Did Topping accidentally create a budget multi-channel DAC + pre-amp with crossover in DX1 II?

[gtg465x]

The fact that the new DX1 II is only $120, includes optical input AND output, RCA and balanced pre-amp output, and EQ provides some interesting options if you combine multiple of them together to essentially create as many output channels as you want, all controlled by the volume knob of the first, each channel with its own EQ and crossover filter. Having an optical out is one thing, but the options Topping provided with it are really what allow what I'm thinking:

1) It outputs to both optical and the RCA / balanced pre-amp outputs simultaneously
2) You can apply per channel EQ to the RCA / balanced pre-amp outputs, but disable EQ from being applied to the optical out
3) You can configure the device to control optical volume or not, so I think the first device in a chain of DX1 IIs connected to each other via optical can be the sole volume controller, with the others just passing through the optical signal unchanged down the chain.

Example 2.2 setup:

DX1 II #1 (volume controller for both devices):
- USB or optical in from your source
- Optical out configured to a) control volume and b) not have EQ applied
- RCA or 4.4 balanced left channel to speaker 1: L EQ with high pass filter and optional room correction EQ for speaker 1
- RCA or 4.4 balanced right channel to speaker 2: R EQ with high pass filter and optional room correction EQ for speaker 2

DX1 II #2:
- Optical in from DX1 II #1
- Volume at 0 db to not attenuate digital signal that was already attenuated by DX1 II #1 any further
- RCA or 4.4 balanced left channel to sub 1: L EQ with low pass filter and optional room correction EQ for sub 1
- RCA or 4.4 balanced right channel to sub 2: R EQ with low pass filter and optional room correction EQ for sub 2

In theory, you could keep chaining them for more channels with their own EQ. One possible downside is each additional DX1 II in the chain would presumably be ~1-3 milliseconds behind the previous with no way to adjust, but since this is a DAC advertised to gamers, I'm assuming the processing is very fast and very minimal, probably closer to 1 ms, which I don't think would be noticeable or much different than having a slightly longer cable going to the subs.

What do you guys think? Any obvious gotcha's I'm missing? While something like a miniDSP Flex would still provide more options, like delay and actual room correction software, it's 2-3 times the cost of dual DX1 IIs and is still missing headphone output, and if all you're really looking for is digital crossover config and basic per-channel EQ for 4 channels, this could make sense I think.

 

[Redacted]

Plausible. Buy one for me, and I'll try it

 

[RedVikingHood]

You want to introduce 1 ms delay?

 

[gtg465x]

You want to introduce 1 ms delay?

I don’t know what the delay through a DX1 II is. Could be less. I doubt it would be noticeable. If your subwoofer is 1 meter further from your ears than the mains, that alone introduces a 3 ms delay, and most people run setups like that without doing any sort of time alignment correction.

 

[NTTY]

You want to introduce 1 ms delay?

More like 0.02ms worst case scenario as I measured.

 

[90sNintendoKid]

I just read the Topping DX1 II manual and skimmed the Topping Tune app manual and I couldn’t find a definitive answer on this, I would say no if independent delay can’t be applied to each channel. For example, for a multiple subwoofers and main speaker setup, how would I time align the subwoofers for max spl and then delay the subwoofer sum and speakers without delay functionality on the Topping.

 

[gtg465x]

I just read the Topping DX1 II manual and skimmed the Topping Tune app manual and I couldn’t find a definitive answer in this, I would say no if independent delay can’t applied to each channel. For example, for a multiple subwoofers and main speaker setup, how would I time align the subwoofers for max spl and then delay the subwoofer sum and speakers without delay functionality on the Topping.

You wouldn’t with this solution. You’d have to go for something quite a bit more expensive I think, like a MiniDSP Flex.

 

[90sNintendoKid]

You wouldn’t with this solution. You’d have to go for something quite a bit more expensive I think, like a MiniDSP Flex.

Yes, I was answering your original question. I wouldn’t personally bother doing this and I propose just get a Minidsp Flex. I personally would use a Minidsp 2x4 HD for a 2.2 setup.

 

[gtg465x]

Yes, I was answering your original question. I wouldn’t personally bother doing this and I propose just get a Minidsp Flex. I personally would use a Minidsp 2x4 HD for a 2.2 setup.

Problem with 2x4 is the lower quality converters and the fact that you still need a separate DAC / preamp to control volume with a physical knob. And neither MiniDSP includes a headphone amp or outputs, so even after spending significantly more for them, you’ll still need to buy something like a DX1 II for a desk setup where you want to use headphones and have a volume knob.

 

[90sNintendoKid]

Problem with 2x4 is the lower quality converters and the fact that you still need a separate DAC / preamp to control volume with a physical knob. And neither MiniDSP includes a headphone amp or outputs, so even after spending significantly more for them, you’ll still need to buy something like a DX1 II for a desk setup where you want to use headphones and have a volume knob.

The Minidsp 2x4 hd version 2 was measured here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...mple-measurement-and-teardown-pictures.50900/

102 Sinad which is more than good enough for me.