maybe someone with a sensitive IEM and the dx7 can chime in?
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Topping DX7 Pro DAC and Headphone Amp Reviewed
- Thread starter amirm
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maybe someone with a sensitive IEM and the dx7 can chime in?
Can you explain in the context of spl? So, for example, 0 dB spl is audible in certain frequencies. So what spl could that noise be in an iem?
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- Apr 24, 2019
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Audibility thresholds are usually stated at spot frequencies. The audibility of noise would depend on the spectral content. There are many spectra that have the same integrated noise power, which is why I don't like simplistic total integrated noise SNR metrics.
Let me start by saying the DX7Pro is an exceptional good sounding device, IMO surpass (I also own) the Sabaj D5 and the Topping DX7s.
And here it comes :
Not without problems to get it sounding right, according to the measurements done by Amir.
On delivery let it accumulate to room (2/3 hours). Did not unpack the USB cable, had enough laying around. FIY i don't believe in expensive exotic cables, i do however trust good solid engineered cables (and these do not need to be expensive, i will not mention Brand names because i don't want to start another pointless discussion where i will be called a idiot wearing tin foil hats and I DO have to make blind tests).
Connected the converter with a cable i had lying around i got for free with a previous purchase. First sound impressions : djeezes this DX7Pro sound awful. (USB connection)
Important to know is I was listening with newly acquired headphones, the Philips X2HR (recently mentioned in some previous topics and measured by Solderdude, yes it is mine he measured).
Is this Topping converter/dac that awful sounding? Could not believe it. The Philips headphones sounds good (if not exceptional good) on other dac/amp's i have on the main floor. (TEAC UD 503/505, -yes both-) and on the Sabaj D5 positioned in the veranda.
This got me wondering, testing needed. So on my main computer (please read this right) where i first connected the Topping DX7pro sound if off, piercing heights, missing lower extension, in your face mids, s's and t's were piercing, almost like an EQ set to max above 2/3 Khz)
What is wrong? Testing extensively on all configuration i have, the difference on my main (working computer, i work from home) computer remained awful over USB. Feeding the Topping over Coax, Optical or I²S it sound downright good. Moving to the main floor it did sounds exemplary. What is different on these configurations?
I highly doubted it could be a cable, so I started testing on my working computer. What is important is to know I work from home computer online and I record music, meaning I record music from my library to an external recorder (SS-CDR250N for non stop mixes using a DJ program/software) I can stream from my NAS or put on my DAP’s when cycling. Strangly I could not hear that awful sound on my DAP’s, however I could hear it when streaming music with the Topping DX7pro in between in my main setup. Next step, the difference. Hardware wise could not detect it. It was driving me nuts. Sitting on the main floor, listening music with the Philips X2HR staring into nothing I noticed the cables I’m using. On the main computer with the awful sound I was using a generic usb cable I once got for free with a purchase. A cable with a thickening part right before it goes into the dac. (examining the cable it has the brand name Shengwei), something I did not see on other cables in my home setups.
Next step replacing the USB cable on my main setup…… and guess, I was greeted with distortion free music.
So it turned out the be a USB cable.
Long story for a bad USB cable. To confirm these findings I used the Shengwei cable on the main floor and in the veranda. Long story short, bad cable. Just to put in perspective sometimes a cable does matter and connections are important.
Patrick.
And here it comes :
Not without problems to get it sounding right, according to the measurements done by Amir.
On delivery let it accumulate to room (2/3 hours). Did not unpack the USB cable, had enough laying around. FIY i don't believe in expensive exotic cables, i do however trust good solid engineered cables (and these do not need to be expensive, i will not mention Brand names because i don't want to start another pointless discussion where i will be called a idiot wearing tin foil hats and I DO have to make blind tests).
Connected the converter with a cable i had lying around i got for free with a previous purchase. First sound impressions : djeezes this DX7Pro sound awful. (USB connection)
Important to know is I was listening with newly acquired headphones, the Philips X2HR (recently mentioned in some previous topics and measured by Solderdude, yes it is mine he measured).
Is this Topping converter/dac that awful sounding? Could not believe it. The Philips headphones sounds good (if not exceptional good) on other dac/amp's i have on the main floor. (TEAC UD 503/505, -yes both-) and on the Sabaj D5 positioned in the veranda.
This got me wondering, testing needed. So on my main computer (please read this right) where i first connected the Topping DX7pro sound if off, piercing heights, missing lower extension, in your face mids, s's and t's were piercing, almost like an EQ set to max above 2/3 Khz)
What is wrong? Testing extensively on all configuration i have, the difference on my main (working computer, i work from home) computer remained awful over USB. Feeding the Topping over Coax, Optical or I²S it sound downright good. Moving to the main floor it did sounds exemplary. What is different on these configurations?
I highly doubted it could be a cable, so I started testing on my working computer. What is important is to know I work from home computer online and I record music, meaning I record music from my library to an external recorder (SS-CDR250N for non stop mixes using a DJ program/software) I can stream from my NAS or put on my DAP’s when cycling. Strangly I could not hear that awful sound on my DAP’s, however I could hear it when streaming music with the Topping DX7pro in between in my main setup. Next step, the difference. Hardware wise could not detect it. It was driving me nuts. Sitting on the main floor, listening music with the Philips X2HR staring into nothing I noticed the cables I’m using. On the main computer with the awful sound I was using a generic usb cable I once got for free with a purchase. A cable with a thickening part right before it goes into the dac. (examining the cable it has the brand name Shengwei), something I did not see on other cables in my home setups.
Next step replacing the USB cable on my main setup…… and guess, I was greeted with distortion free music.
So it turned out the be a USB cable.
Long story for a bad USB cable. To confirm these findings I used the Shengwei cable on the main floor and in the veranda. Long story short, bad cable. Just to put in perspective sometimes a cable does matter and connections are important.
Patrick.
I directly assumed 0db spl as threshold. I'm not sure whether the calculation is accurate or not but i can hear noise of my dx3pro with er2se even when i plug into another amp(0.3uV noise) and attenuate with the pot(1k ohm) at 12o clock. It's surely not easily audible but i can hear it at night time with the aid of superior isolation of er2se.
I just got a pair of he6se using the adorama deal for $700, and can confirm that even the THX AAA 789 fed by a clean DAC like D10, Modi 3 or Mojo with 2V output has just enough juice through the XLR output to drive the HE6SE. I haven't tried it yet with one of my XLR DACs having 4 V output, but I read on the massdrop site, that you can't use high gain on the THX with 4V input without clipping the preamp.DX7 Pro balanced into SMSL SP200 XLR inputs should be plenty of power
So the HE6SE and Susvara might be headphones that could still benefit from more power than the atom. I'm going to find a cable to adapt the HE6SE to speaker taps and try some power amps with them as well.
You only need 1V to get 96dB loud. Meaning atom is still powerful enough. And its current supports he6se at 10V output. Then that's 116dB loud.
Alls I know is I can top out the THX AAA 789 in high gain, not get any clipping unless I use a higher than 2V DAC voltage, and still listen comfortably to a lot of songs, wishing for a little bit more juice.
How the heck are you able to listen at such high volume.....
<smartass>What? </smartass>
Also, some measurements at innerfidelity and others peg the he6 at 77 dB/mW rather than the spec of 83. I only bought these because my name came up on the he6se tour, and I tried them, liked them somewhat better than my he560, and then the $700 deal on adorama gave me an itchy clicker finger.
he6 and he6se are different headphones. I was able to use dongle to play comfortably with he6se outputing 1V.
As always, very good video from Oluv. Are you able to guess what is playing? The only reservation I'd point is level-matching by ears.
The ES9038PRO is a 8 channels DAC. No need for two of these to get "completely balanced" design.
Still can't hear shit except for tiny channel imbalance of sp200 (D)
I did when he released the video. I'm a good online friend of him. Actually I recommended him all the models. Thanks for sharing anyway.
That's what I was thinking:
No way to bring the guy here on ASR? He definitely belongs to this place!
I have posted a DX7Pro for sale over on the For Sale board.
Happy Holidays to all!
Happy Holidays to all!
Got this today. Its sounds significantly better than the DX7s feeding a THX789 to HD800s More than freq accuracy, I think its timing accuracy. The initial piano key strikes are more in focused and things sound more natural from the already excellent previously mentioned setup. My frame of reference is playing myself so this sort of revelatory for me. In non acoustic stuff not sure its a game changer.
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