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Review and Measurements of Topping DX3Pro DAC and Headphone Amp

JohnYang1997

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JohnYang1997

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JohnYang1997

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crusey_aus

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Hello Folks,
Ripping forum full of great info
Just wondering if any of you have both the Su-8 and the DX3Pro and could comment on the volume control on both units when used as a preamp output
I want to use either in a home theatre setup using optical from the TV to a pair of bookshelf monitors via a powered sub (has both unbalanced rca and balanced inputs)
Currently running the audio from the headphone out socket on the tv which obviously gives volume control with the TV remote
The Input devices to the Tv are a PVR and Xbox
I am often listening to streamed music on both devices so volume control is a must
Thanks
 
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JohnYang1997

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Final finding for dx3pro. The performance most balanced at -6db to -9db.(the balance of noise and distortion)
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da Choge

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Just received my DX3 Pro yesterday. Very happy so far. One peculiar thing, though - can't get the blinking headphone icon on the screen (indicating HP amp and preamp out are both on). Been pushing both buttons (HP + Line Out) on remote at same time to no avail. Am I doing something wrong? (probably). I can get the Line Out alone or the HP Amp alone, but not both together - I will hardly ever (if at all) use it that way, but I want to make sure everything is properly functioning with my unit. Ugh - haven't checked my firmware yet; just assumed it was the most current . . . just checked; seems to be 1.04.
 

da Choge

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Now that I think about it, and this is really weird, the DX3 Pro was playing yesterday with both Headphones and Line Out at the same time when I first installed and was trying the unit out. Can't get it to do so now. Must be doing something wrong - what is it? . . . NEVER MIND - I was able to get the flashing headphone icon on the panel by using the multi-function button on the unit itself (pushing twice several times it until cycles around to the correct output mode). The manual seems to indicate that you can do the same with the remote (pushing the HP and Line Out buttons at the same time), but my remote doesn't work that way -- does anyone else's? I'll leave this and my last post up just in case someone else runs into the same issue.
 
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kukocz

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Now that I think about it, and this is really weird, the DX3 Pro was playing yesterday with both Headphones and Line Out at the same time when I first installed and was trying the unit out. Can't get it to do so now. Must be doing something wrong - what is it? . . . NEVER MIND - I was able to get the flashing headphone icon on the panel by using the multi-function button on the unit itself (pushing twice several times it until cycles around to the correct output mode). The manual seems to indicate that you can do the same with the remote (pushing the HP and Line Out buttons at the same time), but my remote doesn't work that way -- does anyone else's? I'll leave this and my last post up just in case someone else runs into the same issue.
Push the middle button inside the wheel on remote ;)
 

JohnYang1997

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An update to the d30 and dx3pro impression.
The test I did on Friday was using optical input. D30 has very poor jitter performance with optical input. Also there are some weird noises at around 7khz.

This morning(Sydney time), I did test with usb input(xmos), the jitter is greatly reduced (to -130db) , and it's perfoming very well, 7khz noise is gone. But it's very sensitive to usb contamination now. I can't plug in my focusrite forte at the same time other wise there is high pitch static tone.

Sound wise, the hint of brightness and sharpness in the highs are completely gone. And the dynamic becomes a little better, more solid from bottom to top. Now it has the sense of authority at higher volume. And it's very similar to the sound of dx3pro, even with a bit more density in the imaging. In another way you can still say dx3pro is more transparent and separated in the range. But what a improvement. Still don't know what happens to smsl m3(very low jitter). It certainly measures beautifully. But it's just brighter and a bit congested sounding.
I also did frequency response tests, d30 and m3 are 99% identical, dx3pro has rolled off lows and highs of 0.1db. So frequency response can't explain it.
So I think, these two units are very well designed and very good sounding. I'll be very happy to recommend d30 for most people as it's very low cost and performs very well through usb.
 

da Choge

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Push the middle button inside the wheel on remote ;)
That's right :rolleyes:, Thanks! Yeah, finally figured that out; I was reading the manual incorrectly. In fact, I was returning to the thread to correct my post. Thanks again.
 
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amirm

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Just wondering if any of you have both the Su-8 and the DX3Pro and could comment on the volume control on both units when used as a preamp output
I want to use either in a home theatre setup using optical from the TV to a pair of bookshelf monitors via a powered sub (has both unbalanced rca and balanced inputs)
Currently running the audio from the headphone out socket on the tv which obviously gives volume control with the TV remote
The Input devices to the Tv are a PVR and Xbox
I am often listening to streamed music on both devices so volume control is a must
Thanks
What do you need to know about them? They both work in digital domain. I like the DX3 Pro better because of much larger display.
 

crusey_aus

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Do the included remote controls do a decent job from a few metres away ?
Not familiar with digital volume control, am I likely to get a wider volume range with the XLR outputs of the SU-8 compared to the RCA's on the DX3 ?
Would the digital volume control make the sound differ greatly to using the analog headphone out option on the DX3 ?

Cheers
 

JohnYang1997

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Do the included remote controls do a decent job from a few metres away ?
Not familiar with digital volume control, am I likely to get a wider volume range with the XLR outputs of the SU-8 compared to the RCA's on the DX3 ?
Would the digital volume control make the sound differ greatly to using the analog headphone out option on the DX3 ?

Cheers
Sorry. I didn't get you the last sentence. I'll illustrate what I know that's relevant.
1, su-8 has xlr output which is balanced, so if your receiver has xlr input the max volume will double using xlr vs rca(on both su-8 and dx3pro). But dx3pro only has rca output.
So:
SU-8 XLR around 4Vrms
SU-8 RCA around 2Vrms
DX3 RCA around 2Vrms
2, digital volume control of is in the very front. So both headphone out and rca output will be digital controlled. The knob is also the same digital volume control.
3, I don't use the remote, but I think it will work just make sure there isn't obstacles in between.
 

EfectoHall

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Sorry. I didn't get you the last sentence. I'll illustrate what I know that's relevant.
1, su-8 has xlr output which is balanced, so if your receiver has xlr input the max volume will double using xlr vs rca(on both su-8 and dx3pro). But dx3pro only has rca output.
So:
SU-8 XLR around 4Vrms
SU-8 RCA around 2Vrms
DX3 RCA around 2Vrms
2, digital volume control of is in the very front. So both headphone out and rca output will be digital controlled. The knob is also the same digital volume control.
3, I don't use the remote, but I think it will work just make sure there isn't obstacles in between.
 

Letm

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Hello. Newbie here. I have just bought the dx3 pro, hopefully it will get in the next 30 days. I have a question for our expert Amirm: which cables should I use to connect my two jbl 305 (second version) to my dx3 pro?
@amirm

Thanks in advance
 

JohnYang1997

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Hello. Newbie here. I have just bought the dx3 pro, hopefully it will get in the next 30 days. I have a question for our expert Amirm: which cables should I use to connect my two jbl 305 (second version) to my dx3 pro?
@amirm

Thanks in advance
Rca to 6.35mm cable is good enough.

As jbl 305 has balanced input while dx3pro doesn't. It's still fine to do so. Using 6.35mm(dual mono) as input for jbl 305 basically shorts the negative half of the input making the input single ended. There should be no issue.
 
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