• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Shenzhenaudio Topping EX5 Review (DAC and Headphone Amplifier)

ziddy76

Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2021
Messages
53
Likes
49
It gets warm, but per my recent post the unit only uses 6 watts not including the headphone out.

So does my laptop, but my laptop doesn't have heat issues, neither does the EX5.

And I'm out, the complaints are ludicrous and goes into the snake oil Head-Fi nonsense talk.
 

Fenix84

Member
Joined
May 14, 2021
Messages
76
Likes
62
So does my laptop, but my laptop doesn't have heat issues, neither does the EX5.

And I'm out, the complaints are ludicrous and goes into the snake oil Head-Fi nonsense talk.

I agree with this but the only unit I tested was my own. I admit before buying the unit I was worried about the reported heating issues but so far after a months of ownership I can tell you there are no heating issues, unit just runs slightly warm when operating.

How many of you guys out there are keeping the main power switch on 24/7? I'm referring to the switch on the back of the unit.
 

Berwhale

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Messages
3,935
Likes
4,925
Location
UK
I agree with this but the only unit I tested was my own. I admit before buying the unit I was worried about the reported heating issues but so far after a months of ownership I can tell you there are no heating issues, unit just runs slightly warm when operating.

How many of you guys out there are keeping the main power switch on 24/7? I'm referring to the switch on the back of the unit.

Mine is left physically switched on all the time, the unit goes to sleep when my PC goes to sleep. I have zero issues with EX5 getting warm, it's actually cooler than my Topping A50s/D50s/P50 stack.
 

Fenix84

Member
Joined
May 14, 2021
Messages
76
Likes
62
Mine is left physically switched on all the time, the unit goes to sleep when my PC goes to sleep. I have zero issues with EX5 getting warm, it's actually cooler than my Topping A50s/D50s/P50 stack.

Oh so you have the auto off/on set to "A-C"? Wasn't entirely sure what that meant. How long does it normally take the EX5 to go into standby?
 

xtiva200

Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2021
Messages
13
Likes
6
None of this makes sense. The EX5 I have had running for a week and it's barely warm to the touch and it's outputting my monitors and headphones.

For others who may have read this ludicrous post, there is absolutely no heat problems with the EX5. I have run this at high gain with r70x for months now, the 1/4" output with various other headphones, used XLR output and it's been feeding my monitors. It's the entire system for desktop, absolutely no heat issues. This is a blatant lie.

Don't really care about your golden ears that can measure added detail from the DX7 Pro from the EX5, I'm guessing it's $300 more detail.

@Yorkshire Mouth continue looking in the folder, there are plugins and PDF that help you setup ASIO, if you are using Foobar2000. I think there are instructions for other players as well.

@Chromatischism yes his other device is juicing other sounds, it's called distortion and noise from tubes. He's comparing a solid state amp to a tube amp. /shrug whatever.

hmm not sure what i said wrong there but let me clear up. Device getting hot or warm while on, no issue, in fact I like device getting hot or warm as a tube amp user, but device in stand-by still as warm or hot as while it is on, there is issue. Looks like my unit has been faulty, i just didn't want to another chance and the reason for changing. I didn't say DX7 Pro was worth the price difference but there is definitely better sounding but not as much as its price difference... would have kept EX5 if it wasn't heat issue, guessing faulty unit then.
 

Berwhale

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Messages
3,935
Likes
4,925
Location
UK
Oh so you have the auto off/on set to "A-C"? Wasn't entirely sure what that meant. How long does it normally take the EX5 to go into standby?

1631746137619.png
 

Chromatischism

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 5, 2020
Messages
4,767
Likes
3,706
I agree with this but the only unit I tested was my own. I admit before buying the unit I was worried about the reported heating issues but so far after a months of ownership I can tell you there are no heating issues, unit just runs slightly warm when operating.

How many of you guys out there are keeping the main power switch on 24/7? I'm referring to the switch on the back of the unit.
There are no "heat issues". The top just gets warm. I would expect that of any device like this.

I have the switch on, however I have the standby mode turned off so it uses 0 watts when off.
 

Berwhale

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Messages
3,935
Likes
4,925
Location
UK
Thanks, I played around with this for awhile already but was never able to get the unit to enter standby, will continue to try, could be something with my computer.

Some PC USB ports can be configured to supply power, even when the PC is off or asleep (e.g. to allow charging of phones, etc.). You could try changing the port you use.
 

SeriousSam70

Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2021
Messages
33
Likes
23
About the "heat issue".
Initially, after I received my EX5 (about 2 months ago), I also had this problem (or thought I had it), because EX5 was almost hot to the touch during operation (connected via XLR to a stereo amplifier), while the stereo amplifier (Sabaj A20a) was cold to the touch during operation. I was more alarmed by the fact that even in standby, the EX5 remained warm to the touch (this problem was reported by other users in this topic who also measured the standby consumption which was some 1.5 W, compared to some 5 W when "on" with no signal, concluding that it is better to keep EX5 "on" all the time considering the standby consumption and temperature). It is true that at that time the ambient temperature was quite high (28 degrees Celsius in my room), but still Sabaj A20a remained cold in the same conditions.
Meanwhile, with the drop in ambient temperatures, my EX5 is now only warm during operation and not as hot as it was in the beginning, so I calmed down in this regard, but at the same time I can understand the concern of other EX5 users (like xtiva200), especially if the DAC and HP amplifier they used previously did not have this "issue". Also, we can't rule out the possibility of a defective unit (in the case of xtiva200).
However, I currently no longer consider that Topping EX5 have an overheating problem during operation.
As for the sound quality, I consider it excellent. More precisely, from an acoustic point of view, it is a perfectly transparent DAC + HP amp., just as it should be.
As for the soundstage, stereo image, separation of instruments, macro- and micro-details etc., I think it depends primarily on the quality of the audio material itself and the transducer (speakers or headphones) and less on the DAC and/or amplifier.
 
Last edited:

Yorkshire Mouth

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 22, 2020
Messages
1,254
Likes
1,154
Location
God's County - Yorkshire
After having mine for a few weeks now, I’m happy to confirm that the temperature falls to room temperature when it’s turned off by the On/Off switch.

And this function works perfectly every time; it’s like magic.

I don’t know how Topping manage it, but this On/Off switch thing is very impressive.
 

Paul_d

Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2021
Messages
37
Likes
2
Hi !!

I want to buy DAC and h.p. amplifier for HiFiMan Ananda and cant decide, which stack should I buy: Topping E30+L30 or E50+L50 or this one little EX5 brick.
Better for me used XLR output (but its not necessary), so the 30 dont go with me, but the 50 and EX5 can be... Why 50 stack more expensive than EX5 ? Is make sense for me going with 50 ?
 

Walter

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Aug 25, 2020
Messages
856
Likes
1,242
Hi !!

I want to buy DAC and h.p. amplifier for HiFiMan Ananda and cant decide, which stack should I buy: Topping E30+L30 or E50+L50 or this one little EX5 brick.
Better for me used XLR output (but its not necessary), so the 30 dont go with me, but the 50 and EX5 can be... Why 50 stack more expensive than EX5 ? Is make sense for me going with 50 ?
Read Jonn Yang of Topping's replies starting at https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-review-balanced-dac.26219/page-3#post-896206
 

adzil

New Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2021
Messages
3
Likes
1
For others who may have read this ludicrous post, there is absolutely no heat problems with the EX5. I have run this at high gain with r70x for months now, the 1/4" output with various other headphones, used XLR output and it's been feeding my monitors. It's the entire system for desktop, absolutely no heat issues. This is a blatant lie.

Just curious, does the R70x wasn't loud enough if the amp is set to normal (low) gain? I thought that it is sensitive enough on normal gain as I can run it just fine on Dragonfly Red. But I tempted to pull the trigger on EX5 because it also has XLR output for my monitors.
 

Chromatischism

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 5, 2020
Messages
4,767
Likes
3,706
There is also Sabaj D5 at this price point, so compare before you decide on a purchase.
Looks like it has come down a lot since Amir tested it.

I decided on EX5 over the the D5 due to the way the outputs are changed:


Also skip to 13:45 to see it in action.

If you use the remote, it's less of an issue. The EX5 remote is better though since the buttons are uniquely labeled.
 
Last edited:

Walter

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Aug 25, 2020
Messages
856
Likes
1,242
Looks like it has come down a lot since Amir tested it.

I decided on EX5 over the the D5 due to the way the outputs are changed:


Also skip to 13:45 to see it in action.

If you use the remote, it's less of an issue. The EX5 remote is better though since the buttons are uniquely labeled.
Details like that can make a huge difference in our enjoyment of a product, yet so seldomly are discussed.
 
Top Bottom