Shenzhenaudio Topping EX5 Review (DAC and Headphone Amplifier)

[half_dog]

(Digital) TVs have some general delay because of image processing but the digital audio signal is extracted and sent to audio output before the processing. This cause a image delay relative to the audio being decoding externally. And that's why usually TVs have a option to apply audio delay before it being sent.

 

[Berwhale]

Yes, and that is what I am looking for, why would the video processing chain matter? If the video is delayed too, that would actually help reduce the observed latency. I am asking for the latency of the specific device/DAC. It would be good to know if there is any significant delay introduced by the DAC. To my knowledge, I don't think I've seen such measurements for any device, so I am asking if it's possible as it might be useful to know. If @amirm tries various devices, and in general, they introduce no or negligible latency (which would be good also to define what's negligible), then the issue lies elsewhere, and I wouldn't expect Amir or anyone else to troubleshoot my setup.

My understanding of how this works...

Processing of digital video and audio will always involve some latency. A TV manufacturer knows the latency of each signal path and will compensate for the difference between them within the device. Typically, the audio signal will be delayed to match the video. This is because video processing on a modern TV is significantly more computationally intensive than that applied to the audio.

When you process the audio outside of the TV, the TV can no longer compensate automatically for the difference in latency - the TV knows nothing about your DAC. This is why TVs have a manual setting for audio delay.

I can, and do, adjust the delay on both HDMI(ARC) and SPDIF outputs on my Samsung TV - the HDMI (ARC) goes to an AVR for multi-channel audio processing and the SPDIF goes to a Sennheiser digital wireless headphone transmitter. Neither of these devices know anything about the complex video processing going on in my TV (upscalling, motion compensation, adaptive dynamic range, etc.) and the TV knows nothing about either audio device. Therefore lipsync has to be acheived manually using your eyes and ears.

Knowing the absolute latency of your DAC will not remove the need to adjust the audio delay manually. I don't see much point in knowing the absolute latency of a DAC unless it is likely to fall outside the typical range of adjustment on TVs and AVRs.

 

[sandymc]

There are numbers of latency test videos on Youtube - just search on "latency test". Basically they all show audio and video that makes it easy to estimate latency.

 

[Atanasi]

Typically, the audio signal will be delayed to match the video. This is because video processing on a modern TV is significantly more computationally intensive than that applied to the audio.

Delaying the audio sufficiently is important, because the audio being played before the video is unnatural and therefore more distracting than the opposite.

Neither of these devices know anything about the complex video processing going on in my TV (upscalling, motion compensation, adaptive dynamic range, etc.) and the TV knows nothing about either audio device. Therefore lipsync has to be acheived manually using your eyes and ears.

Since HDMI 1.3 there is a feature for automatic syncing. So the TV indicates to the AVR how long the latency of the TV is. However, it was optional and not always implemented. The eARC feature of HDMI 2.1 made the automatic syncing mandatory.

 

[MRC01]

Question about these digital filters... Comparing Amir's graph to the EX5 manual, they don't match, and the names the manual gives filters don't match their graphs.

Filter #1 starts attenuating early and is -12 dB @ 20k. This is normally called "slow" but the manual calls it "fast apodizing". Apodizing, sure, as it is fully attenuated by Nyquist. But it's not fast, it's slow.
Filter #2 is flat at 20 kHz and fully attenuated by Nyquist. This is normally called "fast apodizing" but the manual calls it "slow minimum". It may be minimum phase, but it sure is not slow.
Filter #3 attenuates early and is -6 dB @ 20 kHz, and it doesn't fully attenuate until 28k. Very slow. Yet the manual calls it "fast minimum phase".
Filter #4 doesn't jive. Amir shows its stopband at 24.1k, but the manual shows filter 4 stopband just at or below 24k. What Amir calls #4 looks like #7 in the manual, which is called "fast corrected minimum". This name seems to fit.
Filter #5 attenuates early and is -4 dB @ 20k, and stopband is not until 28.3k. This is very slow, like filter 3. Yet the manual calls it "fast linear".
Filter #6 is called "brickwall" and its graph matches this description
Filter #7 has a stopband at or just below 24k, so what Amir calls #7 looks like #4 in the manual. It's called "slow linear", but does not attenuate early, and its stopband is 24 kHz, so it's not "slow".

Could this be errors in the printed manual?

 

[Chromatischism]

@JohnYang1997 what do you think?

 

[Gradius]

Waiting for a NON-mqa version.

Also, the balanced is trully balanced?

 

[Darwin]

Wow. Could have been selling for 249.99 if it were not for the MQA.

ESS Sabre chip.

no way MQA licensing costs that much.

 

[Gradius]

no way MQA licensing costs that much.

I hear is something between $50 and $99.99

 

[Walter]

I hear is something between $50 and $99.99

It has been stated on this site--and I believe even in this topic--at least twice that it is less than $10. Possibly by John Yang but I'm not certain of that. That does not change the fact that it is a complete scam, of course.

 

[Gradius]

It has been stated on this site--and I believe even in this topic--at least twice that it is less than $10. Possibly by John Yang but I'm not certain of that. That does not change the fact that it is a complete scam, of course.

Really? But even so, many think just because it has the logo, they can pushes the final price much more than mere $10.

 

[Careyw]

It has been stated on this site--and I believe even in this topic--at least twice that it is less than $10. Possibly by John Yang but I'm not certain of that. That does not change the fact that it is a complete scam, of course.

Hi. Can you explain why MQA is a scam? I'm not taking a position either way, but have been doing lots of reading in both the pro and con camps and find it a really interesting debate. Trying to figure out why so many big guns are getting behind it, if it is so flawed.

 

[Jimbob54]

Hi. Can you explain why MQA is a scam? I'm not taking a position either way, but have been doing lots of reading in both the pro and con camps and find it a really interesting debate. Trying to figure out why so many big guns are getting behind it, if it is so flawed.

There are some very large threads espousing both sides on here. A quick search will provide. No use polluting this thread with it.

 

[Veri]

Hi. Can you explain why MQA is a scam? I'm not taking a position either way, but have been doing lots of reading in both the pro and con camps and find it a really interesting debate. Trying to figure out why so many big guns are getting behind it, if it is so flawed.

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/q3qg02 And agree with Jimbob to maybe keep it separated from the EX5 thread.

 

[Walter]

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/q3qg02 And agree with Jimbob to maybe keep it separated from the EX5 thread.

Ditto. I honestly thought I was just stating an accepted truth. I didn't realize there was still an ongoing debate or I never would have made that comment.

 

[MRC01]

Is it possible to have the headphone and line outs both active at the same time? The manual says both line outs (SE and Bal) can be active simultaneously, and it implies that whenever the headphone output is on, the line outs are off, but it doesn't exactly say this outright.

 

[Berwhale]

Is it possible to have the headphone and line outs both active at the same time? The manual says both line outs (SE and Bal) can be active simultaneously, and it implies that whenever the headphone output is on, the line outs are off, but it doesn't exactly say this outright.

No, which is good, becuase I can leave my HD660s plugged in all the time.

 

[Careyw]

There are some very large threads espousing both sides on here. A quick search will provide. No use polluting this thread with it.

Thanks, will take a look.

 

[Smislov]

Did some one install drivers for WIN 7? If yes what are they pls help

 

[Sensation]

topping ex5 Is it possible to connect with LOXJIE P20 tube amplifier?