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Review and Measurements of Topping DX3Pro DAC and Headphone Amp
- Thread starter amirm
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mikehoopes
Member
I see several references in this thread to 16/24/32-bit and "sample rate". The bit depth (bits per sample) is independent of the sample rate (samples per second). Thus, there should be no clicking, old or new firmware, with changes to only bit depth.
Exactly!, I accept.
Pardon my ignorance but before I pull the trigger on this thing, how is Toppings reputation in terms of reliability? I have no idea.
There is always a problem with the new product.
However. For those troubles Topping surely hears the voice of our users. An answer also arrives.
I think that I am a technologically trusted manufacturer.
I am comparing the two DX3 Pro of Ver1.03 and Ver1.o4, but I do not know well how the click changed.
The most dissatisfied is that clicking occurs when you manually switch DSD songs of the same sample rate.
Clicking will not occur when playing songs of the album consecutively.
There are also reports of clicks on BT, but I do not mind clicking at all with my usage.
bleachershane
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Veri
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There are literally zero changes to the topping driver, the firmware update fixes the ticking sound also with the universal Windows UAC driver. What are you talking about?
The promise of the firmware being fulfilled is fantastic. I'm going to hold off a bit longer to read everyone's feedback before I apply it myself, since the clicking is a non-issue for my enjoyment.
Unrelated, but I figure it may be of interest to some - I just received some Fostex T50RP (on a great sale from an online music store retailer of all places, $129 CDN) with future designs to get Argon MK3s. Plugging them into my DX3pro, I'm pleased to report that I'm currently pushing them to near-painful volume levels in high gain (with great detail intact). If you have questions about the potential of the DX3pro's headphone amp output, this should provide some measure of relief.
Extra Edit: I've got them plugged into my NX4 now, and 2 o'clock at High Gain is enough to render them uncomfortably loud for my longterm listening taste. YMMV, but Topping undoubtedly brings affordable sonic muscle to the table.
Unrelated, but I figure it may be of interest to some - I just received some Fostex T50RP (on a great sale from an online music store retailer of all places, $129 CDN) with future designs to get Argon MK3s. Plugging them into my DX3pro, I'm pleased to report that I'm currently pushing them to near-painful volume levels in high gain (with great detail intact). If you have questions about the potential of the DX3pro's headphone amp output, this should provide some measure of relief.
Extra Edit: I've got them plugged into my NX4 now, and 2 o'clock at High Gain is enough to render them uncomfortably loud for my longterm listening taste. YMMV, but Topping undoubtedly brings affordable sonic muscle to the table.
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I ordered one, need to be patient, does anyone know where I can find the manual for it? I can't find it on Toppings' website...
I will likely sell my Modi 2 Uber that I have running in the living room and buy ANOTHER one of these and use it as an adjustable pre amp/DAC to plug directly into the amp of the NAD C320BEE, the NAD has the pre amp and amp connected in the rear with this weird plug that you can pull out to skip the built in preamp completely and go directly to the amp. That being said, the fact that some of you have gotten 0db surprises kind of concerns me as I'd have no safety net going directly into the amp lol. The gf uses the living room system to watch TV and she'd likely murder me if that were to happen.
Last and dumbest question? Changing inputs is done via the remote only or is there something you can do with the volume knob to change from optical to USB etc.?
I will likely sell my Modi 2 Uber that I have running in the living room and buy ANOTHER one of these and use it as an adjustable pre amp/DAC to plug directly into the amp of the NAD C320BEE, the NAD has the pre amp and amp connected in the rear with this weird plug that you can pull out to skip the built in preamp completely and go directly to the amp. That being said, the fact that some of you have gotten 0db surprises kind of concerns me as I'd have no safety net going directly into the amp lol. The gf uses the living room system to watch TV and she'd likely murder me if that were to happen.
Last and dumbest question? Changing inputs is done via the remote only or is there something you can do with the volume knob to change from optical to USB etc.?
Actually, follow up, as I finally do research tonight on an amp I've owned for well over a decade (The NAD C320BEE), apparently my lack of bass on my KEF Q300s isn't that they're underpowered, it's that the pre section on the NAD integrated is known for lacking low end and just generally not being very good. Now I'm REALLY excited to get the DX3 Pro as I'll have a really good pre amp to plug directly into the amp portion of the NAD! Should give new life to a system I've listened to for years! Also the DAC I'm running is the Modi 2 Uber so removing that from the equation will make even more difference! Have two coming, one for the desk, one for the living room...
If it's a real concern to you then give up dx3. Yes, it's awful design. I can live with it because my speakers are set in such way that I'm not going to go deaf when I accidentally change to 0db, but after clicking (fixed) it's my second biggest issue with this thing.
I wish topping would flat out remove line out fixed from this dac with firmware upgrade. Although I'm sure there are some people who would be upset if that were to happen, so most likely it will stay as is.
Input change = 1 click. Output change = 2 fast clicks. Don't ever change outputs without remote or you will cycle through 0db line out. It's best to assume that dx3 can't be operated without remote.
Ok can someone tell me exactly how easy it is to cycle into the 0db line out? Like my gf is working on her second Masters degree, as long as I can tell her exactly not what to do she probably won't lol.
mikehoopes
Member
I don’t recall the process for changing inputs with the multifunction knob, but it can be done. It’s just WAY easier with the remote.
As for the manual, it’s bundled with the driver (and a printed version should have shipped with the unit...I had one here that I promptly recycled).
http://en.tpdz.net/support.html
As for 0 dB surprises, I’ve had one so far, and am looking forward to a time if/when the unit has session I/O volume retention and back-from-standby I/O volume preset memory.
Sorry, I can not understand this which you are saying.
Clicking occurs only when playing and stopping songs. Other than that, clicks do not occur.
When you play an album, clicks occur only at the start and end of playback.
No click occurs during playback stop. It is very quiet.
The BT equipment I use is OPPO and HUAWEI's smartphone.
Veri
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The measurements do show a bit of power noise as far as I can see but should be benign. For low cost I'd say "why not", though. Do report back
OP
- Thread Starter
- #1,320
Those switching supplies actually inject mains noise. Using USB power is good in the way it reduces the number of power supplies in the system. I would not mess with another supply.
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