• Welcome to ASR. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Topping DX5 Review (DAC & HP Amp)

Rate this product:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 16 4.1%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 7 1.8%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 90 23.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 276 71.0%

  • Total voters
    389
Thank you! Is there so much difference between the various sets? What do you recommend?
Very little difference.

I would choose filter 3 for proper anti-imaging or filter 1 for potentially some extra sparkle. Don't see any reason to choose filter 2.
 
I've seen the heating issue in standby mode mentioned several times in this thread. The workaround for this problem is quite simple - you need to turn off 'auto power' setting. With 'auto power on' DX5 is only 0.5C cooler in standby mode. With 'auto power off' DX5 seems to completely disables the inputs (I only checked USB input) and becomes 5-6C cooler in standby mode and only 1-1.5C warmer than power off state. Yeah, no automation, manual standby mode, but this might be useful to someone.
 
Last edited:
My DX5 starts to heat up after turning on the power button on the back, after half an hour it is already hot, it doesn’t matter whether you were listening to music all this time or it was in standby mode, that’s why I always turn it off with the power button on the back. The heating is the only thing I don't really like, otherwise this is an excellent productive device.
 
Anyone has has any experience connecting the DX5 directly to a power amp?
 
I got it hooked up to a yamaha rs202-d which is a stereo Receiver.
Works fine for me.
But never like measured the Speakers but they sound better but as I am comparing it to a connectiom from Smartphone to BT-module in the Receiver there is no wonder in that.
 
The story is that I bought a topping dx5 lite used, but in good condition. Everything worked fine, when connecting install the driver, updated the firmware to the latest version 1.14, everything worked fine. Today I turned it on and I see that "incorrect fw ver" is written on the screen. The firmware was required from the official website, it was installed without problems, it worked properly and here it is. I tried to remove the drivers, reinstalled them and the firmware again, installed on another PC... Nothing changes. I found on the forum that people encounter this when the light is turned off, but I have it connected to the armored personnel carrier. Has surge and battery protection. Later, I wrote to the topping company, asked to provide an old version of the firmware in the hope of rolling back, they reset version 1.10. After successful installation, there are no changes either. The screen flashes only 1 time and the inscription returns. Then I asked for version 1.08, no changes either. I don't understand what to do with it, the services refuse to repair it. The version with the fact that the firmware is not installed in this version is excluded, since it was updated from the official website, after the update everything worked properly.

I also happened to notice that after another attempt to "successfully" update the firmware (no changes occurred), pressing the knob entered the dfu mode. This is the first time that the diver and the firmware installer sees the device in this mode. Shows version 1.06. There was also an attempt to update the firmware in the dfu mode (also no changes). The version did not change, it continued to show the 1.06 version. After restarting the device, it was not possible to repeat this procedure. In the dfu mode, the device is not detected. I will attach the screenshots for reference.

Has anyone experienced this and is there any solution? Don't just throw it away...Thank you
 

Attachments

  • photo_1_2024-09-06_10-18-21.jpg
    photo_1_2024-09-06_10-18-21.jpg
    76.4 KB · Views: 92
  • photo_1_2024-09-06_10-21-36.jpg
    photo_1_2024-09-06_10-21-36.jpg
    91.7 KB · Views: 83
  • photo_5_2024-09-06_10-18-21.jpg
    photo_5_2024-09-06_10-18-21.jpg
    107.7 KB · Views: 81
I just picked up the lite version of this (no MQA) as an upgrade to my iFi Zen Dac. It sounds noticeably clearer but it doesn't feel like twice the product. Has anyone else got a DX5 with a wonky knob for example? Speaking of the volume knob, it also seems impossible to switch between 0.5 and 1 dB steps, whatever the setting, it remains at 0.5...

I'm also a little disappointed in the functionality. The user manual states LO options as DAC or PRE, and also states the output options to include PO+LO. That's all true, but with LO set to DAC and output set to LO+PO, then LO is set to PRE.
 
Last edited:
I just picked up the lite version of this (no MQA) as an upgrade to my iFi Zen Dac. It sounds noticeably clearer but it doesn't feel like twice the product. Has anyone else got a DX5 with a wonky knob for example? Speaking of the volume knob, it also seems impossible to switch between 0.5 and 1 dB steps, whatever the setting, it remains at 0.5...

I'm also a little disappointed in the functionality. The user manual states LO options as DAC or PRE, and also states the output options to include PO+LO. That's all true, but with LO set to DAC and output set to LO+PO, then PO is also set to DAC, with no PO volume control. I basically never wanted to use the remote, but I'm forced to do so, rather than simply switching my speaker amp off when I use the PO.

If you have PO and a wonky knob on the front of a device, then that wonky knob best control the PO. Or are my expectations out of whack here? o_O

Looks like they fixed the PO volume control issue for the DX5 (non-lite version) in the latest firmware: https://www.toppingaudio.com/download/dx5-version-v1-42-firmware-update-not-for-dx5-lite

But it's not mentioned in the notes for the DX5 Lite firmware which came out the same day: https://www.toppingaudio.com/download/dx5-lite-version-v1-14-firmware-update-not-for-dx5

*edit - I don't think the dates on Toppings website reflect the date of the firmware, it might be the date they were put on their new website.

It shouldn't have a wonky know either. I would send it back.
 
Last edited:
with LO set to DAC and output set to LO+PO, then LO is set to PRE.
The volume control on the DX5 is handled digitally by the ES9068AS chip, therefore you cannot have adjustable headphone output and fixed Line out at the same time.

Since non-adjustable headphone output volume would be dangerous, as soon as you set the output type to LO+PO, LO switches to Pre to preserve volume adjustment of the headphone output.
 
Sods law that I was correcting my post following a firmware update during your reply...

Thanks for the info. Looks like they probably did change it, but still keep both doing the same thing, which is not what I'd want.

EDIT: @staticV3 What other options are out there then that'll give me fixed LO (preferably balanced) and variable PO at the same time?
 
EDIT: @staticV3 What other options are out there then that'll give me fixed LO (preferably balanced) and variable PO at the same time?
Ones with discrete, analog volume control for the headphone output.

E.g: DX1, iFi, FiiO
 
Sods law that I was correcting my post following a firmware update during your reply...

Thanks for the info. Looks like they probably did change it, but still keep both doing the same thing, which is not what I'd want.

EDIT: @staticV3 What other options are out there then that'll give me fixed LO (preferably balanced) and variable PO at the same time?

Out of interest, why do you need LO and PO at the same time?
 
Out of interest, why do you need LO and PO at the same time?
So that I don't have to use the naff remote to switch between LO & PO. With the iFi Zen Dac I just selected fixed for the balanced out to my speaker amp and turned the amp off when I used headphones. If the DX5 either allowed switching without the remote, or didn't have downsides such as the wonky knob or getting hot on standby, then I'd be much happier with it. It does sound clearer, but interacting with it feels cheap.
 
So that I don't have to use the naff remote to switch between LO & PO. With the iFi Zen Dac I just selected fixed for the balanced out to my speaker amp and turned the amp off when I used headphones. If the DX5 either allowed switching without the remote, or didn't have downsides such as the wonky knob or getting hot on standby, then I'd be much happier with it. It does sound clearer, but interacting with it feels cheap.

My solution to that problem was to buy a nice Topping RC-21 remote. The RC-21 is machined from a piece of aluminium and feels much more 'high end' than the plasticky one you get with Topping kit. It also has a flat bottom, so sits nicely next to my keyboard in front of my EX5.

IMG_20241026_140524257 (Medium).jpg


Changing output using the remote also triggers a change of PEQ on my PC. The PC has a FLIRC IR receiver plugged into it (top item in the USB hub to the right of the EX5) - more here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...te-or-any-other-ir-remote.36869/#post-1297243

I think the RC-21 has been replaced by the RC-22, which is still made from aluminium, but has a slightly different design (battery access appears to be via the front rather than the back of the remote).

 
@Berwhale - that's not a bad shout! If I can set the volume steps to 1dB I'll buy one of those. Any ideas on that? Tried setting it to and fro 0.5/1 and it just stays on 0.5... And this is purely a point of OCD... :rolleyes:
 
@Berwhale - that's not a bad shout! If I can set the volume steps to 1dB I'll buy one of those. Any ideas on that? Tried setting it to and fro 0.5/1 and it just stays on 0.5... And this is purely a point of OCD... :rolleyes:

Sorry, no idea, the EX5 only does steps of 1. I can see how 0.5 would become quite tiresome, I hope you find a fix.
 
If I can set the volume steps to 1dB I'll buy one of those. Any ideas on that? Tried setting it to and fro 0.5/1 and it just stays on 0.5... And this is purely a point of OCD... :rolleyes:
Did you save the adjustment with the last menu option "Save and exit"?
 
I just picked up the lite version of this (no MQA) as an upgrade to my iFi Zen Dac. It sounds noticeably clearer but it doesn't feel like twice the product. Has anyone else got a DX5 with a wonky knob for example? Speaking of the volume knob, it also seems impossible to switch between 0.5 and 1 dB steps, whatever the setting, it remains at 0.5...

I'm also a little disappointed in the functionality. The user manual states LO options as DAC or PRE, and also states the output options to include PO+LO. That's all true, but with LO set to DAC and output set to LO+PO, then LO is set to PRE.

My unit has a wonky knob as well but that seems to be the most common defect for this unit. FYI it gets worse over time. If you are still in the return period I would absolutely return it. I can't even use my unit's knob anymore reliably, I'm forced to use the remote. A remote of which that only works from 3 inches away.
 
Back
Top Bottom