Topping DX1 II DAC & HP Amp Review

[NTTY]

Anyone who looks only at filters frequency response, you forget about impulse response of those filters like at image. You can find all them in ES9039Q2M official datasheet.

They are the same thing since it is what defines the digital filter, and I prefer the wide band analysis. The impulse response tells you about minimum/linear phase though. But a 20Hz-20kHz sweep including phase does it better although I don’t publish them and try not to forget to mention in the review if the phase is linear with the standard filter.

 

[NTTY]

3 looks like it would be the 'best' filter option and by the looks of Amir's measurements it is very likely 3 would have been the default.
5 would be rolled-off audibly (for young folks )
For >40 y.o. filter 2 might be even better (full attenuation at Nyquist and -0.5dB at 19kHz)

It was filter 3 by default when I tested it. It’s the one I recommended too, as well as Amir when he tested the Topping D50III that uses the same ESS DAC

Filter 4 (Linear Phase Fast Roll-Off Low Ripple) can be recommended too, I think.

Note that filter 2 (apodizing) attenuated the signal by 8dB at 20kHz (same from @amirm’s test) while ESS specs it -3dB at 0.44xfs, same as the other slow filters (0.44fxs or 0.43xfs) and that seems a typo.

 

[Soundproof]

Because not everyone will need it ?

Yup,

Regardless of amount, it will increase the total manufacturing costs for the device = higher rrp or lower margins. DX1 II is quite specific in terms of target usage scenario - music/gaming/desktop, the splitter isn't really needed for that specific usage scenario. Would agree it should have been made available at release though, but future owners has the choice of not getting cables (electronic waste) they don't need. The day they don't need to supply an USB A - USB C cable either will be a good day.

On a sidenote: Guess it's intended purpose is why the included USB cables are way longer than I need too. Made to be attached to a floor standing gaming tower.

 

[SlowLife]

Factory Reset -> Filter = F-5 Linear Phase Slow Roll-Off

https://dl.topping.audio/marketing/DX1_II_V1.0_EN.pdf

 

[solderdude]

That means that after a factory reset one should change the filter setting to F6 for gaming/video and F2 or F3 for music enjoyment.

 

[Matias]

Win11 + USB at 24/48 into 3.5mm IEMs and now I get some pops that were not happening on other sample rates. I just switched back to 24/96 and it is clean.

Now on V15.83.22.83 24/48 is running smoooooooth.

 

[Dreamic]

That means that after a factory reset one should change the filter setting to F6 for gaming/video and F2 or F3 for music enjoyment.

ES9039Q2M Datasheet

When Windows audio latency with games is like 95ms (which I happened to talk about in my last post), I don't think I'm personally going to worry about adding not even +1ms extra with F3. Also if you double your sampling rate you halve the latency is my understanding, at 384kHz Filter 3 would become 98us vs its 854us at 44.1kHz.
More importantly again I want to point out to people if your buffer size is at its default 512, you're probably adding like +40ms of latency because of how games work in Windows (from video in my last post):

And yes despite what the driver says, the Preferred ASIO Buffer Size setting is relevant outside of ASIO mode, applies universally.

 

[Mutex]

How warm does the DX1 II get?

And if someone has both, how warm does it get compared to the DX5 II?

 

[Bleib]

How warm does the DX1 II get?

And if someone has both, how warm does it get compared to the DX5 II?

Neither get close to anything I'd call too warm. Nothing close to DX3Pro+ levels

 

[FlyingCoin]

I have a question. How did it achieve a crosstalk of - 140dB? After all, the upper limit of the ES9039q2m itself seems to be - 133dB. Is it possible to break through the limitations of the chip itself?

 

[staticV3]

I have a question. How did it achieve a crosstalk of - 140dB? After all, the upper limit of the ES9039q2m itself seems to be - 133dB. Is it possible to break through the limitations of the chip itself?

It doesn't appear like ESS even specify crosstalk performance for the 9039Q2M. Where did the limit of -133dB come from?

 

[Soundproof]

How warm does the DX1 II get?

And if someone has both, how warm does it get compared to the DX5 II?

According to the documentation it's normal power consumption is 5w (5V 1A power requirement). Subtract the power used by e.g. headphones to keep on pumping, and there's not much power to generate heat within the device.

 

[heraldo_jones]

How warm does the DX1 II get?

And if someone has both, how warm does it get compared to the DX5 II?

It gets noticiable warm to the touch (+-30ºC ambient temp here)

 

[Mike123]

According to the documentation it's normal power consumption is 5w

This is a requirement for a power supply, meaning consumption must be lower, even at its maximum. I measured the actual power consumption. It's less than 3 watts. Even in summer, the case is barely warm.

 

[Mutex]

This is a requirement for a power supply, meaning consumption must be lower, even at its maximum. I measured the actual power consumption. It's less than 3 watts. Even in summer, the case is barely warm.

That looks more like what I'd expect (2-3W range).

With the DX1 II being advertised as 1000mW x 2, it would be surprising if it consumed 5W.

 

[Mutex]

I'm a Linux user, but I used Windows 10 with the web app home.toppingaudio.com to flash up to the latest firmware.

Is it currently not possible to update the firmware from Linux, even though it's browser-based approach now?

 

[heraldo_jones]

Is it currently not possible to update the firmware from Linux, even though it's browser-based approach now?

For the latest firmware versions, you need a dedicated driver on Windows and a separate application on macOS.

 

[OldTimer]

Can I access the Topping web app using iPad OS after updating firmware using Windows 11?
And using this $2 USB C splitter below here?


The Toslink digital input is planned to be used for Apple Airport Express as an AirPlay receiver so the DAC can join as multi room speakers in Apple Home app because currently my streamer is only Apple Music in HomePod.

 

[solderdude]

That looks more like what I'd expect (2-3W range).

With the DX1 II being advertised as 1000mW x 2, it would be surprising if it consumed 5W.

That may possibly be drawn when testing the device with low impedance load at max. output power. With music reaching short peaks reaching 2x1W the average power draw will be much lower.

 

[pier25]

For the latest firmware versions, you need a dedicated driver on Windows and a separate application on macOS.

It should be noted that the macOS helper app that allows to update the firmware from the Home Topping web app only works in macOS Tahoe 26.x.

For some strange reason Topping decided to not release the DFU app for firmware updates anymore.