• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Topping DX7 Pro DAC and Headphone Amp Reviewed

OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,376
Likes
234,493
Location
Seattle Area
I thought Topping would fix the output impedance of the headphone jack to make it a perfect an all-in-one state-of-the-art DAC/headphone amp solution. Too bad it is still not there.
I think they would have if people had not complained so much about the original DX3 Pro.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,376
Likes
234,493
Location
Seattle Area
Ok, I see, really hard to use my balanced 50 Ohm planars in such case...
If their impedance is flat with respect to frequency as it should be, it won't be an issue.
 

mi-fu

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 7, 2018
Messages
584
Likes
661
Location
New York
I think they would have if people had not complained so much about the original DX3 Pro.

Amir, do you have any idea or guess why the original low output impedance of the 1st version DX3 Pro is related to the stability issue?
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,376
Likes
234,493
Location
Seattle Area
Amir, do you have any idea or guess why the original low output impedance of the 1st version DX3 Pro is related to the stability issue?
I think in some cases it would short out so they now put resistors in the output to avoid the amp seeing such a low load.
 

MediumRare

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 17, 2019
Messages
1,949
Likes
2,275
Location
Chicago
So, with 114 impedance and a flat WRT frequency I shouldn't have any problem? Said another, will it be exceptionally good? ;)
 

gvl

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 16, 2018
Messages
3,427
Likes
3,982
Location
SoCal
I kind of wish they skipped the mediocre built-in headphone amp and kept the price lower. What's the point to bundle a SOTA DAC with a just "okay" amp and force the people to pay for the feature they will likely never use?
 

Mr. Olinad

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Messages
81
Likes
67
Location
Guarulhos - SP
Thanks for your work @amirm
As an owner of a Sabaj D5 I was waiting for this review to see if it worth the extra $200.
Is it possible to have the Sabaj D5 on your Headphone Amplifier 50 mv SNR graphic?
 

JohnYang1997

Master Contributor
Technical Expert
Audio Company
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
7,175
Likes
18,292
Location
China
I kind of wish they skipped the mediocre built-in headphone amp and kept the price lower. What's the point to bundle a SOTA DAC with a just "okay" amp and force the people to pay for the feature they will likely never use?
Because adding headphone amp in an existing enclosure is cheap and efficient. And it's adequate for most people if not all.
Also that's what the DX series is right? D series should have no headphone out.
 

MediumRare

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 17, 2019
Messages
1,949
Likes
2,275
Location
Chicago
Trying to understand the absolute quality of the headphone amp section. If I understand correctly, SNR @ 50 mV is the key real-world measure, i.e., where we will be listening to actual music. With that measure, the DX7 Pro is about 80.6, at the margin of tier 1 and tier 2 https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...asurement-comparison-charts.8246/#post-207213

So, my questions:
1. Did I get that right? If not, pls point me in a better direction on how to compare to the SOTA and is any difference at this level of excellence audible?
2. Will balanced output make any difference? (perhaps 2-3 dB better?)
 

JohnYang1997

Master Contributor
Technical Expert
Audio Company
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
7,175
Likes
18,292
Location
China
Trying to understand the absolute quality of the headphone amp section. If I understand correctly, SNR @ 50 mV is the key real-world measure, i.e., where we will be listening to actual music. With that measure, the DX7 Pro is about 80.6, at the margin of tier 1 and tier 2 https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...asurement-comparison-charts.8246/#post-207213

So, my questions:
1. Did I get that right? If not, pls point me in a better direction on how to compare to the SOTA and is any difference at this level of excellence audible?
2. Will balanced output make any difference? (perhaps 2-3 dB better?)
Balance will make it worse because there is no attenuation for noise so you end up with sqrt 2 times the noise with when volune kept the same.
Very sensitive iems will make the noise audible. Only at the level of rme you can't hear the noise. Below that you may hear with some iems.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,376
Likes
234,493
Location
Seattle Area
Trying to understand the absolute quality of the headphone amp section. If I understand correctly, SNR @ 50 mV is the key real-world measure, i.e., where we will be listening to actual music.
No. That is the level you may use with a very sensitive IEM. That is the only time that measurement matters.
 

MediumRare

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 17, 2019
Messages
1,949
Likes
2,275
Location
Chicago
Balance will make it worse because there is no attenuation for noise so you end up with sqrt 2 times the noise with when volune kept the same.
Very sensitive iems will make the noise audible. Only at the level of rme you can't hear the noise. Below that you may hear with some iems.
Hmmm, I'm looking at the THD+N% v Power graph and at every point the SINAD is a little better with Balanced, so what am I missing?
 
Top Bottom