Topping DX5II Balanced DAC and Headphone Amp Review

[Mike123]

But it could be worse i guess, we could have no on-board EQ at all. I'd rather have a limited 0.5db PEQ than none at all or a broken one.

When you need to remove room modes or correct headphones and we are talking about levels of 10-20 dB and more, then 0.1 dB is unimportant. If everything is already very good and you need to achieve the ideal, tuning the entire range by 0.35 or 0.71 dB, then you probably need to use more advanced tools. IMHO, this is simply the positioning of the Topping of this DAC as an inexpensive equalizer with basic capabilities.

 

[ziggurcat]

I submitted a potential issue to Topping about the DX5 II auto-detecting the input even though it is set to manual in the "Input option" menu. Because of how I have to have things set up, my USB DDC (a D10s DAC in "bridge mode") is the primary audio device, but I also need to have a USB connection to the DX5 II in order to update FW (and use Topping Tune). I only have OPT and USB checked in the Input option menu, and when the system wakes up after is goes to sleep, the DX5 II will switch to USB even though OPT was chosen prior to everything going into standby mode. On/Off trigger setting in the Advanced settings menu is "Signal"

I get why it does it, but since auto-detect isn't selected, it should only switch inputs unless the end user chooses to do so when "Manual" is chosen in the settings. I have also seen it set itself to COAX even though that is not even an option I have enabled in the Input option settings.

I think topping fixed this issue in the latest FW update. I haven't done extensive testing, but the input hasn't switched to USB after it has been woken up, it has stayed set to optical as it should be.

 

[Timbo2]

I tried that on the last firmware and it made no difference. I will have another go on v1.62 tomorrow.

I managed to get my unit to bug out the same way. It wiped out my user data in slots 6 through 10. Given how buggy this thing is I think I'd leave slots 1 through 5 at factory.

I've managed to get it to retain the settings after a full power off through some combination of the following:

1. Open Topping Tune and download the PEQ data from your local data to the device
2. On the device scroll through all the various EQ slots and stop on slot 1
3. Disable EQ
4. Completely close Topping Tune (don't minimize to taskbar).
5. Power cycle the unit.

Using the above the settings stays in memory. I tried various combinations of these steps and sometimes it would still lose the settings. Doing all of these has made it stick, but it may just be one or two of the above that is the secret. It is still a bug that should be fixed and it's annoying.

 

[AVKS]

It's interesting to me that there are so few YT (or even written) reviews out there on this product. Not that I put any real weight in those types reviews beyond very general information/simple entertainment value, but videos about the latest/greatest Topping and SMSL products typically pop up quickly from the usual suspects. None of them have published anything about this one even though it fits so many use cases and really seems to be a great product.

Again, neither here nor there. Just something that struck me as unusual. Perhaps there's a simple reason that I'm overlooking.

 

[IgorD]

For those who already bought the DX5II, could you please share your subjective experience with its headphone amplifier? How does it compare to the Topping L30/L50/L70 and others?
Since the objective measurements are already excellent

 

[Bleib]

For those who already bought the DX5II, could you please share your subjective experience with its headphone amplifier? How does it compare to the Topping L30/L50/L70 and others?
Since the objective measurements are already excellent

It's hard to tell, it's too long since I owned L30 but obviously I tend to pretty much like any amps that have zero channel imbalance more than those that do.
I don't need the DX5 II power, the headphones I use with the computer work well enough by a mere Topping mx3s

 

[ziggurcat]

For those who already bought the DX5II, could you please share your subjective experience with its headphone amplifier? How does it compare to the Topping L30/L50/L70 and others?
Since the objective measurements are already excellent

Having just switched from a D50 III + L50 stack to the DX5 II, there's really no audible difference to me between the two HPAs outside of maybe not needing to turn the volume up as much with the DX5 II. However, that could just be due to the L50 only being SE outputs (my understanding is that even the 4-pin XLR out on the L50 is SE), and I'm using the balanced 4.4mm output on the DX5 II.

Both sound clean, and have plenty of power.

 

[Barncore]

It's interesting to me that there are so few YT (or even written) reviews out there on this product. Not that I put any real weight in those types reviews beyond very general information/simple entertainment value, but videos about the latest/greatest Topping and SMSL products typically pop up quickly from the usual suspects. None of them have published anything about this one even though it fits so many use cases and really seems to be a great product.

Again, neither here nor there. Just something that struck me as unusual. Perhaps there's a simple reason that I'm overlooking.

Transparent/clean DAC-Amps (that come out all the time) are probably unsexy/boring for the youtube/audiophile audience, so maybe the creators veer more towards "warm and juicy" type stuff for that reason.

To me Topping stuff is more useful for professionals (audio engineers and producers etc) than enthusiasts, because they don't hype the sound too much (which can mess with your mix decisions) and they don't cost too much. They just "get the job done". But i think for people who are using headphones for enjoyment/consumption would probably prioritize a great experience over accuracy. And those are the people who are spending $$$ on several units, cos it's their hobby.
So maybe that's why they're not all over YT?

Edit: Or it could just be the delivery delays.
Or maybe Topping didn't allow ppl to review anything until they released firmware that fixed the PEQ bugs, since the PEQ feature was supposed to be a key value proposition.
Anyway just speculating my butt off here lol. I'll stop

 

[Bleib]

Hmm, they seem to have removed all DX5 II firmwares

 

[Timbo2]

Hmm, they seem to have removed all DX5 II firmwares

That is a head scratcher. I can come up with a few speculations, but none are good.

That said Topping is pretty responsive, I imagine they will have an update out relatively quickly.

 

[Bleib]

That is a head scratcher. I can come up with a few speculations, but none are good.

That said Topping is pretty responsive, I imagine they will have an update out relatively quickly.

I think so too, a new coming any minute

 

[ngs428]

After applying the latest 1.62 firmware I noticed my unit will wake up (I just use the soft power off, not the back switch) when my PC turns on. It also wakes up at random times too.

Seems something has changed in 1.62 with this behavior.

Anyone else see this happen?

 

[Bleib]

After applying the latest 1.62 firmware I noticed my unit will wake up (I just use the soft power off, not the back switch) when my PC turns on. It also wakes up at random times too.

Seems something has changed in 1.62 with this behavior.

Anyone else see this happen?

The firmware might have reset all settings, so check those again

 

[ngs428]

The firmware might have reset all settings, so check those again

I did go through them initially when it reset everything. I don’t recall a usb wake option, is there one?

Edit: might be the auto detect feature or the trigger. I’ll check.

 

[yorkieaudio]

After applying the latest 1.62 firmware I noticed my unit will wake up (I just use the soft power off, not the back switch) when my PC turns on. It also wakes up at random times too.

Seems something has changed in 1.62 with this behavior.

Anyone else see this happen?

I have noticed the same. Think its the trigger signal is working now on the USB, when before was only on the trigger in port.

 

[ngs428]

I have noticed the same. Think its the trigger signal is working now on the USB, when before was only on the trigger in port.

Interesting. Not something I want to have happen. I’ll have to change that to off.

 

[ngs428]

I think so too, a new coming any minute

That is odd that they are all removed. I do have 1.49, 1.57 and 1.62 if anyone needs them.

 

[ziggurcat]

Hmm, they seem to have removed all DX5 II firmwares

Weird. Why would they do that?

 

[ziggurcat]

After applying the latest 1.62 firmware I noticed my unit will wake up (I just use the soft power off, not the back switch) when my PC turns on. It also wakes up at random times too.

The random waking up has always happened for me even before 1.62, and not just with the DX5 II (my E50 and D50 III were the same). I have my DX5 II set to Signal, so it is technically supposed to turn on when my computer wakes up.

 

[ziggurcat]

That is a head scratcher. I can come up with a few speculations, but none are good.

That said Topping is pretty responsive, I imagine they will have an update out relatively quickly.

I'm now wondering whether they have taken it down because people have reported the FW bricking their units (or what @jodrim experienced). It went super smooth for me, but I know not everyone was as lucky.