Review and Measurements of Topping DX3Pro DAC and Headphone Amp

[Wolven]

Hi thanks for replying, I know what WASAPI/ASIO is for and how it works more or less. My problem is that I've selected ASIO as output in Musicbee app but it didn't force exclusivity, and when I try playing something in Firefox while playing a song in Musicbee, I end up hearing both from my speakers. I have no idea why this happens.

Also when I used WASAPI previously with another DAC it was ok, but now when I use WASAPI it has some weird constant chattering(?) sound every few millisecs, like the buffering has problems or something.

Topping ASIO driver in Foobar also fails to put the sound into exclusive mode, not sure if that's by design. I thought it would behave like WASAPI.

 

[gazzawazza]

Topping ASIO driver in Foobar also fails to put the sound into exclusive mode, not sure if that's by design. I thought it would behave like WASAPI.

to be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely surprised. I've tried 4 dacs from different manufacturers (not topping though) and had driver issues with 3 of the 4 (cambridge audio was flawless btw).

When i say issues, I'm talking about either ASIO non-exclusivity issues and/or foobar playback weirdness (e.g. first 1s of a track gets cut off, no matter what you do).

Specifically, i had ASIO non-exclusivity issues with 2 (dragonfly red and chord mojo). I found that disabling my onboard audio chip stabilised the dragonfly red output.

Have you tried ASIO4ALL? Just out of curiosity.

Also, what OS are you using?

Could you also try running in USB class 1 audio mode (if you can set that in the topping)? I know it limits bitrate but then you can use a windows driver.

 

[Toku]

Hi thanks for replying, I know what WASAPI/ASIO is for and how it works more or less. My problem is that I've selected ASIO (Topping driver) as output in Musicbee app but it didn't force exclusivity, and when I try playing something in Firefox while playing a song in Musicbee, I end up hearing both from my speakers. I have no idea why this happens.

Also when I used WASAPI previously with another DAC it was ok, but now when I use WASAPI it has some weird constant chattering(?) sound every few millisecs, like the buffering has problems or something.

I also installed MusicBee to check the operation.
As a result, none of ASIO, WASAPI (Shared) and WASAPI (Exclusive) was in exclusive mode.
So I think this is a bug in MusicBee.

If I did the following to enable DSD playback, the problem improved.

Go to Setting > Edit Preferences > Player > audio player
Click Configure
Select Stream raw DSD data in DSD file playback
Click Update
This allows ASIO Native playback up to DSD 11.2MHz.

 

[Toku]

I connected DX3Pro via USB after some effort, and have some questions:

1) Anyone else encounter this problem with USB ports? I have USB 3.0 ports on both front and back, but for 4 ports at the back I tried USB connection didn't work; switched to the front port and it worked lol.

Is your PC a used product?

Does it work properly when a USB memory or USB mouse is connected to the four USB 3.0 on the back?
If it doesn't work
1. USB 3.0 on the back is disabled by the BIOS of the PC.
2. The four USB 3.0 drive circuits on the back are broken.
This may be the cause.

 

[ricmuz_]

Pardon my noob question, but what is the difference between this model and the NX4 DSD? They seem to have the same power output for 300 ohm headphones (around 120mv). What does the DX3 have that the NX4 hasn't?

 

[Veri]

Pardon my noob question, but what is the difference between this model and the NX4 DSD? They seem to have the same power output for 300 ohm headphones (around 120mv). What does the DX3 have that the NX4 hasn't?

DX3 has double AK4493, more digital inputs as wel as bluetooth. NX4 has battery, DX3 needs switching supply.
They're quite different. DX3 is desktop size so more room for larger components. NX4 is portable all the way.

 

[ricmuz_]

DX3 has double AK4493, more digital inputs as wel as bluetooth. NX4 has battery, DX3 needs switching supply.
They're quite different. DX3 is desktop size so more room for larger components. NX4 is portable all the way.

Yeah I got the battery part - that's why that device interests me. I don't really need the inputs, and to be fair, I don't quite understand what I might use the BT for. How can it be used? Just by connecting bluetooth headphones to it? Or is there some other feature which I'm missing?

For the double chip instead: what does it mean? They make the DX3 a better performing DAC?

Sorry if these questions might sound silly, I'm very new to the audiophile world.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Pardon my noob question, but what is the difference between this model and the NX4 DSD? They seem to have the same power output for 300 ohm headphones (around 120mv). What does the DX3 have that the NX4 hasn't?

What @Veri said. Also, the DX3 Pro is much more powerful under 32ohms, overall measures better and doesn't show channel imbalance at low volume.

I don't quite understand what I might use the BT for. How can it be used? Just by connecting bluetooth headphones

No. This acts as a BT receiver. You could, for example, use your smartphone and stream BT up to the line in of your stereo amp...

 

[ricmuz_]

What @Veri said. Also, the DX3 Pro is much more powerful under 32ohms, overall measures better and doesn't show channel imbalance at low volume.

But if I read correctly that problem should only be present at very low volumes, right? Well, that wouldn't really be a problem for me since I always listen in mid-high-dangerouslyhigh volumes

What do you mean by "it's much more powerful under 32ohms"? You mean just at that precise impedance or thorought the whole spectrum? If I read correctly, they should both reach around 120mv in output at 300 ohms.

Edit: ooh, I see (about bluetooth). Quite an interesting feature then. I'm very tempted by the portability of the NX4 though.

 

[Toku]

I don't have DSD settings in the Configure window... wow this sucks. (see "no DSD settings.PNG")

Also I installed Foobar and same thing happens, I will hear 2 sound sources if I play from Foobar and Spotify. This happened for both ASIO PCM and ASIO DSD.

I think this might be linked to the fact that ASIO4ALL isn't detecting the DX3 Pro USB as a device. (see "ASIO4ALL.PNG) Just to be clear, I have it connected via USB only.

Did you download the USB driver from Topping's HP and install it on your PC?
But it is already installed because the Topping USB Audio Device is displayed.

I downloaded and installed my MusicBee from below.
https://getmusicbee.com/downloads/

The remaining problem is whether your PC supports ASIO.

 

[Chrono-phage]

Arghh! Topping has slipstreamed another change.

I must admit to being thoroughly UNIMPRESSED with their engineering process. If change management is this loosey-goosey, then they're just winging it on everything else too...

The good news is that all they changed this time was the remote control.

The bad news is that the old remote was one of my all-time favorites. It had the PERFECT hand shape and feel. Fortunately, I've still got an old one left over from one of my dead DX3 Pros and they seem to work interchangeably.

Here are photos comparing the new and old remotes. The new one is on the left.

The biggest change is that the new remote ("RC-15A") uses two AAA batteries, whereas the old one ("RC-15") used one CR-2032 battery (in a delightfully quirky and unique spring holder). For me, I'd much rather have the Li button cell because over time alkaline cells always leak and ruin the device.

In order to fit the thicker battery they had to change the shape. Gone is the heavenly rounded cross-section of the old remote. The new one has sharp edges that don't feel nice at all. The weight (with batteries) also increased substantially: 58 g vs 36 g.

Sigh!!!

Hi !

Do you know if the new remote control has a better signal range than the old one ?
I find the old one has a really bad signal range. I have to direct it near and just toward the device to change volume or anything else... What a pity !

Thanks !

 

[Klenfo]

I think Topping should ship new board v2 as replacement of v1 board. 'Cause v1 unable to use with bluetooth - continuous clicks sound between almost each sound from loudspeakers. And also my v1 continues random shutdown. I guess it's easy to insert new board inside old case.

 

[Ron Texas]

I have one of these. My only complaint is the headphone jack is 1/8" instead of a much sturdier 1/4".

 

[Wolven]

to be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely surprised. I've tried 4 dacs from different manufacturers (not topping though) and had driver issues with 3 of the 4 (cambridge audio was flawless btw).

When i say issues, I'm talking about either ASIO non-exclusivity issues and/or foobar playback weirdness (e.g. first 1s of a track gets cut off, no matter what you do).

Specifically, i had ASIO non-exclusivity issues with 2 (dragonfly red and chord mojo). I found that disabling my onboard audio chip stabilised the dragonfly red output.

Have you tried ASIO4ALL? Just out of curiosity.

Also, what OS are you using?

Could you also try running in USB class 1 audio mode (if you can set that in the topping)? I know it limits bitrate but then you can use a windows driver.

ASIO4ALL tried it long time ago but had a problem with it under WIN 7. However, no big deal WASAPI works. I was just curious as the other user had a problem. My old DAC did not like WASAPI and ASIO as well. Funny.

 

[Noob2313]

Hi !

Do you know if the new remote control has a better signal range than the old one ?
I find the old one has a really bad signal range. I have to direct it near and just toward the device to change volume or anything else... What a pity !

Thanks !

The infrared transmitter on the new v2 remote certainly looks different (see attached picture, new remote on the left), but in a quick test I couldn't detect any difference in performance.

The maximum distance that I can test in my room is about 5 m (15 ft). Both remotes worked fine at 5m *IF* I was standing directly in front of the DX3 Pro. But, if I was 30 degrees off to the side it only worked at 1 m (3 ft), and at 45 degrees it only worked (intermittently) at 0.3 m (1 ft).

So, my preliminary conclusion would be that it's very sensitive to the "angle of incidence". Since both remotes performed identically, this would suggest that the limiting factor is the viewing angle for the IR receiver inside the base unit.

 

[ricmuz_]

My DX3 Pro V1 arrived today, but the results of my tests were extremely puzzling. I've opened a separate thread about it.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...tperforming-dx3-with-sennheiser-6xx-wth.9262/

 

[Toku]

Hi !

Do you know if the new remote control has a better signal range than the old one ?
I find the old one has a really bad signal range. I have to direct it near and just toward the device to change volume or anything else... What a pity !

Thanks !

I use an old type of remote control, but I can operate it from 5 to 6m away without any problems. The operating angle is -30> +30 degrees, but it is necessary to aim the remote control correctly at DX3 Pro.
I bought a remote control for DX7s and used it for DX3 Pro and D50s, but this one has a slightly wider irradiation range.

 

[Nicosea]

The DX3 pro has 2 x coaxial and 1 x toslink optical audio inputs.
If I read the specs, I understand that coaxial inputs support signals up to 24bits 192kHz, but I cannot be sure that also toslink input supports the same.
It looks like toslink supports only max 16bits 44.1kHz.
Am I wrong?
Thanks

 

[Toku]

The DX3 pro has 2 x coaxial and 1 x toslink optical audio inputs.
If I read the specs, I understand that coaxial inputs support signals up to 24bits 192kHz, but I cannot be sure that also toslink input supports the same.
It looks like toslink supports only max 16bits 44.1kHz.
Am I wrong?
Thanks

You are wrong.
TOSLINK is a standard for optical fiber connectors. It is not a transmission standard or communication standard.
The communication rule generally used in TOSLINK is S/PDIF.

 

[Nicosea]

You are wrong.
TOSLINK is a standard for optical fiber connectors. It is not a transmission standard or communication standard.
The communication rule generally used in TOSLINK is S/PDIF.

I know that coaxial is a digital electrical signal and toslink is an optical digital signal, and that they are different connectors. What I am asking is the bits and the frequency.