Topping DX3 Pro+ Review (DAC & Headphone Amp)

[davide155]

Once i remove the BT antenna i can't detect the DX3 Pro+'s bluetooth even if i put my phone physically on top of it. This might be a work around.

Tried but nothing, pops always present, do you get these pops when playing loud movies? Yesterday I caught them in a video. As soon as I can I put it on YouTube and post it here.

 

[The Masked Onion]

I'm having no issues but I'm using the USB for music and onboard connected to Coa1 for movies and youtube.

Could it be a power issue or faulty USB cable? can you try the unit at a friends house?

Do you use an EQ or preamp settings on the computer that may be clipping the sound?

Have you tried latencymon on you system to see if it's something else causing it?

Are you testing with RCA outs or Headphones?

 

[davide155]

I'm having no issues but I'm using the USB for music and onboard connected to Coa1 for movies and youtube.

Could it be a power issue or faulty USB cable? can you try the unit at a friends house?

Do you use an EQ or preamp settings on the computer that may be clipping the sound?

Have you tried latencymon on you system to see if it's something else causing it?

Are you testing with RCA outs or Headphones?

Tryed everything.
All output, also on tv with optical, also on speakers with rca. Also with 3 different headphones.
This is the second one dx3pro+ that i try.
In films, on maximum volume i have these annoying pops...

 

[The Masked Onion]

Can you connect the DX3 Pro+ RCA's to a RCA to 3.5mm cable and plug it in to the line in on your computer and use Audacity to try and record the popping?

 

[davide155]

Can you connect the DX3 Pro+ RCA's to a RCA to 3.5mm cable and plug it in to the line in on your computer and use Audacity to try and record the popping?

If you tell me how i will do with great pleasure.
I have an asus rog z690-A D4. Can i use the microphone input on that motherboard?

 

[staticV3]

Can i use the microphone input on that motherboard?

The blue jack is the one you need:

 

[davide155]

Meanwhile, here I am posting the video i made last night. Turn the volume high and possibly listen to it with headphones.

Let me know if you hear them.

 

[The Masked Onion]

I can hear the popping.

i doubt this will make a difference but it looks like your DX3 Pro+ is in pre amp mode, is there any change if you put it in to DAC mode?

Setup menu > m-d

 

[davide155]

I can hear the popping.

i doubt this will make a difference but it looks like your DX3 Pro+ is in pre amp mode, is there any change if you put it in to DAC mode?

Setup menu > m-d

It was in dac mode. In pre amp it doesn't show the volume but only khz. Anyway also in pre-amp mode poppoings are still present...

 

[The Masked Onion]

Ahh ok, the video you posted showed that it was in pre amp mode hence the suggestion.

Maybe you just got another dud unit, maybe a bad batch?

Have you got any response from topping support?

 

[davide155]

Ahh ok, the video you posted showed that it was in pre amp mode hence the suggestion.

Maybe you just got another dud unit, maybe a bad batch?

Have you got any response from topping support?

I didn't contact them yet. I will do.
But like this is unusable.
I think I'll send it back again to amazon.
I will try another one. After that i will choose another dac/amp. I've wasted too much time keeping up with this.

 

[kndy-]

Well, my attempt to make the GoXLR work with the DX3+ failed : you can't feed connect the XLR Line out to the Topping RCA.
Someone from the Helicon Discord told me I should just use a headphone amp instead of the DAC.

But I'm also using the DX3 connected to my Cyrus One amp (RCA)

 

[The Masked Onion]

I've just received my DX3 Pro+ and it's running 1.25 firmware and i can confirm that there is no bluetooth settings in the setup menu. You go from headphone gain to PCM filter settings.

I've just figured this out, you can't turn off the bluetooth in the settings when using the remote to navigate. You have to use volume button on the actual unit and then the bluetooth settings can be turned off\on

 

[kndy-]

Hey guys, so with the help of the Helicon TC Discord, I managed to make my setup work.
Here's a schema of my installation if you want:

The only annoying thing is switching from the Headphone ("GoXLR System") to my Speakers ("Topping DAC USB").
It is super easy with a macro on my Streamdeck.

But is it possible on the Topping to save the last output used, so that when I switch from Optical 1 to USB, it chooses the correct output?
Thanks

 

[sofastreamer]

got my dx3 pro+ yesterday, and it seems to have a humming issue. once it is plugged into power and nothing else connected, I can hear a low hum with any of my headphones. The humming lowers in volume any time i put my hand on the topping.

if i use it either via bt or usb, the humming will always stay. it must have something to do with power, as it already occurs with nothing connected.

is that a faulty unit? any suggestions?

 

[gael]

got my dx3 pro+ yesterday, and it seems to have a humming issue. once it is plugged into power and nothing else connected, I can hear a low hum with any of my headphones. The humming lowers in volume any time i put my hand on the topping.

if i use it either via bt or usb, the humming will always stay. it must have something to do with power, as it already occurs with nothing connected.

is that a faulty unit? any suggestions?

Probably.
I hear grounding (aggravated when legs off ground) related hum only on one of my IEMs. It is *partially* fixed by installing a resistance adapter.
No hum on other (higher imp) phones.

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

Connect RCA - to ground

 

[redjr]

We need “Haha” reaction for comments like this.

Yeah. They just don't build those AA like they use to!

 

[redjr]

Loosing streaks will do that. Fortunately it’s just a probabilistic concurrence. We now return you to more obvious stochastic fluctuations.

Amir, are we reaching a plateau in performance / price for dacs and headphone amps? At least for the best ones that is, with current tech and biological limit and economics of production, is the performance curve flattening? Once one reaches SINADs of 115 + and similarly high performance measures, where does o r go? What would be more than incremental?

Agree it’s great to have a new combined machine. It looks nicely made and like it has good ergonomics.

SMSL has been upping its physical design recently along with many of its products performance. Topping tends to a more “conservative” or “standard” metal extrusion look. The market is now so swamped with so many similar boxes however, I think topping needs to rethink how it’s products exterior can convey the excellence within and differentiate them more from OEM pseudo-/mushroom- brands. It strikes me though that a few subtle design alterations to the casing could keep the brand identity while making it stand out. Crisp and minimalist aluminum cases or ones that simply and elegantly accentuate the extrusion fabrication into something distinctive. These little things often sit on a desk and are frequently touched and seen up close. Just my two cents as someone in the design professions.

I wonder if the market for separates is larger than combined these days. one can get something like the Schiit IEMagni plus a top DAC for roughly equivalent price as this all in one. But sometimes you just want one box, one wall wart, one less of cables.

From a design standpoint, FiiO hit a home run with their K9 Pro DAC/HAmp/Pre offering. It's industrial, yet elegant. The lines and angles are so pleasing. While in a different a price category, it seems to be solidly built. Mine hasn't fallen apart yet.

 

[Frasso]

Would it make sense to get the Topping DX3 Pro+ to pair with an Aiyima T9 amp? Or would that not be a noticable improvement over just using the internal dac in the Aiyima T9?