The Topping DX5 is a desktop class DAC/headphone amplifier all-in-one device. It is delivered in a nice box with quite significant texture.
The front side has two headphone outputs in the form of a 4-pin XLR and 6.3 mm TRS, both for single-ended connections. In the middle is multi-functional OLED display, on the right a volume knob combined with a setup button.
The back on the right side has the power switch and the IEC AC power inlet. The digital inputs are next – USB Type-B, optical Toslink and coaxial RCA. Bluetooth antenna is a removable one. In the analog section there are singled-ended RCA line outputs, as well as balanced XLR outputs to use the device purely as a DAC or preamp.
The SMPS power supply is based on Meanwell IRM-20-15 AC/DC converter. It accepts 100V – 240V / 50 – 60Hz mains input voltage. The USB input uses the XMOS XU216 USB controller. Bluetooth connectivity comes in the form of a Qualcomm QCC5125 circuit. Two ESS Sabre ES9068AS 32-bit 2-channel DACs are used. Headphone amplification is NFCA based on TI TPA6120.
Block diagram is as follows:
Controls & Operation
The device has dedicated DAC, PRE, and AMP modes that are chosen by a remote control or by a multi-functional volume/setup knob.
Operational modes:
Parameters
Measurements
Complex set of measurements has already been provided by @amirm
www.audiosciencereview.com
I have measured the DX5 with E1DA Cosmos ADC and the result is affected by E1DA intrinsic noise at its 4.5V input range. Below the THD and THD+N at 1kHz.
I am also attaching RightMark RMAA test report as a pdf, please note that RMAA test is performed at -3dBFS.
Filters and impulse responses
The DX5 has 3 settings of digital filters:
- linear phase fast No.1
- minimum phase slow No.2
- minimum phase fast No.3
I am attaching frequency responses and also impulse responses.
Filter 1
Filter 2
Filter 3
The DX5 spectrum is perfectly clean even in the ultrasound range (measured to 10MHz)
Filter 3, white noise, extended measuring range
Sound and conclusion
I tested the DX5 in the PRE mode connected to my PMA-NC252MP power amplifier, through its XLR balanced output. There is no sign of noise, the sound is clean, clear, with very good resolution, soundstage and transparent from low to high frequencies. Current DACs have achieved top parameters, with almost no space for improvements.
The front side has two headphone outputs in the form of a 4-pin XLR and 6.3 mm TRS, both for single-ended connections. In the middle is multi-functional OLED display, on the right a volume knob combined with a setup button.
The back on the right side has the power switch and the IEC AC power inlet. The digital inputs are next – USB Type-B, optical Toslink and coaxial RCA. Bluetooth antenna is a removable one. In the analog section there are singled-ended RCA line outputs, as well as balanced XLR outputs to use the device purely as a DAC or preamp.
The SMPS power supply is based on Meanwell IRM-20-15 AC/DC converter. It accepts 100V – 240V / 50 – 60Hz mains input voltage. The USB input uses the XMOS XU216 USB controller. Bluetooth connectivity comes in the form of a Qualcomm QCC5125 circuit. Two ESS Sabre ES9068AS 32-bit 2-channel DACs are used. Headphone amplification is NFCA based on TI TPA6120.
Block diagram is as follows:
Controls & Operation
The device has dedicated DAC, PRE, and AMP modes that are chosen by a remote control or by a multi-functional volume/setup knob.
Operational modes:
Parameters
Measurements
Complex set of measurements has already been provided by @amirm
Topping DX5 Review (DAC & HP Amp)
This is a review and detailed measurements of the Topping DX5 balanced stereo DAC and (unbalanced) headphone amplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $449. As you see the industrial design is all new. I like the large display and the feel of the volume control which is much...
www.audiosciencereview.com
I have measured the DX5 with E1DA Cosmos ADC and the result is affected by E1DA intrinsic noise at its 4.5V input range. Below the THD and THD+N at 1kHz.
I am also attaching RightMark RMAA test report as a pdf, please note that RMAA test is performed at -3dBFS.
Filters and impulse responses
The DX5 has 3 settings of digital filters:
- linear phase fast No.1
- minimum phase slow No.2
- minimum phase fast No.3
I am attaching frequency responses and also impulse responses.
Filter 1
Filter 2
Filter 3
The DX5 spectrum is perfectly clean even in the ultrasound range (measured to 10MHz)
Filter 3, white noise, extended measuring range
Sound and conclusion
I tested the DX5 in the PRE mode connected to my PMA-NC252MP power amplifier, through its XLR balanced output. There is no sign of noise, the sound is clean, clear, with very good resolution, soundstage and transparent from low to high frequencies. Current DACs have achieved top parameters, with almost no space for improvements.
