Topping DX5II Balanced DAC and Headphone Amp Review

[staticV3]

This remote, and it's terrible. It's not backlit, I got it with my Topping D50s DAC. I like the DAC, but not the remote.

The DX5II uses a new remote, RC-18A:


Also not backlit.

 

[1066]

Would have liked to have known if adding an active peq setting creates any unexpected distortion.

As opposed to turning peq on and leaving it flat with no settings and then measuring.

 

[welwynnick]

Thanks. I didn't realise that another filter was available, but it's not whether 24.1 would itself be audible but whether aliases are produced, isn't it?

That's something that I happen to be pondering at the moment.
I don't think you need a perfect anti-imaging filter nearly as much as you need a perfect anti-aliasing filter.
I think images are OK if the rest of the system has good wideband linearity, otherwise you get IMD.
I'm fairly sure all those so-called NOS DACs wouldn't be popular if imaging was always a critical issue.

'Consequences of insufficient reconstruction filter in a DAC'

Jan 7, 2021

This is a followup of OT postings in thread Focal Clear Review (headphone) covering the consequences of insufficent filtering at the output of a DAC chip.

Maybe you’ve missed the theory.

Any f between 0 and fs/2 at the output of a converter can be a mirror of n x fs ± f at the input. “Converter” here means ADC or DAC.

So, in the case of a DAC @ 44.1kHz for example, 20kHz in analog can indeed be 24.1kHz in digital if that has not been properly filtered in the digital domain — but you don’t retrieve 24.1kHz in the analog domain.

Nope. You do retrieve the 24.1 kHz...

• LTig
• Replies: 27
• Forum: General Audio Discussions

• 

 

[Multicore]

As someone has already asked; how do you chose which Topping DAC to buy, given that measurements say they will sound identical, and most have similar features?

Choose the cheapest that does what you need.

The one feature missing from their range is streaming functionality.

WiiM is for streaming and Topping is for conversion. You could mix them, e.g. a WiiM Pro with a Topping D10s. But for less total fuss and money there's WiiM Pro Plus; its conversion sounds the same as Topping (i.e. neither sounds like anything).

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

The DX5II uses a new remote, RC-18A:
View attachment 464669

Also not backlit.

Interesting, maybe they improved angles/usability.
Will check when I receive my unit

 

[Tengo]

Can the DX5II be used as Pre-Amp for my JBL 306 (or other Desktop-Monitors) - it should replace my RME ADI 2 FS

 

[welwynnick]

Could you measure SINAD with the EQ enabled? For example, something simple like a 1-2 bump or notch at 1kHz

My memory tells me that Amir measured SINAD with EQ engaged on the Wiim Pro Plus, and Amir and RJA400 tested the D50 III.

With the Wiim , EQ made no difference, but there was a small degradation with the D50 III.

 

[Gremlins]

Whoever voted poor should be forced to argue why And to list a similar featured product with this performance in the same price range.

Not expensive enough for some

 

[Sokel]

My memory tells me that Amir measured SINAD with EQ engaged on the Wiim Pro Plus, and Amir and RJA400 tested the D50 III.

With the Wiim , EQ made no difference, but there was a small degradation with the D50 III.

Amir also measured D50 were the 100Hz filter made this:



Unfortunately he didn't measured it correcting lower frequencies as we do for room correction for example (the lower we filter, the worst)
On the other hand it could be justified though, it's a device mostly destined for HP and (correct me if I'm wrong) EQ is not per channel but applies to both .

If used for higher freqs measurements show no impact. It's all posted numerous times, so...

 

[staticV3]

Can the DX5II be used as Pre-Amp for my JBL 306 (or other Desktop-Monitors) - it should replace my RME ADI 2 FS

DX5 II - TOPPING AUDIO

www.toppingaudio.com

 

[Jim777]

If the display is similar to the one on the Topping A70 pro, the spectrum analyzer seems to me to be delayed somehow.

RME is still in another league, IMO, with multiple output ranges, variable (lack of) loudness compensation, (defeatable) DC protection, equalization via hardwsre DSP. and a very stable and forgiving clock...
Not to speak about the qualitty of the driver and PC remote software.

But this one is getting closer, indeed.
And adds Bluetooth LDAC and trigger out.

I suppose EQ works with any input, here ?

Loudness is the big one for me. And maybe multiple output ranges make it a better choice in practical use as well.

And the RME bit perfect test is a must to test my setup for unwanted conversions.

 

[daniboun]

Great DAC and the whole point here is to have a 10-band PEQ. (only over computer...)
FYI :

NB :

 

[deitrick]

I have covered it in other reviews. It is very easy to use but of course you need to know what a filter is.

It should be the same as my D90 III Discrete. The software is easy to use, and I recently moved my PEQ from my WiiM to the D90 III D. You need to hook it up to a computer to do it, but I believe it gives you 5 custom slots to use in addition to the 5 presents already present.

 

[deitrick]

Have you contacted Topping?

They have released an updated firmware already. I would try grabbing that to see if it corrects your issues.

 

[daniboun]

Forgot to share and keep in mind about Topping Tune :

 

[Multicore]

Great DAC and the whole point here is to have a 10-band PEQ.

Do we know what its UI is like?

Sorry, I asked before seeing @daniboun 's just one above. It probably looks much like this https://dl.topping.audio/um/TOPPING_Tune_V1.3.pdf Which, if you're on Windows, looks pretty nice.

 

[daniboun]

Do we know what its UI is like?

 

[JaccoW]

I love mine. All I need now is some good headphones to really get the most out of it.

The one thing I don't like is the VU meter... but that is because I have several tape-based devices with actual VU meters and compared to that it is downright sluggish.
The FFT spectrum analyzer on the other hand is really quick. So it's probably just the way they set up the VU meter.

 

[Billy Budapest]

From an industrial design standpoint, not a fan of those buttons. If there were the haptic touch variety rather than physical buttons, they would look better.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Ok great, but another headphone amp? Hellooooooo speakers! Maybe they are working on something like a WiiM

They just released the D900 DAC, and recently the R2R DAC (forgot the name), so non-headphone products are being developed.