking at this !!)

I just set up my Topping VX1 with my Raspberry Pi 2 + Volumio last night. Plug & play. It sounds great, but the “hardware” volume control via Volumio was not working. I’m not sure if I need to change some settings to get that to work, but in my case its not a big deal since I am sitting right next to the VX1. Unfortunately I don’t know anything about the TP30 Mark 2.

Thanks for your feedback !!

I own the TP30 Mark 2 , it sound the bathroom, and the volume control is working like a breeze.

If our beloved DEV is reading this thread here are the DAC informations :

So DAC is —>>> NXP UDA1351TS DAC

DAC spec :
http://www.nxp.com/documents/data_sheet/UDA1351TS.pdf
http://www.nxp.com/products/data_converters/audio_converters/audio_dacs/UDA1352TS.html

Hope it can help…

Hi DigiJohn,

can you test the “hotplug” feature, meaning, shuting electricity down for the VX1, keeping RPi with power, then turn back on electricity on VX1… hopping the music comes back…

To answer the question about the Topping VX1 being “hot pluggable”, yes, once you have used it and set the Volumio output to use VX1, then power the VX1 off, then back on while Volumio is running, it will play just fine.

Thanks a lot DigiJohn for the feedback.

I’ll order it next time as I ordered the TP30 mark 2 last sunday eve… :cry:

@Admin : I’m sure this information is very valuable, and should integrate the HCL list, as one major point of RPi and other micro computer is their low power need. On the contrary, Amps and DAC requires at least x10 times more power, so hotplug capabilty is a Major advantage in my oppinion, especially as RPi boot in more than a couple of seconds…

The Topping VX1 advertises auto on/off via USB, but its hard to tell exactly what it is doing when the USB source is off. The VX1 front panel has a USB LED that is on when the USB is active, and blinking when not. So I assume that when the USB indicator is blinking it has powered off its internal amp.

I guess so, but in our case the problem is that we must be able to save power on the AMP, keeping the RPi powered. :smiley: