Topping DX5II Balanced DAC and Headphone Amp Review

[ziggurcat]

I also get a huge increase in volume in the left channel for a second when I switch EQ profiles to Topping tune.

I have not had that happen, and I have done a lot of profile switching on the fly as I compare different PEQ settings for my headphones. Could be a PC/Windows thing only, though.

 

[ziggurcat]

These are my settings for this, if it would be useful for anyone:

.config/pipewire/pipewire.conf.d/10-samplerate.conf

context.properties = {
    default.clock.allowed-rates = [ 44100 48000 88200 96000 176400 192000 ]
    default.clock.rate          = 48000

    default.clock.quantum       = 1024
    default.clock.min-quantum   = 128
    default.clock.max-quantum   = 2048
}

.config/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/10-dx5-ii-no-suspend.conf

monitor.alsa.rules = [
  {
    matches = [
      { node.name = "alsa_output.usb-Topping_DX5_II-00.playback.0.0" }
    ]
    actions = {
      update-props = {
        session.suspend-timeout-seconds = 0
        node.pause-on-idle = false
      }
    }
  }
]

.config/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/99-audio-devices.conf

monitor.alsa.rules = [

  # DX5 II: refinements
  {
    matches = [
      { device.name = "alsa_card.usb-Topping_DX5_II-00" }
    ]
    actions = {
      update-props = {
        api.alsa.use-acp = false
        device.profile = "pro-audio"
        device.description = "Topping DX5 II"
        device.nick = "Topping DX5 II"
      }
    }
  }

]

I'm assuming this is something to do with data streaming?

 

[GERGE]

Pipewire config. Linux.

 

[Mutex]

I also get a huge increase in volume in the left channel for a second when I switch EQ profiles to Topping tune.

Happens to me as well, but only when doing it from Topping Tune. When switching saved profiles directly on the DX5 II, this doesn't happen.

 

[ziggurcat]

Happens to me as well, but only when doing it from Topping Tune. When switching saved profiles directly on the DX5 II, this doesn't happen.

I do all of my PEQ profile comparisons through TT, and I still don't have that issue.

One thing I have observed with Topping Tune is is I have something playing, and I open TT, sometimes all audio will cut out completely until I toggle the outputs. Most of the time, the audio will cut out for a second or two (which I am sure is normal/expected behaviour), but sometimes it will not come back. It's a difficult one to document because it is not 100%, and I could close/reboot TT 20 times in a row, and it won't happen.

 

[brianto]

Can I please ask a stupid question. Does this unit allow you to make PEQs and then save them as user presets? I have read that it does not and that it only allows you to save various functions aspresets ( filter, gain, ). In the same place I'm pretty sure I read that only higher end topping models allow PEQ adjustments at all and that PEQ is something that needs to be applied elsewhere as the Topping always behaves like a flat amp. True or false? Thank you

 

[staticV3]

Can I please ask a stupid question. Does this unit allow you to make PEQs and then save them as user presets? I have read that it does not and that it only allows you to save various functions aspresets ( filter, gain, ). In the same place I'm pretty sure I read that only higher end topping models allow PEQ adjustments at all and that PEQ is something that needs to be applied elsewhere as the Topping always behaves like a flat amp. True or false? Thank you

All answered in the User manual: https://www.toppingaudio.com/download/dx5-ii-user-manual

 

[brianto]

Hi. Yes I read that but wasn't sure if it actually meant what I understood. I then consulted the oracle ( chatgpt) and got told this:

What these “preset configurations” really are​

The DX5 II can store hardware settings, such as:

• Filter type (Fast / Slow / NOS)
• Gain selection (High / Low)
• Input selection
• Volume or balance (if applicable)

They do NOT store EQ curves.

The manual just calls these “configurations” or “presets,” but it does not say “EQ bands” or “frequency adjustments.” That’s the crucial distinction."

So where does that leave me? I know Chatgpt is not all that reliable but under severe interrogation, it is sticking to it's story.

 

[jodrim]

Hi. Yes I read that but wasn't sure if it actually meant what I understood. I've since consulted the oracle ( chatgpt) and got told this:

What these “preset configurations” really are​

The DX5 II can store hardware settings, such as:

• Filter type (Fast / Slow / NOS)
• Gain selection (High / Low)
• Input selection
• Volume or balance (if applicable)

They do NOT store EQ curves.

The manual just calls these “configurations” or “presets,” but it does not say “EQ bands” or “frequency adjustments.” That’s the crucial distinction."

So where does that leave me?

The Topping DX5 II supports 10-band parametric EQ. As section 4.2 of the manual states it comes with 5 default "configs" but with the DX5 II connected to PC or Mac via USB with Topping Tune installed and open you can configure and store up to 10 of your own configs on the device (assuming you delete the 5 default ones). Once you've saved the configs onto the DX5 II they're stored and can individually set for each output without you needing to interact with Topping Tune. The outputs are HPA BAL (balanced output 4 pin XLR or 4.4 mm), HPA SE (single ended 6.35 mm), LO BAL (rear XLR), LO SE (RCA out), LO ALL (LO BAL + LO SE), HPA ALL (HPA BAL + HPA SE) and ALL being all outputs. PEQ is supported for PCM for the following inputs and data streams:

USB IN	44.1kHz-192kHz/16bit-32bit
COAX/OPT IN	44.1kHz-192kHz/16bit-24bit
BT IN	44.1kHz-96kHz/16bit-24bit

So not for any DSD content for example. Here's an example of how Topping Tune looks:

 

[brianto]

Right so if I use USB in and stick to normal hi-res it has full PEQ, and that was what I originally assumed but then when I asked Chatgpt further it stated there was a disconnect between the Topping Tune Software and the DX5II itself and that these settings were only applied to higher end topping devices. I'm not sure why it is being so dogmatic about this and sticking to its guns . Clearly my initial understanding and yours are the same but but of course as I am no expert, it made me doubt.

 

[ziggurcat]

Hi. Yes I read that but wasn't sure if it actually meant what I understood. I then consulted the oracle ( chatgpt) and got told this:

What these “preset configurations” really are​

The DX5 II can store hardware settings, such as:

• Filter type (Fast / Slow / NOS)
• Gain selection (High / Low)
• Input selection
• Volume or balance (if applicable)

They do NOT store EQ curves.

The manual just calls these “configurations” or “presets,” but it does not say “EQ bands” or “frequency adjustments.” That’s the crucial distinction."

So where does that leave me? I know Chatgpt is not all that reliable but under severe interrogation, it is sticking to it's story.

You can set the DX5 II to whatever settings you want to use, then hold the C1 or C2 button down on the remote to save a preset.

 

[magor34]

Right so if I use USB in and stick to normal hi-res it has full PEQ, and that was what I originally assumed but then when I asked Chatgpt further it stated there was a disconnect between the Topping Tune Software and the DX5II itself and that these settings were only applied to higher end topping devices. I'm not sure why it is being so dogmatic about this and sticking to its guns . Clearly my initial understanding and yours are the same but but of course as I am no expert, it made me doubt.

You just can't trust AI on a great many topics cause the information is likely to be incorrect. Only subjects with big sets of factually correct information is reliable.

With that said, you can sometimes get the right information.

 

[GERGE]

You can't just trust AI about a device that is only out a few months. It will make a web search and will take the first few results it found as the truth as it has nothing of its own to check it against. You need to use it to assist you, not to give you the answer.

Also, you need to use GPT 5.2 Thinking or Gemini 3 Pro (in Pro setting) for such things, then they would at least search for longer and deeper. And prompt accordingly, like clearly telling the AI it is a device from beyond its knowledge cutoff and to consider everything suspect and compile all information online to provide all solutions and comments. Or something like that.

 

[ziggurcat]

And again, the data streaming popping has gone away for me. I haven't done anything to cause it to stop other than manually put my computer to sleep a few times. There are no apps running in the background, either. I hope I never have to restart my computer again because I know it will return if I do that

edit: Power cycled the DX5 II, and it came back, so it's seemingly not something on the Mac's end. Need to figure out what is causing it to go away.

 

[Mutex]

And again, the data streaming popping has gone away for me. I haven't done anything to cause it to stop other than manually put my computer to sleep a few times. There are no apps running in the background, either. I hope I never have to restart my computer again because I know it will return if I do that

edit: Power cycled the DX5 II, and it came back, so it's seemingly not something on the Mac's end. Need to figure out what is causing it to go away.

The popping is an internal reset. When the unit idles and wakes up again, the OS needs to renegotiate the bit rate and other streaming parameters. During this renegotiation the sound buffer in the unit is flushed, which can cause a pop if the output channel is not muted internally (this seems to be what was fixed in one of the ADI-2 Pro FW updates in 2019 for example).

If the unit pops or not might depend on what was in that buffer before it went idle. If it was silence, it probably won't pop, but if it was non-zero content, it might pop. So I guess popping will be somewhat random depending on what was playing before it went idle.

PS: The ZH3 does internal muting for 200ms during bit stream renegotiation. With this you don't get a pop, but you lose the first 200ms of the audio stream (start silence/audio delay). ZH3 cuts off first bit of audio (Less than 1 sec)

 

[Jim T]

Mine came on Sunday 1 4 26 and sounds great. It almost has too many features to fiddle with. FFT freq sweeps were clean. You will have to download the manual.

I have a Schiit Modi 5 on the way. this will be my 3rd Modi and can get over their quality for almost no money. I did frequency sweet tests from 20 to 20khz and no sidebands present, just clean in FFT display. Even mixed tones of 19 and 20KHZ were clean.

 

[JIW]

And again, the data streaming popping has gone away for me. I haven't done anything to cause it to stop other than manually put my computer to sleep a few times. There are no apps running in the background, either. I hope I never have to restart my computer again because I know it will return if I do that

edit: Power cycled the DX5 II, and it came back, so it's seemingly not something on the Mac's end. Need to figure out what is causing it to go away.

It could still be the Mac because the device was disconnected and then reconnected. That could have stopped a data stream and not started it again.

 

[JIW]

The popping is an internal reset. When the unit idles and wakes up again, the OS needs to renegotiate the bit rate and other streaming parameters. During this renegotiation the sound buffer in the unit is flushed, which can cause a pop if the output channel is not muted internally (this seems to be what was fixed in one of the ADI-2 Pro FW updates in 2019 for example).

If the unit pops or not might depend on what was in that buffer before it went idle. If it was silence, it probably won't pop, but if it was non-zero content, it might pop. So I guess popping will be somewhat random depending on what was playing before it went idle.

PS: The ZH3 does internal muting for 200ms during bit stream renegotiation. With this you don't get a pop, but you lose the first 200ms of the audio stream (start silence/audio delay). ZH3 cuts off first bit of audio (Less than 1 sec)

The pops are present even when sending a zero signal after having sent a zero signal. They are not random at all as they always occur when expected, which is when any signal is sent to the device and when it stops. To suit your explanation, it would need to flush the buffer after the signal has stopped and then flush it again once a signal is received again. That seems odd. It is certainly redundant.

Also, there is a pop for a sample rate change when zeros are streamed to the device, which is not there when there is no signal. Possibly, this is due the data stream being interrupted by macOS during sample rate changes.

Muting the output at the beginning might work, but it also has to be muted at the end to make this device not pop.

 

[FredG]

DX5ii just bricked one of my monitors. There was a loud crack I think only on right Channel. Screen came up as disabled for a few seconds after but left side continued playing vi Bluetooth. Right probably too but it had blown my right side monitor amp. A few days before I had a similar issue but I was on headphones. One side (maybe right) just blasted and caused me to sling my pair of Arya stealth onto the floor by instinct …saving my hearing I imagine. Both times I was connected in windows topping tune but not particularly doing anything at the time. Certainly not the same thing. When the monitor blew I think I just moved my mouse to come out of sleep. I looked around and read about the +20db issue it seems to be along those lines but it was not to do with changing eq. I read it was fixed In 1.7x or something but mine is 1.91.

At the same time it sounded awful. Twee little drums and incredible harsh dustbin lid cymbols. I couldn’t understand how it was rated well because it was so painful. I am currently arranging return and refund. However just for interest (and because I couldn’t believe anyone actually liked its sound) I pulled up a set of drums in reaper and of course I needed the asio driver so installed that. To my disbelief it sounded nothing like before…..pretty good actually. I booted up tidal and the same it sounded great. Even though no firmware upgrade or anything it seems just connecting it via the asio driver reset whatever was going on with it. However now I’m really nervous having nearly lost my hearing. It’s obvious that any safeguard shutdown of audio does not work and the whole digital input to fixed gain amp is a flawed design unless done by competent manufacturers. I’ve had it 15 years with Linn streamer into power amps no problem but those guys put safety first and of course we pay for it. Anyway I'm bummed because it’s cheap and now sounds pretty good but I can’t accept the safety issue. I know I can go dac then analogue amp to lessen the risks but I still worry that I’m reading comment after comment about topping's poor reliability and iffy firmware updates.

Have others experienced this issue especially since the suggest fix of the +20db bug? Is FiiO any better or will all digital volume controls into fixed gain amps at the lower end of the market be a hazzerd?

Cheers

 

[ziggurcat]

At the same time it sounded awful. Twee little drums and incredible harsh dustbin lid cymbols. I couldn’t understand how it was rated well because it was so painful.

It is hard to say what that issue is without knowing what settings you had, or how you had things connected. I can say that that is not the case on my end.

A few others posted above about some spike in volume in one channel when using Topping Tune, so that's probably what you have encountered. I'm on Mac, though, and have never had that happen to me (and I open TT all the time, sometimes even when content is playing).