Topping DX5II teardown

[sokE]

What were the symptoms? What firmware

I was on 1.72 unresponsive, no screen or port outputs. Legit seemed bricked till I just held the knob in while powering to do the fw update mode. The odd thing is I was running 1.72 from whenever it came out till yesterday and it just decided to stop working a long while after. It is on the current 1.76 now and I will keep you updated if any more problems arise.

 

[Mario1969]

I was on 1.72 unresponsive, no screen or port outputs. Legit seemed bricked till I just held the knob in while powering to do the fw update mode. The odd thing is I was running 1.72 from whenever it came out till yesterday and it just decided to stop working a long while after. It is on the current 1.76 now and I will keep you updated if any more problems arise.

dx5-ii-version-v1-78-firmware-update

 

[jmdesignz2]

dx5-ii-version-v1-78-firmware-update

Wow that’s brand new dated 10/27
I’m hoping they implement my suggestion to make each output able to use it’s own PEQ simultaneously

FOR EXAMPLE This way one can simultaneously send low frequencies to RCA and above 60hz to XLR. For subwoofer integration

this update Seems important lol:

6. What's updated​

• Fixed: The issue that the gain may be amplified by 20dB when switching EQ.

• Fixed: Several other known issues.

 

[somebodyelse]

I’m hoping they implement my suggestion to make each output able to use it’s own PEQ simultaneously

FOR EXAMPLE This way one can simultaneously send low frequencies to RCA and above 60hz to XLR. For subwoofer integration

That one's not possible without changing the hardware, as was explained when you brought it up earlier.

 

[Yersinia Bestmate]

6. What's updated
• Fixed: The issue that the gain may be amplified by 20dB when switching EQ.

Is this a joke?

 

[jmdesignz2]

That one's not possible without changing the hardware, as was explained when you brought it up earlier.

oh? I did not see that response. Topping replied back "we'll refer this to the RD people"

 

[somebodyelse]

oh? I did not see that response. Topping replied back "we'll refer this to the RD people"

Sorry, looks like I forgot to post the reply. I might have thought Berwhale's reply had covered it. To have different PEQ applied to XLR and RCA outputs simultaneously would require 4 DAC channels, while we can see from the photos in post #1 that it contains a single 2-channel DAC which can be connected to any of the pairs of output channels.

 

[jmdesignz2]

Sorry, looks like I forgot to post the reply. I might have thought Berwhale's reply had covered it. To have different PEQ applied to XLR and RCA outputs simultaneously would require 4 DAC channels, while we can see from the photos in post #1 that it contains a single 2-channel DAC which can be connected to any of the pairs of output channels.

OH- I thought this had Dual Stereo Dacs? Then the PEQ could split at least between the two DACs and thence to XLR/RCA ?

• Dual ESS9039Q2M DAC Chips

 

[somebodyelse]

Post #1 shows only a single ES9018 but it's possible other DACs are hidden below the boards on the pin headers - I see the dual ES9039Q2M claim in the marketing. Usually when dual (or more) DAC chips are used in a 'stereo' DAC they're paralleled to get a slight improvement in measurements, so there are still only 2 independent output channels. I concede it's not as clear as I had thought though - it's not impossible that they did something different. It's not entirely unknown to have a separate DAC for the headphones and line outs either, but the interfaces I've seen doing that include those in their channel count and present them as independent channels over USB - the Focusrite Forte is a 2 in 4 out interface with 2 line out channels and 2 headphone out channels, plus a full mixer matrix.

 

[hive]

I'd like to get SDPIF out. Has anyone looked at hacking SPDIF out to a little DAC/Amp similar to this?

 

[NekoLaska]

Post #1 shows only a single ES9018 but it's possible other DACs are hidden below the boards on the pin headers - I see the dual ES9039Q2M claim in the marketing. Usually when dual (or more) DAC chips are used in a 'stereo' DAC they're paralleled to get a slight improvement in measurements, so there are still only 2 independent output channels. I concede it's not as clear as I had thought though - it's not impossible that they did something different. It's not entirely unknown to have a separate DAC for the headphones and line outs either, but the interfaces I've seen doing that include those in their channel count and present them as independent channels over USB - the Focusrite Forte is a 2 in 4 out interface with 2 line out channels and 2 headphone out channels, plus a full mixer matrix.

The ES9039Q2M chip is located beneath the blue heatsink.

 

[audiofun]

The ES9039Q2M chip is located beneath the blue heatsink.

you are entirely wrong.

 

[NekoLaska]

you are entirely wrong.

It seems I was misinformed, thanks for your correction.

 

[ICIETDIYEUR]

Hi.
Isn't it possible that TOPPING used OPA2156 (CMOS) with a capacity of 100mA output for their 'X-HYBRID' circuit rather than OPA1612 (BIPOLAR) with only a capacity of 30mA output to get such an available power and such a large heatsink?

 

[Scrivs]

Was going to splurge, and buy one of these for myself for Christmas as my Precious RME ADI-2 DAC is taking an extended “nap.”
After seeing the assembly quality, and firmware issues with the DX5 II, no thank you.
Thanks very much for the teardown, it was exactly what I needed to see. It’s understandable given the price/performance, but, no gracias—way too many potential points of failure, if not in the near term, then certainly in the not too distant future.
Edit: Clarification.

 

[audiofun]

Hi.
Isn't it possible that TOPPING used OPA2156 (CMOS) with a capacity of 100mA output for their 'X-HYBRID' circuit rather than OPA1612 (BIPOLAR) with only a capacity of 30mA output to get such an available power and such a large heatsink?

there's no op amp under heatsink. only NPN and PNP transistors. the op amp shown above are used to control the transistors.

 

[ICIETDIYEUR]

Thank you for completing and clarifying my audiofun comments: I meant that the NPNs and PNPs must be cooled down (under heatsink) if they receive a large current from the OP AMPS located upstream to provide such power to the headphone outputs.

 

[audiofun]

Thank you for completing and clarifying my audiofun comments: I meant that the NPNs and PNPs must be cooled down (under heatsink) if they receive a large current from the OP AMPS located upstream to provide such power to the headphone outputs.

op amp is not 2156. 2156 has bar as orientation marking but the component has dot. I also don't think upstream current is a great concern.

 

[boXem]

Thank you for completing and clarifying my audiofun comments: I meant that the NPNs and PNPs must be cooled down (under heatsink) if they receive a large current from the OP AMPS located upstream to provide such power to the headphone outputs.

Link to the schematics is available on first post. It's pretty obvious that the opamp used in the output stage doesn't deliver current.

 

[ICIETDIYEUR]

boXem: Can you explain to me how an OP AMP, even if it delivers a very low power, does so without current?