Review and Measurements of Topping DX3Pro DAC and Headphone Amp

[kukocz]

Please remove the second click on the remote which changes the mode from preamp to full line out. I'd like to use the dx3 as a preamp but I'm afraid the second click might happen by accident or when my girlfriend uses it when watching TV.

Totally agree. Especially for that reason I bought a self-learning remote to control DX3 Pro without risk that I blow my speakers

 

[Desmoface]

Thank you, Yuno.

No, Windows 7 is not USB Audio Class 2.0 compliant, you will need to download driver from topping.

 

[amirm]

I am not very clued up on the technical aspects of DACs and AMPs, hence why I frequent this forum for information from more clued up individuals.
What is the "3. Has headphone protection. We don't want our users to have any worry about the safety of their headphone. " that you are referring to? I have never really heard of anyone blowing their headphones unless they accidentally blasted them on full volume from an amp, or a short circuit happens from a dodgy power adaptor while using the headphone.

It is the short circuit scenario they are talking about.

 

[guitarshredda15]

It is the short circuit scenario they are talking about.

Thanks for that Amir. Is it not a typical spec to have short circuit protection out of the headphone jack?

 

[JohnYang1997]

Thanks for that Amir. Is it not a typical spec to have short circuit protection out of the headphone jack?

Most ic solutions already includes short circuit protection in the ic. Dx3pro uses discrete output stage, so this has to be implemented separately.

 

[ValeriiD]

First of all - thank you a lot, dear Amir, for your excellent forum and a brilliant reviews.

I just got Topping DX3 Pro (£169 from Amazon.co.uk) as a source for my office set. I use it with Qobuz on Mac Pro and beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 Ohm headset.

The sound quality is good enough, no problems with installation and connection. No problems with driving 250 Ohm headset. No problems playing PCM 192/24 from Qobuz.

My point - Topping DX3 Pro is an excellent piece of a desktop audio equipment with very affordable price.

 

[777]

Any release date for Topping D70 ?

 

[da Choge]

Please remove the second click on the remote which changes the mode from preamp to full line out. I'd like to use the dx3 as a preamp but I'm afraid the second click might happen by accident or when my girlfriend uses it when watching TV.

Yes, I think an option to disable the second click on the remote "Line Out" button enabling full power/volume line out would be a very important safety addition. I keep my powered PC speakers turned off now, just because of that possibility. Course I do most of my listening with headphones. I personally like the 3.5mm headphone plug output; but I imagine most users would prefer a full 6.35mm. Both a 3.5mm and a 6.35mm output would be ideal, but I imagine there are space considerations - I like the current size of the unit.

 

[Maat]

@amirm Thank you for your reviews and knowledge and effort you put into it!
It's interesting and valuable reading material for noobs like me.
And thanks to everyone else for contributing too

I just got Topping DX3 Pro (£169 from Amazon.co.uk) as a source for my office set. I use it with Qobuz on Mac Pro and beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 Ohm headset.

@ValeriiD
Would you be so kind to tell me if the seller was Shenzen Audio, and did you have to pay additional VAT and customs fee and handling upon arrival of the item?
Thank you!

 

[ValeriiD]

Would you be so kind to tell me if the seller was Shenzen Audio, and did you have to pay additional VAT and customs fee and handling upon arrival of the item?
Thank you!

Hi Maat,

Yes, the seller was Shenzen Audio fulfilled by Amazon, it was a common domestic sale with no any additional fees. The item was delivered from UK Amazon sales depot. I hope this help.

 

[Maat]

Hi Maat,

Yes, the seller was Shenzen Audio fulfilled by Amazon, it was a common domestic sale with no any additional fees. The item was delivered from UK Amazon sales depot. I hope this help.

That helps. Thank you very, very much.

Ordered DX3 Pro via mobile phone. From Amazon.de (because of the EU wall plug), but didn't check where it would be shipped from, it wasn't obvious. The same seller. Later I got info that it was dispatched, and tracking info. From tracking info found out it was shipped from China.

Upon further checking on desktop site it seems there are 2 item listed from the same seller, and with same price, on both amazon sites (UK & DE). The one fulfilled by Amazon doesn't ship to Croatia, but is shipped from EU depot, and the other not fulfilled by Amazon is shipped from China and can be shipped to Croatia.
So, there is possibility of significant additional cost to me, VAT, customs/import/handling fees. Will have to wait and see.
On mobile Amazon app it wasn't apparrent that it would ship from China, as I said I only found out about it via tracking info. I was used to Amazon always warning me of abroad shipping and additional tax/cost, and it was always included in final basket calculation prior to paying and confirming. Didn't happen this time.

I've sent a message to seller Shenzen Audio via Amazon.de about possibility of additional costs because it turned out it was being shipped from China and it wasn't listed and obvious on item listing, they replied and told me if there are additional fees that I should contact them and they would refund additional fees. So if true that is excellent news and great practice from them.

 

[letsgoo]

That helps. Thank you very, very much.

Ordered DX3 Pro via mobile phone. From Amazon.de (because of the EU wall plug), but didn't check where it would be shipped from, it wasn't obvious. The same seller. Later I got info that it was dispatched, and tracking info. From tracking info found out it was shipped from China.

Upon further checking on desktop site it seems there are 2 item listed from the same seller, and with same price, on both amazon sites (UK & DE). The one fulfilled by Amazon doesn't ship to Croatia, but is shipped from EU depot, and the other not fulfilled by Amazon is shipped from China and can be shipped to Croatia.
So, there is possibility of significant additional cost to me, VAT, customs/import/handling fees. Will have to wait and see.
On mobile Amazon app it wasn't apparrent that it would ship from China, as I said I only found out about it via tracking info. I was used to Amazon always warning me of abroad shipping and additional tax/cost, and it was always included in final basket calculation prior to paying and confirming. Didn't happen this time.

I've sent a message to seller Shenzen Audio via Amazon.de about possibility of additional costs because it turned out it was being shipped from China and it wasn't listed and obvious on item listing, they replied and told me if there are additional fees that I should contact them and they would refund additional fees. So if true that is excellent news and great practice from them.

I would also like to know if u had to pay or not. I am also living in Germany so I only buy if it is fullfilled by amazon.
But last time when I asked sabaj for the d5, they answered me that they first send it to Germany and then they send it to me from Germany so I do not get any additional cost. I didn't buy it anyway(I am waiting for the review of amir) but one of the chinese dac seller told me so.
Good luck to you.

 

[Maat]

I would also like to know if u had to pay or not. I am also living in Germany so I only buy if it is fullfilled by amazon.
But last time when I asked sabaj for the d5, they answered me that they first send it to Germany and then they send it to me from Germany so I do not get any additional cost. I didn't buy it anyway(I am waiting for the review of amir) but one of the chinese dac seller told me so.
Good luck to you.

Yeah, via mobile phone it wasn't obvious what might happen, I just assumed cause it didn't warn me, that it would ship from european warehouse/depot. I realised my mistake when I got tracking info. Hopefully it will be all right.
Thank you for explaining this about sabaj to me, it gives me hope that Shenzen Audio will have the same procedure. The price is the same. I'll post here how it went. Expected delivery time is: 15th May- 3rd June
And thank you, I may need some luck.

 

[SEKLEM]

I returned the Klipsch Powergate and purchased a DX3 Pro to use with my ICE 50ASX2 based B&K amplifier & Peachtree Audio DS4.5s. Might see if the Beyerdynamic T90s are worth keeping after running them with the headphone output when I get home. I tried the T90s on a Bravo Ocean tube headphone amplifier and was not impressed with the performance. I'm hoping the issues I see discussed here aren't as rampant as they seem.

 

[TKO]

@guitarshredda15
3. Has headphone protection. We don't want our users have any worry about the safe of their headphone.

I’m currently looking to potentially buy the dx3pro. However I don’t understand. There currently is no headphone protection? So under what conditions can this device damage my headphones?

Edit: It’s been a couple of days and I have to say it’s pretty disheartening no one is willing to answer this.

 

[Maat]

I’m currently looking to potentially buy the dx3pro. However I don’t understand. There currently is no headphone protection? So under what conditions can this device damage my headphones?

Edit: It’s been a couple of days and I have to say it’s pretty disheartening no one is willing to answer this.

In my understanding there is currently no headphone protection, revised version (V2) of DX3 Pro will have it, but it is uncertain when it'll come out.
Faulty DX3 Pro could sometimes damage headphones if opamp fails and becomes shorted (in some cases failed opamp may damage transistor too and/or leak DC to headphone output).

 

[gypsygib]

I’m currently looking to potentially buy the dx3pro. However I don’t understand. There currently is no headphone protection? So under what conditions can this device damage my headphones?

Edit: It’s been a couple of days and I have to say it’s pretty disheartening no one is willing to answer this.

A number of people have reported hearing a very loud pop in the left or right headphone channel when the device malfunctioned and went into standby mode involuntarily. I don't think they plugged their headphone back in and said it seemed ok but damage could have been done to the headphone coil or its life span.

One user reported that one side of his headphone broke after the unit malfunctioned into standby mode and kept the headphone plugged in when turned it back on.

One person reported that the RCA blew one of his tweeters and another user reported that the headphone amp broke one of his cheap earbuds.

That's all the info I've seen so it seems that if the amp suddenly goes into standby then it could shoot a dangerous voltage into one or both channels of your headphones.

 

[TKO]

Seems like a pretty dangerous product if this really can happen.

 

[guitarshredda15]

A number of people have reported hearing a very loud pop in the left or right headphone channel when the device malfunctioned and went into standby mode involuntarily. I don't think they plugged their headphone back in and said it seemed ok but damage could have been done to the headphone coil or its life span.

One user reported that one side of his headphone broke after the unit malfunctioned into standby mode and kept the headphone plugged in when turned it back on.

One person reported that the RCA blew one of his tweeters and another user reported that the headphone amp broke one of his cheap earbuds.

That's all the info I've seen so it seems that if the amp suddenly goes into standby then it could shoot a dangerous voltage into one or both channels of your headphones.

I have no idea but this seems like it could happen with any other number of headphone amps? Is "headphone protection" standard on any other amps in this price range? I am thinking Schiit stack, Micca Origen, JDS Labs Atom etc. ? This is where the guys with technical know-how in the forum could explain this to us?

 

[luxnulla]

I would also like to know if u had to pay or not. I am also living in Germany so I only buy if it is fullfilled by amazon.
But last time when I asked sabaj for the d5, they answered me that they first send it to Germany and then they send it to me from Germany so I do not get any additional cost. I didn't buy it anyway(I am waiting for the review of amir) but one of the chinese dac seller told me so.
Good luck to you.

Just got it from www.audiophonics.fr but it costs about 20 euro more. Ships from France and you can get it in 5 days. Amazon is out of stock in their warehouses and only ships from China. Couldn't be bothered.