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Review and Measurements of Topping DX3Pro DAC and Headphone Amp

TKO

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May 5, 2019
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One thing that speaks for Topping is how much service I got. My original dx3 pro managed to burn a few of my cheaper test headphones ... to much power, they got hot and died. According to Topping, to whom I sent my unit back, a damaged Opamp. After that, topping immediatly sent me a new unit, which so far, I have not dared using, as I only have expensive IEMs remaining. To that comment, Topping even offered me to send me a new future updated version ("V2"?) that will come with headphone protection ... not exactly sure what this is, but it sounds like a good thing to me. So service-wise I got some of the best service I ever got from any company by Topping.

Did they happen to mention when they’re expecting this V2? I’m not touching this until that headphone protection is in it. I can’t believe you are this satisfied after losing headphones to this.
 

voon

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Dec 6, 2018
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Did they happen to mention when they’re expecting this V2? I’m not touching this until that headphone protection is in it. I can’t believe you are this satisfied after losing headphones to this.

No, no date ... just that they are working on it. I'm not mad, because the two headphones destroyed are cheap as they come crap things the smartphone makers put in the box ... I didn't use those, really, and wisely used them first to test this. If they had killed my ChiFi DM6 I'd be rather pissed off :) So ..... for now I go by the "scary, but no real damage done" way ... I don't see much point in getting all angry over this due to the useless phones I lost. But I'm not daring to use my new unit with my more expensive IEMs. That said, I haven't read another case like mine anywhere so far in all reviews of this unit.

As for headphone protection: Can someone explain to me, what this is? Does it just limit the current going out? How does it know how much a headphone needs and where it has to stop it? I'm no electrical person at all..... mayber Amir knows :)
 

Willem

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Thee RME ADI 2 DAC has a special output for in ear phones, for lower levels of output but also of noise.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

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As for headphone protection: Can someone explain to me, what this is? Does it just limit the current going out? How does it know how much a headphone needs and where it has to stop it? I'm no electrical person at all..... mayber Amir knows :)
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.
 

miguelx74

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May 15, 2019
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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

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Apr 27, 2019
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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

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Feb 24, 2019
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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.
 
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azxswq

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Feb 24, 2019
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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

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Are you sure it is AAA?

That changes the form factor.
yep
IMG_20190519_155600.jpg
 

TKO

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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

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Oct 26, 2018
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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

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Feb 18, 2019
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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 Intel AptX.jpghttp://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
MusicBee AptX.jpg
 
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LuckyLuke575

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May 19, 2019
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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

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Feb 18, 2019
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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.
 
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