advertisement


Topping D70 - anyone know why no distribution in Europe?

duckworp

pfm Member
I am interested in the D70 but cannot find it other than on Amazon or eBay from China. It has been in the US for months. Anyone know the reason and whether it is coming this way?
 
Possibly because any traditional importer/distributor/dealer chain would double or triple the price?
 
Will report first impressions on Sunday.

Actually, Amazon delayed arrival until Thursday...no explanation. I am reminding myself that patience is a virtue and it is Thanksgiving...Will post impressions then.
 
Last edited:
I think in the UK Amazon, like it or not, are the Topping distributor, sort of, distributor perhaps the wrong word, Shenzhen Audio shipping from China through Amazon. Yes it will take time, slow boat from China is cheaper than air freight, and more environmentally friendly ;)
 
They don't have CE/TUV approval and most don't even have the chassis earthed correctly, cheap Chi-Fi junk. To comply with European legislation would cost them ££.
 
They don't have CE/TUV approval and most don't even have the chassis earthed correctly, cheap Chi-Fi junk. To comply with European legislation would cost them ££.
Hmm ASR seem to disagree https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...and-measurements-of-the-topping-d70-dac.7694/

I quote "The D70 like the rest of the Topping products comes with full set of safety and emissions regulatory certificates which is important for a mains operated product. These certifications are expensive and add to the development time and hence the reason they are skipped in some other competing products."

Cheap yes, taking advantage of China's lower cost workforce, mass manufacturing, etc. Junk, well that is subjective and your view is not shared by at least some who have seen a D70, held it, used it. Does your opinion come from owning or auditioning or something else?
 
Hmm ASR seem to disagree https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...and-measurements-of-the-topping-d70-dac.7694/

I quote "The D70 like the rest of the Topping products comes with full set of safety and emissions regulatory certificates which is important for a mains operated product. These certifications are expensive and add to the development time and hence the reason they are skipped in some other competing products."

Cheap yes, taking advantage of China's lower cost workforce, mass manufacturing, etc. Junk, well that is subjective and your view is not shared by at least some who have seen a D70, held it, used it. Does your opinion come from owning or auditioning or something else?

Lol, the pre-requisite ASR link, Wheres Puritit? He will be annoyed you got in there first! Amir and his measurement cult are hysterical to someone who actually enjoys music, not measurements.

Are ASR based in the UK? No, so I think they refer to different regulations they are referring to, otherwise the Topping Dacs would have a CE/TUV mark, which they don't, well none of the ones I tried did anyway. It's not such a bad thing, I have a few LPS's that aren't CE approved (but with correct earthing), but its probably the answer to the question as to why there isn't a distributer. You can't 'distribute' something that would be illegal.

I have had multiple Topping units (Amazon Prime and easy returns) and found them all to be, junk, as I said. Souless, lifeless, computerised sounding, pretty mundane for the 'active speaker measurements matter for everything' narrow mindset market, although I confess I've never tried there D70 top of the range model.

For me, it's like comparing a Ford Focus to a Aston Martin, both do a job, one does it better. If its all you can afford, then it will be good for you because it does the job, but of course, entirely my opinion and having owned about twenty dacs, the Toppings all come in bottom.I found the Marantz HD1 exceeds them by miles and can be had used for almost the same money as the Topping units.

But as ever, your mileage may vary.
 
Last edited:
I think in the UK Amazon, like it or not, are the Topping distributor, sort of, distributor perhaps the wrong word, Shenzhen Audio shipping from China through Amazon. Yes it will take time, slow boat from China is cheaper than air freight, and more environmentally friendly ;)

Nope, Amazon do not sell Topping.

Third Party Sellers on Amazon, mainly based in China, sell Topping and use Amazon as fulfilment houses. Fake Britain have done some stories this week on these types of goods Amazon house for their sellers,(childs toys without CE marks with poisonous chemical compositions etc). I expect we will see things like these DACS feature if the market ever got big enough or there was say a house fire and someone died, and it originated from the DAC or power supply for it.
 
IANAL but I agree Amazon Marketplace is a potential minefield. I can't see a CE mark on the images available on amazon.co.uk on a D70, I can see Amir posted blurry images of DX7 EMC testing, so Topping do get stuff tested for some parts of CE compliance. My experience of trying to ship stuff made in China out of Shanghai into EU tells me you can't do it in bulk without the appropriate approvals, Chinese customs checks (yes really) so something isn't adding up here. :confused:

EDIT: it seems Topping stick their CE mark on the underside and so it isn't visible on images on amazon, they have third party certification of relevent testing
 
Last edited:
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Lol, the pre-requisite ASR link, Wheres Puritit? He will be annoyed you got in there first! Amir and his measurement cult are hysterical to someone who actually enjoys music, not measurements.

How about those of us who enjoy music, measurements and above all actual facts?
 
Except of course this is incorrect. Just got the D10 and it's superbly well made and CE marked.
Sounds great too.

Are you sure it is? Fake CE marking stickers are made in China to fool unsuspecting buyers who believe everything they see/read.

All the Amazon 'toys' referenced earlier have CE marks...all fake CE marks.

Ask Topping for their CE certification, then when/if they send you a CE certificate, check its real with relevant authorities. It probably won't be.
 
Are you sure it is? Fake CE marking stickers are made in China to fool unsuspecting buyers who believe everything they see/read.

All the Amazon 'toys' referenced earlier have CE marks...all fake CE marks.

Ask Topping for their CE certification, then when/if they send you a CE certificate, check its real with relevant authorities. It probably won't be.

Lots of speculation here...
 
IANAL but I agree Amazon Marketplace is a potential minefield. I can't see a CE mark on the images available on amazon.co.uk on a D70, I can see Amir posted blurry images of DX7 EMC testing, so Topping do get stuff tested for some parts of CE compliance. My experience of trying to ship stuff made in China out of Shanghai into EU tells me you can't do it in bulk without the appropriate approvals, Chinese customs checks (yes really) so something isn't adding up here. :confused:

Being someone who imports from China heavily, Chinese 'customs' checks are some of the weakest in the world.

The marking you see is probably the 'Chinese Export' mark, designed to be almost the same as the CE Mark.

I'd be interested if anyone has the CE certification checked with the relevant authorities. Anyone can put a sticker on a product or a number on a website. It astounds me how people actually fall for it and why so many houses are now ful of potentially dodgy electrical gear.

If they do have the correct certification, and its fully bona fide, then you may have just found a money earner by becoming a distributer..
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.


advertisement


Back
Top