Topping G5 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp)

[Thomas savage]

Surely if you drink one you will get the other as a byproduct. win-win.

Natural leakage makes this unviable, maybe good for a younger man.

 

[Jarrett]

I wonder if the high performance has anything to do with it being battery operated.

 

[DonR]

Natural leakage makes this unviable, maybe good for a younger man.

Too much information.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Does it come with a USB-C to Lightning cable for iPhone?

Does it work with an iPhone?

I’m going to reword the (very simple) question I asked (above).

Actually, no. I’ll just repeat it.

Does it come with a USB-C to Lightning cable for iPhone?

Does it work with an iPhone?

Please and thank you.

 

[NTK]

I’m going to reword the (very simple) question I asked (above).

Actually, no. I’ll just repeat it.

Does it come with a USB-C to Lightning cable for iPhone?

Does it work with an iPhone?

Please and thank you.

Per

G5 Portable DAC\u0026amp;AMP-TOPPING

 

[Phorize]

I’m going to reword the (very simple) question I asked (above).

Actually, no. I’ll just repeat it.

Does it come with a USB-C to Lightning cable for iPhone?

Does it work with an iPhone?

Please and thank you.

The topping blurb refers to a ‘lightening version’. Https://www.topping.audio/productinfo/877767.html

 

[dtaylo1066]

I dumped some of my FLACs to Spek and energy at 18KHz+ is only -60dBFs at most.

At age 65 I can hear to about 13K or so, so I am not worried about 18K

 

[Robbo99999]

The engineering is superb. They have simply decided on one dac filter vs another.

I clearly noted the response issue in the review with additional testing. Everything is there for you to decide otherwise.

I'm not particularly interested in the semantics of what comes under "engineering", but it is a poor decision to not achieve flat from 20Hz-20kHz in order to achieve a better inaudible SINAD difference. It's certainly a poor engineering decision. I think it deserved a lower rating in the review, eventhough I appreciate you said you almost knocked it down a notch in rating because of it.

 

[dtaylo1066]

It beats the Mojo2 even without the EQ at lengths. Better DAC, more powerful amp and the filter, while not being nice, most probably inaudible.

Yes, I agree with your all points. But some will opt for Mojo simply due to its DSP capabilities. My point is that if Topping had included DSP/EQ they could have marketed the product, and people would have referred to it, as a Mojo2 killer.

 

[Sokel]

Why tho ? Is this to fudge battery life ?

Don't think so.Has to do with the stock ESS filter they use which for reasons unknown has this weird curve.
As others friends mention audibility is a minor issue when listening to music (as a ton of other stuff that we usually praise),it's likely totally inaudible specially after an age.
It's the principle thought, ESS (and Topping for choosing it) otherwise consistent with performance include such a filter is somewhat strange.

 

[Phorize]

Yes, I agree with your all points. But some will opt for Mojo simply due to its DSP capabilities. My point is that if Topping had included DSP/EQ they could have marketed the product, and people would have referred to it, as a Mojo2 killer.

Yep, an iPhone and G5 is a £650 headphone rig without eq
Edit: to be fair that’s true for all amps like this.

 

[Berwhale]

Yep, an iPhone and G5 is a £650 headphone rig without eq
Edit: to be fair that’s true for my lp like this.

Is it Topping's fault that Apple doesn't include (or presumably allow) an EQ application on the iPhone? I suppose Apple might add the feature to their phones at some point and claim they invented EQ... I've been using UAPP + Morphit on Android for years.

 

[elvisizer]

Yep, an iPhone and G5 is a £650 headphone rig without eq

assuming your playback sw on the iphone can't eq, anyway
everything I use can do DSP EQ.
so probably nbd for most people but depends on what they're using for playback sw

 

[Phorize]

Is it Topping's fault that Apple doesn't include (or presumably allow) an EQ application on the iPhone. I suppose Apple might add the feature to their phones at some point and claim they invented EQ... I've been using UAPP + Morphit on Android for years.

It isn’t Toppings fault of course, but it remains that one of the two portable device os’ that will be used with the G5 can’t do eq, and that most headphones need it, or at least benefit from it. Without eq the g5 is just not a compelling solution for Apple users who care about headphone tonality.

 

[Phorize]

assuming your playback sw on the iphone can't eq, anyway
everything I use can do DSP EQ.
so probably nbd for most people but depends on what they're using for playback sw

To my knowledge we can’t have eq on any of the mainstream streaming services on an Apple device, I’m aware that neutron player etc are pretty good though.

 

[elvisizer]

Is it Topping's fault that Apple doesn't include (or presumably allow) an EQ application on the iPhone?

It isn’t Toppings fault of course, but it remains that one of the two portable device os’ that will be used with the G5 can’t do eq

you 100% can do eq on iOS
for example, onkyo HF player:

Onkyo Introduces Free HF Player App with 16,000-Band EQ

Onkyo Introduces Free HF Player App with 16,000-Band EQ In a move that Onkyo hopes will revolutionize how iOS users enjoy music on headphones and other compatible hi-fi systems, the company has introduced the HF Player app that enables playback of high-resolution audio files while giving...

www.soundandvision.com

 

[elvisizer]

To my knowledge we can’t have eq on any of the mainstream streaming services on an Apple device

that's not at all the same as saying apple doesn't allow eq applications on iOS, which is what has been posted in this thread
really doesn't have anything to do with apple- the streaming services could do EQ in their apps if they wanted just like other developers have.

 

[Phorize]

you 100% can do eq on iOS
for example, onkyo HF player:

Onkyo Introduces Free HF Player App with 16,000-Band EQ

Onkyo Introduces Free HF Player App with 16,000-Band EQ In a move that Onkyo hopes will revolutionize how iOS users enjoy music on headphones and other compatible hi-fi systems, the company has introduced the HF Player app that enables playback of high-resolution audio files while giving...

www.soundandvision.com

Using a streaming service?

 

[Kevinfc]

I have never been a headphone guy and thus have never found the allure of such items, but it has occurred to me that the limited circumstances that such a piece would be useful makes it a luxury even at it’s relatively low price. Perhaps someone might enlighten me to a different conclusion?

 

[Phorize]

that's not at all the same as saying apple doesn't allow eq applications on iOS, which is what has been posted in this thread
really doesn't have anything to do with apple- the streaming services could do EQ in their apps if they wanted just like other developers have.

I’m not interested in the root causes, it’s just a plain fact (unless someone shows otherwise) that on iOS eq can’t be applied to qobuz, or as far as I am aware tidal or Spotify. Not sure about Apple Music. Anyway, my point is that it would be great if the g5 had eq, and the fact that it doesn’t makes it unsuitable for many iOS streaming services until such a point that those applications add eq.it’s not just the g5, a whole class of device is missing it-I guess the market doesn’t want it.