A Respected Hi-Fi Brand Just Dropped an Affordable Component for Next-Level Desktop Audio

It’s designed for aspiring audiophiles who want to take their desktop hi-fi system up a gear.

White Topping E50 II digital audio converter with orange LED display on a wooden desk.

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By Tucker Bowe

Published December 16, 2025

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Updated December 16, 2025

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When upgrading your desktop audio setup, one of the first things to do is get a good pair of speakers or headphones. Those are the components you actually hear, after all.

For those venturing further into desktop hi-fi, you’ll next want to think about getting an external DAC and a headphone/speaker amplifier, as they’ll help deliver the purest audio signal and make your headphones or speakers sound best. (Plus, the ones built into your computer aren’t very good.)

For such people, the Topping E50 II is worth considering.

Topping E50 II

Two black Topping audio devices stacked on a gray desk next to a black speaker and a computer monitor. — At the heart of the E50 II is a higher-resolution DAC, AKM’s AK4497S, chip.

A superior desktop conversion

Topping Audio has been making high-performing, yet relatively affordable desktop hi-fi components for the better part of two decades. And today, it makes a wide variety of DACs, speaker amps and DAC/amp combos.

Its newest component, the Toppping E50 II, is an external DAC that’s designed to pair with an external headphone amplifier, a set of powered speakers or both — it has multiple outputs, allowing it to switch between active setups without needing to unplug cables.

Silver Topping E50 II audio device with digital display showing "192.0 PCM" and black remote on a black surface. — The E50 II has a dedicated preamplifier mode, allowing it to work with an active speaker system or a power amplifier.

As its name gives away, the E50 II is a new-and-improved version of the brand’s original E50 DAC, which was released in late 2021. And while the second-generation model has a similar compact design, Topping has given it wholesale upgrades.

Most importantly, the Topping E50 II has been upgraded with a higher-resolution DAC chip — specifically, AKM’s AK4497S DAC — that, when connected to your computer via USB-C, supports PCM audio (up to 32-bit/768kHz) and native DSD (up to DSD512).

Hand holding a smartphone displaying volume control for Topping E50 II DAC with Topping E50 II and Mini 308 amplifier on a wooden table. — Topping gave it app support with access to a ten-band parametric EQ so that you can fine-tune various settings.

Other noteworthy upgrades

Additionally, Topping gave the E50 II two other notable upgrades over its predecessor: Bluetooth connectivity and app support.

It features Qualcomm’s QCC5125 Bluetooth module, which supports high-resolution codecs. such as LDAC, aptX Adaptive and aptX HD. This allows you to stream music from a device (like your smartphone) to the desktop system.

Black and white Topping E50 II DAC with orange digital display and multiple audio input/output ports. — The Topping E50 II supports several digital inputs, including USB-C, coaxial and optical.

Through the Topping Home mobile app or Topping Tune desktop software, users can access a ten-band parametric EQ, allowing them to adjust frequency, gain or bandwidth controls.

There’s also a dedicated preamplifier mode, so the E50 II can be used with a power amplifier or powered/active speaker systems.

White Topping E50 II audio device with digital display showing "76P" on a wooden desk with a hand pressing a button.

Price and availability

The Topping E50 II desktop DAC costs $199 and is available now from the company’s website, as well as third-party retailers including Amazon.

You can order it in one of three finishes: black, silver and white.

Topping E50 II

About the Author: Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. With a passion for consumer tech and hi-fi, he tracks everything from headphones and turntables to smartphones and wearables. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.

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