Review and Measurements of Topping DX3Pro DAC and Headphone Amp

[dawit123]

Fulla is ok, but want to explore and learn with something better

 

[Jimmy]

If the main use case will be as a DAC for headphone listening then probably the best option (performance/price) is the K5 Pro, as a pure DAC the lack of fixed output puts other options on top (at least for me), but as a combo unit it's perfectly fine and the form factor is a plus.

Firstly the level of knowledge on here is simply stunning. I read maybe 50 pages on the DX3 Pro before my lockdown brain got frazzled.

Current Set Up
JBL LSR 305
ODAC into a Dell PC via USB (player JRiver)
Behringer Monitor 1 (control the sound)

The ODAC doesnt have coax or a headphone socket I wanted to hook up my Arcam CD player via coax to a dac and also have a headphone amp. I bought those Status CB-1 to try them, I dont know much about Headphones but understand they are 32ohms.

I was going to go for the DX3 pro but from what ive read they have reliability issues. Id used the masterlist on here to narrow down my choices. The Aune X1 isnt readily available and I was going to go for the Fiio K5 pro but Im not sure of that either. Im a bit stuck at this stage sometimes the Chinese DACs are not easy to get particularly with the Covid.

Would the K5pro be ok or could someone recommend a dac with a coax, headphone and rca. Im having problems with my hearing at the moment which is far more worrying than any of the worrie about DACs. I have not been able to listen to music for 2 days!!

Take care folks.

 

[Veri]

Hi guys.
So much information here that is hard to fathom for a newbie.
I'm considering DX3 Pro v2 as my step-up and first serious (or more serious amp) after prematurely bought Schiit Fulla.
There is a lot of not so good things mentioned about DX3, but would you still recommend it? On paper it sounds really appealing.
I'm looking something to drive my HD58X and He4XX.

Personally I think the DX3 is very fine for dynamic headphones but planars might lack some current at higher volumes.. I would opt for an amp like Magni Heresy with a dac like Modi or Topping E30. Very hard to beat!

 

[Yuno]

Personally I think the DX3 is very fine for dynamic headphones but planars might lack some current at higher volumes.. I would opt for an amp like Magni Heresy with an amp like Modi or Topping D30. Very hard to beat!

I agree with this, I don't think v2 dx3 is a good device. The reason why ASR went mad for this dac was because of it's combination of competent DAC and AMP. At the time it was unheard of at the price point. After v1 got replaced with v2 you have competent dac with mediocre amp. Entire selling point of this device was sadly lost (in my opinion at least). You can get much better by using stack with one of recent top performing amps.

 

[ari]

I just received my DX3 Pro today (Version 2, firmware 1.4) to replace the venerable and budget-friendly XtremPro X1, but I suspect that either my new Topping is defective or I've set it up wrong...
I'm getting loud static from both sides of my headphones, and very weak music/sound from just the right side. It also has the loud popping sound when turned on or off.
I'm using JRiver with the DAC settings configured as per the Topping's manual, output to USB, to the DX3Pro, to 3.5inch to 32Ohm headphones.
Thinking that maybe it was a USB ground loop problem, I tried it with a laptop, on battery only with nothing but the Topping plugged into the laptop, and get the same static and weak sound.
Is this a defective unit? Is it worth exchanging for a new one? Or do the non-defective ones still have static and the loud pop when turned on or off?
Thanks for any guidance,
Ari

 

[Toku]

I just received my DX3 Pro today (Version 2, firmware 1.4) to replace the venerable and budget-friendly XtremPro X1, but I suspect that either my new Topping is defective or I've set it up wrong...
I'm getting loud static from both sides of my headphones, and very weak music/sound from just the right side. It also has the loud popping sound when turned on or off.
I'm using JRiver with the DAC settings configured as per the Topping's manual, output to USB, to the DX3Pro, to 3.5inch to 32Ohm headphones.
Thinking that maybe it was a USB ground loop problem, I tried it with a laptop, on battery only with nothing but the Topping plugged into the laptop, and get the same static and weak sound.
Is this a defective unit? Is it worth exchanging for a new one? Or do the non-defective ones still have static and the loud pop when turned on or off?
Thanks for any guidance,
Ari

I have a question.
Is the 3.5Φ phone jack completely inserted?
The phone jack on the DX3 Pro is a little tight and can only be plugged in completely if you apply a little force.
Previously there was a problem caused by the incomplete insertion of the phone jack.

 

[ari]

A fair question. Yes, since the audio was predominantly one-sided I had checked this (vigorously, I may add
Have double checked, and have tried different cable, both since your reply. No improvement.

 

[ari]

OK, have emailed Topping. Will return the device.
Now to the big question: to exchange for a new DX3 Pro v2, or to switch to something else in the sub-$250 price range?
I'm using it for driving Beyerdynamic 770 80Ω, using JRiver on PC, sending audio via USB.
So, DX3Pro v2? Or Schiit Modi + Magni Heresy? Or Khadas ToneBoard + Magni Heresy?
Or other?

 

[ZenTraveler]

I'm getting loud static from both sides of my headphones, and very weak music/sound from just the right side.

You tried with different headphone still the same result? Or try the headphone on other device.
I also have to really push the jack into DX3 to fully insert it.
No popping when turn on or off though.

So, DX3Pro v2? Or Schiit Modi + Magni Heresy? Or Khadas ToneBoard + Magni Heresy?

Whichever that you most preferred. Ultimately that's the best setup for everyone.

 

[Toku]

Where do you find the firmware to upgrade the DX3 Pro? On their website all I see is references to drivers for it, not firmware

DX3 Pro (Ver1) firmware can be downloaded from the link below.
I also uploaded the file I downloaded from Topping HP.

https://download.shenzhenaudio.com/Topping/DX3 PRO/

 

[g_t_j]

Hi guys,

Can someone please clarify, is it better to connect my PC to the DX3 through USB or optical cable?
Is the DX3 still going to handle the digital to analogue conversion if it is fed with optical signal?

 

[Veri]

Is the DX3 still going to handle the digital to analogue conversion if it is fed with optical signal?

Yep, it is! USB should be fine, but optical can prevent any possible issues ground loop issues.

 

[g_t_j]

Yep, it is! USB should be fine, but optical can prevent any possible issues ground loop issues.

Makes sense! I don't have any ground loop issues but now that just out of curiosity connected the pc to the optocal output my impression was the sound was more transparent.

So I guess it's still the DX3 DAC that works even on optical?

Thanks for clarifying!

 

[Veri]

Makes sense! I don't have any ground loop issues but now that just out of curiosity connected the pc to the optocal output my impression was the sound was more transparent.

So I guess it's still the DX3 DAC that works even on optical?

Thanks for clarifying!

Yep most definitely your DX3 is decoding the optical input.

 

[g_t_j]

Yep most definitely your DX3 is decoding the optical input.

Thank you

 

[g_t_j]

Yep most definitely your DX3 is decoding the optical input.

I can definitely tel the difference - the signal is clearer. However, I can't see the DX3 clock switching when I (for example) opt to play 24bit -48khz files. Why is that? With the USB input I could hear the clicking noise of the clock switching between different files.

 

[Veri]

I can definitely tel the difference - the signal is clearer. However, I can't see the DX3 clock switching when I (for example) opt to play 24bit -48khz files. Why is that? With the USB input I could hear the clicking noise of the clock switching between different files.

Oh that's not the clock, it's the data flow/signal that had a 'break' over USB connection, optical/coaxical feeds zero data continuously which prevents the clicking noise from happening here. USB could have had a better relay mechanism to circumvent this, but anyway it is what it is..

 

[g_t_j]

Oh that's not the clock, it's the data flow/signal that had a 'break' over USB connection, optical/coaxical feeds zero data continuously which prevents the clicking noise from happening here. USB could have had a better relay mechanism to circumvent this, but anyway it is what it is..

Oh, I see! Even when the display reports 192 followed by that click? I can't see anything changing now when switching resolution.
Thanks a lot for your valuable opinion!

 

[Veri]

I can't see anything changing now when switching resolution.

Hmm it should still be able to change though. Just possibly more smoothly.

 

[g_t_j]

Hmm it should still be able to change though. Just possibly more smoothly.

There's no change on the display too. With the USB input I could tell when resolution changed.