Review and Measurements of Topping DX3Pro DAC and Headphone Amp

[Toku]

My Ali Express order shipped. 12 to 20 days....

Hello,
I ordered two DX3 Pros at the Aoshida-HIFI Audio Store.
DX3 Pro ordered on November 10 arrived today on November 19.
However, the DX3 Pro ordered on November 11 has not yet been shipped.
When I contact by e-mail, it seems that the arrival of goods has been delayed with many orders.

 

[john100a]

It's exactly the same way the DX7s works. Double-click the multi-function button on the front panel (the volume knob) and it will cycle through the output modes (headphone only ➜ headphone and RCA ➜ RCA fixed ➜ RCA pre-out).

What you mean "cycle"? Say I am on speakers (rca pre-outs) and I want to go to headphones, and vice versa, how many clicks and "randomness" would I have to endure?

 

[Alex rus]

DX3 Pro ordered on November 10 arrived today on November 19.

Please take a picture of topping dx3pro inside) And how about sound?

 

[SiW]

My Ali Express order shipped. 12 to 20 days....

Mine too

Although the tracking number isn’t showing anything - just in the Ali app

 

[kukocz]

Welcome all!
I've been reading this forum for some time and it's time now to write something

I'm also waiting for my DX3 Pro bought on 11.11 on Ali... Decided to get it instead of D50 because it seems to be great box for reasonable price.

@amirm if you have any chance in the future, it would be nice to see a re-test of "production" unit. I've seen that at least a display has changed a little - function icons are darker than volume level (somebody got DX3 Pro already on YouTube

).

I'm also wondering how LPS will change measurements, if at all.

 

[Felipe Torres]

What you mean "cycle"? Say I am on speakers (rca pre-outs) and I want to go to headphones, and vice versa, how many clicks and "randomness" would I have to endure?

Considering you are on RCA pre-outs, you would need two clicks to go to headphone out. When I say cycle I mean every two clicks jumps one mode forward, first mode being headphone out, second is headphone and RCA, third one is the RCA fixed and the last one is the RCA pre-out. To get back to RCA pre-outs from the headphone out, you would need six clicks.

Headphone out ➜ 2 clicks ➜ Headphone and RCA ➜ 2 clicks ➜ RCA fixed ➜ 2 clicks ➜ RCA pre-out ➜ 2 clicks ➜ Goes back to headphone out

I must say I don't have the unit with me, so I can't say for sure. I believe it will work almost, if not exactly, the same way as the DX7s since their manuals are roughly the same. The only thing I'm not sure of is if the fixed RCA out is accessible through the volume knob button. That would be terrible if you hooked up powered monitors and cycle through modes while the music is playing. Can you check that for us @amirm?

 

[amirm]

@amirm if you have any chance in the future, it would be nice to see a re-test of "production" unit.

Sure. Someone needs to send me one though....

 

[Toku]

DX3 Pro drivers and manuals were uploaded to HP.
Since the driver is the same as D10 D50 DX7s, installation is unnecessary if you are already using D10 D50 DX 7s.

 

[john100a]

Considering you are on RCA pre-outs, you would need two clicks to go to headphone out. When I say cycle I mean every two clicks jumps one mode forward, first mode being headphone out, second is headphone and RCA, third one is the RCA fixed and the last one is the RCA pre-out. To get back to RCA pre-outs from the headphone out, you would need six clicks.

Headphone out ➜ 2 clicks ➜ Headphone and RCA ➜ 2 clicks ➜ RCA fixed ➜ 2 clicks ➜ RCA pre-out ➜ 2 clicks ➜ Goes back to headphone out

I must say I don't have the unit with me, so I can't say for sure. I believe it will work almost, if not exactly, the same way as the DX7s since their manuals are roughly the same. The only thing I'm not sure of is if the fixed RCA out is accessible through the volume knob button. That would be terrible if you hooked up powered monitors and cycle through modes while the music is playing. Can you check that for us @amirm?

Wow that is absolutely terrible and so impractical. Why can't they just change it so each combination of clicks does something different, or even a chance for the user to define the switching?

Also while on headphone mode the headphone icon seems to be flashing non stop, kinda annoying.

@amirm, can you maybe give the switching modes a check for us?

 

[Felipe Torres]

Wow that is absolutely terrible and so impractical. Why can't they just change it so each combination of clicks does something different, or even a chance for the user to define the switching?

Also while on headphone mode the headphone icon seems to be flashing non stop, kinda annoying.

@amirm, can you maybe give the switching modes a check for us?

Yeah, it's kinda annoying. That's why I'm going to use the remote.

 

[john100a]

Yeah, it's kinda annoying. That's why I'm going to use the remote.

What's the switching like on the remote again?

 

[amirm]

What's the switching like on the remote again?

There are two dedicated buttons. One has a headphone symbol and hitting it enables headphone.

Then there is another button for line out. Hitting that at first, gives you variable output. Hitting it again will give you fixed. It will keep toggling that way.

I just put the remote next to it and navigate that way. It is small, attractive and great for changing things.

 

[peder2tm]

....
I'm also wondering how LPS will change measurements, if at all.

If you look at the dashboards in the first post you see no sign of leakage from the power supply (no 60 Hz noise peak) so I doubt LPS will change anything because there is no significant noise to clean up.

 

[jsheard]

I was looking at the PCB and noticed it's labeled DX3/DX3pro, implying they planned a non-pro variant based on the same board.

What might the difference be in a non-pro version?

 

[Yuno]

Yeah, it's kinda annoying. That's why I'm going to use the remote.

The worst thing is that in theory they could easily make it quite practical. Just make it so one click switches to headphones and other to variable line out. No need to put 4 output modes under one button. I don't get why switching outputs should ever take 2 clicks whereas switching inputs, which is something most people do quite rarely (or never, only people who use multiple devices connected to single dac will use it), takes 1 click. I see very little reason for line out non-variable anyway, it's just 100 volume line out.

On the other hand, there aren't many DACs that do this kind of design right, and that's one thing that makes this acceptable for me. Even the ability to change outputs is quite rare in those devices, and especially at this price range. Many units that have pre-outs just switch to pre when you disconnect jack, like JDS labs atom for instance. My current solution to this problem is using aune x1s which sends signal to RCA at all times as well as to headphone out (volume controlled), and I have RCA signal routed through OL Switcher. I actually have to turn the volume down on OL switcher and up on aune just to switch from speakers to headphones, so I have to fiddle with 2 volume knobs to change between speakers/headphones. I will still rather take dx3 way of doing this (which is actually 100% fine as long as you use remote) over alternatives, which is why I got this unit anyway. Aune was also more expensive than dx3 is.

 

[Felipe Torres]

The worst thing is that in theory they could easily make it quite practical. Just make it so one click switches to headphones and other to variable line out. No need to put 4 output modes under one button. I don't get why switching outputs should ever take 2 clicks whereas switching inputs, which is something most people do quite rarely (or never, only people who use multiple devices connected to single dac will use it), takes 1 click. I see very little reason for line out non-variable anyway, it's just 100 volume line out.

On the other hand, there aren't many DACs that do this kind of design right, and that's one thing that makes this acceptable for me. Even the ability to change outputs is quite rare in those devices, and especially at this price range. Many units that have pre-outs just switch to pre when you disconnect jack, like JDS labs atom for instance. My current solution to this problem is using aune x1s which sends signal to RCA at all times as well as to headphone out (volume controlled), and I have RCA signal routed through OL Switcher. I actually have to turn the volume down on OL switcher and up on aune just to switch from speakers to headphones, so I have to fiddle with 2 volume knobs to change between speakers/headphones. I will still rather take dx3 way of doing this (which is actually 100% fine as long as you use remote) over alternatives, which is why I got this unit anyway. Aune was also more expensive than dx3 is.

Couldn't agree with you more. I don't know if a firmware upgrade would change things, but I'll use the remote anyway. I can ignore those cons when I remember I paid $160 for it.

 

[Toku]

I think the operation of Topping DX 3 Pro is a very excellent method. It is wonderful to be able to control so many functions with just one knob.
Operation is certainly better if you prepared the button for each function. Such a design is kind to an old man like me. But I can not agree with such a design. Even if you actually try using DX3 Pro there is no discomfort. I was impressed with their excellent ideas.

The sound of DX3 Pro is very wonderful. The motion is also perfect. I purchased two DX 3 Pro and at the same time sold D 50 and SU - 8.

 

[jasonq997]

To be clear on the functionality. Can this play headphones and do fixed line out at the same time? I know this is strange (especially to Yuno ), but this would be perfect for my particular scenario.

 

[Felipe Torres]

To be clear on the functionality. Can this play headphones and do fixed line out at the same time? I know this is strange (especially to Yuno ), but this would be perfect for my particular scenario.

I believe you can't.

 

[jasonq997]

I believe you can't.

View attachment 17818

Interesting. I read this as though I can power and adjust the volume for headphones, and have the line out going at the same time.