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Topping DX5 II

How do we know if we had old or new batch ??
I bought mine at the end of October from Shenzhenaudio
 
Last edited:
Bauhaus said:
How do we know if we had old or new batch ??
I bought mine at the end of October from Shenzhenaudio
Click to expand...
If everyone posts the code under the QR code printed on the side of the case and their purchase date, we can try to interpret the numbers or run some statistics
 
Good news for those who have their DX5II without distortion, imbalance, popping, crackling, humming, or other problems... You're a lucky person.
For those who have an unit that presents the same problems reported by several users, immediately request a replacement or return your unit. The absence of effective DC protection along with no high-pass or low-pass filters without a limiter, combined with the highly problematic X-Hybrid amplification circuit due to lack of quality control will burn out both your headphones and the unit itself.

I bought my DX5II on one of the most famous Chinese marketplace platforms directly from the manufacturer. I reported and proved the problems to the manufacturer and the platform. They requested the return of the equipment to China without providing the customs mandatory documentation to export back to China. Both the platform and the manufacturer refuse to cooperate and encourage the return of the DX5II without the required mandatory customs documentation, meaning the item will be permanently apprehend by my country's customs authorities. They also refuse any partial refund option in my case.

TOPPING is aware of the critical problems with the DX5II and only modifies the firmware to mask the problems in its products changing the point of the failure.
If you have any doubts, open your unit youself and check the extremely low-quality components... Perform DIY tests to detect total imbalance in the HPA outputs with critical voltage variations and failures in specific channels, mostly in the left channel, without delivering half the power declared by the manufacturer.
Also, some of firmwares 1.9x was remove from they support website because of bricking units.

My unit is the 2603**** Batch.

Amplifier is condemned due to high repair costs and lack of support from TOPPING in providing diagrams or replacement boards for maintence.

You get what you pay for...
 
NkHz said:
Good news for those who have their DX5II without distortion, imbalance, popping, crackling, humming, or other problems... You're a lucky person.
For those who have an unit that presents the same problems reported by several users, immediately request a replacement or return your unit. The absence of effective DC protection along with no high-pass or low-pass filters without a limiter, combined with the highly problematic X-Hybrid amplification circuit due to lack of quality control will burn out both your headphones and the unit itself.

I bought my DX5II on one of the most famous Chinese marketplace platforms directly from the manufacturer. I reported and proved the problems to the manufacturer and the platform. They requested the return of the equipment to China without providing the customs mandatory documentation to export back to China. Both the platform and the manufacturer refuse to cooperate and encourage the return of the DX5II without the required mandatory customs documentation, meaning the item will be permanently apprehend by my country's customs authorities. They also refuse any partial refund option in my case.

TOPPING is aware of the critical problems with the DX5II and only modifies the firmware to mask the problems in its products changing the point of the failure.
If you have any doubts, open your unit youself and check the extremely low-quality components... Perform DIY tests to detect total imbalance in the HPA outputs with critical voltage variations and failures in specific channels, mostly in the left channel, without delivering half the power declared by the manufacturer.
Also, some of firmwares 1.9x was remove from they support website because of bricking units.

My unit is the 2603**** Batch.

Amplifier is condemned due to high repair costs and lack of support from TOPPING in providing diagrams or replacement boards for maintence.

You get what you pay for...
Click to expand...
Your headphones survived?
 
So what exactly is the problem? How does the unit get damaged? Is it by connecting both the balanced and unbalanced outputs at the same time, specifically when using “HPA ALL”? If that mode is not used, does it avoid any short-circuit risk?
Because if this issue affected all units, it would be strange for them to keep selling the product, so there must be some specific combination of conditions that triggers the problem.
I’ve been using mine since early November, not heavily, but with both balanced and unbalanced outputs, and so far I haven’t had any issues. Only at the beginning I had some trouble with the PEQ resetting or going up to +12 dB, but since updating to 1.78 it’s been stable.

Is “HPA ALL” still available in the newest firmware (1.9x)?
 
ohezeba said:
So what exactly is the problem? How does the unit get damaged? Is it by connecting both the balanced and unbalanced outputs at the same time, specifically when using “HPA ALL”? If that mode is not used, does it avoid any short-circuit risk?
Because if this issue affected all units, it would be strange for them to keep selling the product, so there must be some specific combination of conditions that triggers the problem.
I’ve been using mine since early November, not heavily, but with both balanced and unbalanced outputs, and so far I haven’t had any issues. Only at the beginning I had some trouble with the PEQ resetting or going up to +12 dB, but since updating to 1.78 it’s been stable.

Is “HPA ALL” still available in the newest firmware (1.9x)?
Click to expand...
The ground of an single ended can short into the negative of a balanced. When both circuits are open, no problem. When headphones are plugged into both, both circuits become closed and if there is any inadvertent connection somehow (through the casing etc), then you will blow your amp and headphones. The failsafe is to disable one of the two circuits when both are closed.
 
A possible situation that comes to mind:

Firmware update -> Factory reset without advice -> HPA ALL enabled -> Problems if BAL & SE are plugged
 
Dk33145 said:
The ground of an single ended can short into the negative of a balanced. When both circuits are open, no problem. When headphones are plugged into both, both circuits become closed and if there is any inadvertent connection somehow (through the casing etc), then you will blow your amp and headphones. The failsafe is to disable one of the two circuits when both are closed.
Click to expand...
I’m really worried by “if there is any inadvertent connection somehow (through the casing etc)”. Could you give some practical everyday examples of what exactly you mean by this kind of accidental connection?
 
People with problematic Units, what part of the world are you from?

25075730XX DX5II-BK-EU
 
Last edited:
staticV3 said:
What gives you the impression that the FiiO is bypassing but the Topping is not?

If it's because with the Topping you can control volume with the iPhone/iPad buttons where with the FiiO you couldn't, then please know that this has nothing to do with the sound mixer/sound path.

If the attached DAC supports UAC2 hardware volume control, then you can control the DAC's internal volume using the buttons.

If the DAC doesn't support UAC2, then the volume buttons don't do anything.

In both cases, the signal path and signal fidelity is the same. The signal is never attenuated inside iOS.
Click to expand...
Good question.

I made „blind test“ - a friend switches between IPad and Macbook (where the Topping is selectable as desperate device and fixed volume works). In the end I guessed 10/10 test switches correctly (where ipad sounded more dull that MacBook) - so I thought it was because iPad in lower quality output
 
Dk33145 said:
The ground of an single ended can short into the negative of a balanced. When both circuits are open, no problem. When headphones are plugged into both, both circuits become closed and if there is any inadvertent connection somehow (through the casing etc), then you will blow your amp and headphones. The failsafe is to disable one of the two circuits when both are closed.
Click to expand...

So, if I never, EVER plug 2 headphones into it, then it is safe?

Because, I never do.
 
NkHz said:
The absence of effective DC protection
Click to expand...
I'm interested in seeing the internals of these busted units now. When the L30s were exploding a few years back, the DC protections on them were completely unaffected from what I saw - meaning they didn't even work to begin with. This is sounding like the same thing.
 
User2007 said:
Good question.

I made „blind test“ - a friend switches between IPad and Macbook (where the Topping is selectable as desperate device and fixed volume works). In the end I guessed 10/10 test switches correctly (where ipad sounded more dull that MacBook) - so I thought it was because iPad in lower quality output
Click to expand...
How much dB error did you measure between DX5 fed by Mac and fed by iPad after level matching?

W/o level matching, a blind test is pointless.
 
staticV3 said:
How much dB error did you measure between DX5 fed by Mac and fed by iPad after level matching?

W/o level matching, a blind test is pointless.
Click to expand...
Okay thanks - I did not know that iPad or MacBook delivers different output levels on USBC when configured as passthrough to DAC/AMP :/
 
User2007 said:
Okay thanks - I did not know that iPad or MacBook delivers different output levels on USBC when configured as passthrough to DAC/AMP :/
Click to expand...
They may deliver identical levels, but you can't know that without confirming, and without confirming a blind test makes no sense.
 
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