Topping DX5II teardown

[boXem]

With all the magic smoke contained before it escapes due to the lack of proper cooling.

 

[audiofun]

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

op amp does not drive load. the bjts do. op amp just need to deliver a tiny, tiny percentage (like 0.5%) of the current needed by the load to the BJTs.

 

[Mutex]

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.

Could you elaborate on what exactly you see as potential points of failure that might break in the future?

I mean, if it works and unless you bump the unit hard to the point where some soldering gets loose, the unit should be fine for a long time, right? Or are there some obvious bad components being used, like some capacitors that swell and die with time?

 

[Mocie]

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.

The prophecy seems to be coming true in the DX5II thread.

 

[Mutex]

The prophecy seems to be coming true in the DX5II thread.

Not even close. Marginal number of reports, mostly from people trying to stick in as many headphones as they can into that unit... at the same time.

 

[ICIETDIYEUR]

Hi.

I don't understand why we try to minimize or try to justify the problems encountered with this device: they are very present and above all too numerous.

Since then, no definitive solution has been proposed in terms of Firmware: it is the only device in this case to my knowledge...

We have to face the facts: this device is a real 'flop'

 

[Mocie]

Since then, no definitive solution has been proposed in terms of Firmware

It is baffling to me seeing 50 pages of firmware troubleshooting and unclear answers from Topping in the main thread, only for the same people plagued with these issues continuing to recommend the DX5II.

 

[delta76]

yes. in terms of build quality of the pcb you feel sloppiness here and there. flux never got cleaned. boards are cut with rough edges, and installed with twisted angle.
component markings are sanded off. headphone jack is not even aligned precisely to the front panel and you have to push them in order to assemble back.
You don't find "hifi-quality" components on the board. On I/V board photo the lower two op amps seem like different models or from different batches.
Personally I don't really care given this low price... It works and measures great, and that's good enough for ASR.

nope. even on ASR people are getting more and more conscious about reliability and longevity. Once the excitement of high SINAD/high power/good price passed, people will start asking, why do we need to buy more or less same stuffs every year.
I eyed this for quite a while but after a bad taste with C200, I decided to go with RME instead

 

[somebodyelse]

Hi.

I don't understand why we try to minimize or try to justify the problems encountered with this device: they are very present and above all too numerous.

Since then, no definitive solution has been proposed in terms of Firmware: it is the only device in this case to my knowledge...

We have to face the facts: this device is a real 'flop'

Compare and contrast with the JDS Labs Element IV thread where similar EQ capabilities were introduced.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s-element-iv-dac-hp-amp-with-eq-review.59002/

 

[Crook]

It is baffling to me seeing 50 pages of firmware troubleshooting and unclear answers from Topping in the main thread, only for the same people plagued with these issues continuing to recommend the DX5II.

Indeed. It is 1/3 the price of RME for a reason. It does irk me a little, that it is still highly recommended in the review, then followed up with 1,300 posts of pain. I have Topping products (a simple L30ii amp, love it), but bought with the knowledge that there is limited support and it is a throw away product @ £150. Topping put a lot of complicated functionality into the DX5 ii unit, but do not appear to have the expertise to make it work properly yet. It is effectively still in beta testing.

 

[Sokel]

the expertise

That's a very strong word that I would refer to people making something perfectly functional with a flaw here and there.

But, a 20dB jump in level for example (the sole, most important aspect to something that messes with gain) is far, FAR from expertise even if the gear can't output t voltage-wise at full level (but it could if attenuated by the same amount for example, and that would translate to speakers)

I know that experts on the subject are rare and even more so the ones who can design a proper EQ and also prevent bad filter stacking, etc.
And they ask for decent money, rightfully so.

Unless you pay...

 

[Viper780]

Hi.

I don't understand why we try to minimize or try to justify the problems encountered with this device: they are very present and above all too numerous.

Do you have a list for me?
I like to check if there is something on it that is relevant for my usecase.

We have to face the facts: this device is a real 'flop'

How do you define flop?
To my knowledge it is selling really well

 

[Berwhale]

Indeed. It is 1/3 the price of RME for a reason. It does irk me a little, that it is still highly recommended in the review, then followed up with 1,300 posts of pain. I have Topping products (a simple L30ii amp, love it), but bought with the knowledge that there is limited support and it is a throw away product @ £150. Topping put a lot of complicated functionality into the DX5 ii unit, but do not appear to have the expertise to make it work properly yet. It is effectively still in beta testing.

I paid £200 for my DX5 II, so not much more than your 'throw away' L30 II. I don't suppose I would have paid much more for a device that new was almost certain to have teething issues given the new functionality. I don't regret the purchase and i'm still using the EX5 that it replaces in my bedside setup.

 

[SnakeLord]

Hi.

I don't understand why we try to minimize or try to justify the problems encountered with this device: they are very present and above all too numerous.

Since then, no definitive solution has been proposed in terms of Firmware: it is the only device in this case to my knowledge...

We have to face the facts: this device is a real 'flop'

You should keep things in perspective. The DX5II thread is from July 2025 and has already almost 290k views. The main DX5II thread from 2024 has even more then 400k views. This shows huge demand and interest for this type of devices, it also shows that Topping must indeed have sold shitloads of units.
It is normal to have all kind of problems among all the possible hardware and use case configurations. Also people tend report on "bad" things in first place. But there are even more silent satisfied customers.

While the DX5II isnt flawless and has/had its issues here and there, generally speaking the device is rather working as intended and Topping also takes care of the issues. It is also still unbeatable at the price point of 300$ considering its feauters and performance. The picture of the DX5II isnt that black and white as some of you guys are presenting it. Evenmore when many of you dont even own this device.

 

[delta76]

Indeed. It is 1/3 the price of RME for a reason. It does irk me a little, that it is still highly recommended in the review, then followed up with 1,300 posts of pain. I have Topping products (a simple L30ii amp, love it), but bought with the knowledge that there is limited support and it is a throw away product @ £150. Topping put a lot of complicated functionality into the DX5 ii unit, but do not appear to have the expertise to make it work properly yet. It is effectively still in beta testing.

it is pretty much a strategy, if you call it that. good products by measurements. mediocre construction that does not last long (sure, some might last, but not the majority), new version within a year with some new features and same price, and people will just jump ship hoping new device will be less problematic. rinse and repeat.

I think those devices should be used as gateway drug. If you're unsure you want to get into Hifi and do not want to throw a thousand $ into it. Buy one, if it breaks, go with Schiit, RME, what have you with proper engineering and long-term support.

Buying first one cheap is fine. Buying second one cheap is questionable. Buying third one cheap, that's on you.

 

[Berwhale]

Hi.

I don't understand why we try to minimize or try to justify the problems encountered with this device: they are very present and above all too numerous.

Since then, no definitive solution has been proposed in terms of Firmware: it is the only device in this case to my knowledge...

We have to face the facts: this device is a real 'flop'

I use my DX5 II every day and have no issues other than the loss of PEQ profiles if I reboot my PC (which I might do once or twice a month). It takes me 10 seconds to re-instate the PEQ profiles, so it's not a major inconvenience and i'm fairly certain it will get fixed at some point.

It sounds like you've dropped into the 'Trough of Disillusionment' with respect to the DX5 II

 

[Berwhale]

Buying first one cheap is fine. Buying second one cheap is questionable. Buying third one cheap, that's on you.

FWIW, I went...

1. Topping D50s & A50s (and a P50 )
2. Topping EX5
3. Topping DX5 II

And they all still work and none of them has fallen apart yet.

 

[delta76]

I use my DX5 II every day and have no issues other than the loss of PEQ profiles if I reboot my PC (which I might do once or twice a month). It takes me 10 seconds to re-instate the PEQ profiles, so it's not a major inconvenience and i'm fairly certain it will get fixed at some point.

It sounds like you've dropped into the 'Trough of Disillusionment' with respect to the DX5 II

View attachment 504632

even with an absolutely terrible rate of 10% major (break down), 20% minor (daily annoyances) failures, there will be 7 out 10 people say that my device is fine, so your example is quite anecdotal (and I would not say it's completely flawless, that is a bug that should have fixed)

 

[delta76]

FWIW, I went...

1. Topping D50s & A50s (and a P50 )
2. Topping EX5
3. Topping DX5 II

And they all still work and none of them has fallen apart yet.

it was put on context of my post is when the first fails. you're lucky that yours haven't, and I won't judge your purchase decision. I've been considering this (and other SMSL, etc. devices, and the more I dove into the review threads, my reaction was "nope, I don't want this"

 

[Mutex]

Indeed. It is 1/3 the price of RME for a reason.

People talking of RME like it launches their products flawless. Please, take a look at RME's firmware change logs from 2019 until today.

You cannot compare a unit that launched 6 months ago, with something that has received firmware patches for over 7 years.

Edit: Oh, and not to mention the Hardware rev. X and rev. 7 all over their change log.