Review and Measurements of Topping DX3Pro DAC and Headphone Amp

[miguelx74]

I hope all be good, because beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO is not easy to drive too (250 Ohm) - but I have no problems with them on TOPPING DX3PRO.

The DX3 PRO is ok on Modhouse Argon MK3:

"""DX3 pro notices that it delivers 566mW at the clipping threshold, since I also tested it with a TEAC UD-503 that delivers 500mW and by volume there was enough to crack the eardrums, I would say that it goes just fine. Also from the point of view of the calculations it is a headphone with 50 ohm 92dB of sensitivity, so it means that with only 1 mW it already arrives at 92dB, with 2mW at 95dB, with 4mW at 98dB, with 8 at 101dB (which son already many) , with 16 to 104, with 128 to 113dB, and there is to live deaf, always always space to cover the transients. According to the various tests I have done, it takes at least 350mW to use it very well, your request fits perfectly."""

 

[evrial]

Received my unit 5 days ago, batch 1904. Replaced my fx-audio dac-x6, very impressed with the quality and sound, amp drives my dt880 250 Ohms no issues at all, volume knob very precise and linear like digital on windows. BT works perfect, remote also with 2AAA betteries which is good. Nice display and overall solid build.

 

[azxswq]

I really hate to do this and I have been a staunch cheerleader for so long.

But I just encounter the same standby issue as everybody else.

Will still look for an exchange.
Oh well, it was excellent while it lasted.

Please reach out to me @TP-Wong . Or maybe somebody can tell me how to get to topping sales support.

I bought it via Massdrop around the mid Feb cycle.

 

[azxswq]

Received my unit 5 days ago, batch 1904. Replaced my fx-audio dac-x6, very impressed with the quality and sound, amp drives my dt880 250 Ohms no issues at all, volume knob very precise and linear like digital on windows. BT works perfect, remote also with 2AAA betteries which is good. Nice display and overall solid build.

Are you sure it is AAA?

That changes the form factor.

 

[evrial]

Are you sure it is AAA?

That changes the form factor.

yep

 

[TKO]

yep
View attachment 26419

Wow mine was definitely one of those round batteries as opposed to this. Can’t believe they made variations on the remote. I would prefer AAA personally than the weird round batteries, which are useless to me now.

 

[TKO]

I really hate to do this and I have been a staunch cheerleader for so long.

But I just encounter the same standby issue as everybody else.

Will still look for an exchange.
Oh well, it was excellent while it lasted.

I also really liked it for the 10-12 hours mine lived but Topping really need to redeem themselves with the second version of this. I wouldn’t touch it until they have some sort of headphone protection for me it’s unacceptable that it can break iems.

 

[Yuno]

I really hate to do this and I have been a staunch cheerleader for so long.

But I just encounter the same standby issue as everybody else.

Will still look for an exchange.
Oh well, it was excellent while it lasted.

Please reach out to me @TP-Wong . Or maybe somebody can tell me how to get to topping sales support.

I bought it via Massdrop around the mid Feb cycle.

[email protected]. I think you will have more luck contacting them via email than contacting through forum. You still have massdrop warranty I think, you can also contact them. With topping you will have to ship to china, their service is very good though.

 

[TiborG]

Even under Windows 10, it is possible to connect AptX to DX3 Pro. At least for those who have bluetooth integrated on the Intel wifi-bluetooth card. Unfortunately only via Direct Sound (44.1 or 48 kHz), WASAPI push and event stammered - apparently colliding with Wifi. After restarting and connecting to DX3, Intel bluetoth reports on the bar that it is an AptX connection. Intel does not publish its AptX driver but is available from Dell's site. It's probably a good idea to check your sound settings for the options.
Link http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/intel-aptx-driver-download.794032/

Edit:
The only software player that has mastered AptX with Wasapi is MusicBee. Neither Foobar nor JRiver fail with the same settings

 

[LuckyLuke575]

I received my DX3 Pro this week (in large part due to this review!). Its a fantastic little device. Excellent sound quality, and plenty of power to drive my HD 650s to a high listening (upper limit of my comfortable listening range with 16 dB of headroom to spare. Compared to previous DAC/AMPs I've had, I can really hear the AKM 4493 chips shine through.

I'm just wondering what the benefit / use of the different filtering modes is (FIR button on the remote)? They all sound very similar, so I've just left the setting on F-3, which is the default).

 

[TiborG]

black DX3 Pro is very elegant but it wouldn't be a nice combo

 

[TiborG]

There are things that are "illegal" on headphone out. One is DC output which occurs when the output stage shorts out and just feeds the power supply to the headphone jack. This will kill the headphone for sure. So a DC detection circuit is used to immediately shut off the output when this occurs.

The other is thermal shutdown. If a short occurs for whatever reason, the driving circuits can get too hot. A protection circuit can detect the over temperature and shut down.

More advanced protection can detect extreme clipping (overdrive) and again, shut down the output when this occurs. This is the case you are thinking of with too much current being drawn. It would only happen when the sound is hugely distorted anyway so best let it shot down than risk damage to either the headphone amp or the headphone.

Is it possible to dispose of the headphone amplifier with a shorted / cut / broken IEM cable? This looks like a probable scenario when worn in pockets, on the bottom of the bag, and so on.

 

[evrial]

View attachment 26421 black DX3 Pro is very elegant but it wouldn't be a nice combo

may I ask which headphones you use?

 

[TiborG]

may I ask which headphones you use?

AKG 702 64 Ohm, FiiO F9 + bluetooth Cable TRN with Apt X, FiiO FH5, BGVP DMG all 16 Ohm

 

[amirm]

Is it possible to dispose of the headphone amplifier with a shorted / cut / broken IEM cable?

Yes.

 

[TiborG]

Yes.

Is it even possible that a damaged headphone cord would surpass any possible headphone protection? I have no reason to defend Topping in case of DX3 failure while waking up from sleep (except for its satisfaction with the product), but this variant stinked at the first news of the Amplifier Burning

 

[amirm]

I guess it is possible to design a protection circuit that still fails to catch a short but it is unlikely.

 

[nebula]

I started to keep a record of the unit going into standby by itself. Here's what I have so far.

4/16 - 12am
4/28 - 3:44am
5/8 - 10:11pm
5/20 - 3:22am

I wonder if it's a pattern? Seems to be happening fairly consistently every 10-12 days.

 

[guitarshredda15]

I should have my unit soon! It's passed customs and is sitting at the post office depot for delivery. I still think this unit should be fine and the ones that have failed are within the normal failure rate for any mass produced electronic item, but hey, "famous last words" right? :|

 

[josiah]

Quick question, will this have a newer version with headphone protection? I got a gsx 1000, and the music quality is lacking so I am looking at this; however the defects here, Reddit and mass drop discussions prevent me from pulling the trigger.