Shenzhenaudio Topping EX5 Review (DAC and Headphone Amplifier)

[MRC01]

From what I read (and Amir's measurements), the EX5's 4-pin headphone output is not truly balanced. It just has the balanced output jack. While this is useful, it's not the same thing.

 

[David_M]

From what I read (and Amir's measurements), the EX5's 4-pin headphone output is not truly balanced. It just has the balanced output jack. While this is useful, it's not the same thing.

Yes, electrically you are getting a single-ended signal mechanically packaged in a 4-pin balanced connector.

 

[Chromatischism]

Interesting. I don't have any balanced headphones, but my iLoud MTM speakers are connected to the balanced XLR outputs, which were a requirement, hence selecting the EX5 I am also enjoying the dead silent noise floor for IEMs.

 

[MRC01]

... I am also enjoying the dead silent noise floor for IEMs.

The JDS Atom has the same benefit: 50 mV SNR of 92 dB.

 

[Veri]

Interesting. I don't have any balanced headphones, but my iLoud MTM speakers are connected to the balanced XLR outputs, which were a requirement, hence selecting the EX5 I am also enjoying the dead silent noise floor for IEMs.

Yes the pair of XLR on the back are definitely 4V output / balanced.

 

[Alan B]

Well I received my Topping EX5 on the 21st of October 2022, and was very pleased with it despite the display often showing the wrong frequency.

Two days ago I switched it on and nothing happened. It is completely dead. Fuse and cable OK so contacted Shenzen Audio. Initially the advised sending it back to China, then they advised returning it to Amazon UK.

Amazon UK have given me a refund as they do not repair or replace if they are not the direct seller. The problem is the price has increased by £50 since I bought it.

Is poor reliability a common problem on Topping equipment? If so I could buy the 3 year extended warranty for a further £25 or is there a similarly high performing DAC/headphone amp for about £300-£350?

Alternatively I could buy a Topping DX3 Pro+ for £200 + £16 for the 3 year extended warranty, but would I notice a significantly poorer sound quality?

Finally I could consider a separate DAC and headphone amp combo for £300-£350.

Any recommendations?

Well when looking for a replacement DAC/headphone amplifier I came across Cambridge Audio selling brand new open box DACMagic 200M's on eBay for under £300 with a 10% off voucher. When I bought the Topping EX5 back in October these were selling for £550 and have a very similar spec to the EX5 and revived good reviews although Amir has not tested one yet.

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO DACMAGIC 200M Review - Touch of Magic

Top performance at a low price. It’s got to be magic thinks Noel Keywood. Read our CAMBRIDGE AUDIO DACMAGIC 200M ... Read more

reviewary.com

I immediately bought one and it arrived today. Initial impressions are excellent. The bass seems a tad deeper and the treble a little clearer than the EX5, although to my ears there is not much in it.

Hopefully it will prove reliable, but if it doesn't it has 2 year warranty and should be easier for me to get it repaired as Cambridge Audio are UK based.

 

[respice finem]

Probably the EX5 is just 1-2 dB louder. The MF are decent DACs, I got two older ones from the company (v90-DAC). Apart of one wall wart defect after about 7 years, no problems.

 

[scruffy1]

$245usd on drop currently (plus shipping)

that's $100 less than the shenzen store !! tempting...

 

[SiW]

Anyone directly compared this with the SMSL C200?

I cannot tell from the measurements if one is better than the other as the SMSL is better for SINAD but the amp doesn’t seem to measure as well as the Topping

 

[alekksander]

wondering if they ever gonna update this one.

 

[Berwhale]

wondering if they ever gonna update this one.

EX5 was built to ShenzhenAudio's specification, so i'd ask them. I would buy the recently release Topping DX5 Lite over the EX5 now days (but I have no reason to change what I have now)

 

[MusicLover2112]

Skull rattling powerful? With the Ether CX? I can't believe that.

Even with low gain I felt it drove the Ether CX quite well for most of my music. Some of the quieter songs benefitted from high gain, but I never felt that the sound was flat or hollow.

 

[Jimster480]

Even with low gain I felt it drove the Ether CX quite well for most of my music. Some of the quieter songs benefitted from high gain, but I never felt that the sound was flat or hollow.

I agree, it drives all my headphones including my Aeon & OPPO PM-2 without any issues at all. 48 volume is usually enough for the Aeon. I love to be able to switch to the pre outs too and use it to drive my speakers. It's the best of all world's.

 

[MusicLover2112]

I agree, it drives all my headphones including my Aeon & OPPO PM-2 without any issues at all. 48 volume is usually enough for the Aeon. I love to be able to switch to the pre outs too and use it to drive my speakers. It's the best of all world's.

Yea - it's the perfect bedside DAC/AMP for my modest needs. It can drive the HD560S, HD600, HD650, HD800S, various HiFi MAN cans, Audeze, etc. I wish it had true balanced headphone output, but it's a budget device (got it for $245 from Drop) and I haven't felt the need for any more power or control with the headphones I've tested with. I connect my Squeezebox Touch to it with the USB digital output mod for hi-res support (which disables the Squeezebox's analog outputs). It can do up to 192KHz and I've tested it with MQA files as well. But my listening is mostly standard 16/44 to 24/96 PCM.

 

[Jimster480]

Yea - it's the perfect bedside DAC/AMP for my modest needs. It can drive the HD560S, HD600, HD650, HD800S, various HiFi MAN cans, Audeze, etc. I wish it had true balanced headphone output, but it's a budget device (got it for $245 from Drop) and I haven't felt the need for any more power or control with the headphone's I've tested with. I connect my Squeezebox Touch to it with the USB digital output mod for hi-res support (which disables the Squeezebox's analog outputs). It can do up to 192KHz and I've tested it with MQA files as well. But my listening is mostly standard 16/44 to 24/96 PCM.

I use it for my gaming pc. Listen to music on Spotify or Tidal (again mqa also works) and use it for gaming. The Aeon is a pretty unreal headphone for gaming. The sound accuracy let's me hear people's footsteps and make out directions of explosions, which guns are shot where (In shooter games) and listen to wonderful exhaust notes (in racing games).
Better than any gaming headset!

 

[MusicLover2112]

I use it for my gaming pc. Listen to music on Spotify or Tidal (again mqa also works) and use it for gaming. The Aeon is a pretty unreal headphone for gaming. The sound accuracy let's me hear people's footsteps and make out directions of explosions, which guns are shot where (In shooter games) and listen to wonderful exhaust notes (in racing games).
Better than any gaming headset!

I'll have to try it. I own the Aeon Closed X and Ether CX so I should give them a try when gaming. I typically use my HD800S for that.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

I currently use mine to drive HD600s.

Plans are afoot to use the balanced outs to feed a pair of JBL 308P Mk.2s.

Bargain device - DAC, headphone amp, pre-amp, all transparent, all in one box.

 

[respice finem]

Plans are afoot to use the balanced outs to feed a pair of JBL 308P Mk.2s.

I'm doing exactly this. One little caveat: The automatic standby of the JBL active is working well with the EX5 automatic standby set to "A-O" (auto standby on).
With the setting "A-C" they sporadically fail to "wake up", until you switch the EX5 off and on again.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

I'm doing exactly this. One little caveat: The automatic standby of the JBL active is working well with the EX5 automatic standby set to "A-O" (auto standby on).
With the setting "A-C" they sporadically fail to "wake up", until you switch the EX5 off and on again.

Many thanks. I always turn the EX5 on and off by the master rocker on the back.

Old school, I know…

 

[respice finem]

Many thanks. I always turn the EX5 on and off by the master rocker on the back.

Old school, I know…

I might get a remote power switch, but was kind of too lazy so far