Topping DX5 Review (DAC & HP Amp)

[SubcrewJimmy]

There is a problem with mqa 352k playback when playing using uapp on Android phones. Can you check if the album below plays properly? I and Korean users are all experiencing the same problem.

https://tidal.com/album/59527094

 

[SubcrewJimmy]

View attachment 221231What app do you usually use to play music on your Android phone? I only used tidal and uapp, but I was told to use the hiby app regarding the mqa problem.

On dx5, have to turn off mqa passtrough in the setting of the uapp app, but play mqa352k properly.

There is no problem with e50,ex5,d90,d90se, but I don't understand because the problem only occurs with dx5.

I’m using PC with tidal, they display well

Unfortunately i don’t have any android’s devices

 

[eyecent]

I’m using PC with tidal, they display well

Unfortunately i don’t have any android’s devices

The firmware update from 1.38 to 1.39 was caused by my report.
Anyway, I updated the firmware from 1.39 to 1.4, and the same problem still occurs with the UAPP app on Android phones.

When playing on an Android phone, the Tidal app plays any bitrate perfectly with the MQA logo. Like other toppings of DACs. However, in a situation using UAPP, when playing 352K bit rates, the bit rate is not fixed and tic noise is generated as shown in the attached site and image.

dx5 영상 2 - 헤드폰 마이너 갤러리

영상 사이즈가 50메가를 넘어서 하나 다시 찍느라 늦음 ㅈㅅ 패스스루 킴 기기에서 따닥 거리는 소리가 들리면서 44.1 352 와리가리 탐;;

gall.dcinside.com

Last clip.





Other toppings that support MQA, such as D90SE and E50, have no problem playing MQA 352K in UAPP apps.
There is no problem when turning off MQA Passthrough and playing it on the PCM. In this case, there is no reason for the existence of MQA music.

An example is the album below.

https://tidal.com/album/59527094

 

[Skifaster]

So I just returned my DX5 to Amazon, Bummer, I had it less than a month and on Friday in went into update - upgrade circle of disruption and death, Could not get back and running, very frustrating..,,,, At least I can full credit for it. A year ago I started this journey with the SMSL M500 and then returned it due to the harmonic distortion issue. After that I bought a topping D70 S and Gustard H16 headphone amp /preamp. That set up performed flawlessly !, But I wanted an all in one DAC, Headphone amp and xlr/rca out to drive a Buckeye hypex amp and svs subwoofer. (JBL 580 Speakers)

Anyway, not sure which way to go now>>>>> another DX5 --- Sabaj A20 D, A10D ? SMSL M 500 ?
I need remote and all in one unit and I want reliability!!!

what say you??

 

[Deleted member 2702]

So I just returned my DX5 to Amazon, Bummer, I had it less than a month and on Friday in went into update - upgrade circle of disruption and death, Could not get back and running, very frustrating..,,,, At least I can full credit for it. A year ago I started this journey with the SMSL M500 and then returned it due to the harmonic distortion issue. After that I bought a topping D70 S and Gustard H16 headphone amp /preamp. That set up performed flawlessly !, But I wanted an all in one DAC, Headphone amp and xlr/rca out to drive a Buckeye hypex amp and svs subwoofer. (JBL 580 Speakers)

Anyway, not sure which way to go now>>>>> another DX5 --- Sabaj A20 D, A10D ? SMSL M 500 ?
I need remote and all in one unit and I want reliability!!!

what say you??

Benchmark (DAC2 HGC or DAC3 HGC) or RME ADI-2 DAC FS on the second hand market. It is definitively worth paying for reliability and excellent support.

 

[pavlo_y0l0s]

So I just returned my DX5 to Amazon, Bummer, I had it less than a month and on Friday in went into update - upgrade circle of disruption and death, Could not get back and running, very frustrating..,,,, At least I can full credit for it. A year ago I started this journey with the SMSL M500 and then returned it due to the harmonic distortion issue. After that I bought a topping D70 S and Gustard H16 headphone amp /preamp. That set up performed flawlessly !, But I wanted an all in one DAC, Headphone amp and xlr/rca out to drive a Buckeye hypex amp and svs subwoofer. (JBL 580 Speakers)

Anyway, not sure which way to go now>>>>> another DX5 --- Sabaj A20 D, A10D ? SMSL M 500 ?
I need remote and all in one unit and I want reliability!!!

what say you??

I had similar issue - mine went into upgrade loop. Fixed it by plugging into PC and running software update tool from Topping.

 

[Veri]

So I just returned my DX5 to Amazon, Bummer, I had it less than a month and on Friday in went into update - upgrade circle of disruption and death, Could not get back and running, very frustrating..,,,, At least I can full credit for it. A year ago I started this journey with the SMSL M500 and then returned it due to the harmonic distortion issue. After that I bought a topping D70 S and Gustard H16 headphone amp /preamp. That set up performed flawlessly !, But I wanted an all in one DAC, Headphone amp and xlr/rca out to drive a Buckeye hypex amp and svs subwoofer. (JBL 580 Speakers)

Just wondering but what was wrong with the stack? The Gustard had pre amp out too I suppose?

 

[Skifaster]

Nothing wrong with the stack at all as far as performance and sound. I just want the convenience of all in one dac/ headphone amp. I do not run it desktop and want one remote. Also, i move my system about twice a year, so that is secondary reason I want to simplify

 

[rarewolf]

Nothing wrong with the stack at all as far as performance and sound. I just want the convenience of all in one dac/ headphone amp. I do not run it desktop and want one remote. Also, i move my system about twice a year, so that is secondary reason I want to simplify

Have you already ruled out the DX3Pro+ because of your experience with the DX5?

 

[HappyMetalGuy]

Follow up...
Hi, I've had DX5 and SMSL M500 MKII (I think this is the same has Sabaj A20D but in a different outfit) and SMSL D300 . I've return the DX5 mainly because of user experience having to disconnect DX5 from the mains by power switch to access full menu option doesn't make sense to me. Sometimes when switching power on I get a message that is updating CPLD even if not connected to USB that's strange, even with the firmware 1.40. The M500 MKII as a better chip and some more options to play around with sound. I really liked the design on DX5.
After all I'm keeping M500 MKII around.
Now Purely Subjective.
As for sound I think (subjectively of course) their different the M500 as a more dimensional?!?! sound (voices a little forward) but between the speakers, DX5 seems more 2D sound but maybe wider. D300 for me was less clinical and less harsh.

 

[Skifaster]

rarewolf,
I ruled out the DX3pro because the lack of xlr out, I need both xlr and rca out to drive amp and powered subwoofer, I do not want to split the signal, other wise that would be a great option, seems to be a very solid performer!

 

[crowabunga]

Chipping in here to report the same update loop issue with my DX5. Just getting the "CPLD updata" and "upgrade success" displays cycling, then update failure. It's totally bricked only a month after first receiving it - appalling QC from Topping. When it did "work", I also had the same massive volume spike when decreasing the volume with the knob, nearly deafening me - I should have returned it there and then. Have emailed the seller I bought it from on ebay and hopefully they will sort it out. I really don't want to have it "repaired" and returned to me - I just want my money back. Oh well.

 

[Toku]

Chipping in here to report the same update loop issue with my DX5. Just getting the "CPLD updata" and "upgrade success" displays cycling, then update failure. It's totally bricked only a month after first receiving it - appalling QC from Topping. When it did "work", I also had the same massive volume spike when decreasing the volume with the knob, nearly deafening me - I should have returned it there and then. Have emailed the seller I bought it from on ebay and hopefully they will sort it out. I really don't want to have it "repaired" and returned to me - I just want my money back. Oh well.

What file did you use to update?
Have you downloaded V1.38 from Topping's HP and updated it?

 

[crowabunga]

What file did you use to update?
Have you downloaded V1.38 from Topping's HP and updated it?

I never tried updating it before the fault. I then tried to update the firmware but the topping software didn't detect the DX5 (which checks out as Windows doesn't detect it anymore either). So it is impossible to update the firmware.

 

[Toku]

I never tried updating it before the fault. I then tried to update the firmware but the topping software didn't detect the DX5 (which checks out as Windows doesn't detect it anymore either). So it is impossible to update the firmware.

I also purchased DX5 and updated FW to V1.38. I started the update tool "ToppingUsbAudioDfu_V4.82.exe" and specified the update file "DX5_FW1.38.bin" to update.
However, even after the update, there were many problems in operation, so I returned it after all.

In your case, does it mean that clicking "ToppingUsbAudioDfu_V4.82.exe" in the update tool does not start it?
If you don't install Topping's driver on your PC as a condition of the update, you can't start. Do you have V4.82 or later drivers installed on your Windows PC?

 

[crowabunga]

I also purchased DX5 and updated FW to V1.38. I started the update tool "ToppingUsbAudioDfu_V4.82.exe" and specified the update file "DX5_FW1.38.bin" to update.
However, even after the update, there were many problems in operation, so I returned it after all.

In your case, does it mean that clicking "ToppingUsbAudioDfu_V4.82.exe" in the update tool does not start it?
If you don't install Topping's driver on your PC as a condition of the update, you can't start. Do you have V4.82 or later drivers installed on your Windows PC?

After my DX5 broke, I installed the latest V4.82 Windows drivers on my PC just fine. The DAC still didn't work, so I attempted to install the new drivers for the DAC itself. The firmware updating tool started up just fine and I could select the necessary drivers, but the update tool could not find the DAC so I could not update the firmware, not that I think that was ever the issue.

 

[Toku]

After my DX5 broke, I installed the latest V4.82 Windows drivers on my PC just fine. The DAC still didn't work, so I attempted to install the new drivers for the DAC itself. The firmware updating tool started up just fine and I could select the necessary drivers, but the update tool could not find the DAC so I could not update the firmware, not that I think that was ever the issue.

I understand your situation.
Then, even if you check the audio device from the Windows control panel of the PC, there is no indication of Topping USB DAC there, right?
In that case, DX5 itself may be broken.
(By the way, Topping's latest driver is V5.30.)

 

[crowabunga]

I understand your situation.
Then, even if you check the audio device from the Windows control panel of the PC, there is no indication of Topping USB DAC there, right?
In that case, DX5 itself may be broken.
(By the way, Topping's latest driver is V5.30.)

Yes, that's right - DX5 doesn't appear. It is cold to the touch whereas before it would always be very warm. I'll have to use my built-in monitor speakers until topping can fix and return it which will make my ears bleed

 

[lordhumungous]

Add me to the list of the dreaded “upgrade failure “ message . I never tried to update the firmware and bought it from Amazon back the end of April . It worked fine until today .

I guess there is no solution ?

 

[pacman]

Absolutely dreadful and ludicrous. I won't never buy Topping anymore in this life.