Topping DX5 II

[BeeKay]

Hi guys. Another noooob qn.

At a later date if I wanna try a tube dac, I can hook it up to the DX5ii through RCA?

If so. Does RCA sound significantly different vs XLR? (DX5ii not having XLR input)

Thx thx

You cannot and you maybe should not.
Firstly, the DX5II has no analog input of any kind. Secondly, why abusing a perfectly measuring DAC / HPA with a mediocre technology from the past?

 

[leungie]

You cannot and you maybe should not.
Firstly, the DX5II has no analog input of any kind. Secondly, why abusing a perfectly measuring DAC / HPA with a mediocre technology from the past?

Yeah I hear ya. It's the curiosity to try lol. Guess cannot try then

 

[BeeKay]

Yeah I hear ya. It's the curiosity to try lol. Guess cannot try then

Well, to cure your curiosity you could spend some 50 EUR and hook up that tube DAC to a 2nd hand Topping L30.

 

[texaspledge]

Wow just spent a few hours trying to get a PEQ setup that will
A) persist after power cycling
B) not set the filter gains to +12 randomly

It required going back to 1.72 to stop the +12db issues but then they wouldn't stick. Finally closed/opened, closed/open TT and then power cycled. My favorite peq setting stayed . Could only het the one, but it's my favorite anyway.

Hate to say it but people depending on PEQ to work should likely wait. I still think it's got great potential but who knows how long it will take to get this sorted.

 

[SorenTyson]

Anecdotally I believe the culprit is topping tune. I had to run it in a VM and haven't opened the VM since setting the PEQ. I have none of the reported issues.

Prior to deciding on the final PEQ settings I had TT running while testing, and there I ran into the 12db after the unit was turned off overnight.

My experience: set the PEQ, kill TT = no issues.

 

[musiclover]

Hi folks. Please don't stone me, but I have a question.

Does anybody else think this DX5 II sounds bright?

I am a die-hard objectivist, avid reader of this forum and don't believe in DAC/Amp differences as long as they're transparent. But I tried out the DX5 II and it is substantially brighter than all my other gear, while my other gear sounds the same.

One could say that this DX5 II is just transparent and I am not used to transparent gear, but all my other gear that I have mostly bought thanks to this forum, is also already fully transparent.

I have the original Khadas Tone Board, Topping DX3 Pro+, SMSL D-6S, THX AAA 789 - they all are already transparent enough that they should not sound "warmer" (less treble) than the new DX5 II but they do. I was not able to do a blind test but I am 100% sure, it is very apparent. My Focal Clear which is known to have rolled-off treble reproduced treble sounds that I haven't ever heard from it, and all my other headphones and IEMs sound brighter too.

Does anybody else think the same? I have of course made sure that the PEQ of the DX5 is disabled and I at least believe to have ruled out all other things that could have led to the difference in this sound. But maybe I have done something wrong. Please tell me I'm not crazy.

 

[BeeKay]

Please don't stone me, but I have a question.

 

[Timbo2]

Anecdotally I believe the culprit is topping tune. I had to run it in a VM and haven't opened the VM since setting the PEQ. I have none of the reported issues.

Prior to deciding on the final PEQ settings I had TT running while testing, and there I ran into the 12db after the unit was turned off overnight.

My experience: set the PEQ, kill TT = no issues.

Agree. However, to be more specific it’s the interaction between the two. TT sends 1,2,3… to the device and the device stores 5,9,3… I’m not sure which one or possibly both, is the problem.

If you get the PEQ data stored properly and don’t use TT it will stay. However, with anything beyond firmware 1.72 I couldn’t get the device to even initially store the correct PEQ curves.

 

[somebodyelse]

Yeah, Xbox is incompatible with UAC1. I’m puzzled as to why Microsoft doesn’t allow it. is it hardware or software limitation ?

Software, and it appears to be a deliberate choice to push licensed accessories:
https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/hardware-network/console/xbox-series-x-faq

 

[feeldevotion]

Hello all, firstly im newbie on dac/amp and headphones. Recently bought dx5 ii and a headphone then, connected to my pc, im using dx5 on pre amp mode an i get quite good sound compared to xm6 on bluetooth. Is this the right way to use this setup?

 

[magor34]

 

[ExT]

Possible yes, but the DX5II is a pure Stereo device.

The same signal will be put out via RCA and XLR, so a crossover filter is not possible.

That means you'll have no choice but to play the active monitors full-range, then use the sub's crossover and phase controls to integrate with the mains as best as possible.

This is workable, but not ideal.

Alternatively, if you could sacrifice your XLR and go with RCA, you can either use your sub RCA outputs (pass through if available) and have a pair of this Harrison Labs FMOD Inline Crossover (50Hz - or 70Hz, your personal preference) between the sub out and the monitors. Using this method, you effectively have both HPF and LPF (using sub crossover).

In case your sub doesn’t have the RCA outputs, you can use a pair of RCA Y splitters and have the FMODs plugged in after the split where it runs to each monitor. This will give you the same effect of both HPF and LPF.

 

[ohezeba]

You can still download all the old firmwares from the same link as the new ones by changing the version in the url:
https://dl.topping.audio/usermanual/DX5_II_FW1.78.zip
https://dl.topping.audio/usermanual/DX5_II_FW1.76.zip
https://dl.topping.audio/usermanual/DX5_II_FW1.72.zip
etc

The versions available are: 1.78, 1.76, 1.72, 1.69, 1.67, 1.66, 1.62, 1.57, 1.49, 1.39, 1.38

In the README I see version 1.73, but I can’t find the download. Does 1.73 have the bug where the pre-gain randomly shifts by ±12? Do we need to stay on 1.72 to use the EQ until it’s fixed? I'm on version 1.76 now, and every time I reboot all the configured EQs jump to ±12.

V1.73 (2025-09-28)

Adjustment: Adapted for Tune software, allowing PEQ gain to be adjusted in 0.1 dB steps.

---------------------------------------------------

 

[passenger10000]

I am yet another DX5 II user with a faulty unit after 2 weeks. The 4.4mm jack began to have intensive distortion in the left channel. Other outputs were unaffected. And, if anyone was wondering if the SJY Carbons can be driven with DX5 II? It's no problem.

 

[Timbo2]

I am yet another DX5 II user with a faulty unit after 2 weeks. The 4.4mm jack began to have intensive distortion in the left channel. Other outputs were unaffected. And, if anyone was wondering if the SJY Carbons can be driven with DX5 II? It's no problem.

Sorry to read that. The front 4 pin XLR jack is on the same output. Does that work ok? If it does that suggests the issue is the jack itself (or the headphone cable).

 

[passenger10000]

Sorry to read that. The front 4 pin XLR jack is on the same output. Does that work ok? If it does that suggests the issue is the jack itself (or the headphone cable).

Unfortunately I was unable to test the XLR output but the 1/4” worked. The distributor replaced it with a new unit.

 

[Trikings2000]

In the README I see version 1.73, but I can’t find the download. Does 1.73 have the bug where the pre-gain randomly shifts by ±12? Do we need to stay on 1.72 to use the EQ until it’s fixed? I'm on version 1.76 now, and every time I reboot all the configured EQs jump to ±12.

V1.73 (2025-09-28)

Adjustment: Adapted for Tune software, allowing PEQ gain to be adjusted in 0.1 dB steps.

---------------------------------------------------

I am also currently on firmware 1.76. For me I have a different problem. Sometimes when I create a new user config EQ it does not seem to be saved in the PEQ list sometimes one side of the earphone sounds louder than the opposite side. So my workaround was to directly import from a .txt file and it appears to stay and have both right and left side volume balanced. However, sometimes when I power off the device using the switch from the back it looses one or 2 saved EQ. Also when using the Topping tune software, sometimes it just randomly shrinks in size of moves away from the screen or lowered to the bottom of the screen. I see there is the new 1.78 version, but I am scared to update.

 

[ohezeba]

I am also currently on firmware 1.76. For me I have a different problem. Sometimes when I create a new user config EQ it does not seem to be saved in the PEQ list sometimes one side of the earphone sounds louder than the opposite side. So my workaround was to directly import from a .txt file and it appears to stay and have both right and left side volume balanced. However, sometimes when I power off the device using the switch from the back it looses one or 2 saved EQ. Also when using the Topping tune software, sometimes it just randomly shrinks in size of moves away from the screen or lowered to the bottom of the screen. I see there is the new 1.78 version, but I am scared to update.

Same EQ issue on version 1.78, and the same on 1.76 as well. Now I'm back on 1.72 and everything works, including the EQ. The only drawback is that the equalizer has 0.5 increments, which the program automatically rounds anyway. It's not a big deal, but I hope it gets fixed sooner or later!

 

[passenger10000]

Sorry to read that. The front 4 pin XLR jack is on the same output. Does that work ok? If it does that suggests the issue is the jack itself (or the headphone cable).

Distributor here in Thailand sent a replacement unit with an even worse distortion from the 4.4mm jack. Topping definitely has a major manufacturing or firmware issue with this item, for anyone thinking about buying a DX5 II better move your money elsewhere. I was thinking of moving up there lineup but its hard to get there mentally. One note; in the output selection menu there is a quagmire of weirdness there so potentially this could be a firmware fix. Such a shame on a sure hit product. Testing with the XLR shortly and will report back again but I've lost my optimism.

 

[eshkilev]

Distributor here in Thailand sent a replacement unit with an even worse distortion from the 4.4mm jack. Topping definitely has a major manufacturing or firmware issue with this item, for anyone thinking about buying a DX5 II better move your money elsewhere. I was thinking of moving up there lineup but its hard to get there mentally. One note; in the output selection menu there is a quagmire of weirdness there so potentially this could be a firmware fix. Such a shame on a sure hit product. Testing with the XLR shortly and will report back again but I've lost my optimism.

I had the same issue with distortion when connecting headphones to the 4.4mm jack. I contacted Topping customer service and provided them with a video recording of the defect. After consulting with engineers, they acknowledged the defect and suggested I contact the seller, who would provide me with a new replacement. I have already sent my device back to the seller and am waiting for the new one. I really hope it turns out to be defect-free.