Shenzhenaudio Topping EX5 Review (DAC and Headphone Amplifier)

[Laserjock]

@+DS_DV+
My day old EX5 might be available soon, assuming you're in the US.

Dibs in Texas

 

[HerbM3]

Dibs in Texas

HA! Okay.
Waiting to pair the EX5 with the Sabaj A20a in the next couple of days. If I don't hear a difference between that combo and the Loxjie driving my JBL Studio 530s, then why keep the separates, right?

 

[HerbM3]

HA! Okay.
Waiting to pair the EX5 with the Sabaj A20a in the next couple of days. If I don't hear a difference between that combo and the Loxjie driving my JBL Studio 530s, then why keep the separates, right?

I forgot to mention that it’s SILVER...

 

[Laserjock]

I forgot to mention that it’s SILVER...

Cool, it’ll match my other Schiit...

 

[Lopsided]

@JohnYang1997 Hi, the manual for EX5 has the correct graph for filters as Amir tested, but the descriptions for them don't seem to match. Can you describe the 7 filters used and your recommended ones?

 

[+DS_DV+]

@+DS_DV+
My day old EX5 might be available soon, assuming you're in the US.

nope im from the EU but thanks <3

@Laserjock guess ill return my m500 to amazon than and order the EX5

 

[Duckofdeath]

Heads up to EU Amazon buyers! Despite the site saying VAT is included, it is not! It's shipped from China and you will get a text message from DHL asking for over 40 euros in VAT and fees for them to deliver it!

Edit: I complained to the seller though Amazon and they immediately refunded the added VAT and charges, so, all is good. I guess. Now I just have to wait a couple more days to try out my new toy........

 

[Lupin]

I wonder if XLR provides any benefit at all if it’s not balanced, why not stick to just a single 6.35

Objectively I think there no real point in balanced XLR headphone output anymore. Recent headphone amplifiers can deliver multiple watts into SE output so one doesn't need balanced XLR output anymore for the extra power like some time ago. Sure those high numbers look very attractieve on marketingsheets and product pages of headphone amplifiers which lures in the less technical knowledgeable people to purchase the product. Fact is though that hardly any headphone actually need that kind of power. 99.8% of all headphones can be properly driven by what power comes uit of an decent SE output from a decent headphone amplifier.

Doesn't take way that XLR connector has its mechanical advantages.
XLR connector is much more sturdy and locks nicely into the XLR socket unlike the standard 6.35mm plug. Also it's very conveniënt to have XLR plug option so you don't have so switch headphones cables between equipment.

Well if you ask the subjective camp you get a whole different story..
People there are convinced that balanced XLR output offers blacker background, better instrument separation more layered soundstage.. to hear all that you do need a custom made >2000 dollar 1.6m balanced XLR headphone cable though. Still don't hear that day and night difference over SE with your fancy custom XLR balanced headphone cable.. well that's because your DAC is not revealing enough.

 

[Tokyo_John]

…People there are convinced that balanced XLR output offers blacker background, better instrument separation more layered soundstage…

XLR was invented for carrying weak signals (e.g., from ribbon microphones) over long cable runs that require huge amounts of gain (+60 dB or more), a situation in which even the slightest noise could significantly degrade the SNR. Speaker/headphone cables are a completely different context, carrying signals that have already been amplified and ready to drive transducers. XLR is maybe slightly more relevant for carrying line level signals to a pre-amp or power amp, but again the signal they carry is not so weak and the downstream gain is modest (much less than needed for boosting a ribbon microphone).

Still, having XLR out (especially with switchable output impedance) could in principle allow a headphone amp with dual XLR outs to be used as a preamp. The Topping A90 has this functionality…and probably this EX5 would also make a good little DAC+Pre package for a mid-fi 2-channel system if it had the same selectable pre-out option (it doesn’t seem to be the case?).

 

[Lupin]

XLR was invented for carrying weak signals (e.g., from ribbon microphones) over long cable runs that require huge amounts of gain (+60 dB or more), a situation in which even the slightest noise could significantly degrade the SNR. Speaker/headphone cables are a completely different context, carrying signals that have already been amplified and ready to drive transducers. XLR is maybe slightly more relevant for carrying line level signals to a pre-amp or power amp, but again the signal they carry is not so weak and the downstream gain is modest (much less than needed for boosting a ribbon microphone).

Still, having XLR out (especially with switchable output impedance) could in principle allow a headphone amp with dual XLR outs to be used as a preamp. The Topping A90 has this functionality…and probably this EX5 would also make a good little DAC+Pre package for a mid-fi 2-channel system if it had the same selectable pre-out option (it doesn’t seem to be the case?).

Not talking about balanced XLR between DAC and (pre)AMP. Talking about the XLR out of headphone amp connecting to the headphones in regular home use situation.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Is there any chance this will ever be available other than through Shenzhenaudio?

Prices in the U.K. (S-audio at Amazon, etc) appear higher than I would expect.

 

[Lupin]

Is there any chance this will ever be available other than through Shenzhenaudio?

Prices in the U.K. (S-audio at Amazon, etc) appear higher than I would expect.

What price do you expect?

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

What price do you expect?

SMSL SU-8S Ali Express £270, Amazon U.K. £330

Topping EX5 Ali Express £260, Amazon U.K. £350

Based on the SMSL price I’d expect the EX5 to be closer to £320.

The SMSL is more expensive than the Topping at Ali, but cheaper at Amazon, which I’m guessing is due to it being an S-Audio exclusive.

 

[Duckofdeath]

I got my EX5 yesterday, ordered through Amazon Germany to Ireland. It only took them 3 days to ship it from China to Ireland. I ordered a few cables and a Toslink splitter at the same time. Those were shipped from France to Ireland and took 4 days to get here.

Anyways, it's all set up now and I am super happy with it all. Due to compact living in Ireland, I use my telly for my PC, too. So, I've got this thing connected to my PC and my telly, as it also has a Toslink input. The Toslink is connected with a splitter going from the telly to this and a soundbar. The splitter automates the output and automatically silences the soundbar whenever I power on the EX5.

This is by far the best little headphone DAC I've ever had. The detail in music is mind blowing for someone who's been used to sound cards from Creative or Asus. The connectivity on the EX5 fitted me like a glove, which is the main reason I got it. There's even that extra output option through XLR, which I'm considering to use for a pair of powered speakers.

I have the EX5 connected to a Cavalli Tube Hybrid headphone amp, as I do like listening to the soothing "noise" of a tube, on longer stints.

 

[Veri]

I have the EX5 connected to a Cavalli Tube Hybrid headphone amp, as I do like listening to the soothing "noise" of a tube, on longer stints.
View attachment 141308

Just wondering, are your impressions from using it in that combo exclusively, or have you also played with the EX5 in-built head-amp? From reading the thread, I gathered John recommends it as an all-in-one head-amp first and foremost. For DAC duties I suppose there's cheaper offerings

 

[Duckofdeath]

Just wondering, are your impressions from using it in that combo exclusively, or have you also played with the EX5 in-built head-amp? From reading the thread, I gathered John recommends it as an all-in-one head-amp first and foremost. For DAC duties I suppose there's cheaper offerings

Yeah I did primarily get it as a stand-alone DAC. Though, I also do like tube sound and already had the CTH, so, it works. The DAC in the EX5 is definitely better than the one on my PC's sound card, so it is still an improvement.

 

[Ranton]

I have the EX5 connected to a Cavalli Tube Hybrid headphone amp, as I do like listening to the soothing "noise" of a tube, on longer stints.

Cool looking setup! I'm doing something similar with my Woo WA6...I like having the option of a neutral solid-state HPA alongside a tube amp. I can go for the sound that suits me at any particular time. One plus to the EX5: I think the orange LED display perfectly complements the orange glow from the tubes!

 

[Veri]

Cool looking setup! I'm doing something similar with my Woo WA6...I like having the option of a neutral solid-state HPA alongside a tube amp. I can go for the sound that suits me at any particular time. One plus to the EX5: I think the orange LED display perfectly complements the orange glow from the tubes! View attachment 141411

Pretty tubes... the big one is particularly pretty, ha.

 

[Lupin]

Is there any chance this will ever be available other than through Shenzhenaudio?

I see that Audiophonics now lists the EX5 to. Doesn't seem to be exclusive to Shenzenaudio anymore.

 

[Veri]

I see that Audiophonics now lists the EX5 to. Doesn't seem to be exclusive to Shenzenaudio anymore.

Could be Audiophonics gets all their stuff through ShenzhenAudio