Topping DX7 Pro DAC and Headphone Amp Reviewed

[MysterE]

Does your friend want to sell his DAC3? You can DM me.

I got it very happy with it to say the least!!

 

[Nicosea]

Already tested or any chance to test the impedance for the 4.4mm balanced output?
I would expect it better than the 1/4 unbalanced output.

 

[maxxevv]

Ok so I finally received my Dx7 Pro yesterday and today spent about an hour comparing it to Chord Qutest.

Is it a 'Chord Qutest killer'? For me it surely is. I hoped that it will sound no worse than Qutest, but in fact, I like its sound even more. It's a very small difference indeed, but its sound is a little bit more open without treble becoming harsher. Voices are just this ted bit more alive. Qutest is a very very good DAC, but to my (untrained) ears certainly no better than DX7 pro. Doesn't seem that there is any magic behind those 50,000 "taps" that Rob Watts is advertising.

Headphone amp also seems to work well. I was listening to some podcasts yesterday evening and compared how voices sound via 3,5mm jack on my iMac and via Topping DX7 Pro. Although iMac's headphone jack sounds good, it does add some irritating edges to words which are absent via Topping. Well recorded dialogues are much more pleasant to listen to via Topping DX7 Pro.

The packaging and design craftsmanship are also superb.

So overall I'm very happy with this purchase and thanks to ASR for this review once again.

@veeceemView attachment 38876

That's what I would expect if there are difference between very competent DAC's. It will be subtle. Most of the time we only pick up öbvious"differences if something is really broken or not properly level matched.

Great to hear that a reasonably priced DAC like the DX7Pro goes toe to to with something over 3x its MRSP and bests it in some areas even if its subjective.

 

[Veri]

Already tested or any chance to test the impedance for the 4.4mm balanced output?
I would expect it better than the 1/4 unbalanced output.

SE is 6ohm and so balanced is twice that: 12ohm. 4.4mm is wired to the balanced output, therefore 12ohm and in fact worse in this regard than the 1/4 output.

 

[ShiftSlide]

Alou, can't disagree with you there!
I do have a stereo system with a Rega integrated amp/turntable/phono stage and Dynaudio bookshelfs.

@MediumRare trying to output a digital signal to my DAC which worked without issues for the last year with the D50, DX7 Pro in the same system seems to be more sensitive to signal issues as I have short dropouts in audio no matter which cable or setting I try

But I also noticed that link I posted isn't actually correct, as I do have a standard 3.5mm audio out as well on my TV.

So.. I went full PICKLE RICK and connected a good 3.5mm->RCA to my amp, selected the Audio Out (Line Out) option and well, it works...
Assuming my goal is just stereo sound how "bad" is the 3.5mm output from a technical standpoint in my setup?
Another option would be an OPT->COAX converter and then using that for the DAC, but that's also a gamble at this point since the issue is clearly on the TV side.

I had the same problem with my original Topping DX7 and LG B7 OLED using optical. The best way to solve your problem is to use optical directly from your sources (PS4, Xbox One, etc) with an optical switch, and if you don't have an optical port (Nintendo Switch), you can use a HDMI audio extractor and feed that optical signal into an optical switch, or use COAX from certain HDMI extractor boxes. All of these products can be found on Amazon. You'll have to do some manual input switching for audio and give up your TV apps, but this should completely solve your problem.

Do note that you will still encounter audio drops in specific scenarios, but they usually only happen when changing games/media within your source, similar to switching sample rate. It shouldn't occur randomly while playing content anymore.

Topping designed the DX7 series to slowly increase the volume when its sent a sudden signal, to avoid sound discomfort. The TV is basically adding some kind of noise that triggers this feature in DX7 models. This issue isn't present in the DX3 Pro. I really dislike this feature and it's a shame that Topping still puts it in its DX7 series. However, it's the TV's fault for having a crappy optical transport as well.

These products should solve your problem:

JTECH Optical Switch: https://www.amazon.com/J-Tech-Digit...ds=jtech+optical+matrix&qid=1573922055&sr=8-1

HDMI Audio Extractor: https://www.amazon.com/avedio-links...ds=hdmi+audio+extractor&qid=1573922323&sr=8-7

 

[RickSanchez]

Topping designed the DX7 series to slowly increase the volume when its sent a sudden signal, to avoid sound discomfort.

That's great info, super helpful for DX7 Pro owners. Do you have a link to where this feature is documented by Topping or one of the sellers?

 

[ShiftSlide]

That's great info, super helpful for DX7 Pro owners. Do you have a link to where this feature is documented by Topping or one of the sellers?

This is the direct quote from Topping when I complained about this problem with the DX7 two years ago:

"According to our analysis, your DX7 has no problem. We designed DX7 to slowly increase volume of output when sudden input a signal. This will avoid the sudden sounds which make users discomfort. Output of your TV probably will break off and recovered in a short time, but DX7 captured this break off and slowly increase volume at signal's recovery. So you see this situation, some users who use apple's optical output met similar problem"

It's very inconvenient for my use, however there is nobody else that makes an affordable DAC/AMP combo with a remote at the time, so I just learned to sidestep the issue.

I'm glad someone posted about this, because I thought this issue only affected my OG DX7. They also could not supply a firmware update for me to fix it over the internet, apparently it's a hard-coded issue that requires the DX7 to be serviced in-house. I don't know if the lack of firmware update still applies to DX7S and DX7 Pro, though I recommend being vocal on this issue!

 

[Zackthedog]

I received my DX7 Pro three days ago. I recently bought a DX7s but I was interested in the upgrade. I'm extremely pleased. Topping is my first venture into ES9038 DAC chips. I previously own an Arcam irDAC for a number of years and always liked the sound of it, but the Topping is a huge upgrade for me. The straightforward transparency of the Topping is quite a revelation. I can now clearly hear the artificial treble boost in the Arcam, and I don't miss it. ;-)

The DX7 Pro sounds cleaner to me than the DX7s. I'm sure there's a reason for this, perhaps the smoothing of the ESS "hump"? Anyway, it's quite stellar. I'm feeding it with an Allo USBridge plugged directly into the back of the DAC with an Uptone USB A>B adapter. This was also a big upgrade over a USB cable from my Mac Mini.

Potential buyers might want to note that the DX7 Pro comes with a remote, so you don't have to order one separately like you did with the DX7s. Also, the new remote is plastic, uses regular AAA batteries and works *much better* than the old remote, which is clunky and extremely range-limited, for some reason.

I don't use headphones so I can't comment on that aspect. I can say that my old ProAcs driven by Williamson-style tube amplifiers have taken on new life. It's quite a transformation in sound for me.

 

[Toku]

Topping designed the DX7 series to slowly increase the volume when its sent a sudden signal, to avoid sound discomfort. The TV is basically adding some kind of noise that triggers this feature in DX7 models. This issue isn't present in the DX3 Pro. I really dislike this feature and it's a shame that Topping still puts it in its DX7 series. However, it's the TV's fault for having a crappy optical transport as well.

Please tell me.
Does this symptom mean that the fade-in behavior works first when playing a song?

 

[Alou]

I Have not noticed such a behavior after a week of playback.This happens probably in TV-FILM soundtracks where you have a very low background soundtrack you get a +++db explosion sound etc.

 

[Vovgan]

That's what I would expect if there are difference between very competent DAC's. It will be subtle. Most of the time we only pick up öbvious"differences if something is really broken or not properly level matched.

Great to hear that a reasonably priced DAC like the DX7Pro goes toe to to with something over 3x its MRSP and bests it in some areas even if its subjective.

A few days ago I posted my first impressions on Chord Qutest vs Topping DX7 Pro where I said that to me DX7 Pro in fact betters Chord Qutest.

Today I have done some more listening with my wife who is 18 years younger and still in her early 20s and after switching from Qutest to DX7 Pro she said that the sound from Topping lacks luxuriousness and lusciousness that she feels with Qutest. And as she said it I immediately realized that she was right. We did a couple of more switchings between these DACs, but all HD and Ultra HD songs on Amazon that we listened had this luxury touch on Qutest that was not there with Topping.

So for now the Topping is relegated to become a replacement for the headphone jack on my iMac, while Qutest continues its duty in the main system.

@Veri @veeceem

 

[Veri]

We did a couple of more switchings between these DACs, but all HD and Ultra HD songs on Amazon that we listened had this luxury touch on Qutest that was not there with Topping.

So for now the Topping is relegated to become a replacement for the headphone jack on my iMac, while Qutest continues its duty in the main system.

@Veri @veeceem

No idea what a "luxury touch" is supposed to sound like. Seems like the kind of thing you hear after spending over $1K on a Chord DAC, lol.
Then again I don't have a wife 18years younger than me to assitt me in hearing this phenomenon

 

[maxxevv]

Its hard to say if visual knowledge played a part on that.

A level matched, blind test is the best way to say if it was. Try again with your wife not knowing what she was listening to, with voltages carefully matched if possible. There may still be differentiable details, but I can assure you it will be a lot harder if that wasn't previously the case.

 

[BDWoody]

A few days ago I posted my first impressions on Chord Qutest vs Topping DX7 Pro where I said that to me DX7 Pro in fact betters Chord Qutest.

Today I have done some more listening with my wife who is 18 years younger and still in her early 20s and after switching from Qutest to DX7 Pro she said that the sound from Topping lacks luxuriousness and lusciousness that she feels with Qutest. And as she said it I immediately realized that she was right. We did a couple of more switchings between these DACs, but all HD and Ultra HD songs on Amazon that we listened had this luxury touch on Qutest that was not there with Topping.

So for now the Topping is relegated to become a replacement for the headphone jack on my iMac, while Qutest continues its duty in the main system.

@Veri @veeceem

Did you employ any controls on the listening sessions? Closely matched output levels and compared unsighted?

Your results are very predictable if you didn't.

They are virtually impossible if you did.

 

[veeceem]

@Vovgan tbh, after buying Anthem STR preamp, use its DAC and its room correction feature (ARC). Qutest and DX7 Pro is now eating dust cant live without RC now I guess. Next purchase for my bed room setup will be NAD C658 or MiniDSP SHD or anything with RC biggest improvement ever since I started this hobby

 

[Vovgan]

@Vovgan tbh, after buying Anthem STR preamp, use its DAC and its room correction feature (ARC). Qutest and DX7 Pro is now eating dust cant live without RC now I guess. Next purchase for my bed room setup will be NAD C658 or MiniDSP SHD or anything with RC biggest improvement ever since I started this hobby

Hey, wouldn’t you make us all a big favor and let ASR have a look at how good your Anthem is?

We definitely need to see more of expensive and promising gear to be tested here.

Are you living in the US?

 

[Alou]

For me the DX7pro is among the best sounding DAC's . Being in the Boradcast & Film Industry i have worked with many Pro digital audio devices and have a vast experience in the record monitoring.Even though i got the DX7pro for home i took it in a studio last week and it rocked.
Most believed that their tracks were Remastered! The PMC and Adam pro monitors delivered so well from the DX7pro ,i almost felt i can hear all the variables after applying filters and plug-ins in the mix.Serisously i can say it preforms similar if not better then the Grace M903 and Lynx HILO monitor preamps and way better than the Aurora Studio 16 DACs. The Detail that comes from the Dx7pro in combination with a serious pro monitor,l is just like working with a microscope in a surgical operation!

 

[ShiftSlide]

Please tell me.
Does this symptom mean that the fade-in behavior works first when playing a song?

I don't think this audio dropout issue has anything to do with regular noise. As mentioned in the fix, if you use the source's own optical output, you won't get audio drops even with very high dynamic range and loudness. Same goes for music. Rather, I think the TV is injecting some kind of frequency during its HDMI > optical conversion that the DX7 considers irregular, which causes the break-off. I know it has nothing to do with the normal sounds used in media, because these drops occur completely at random, even with quieter sounds.

The only time I've experienced this drop off on my DX7 is randomly through my TV's optical output, and when changing sample rates. It's never happened via USB, or when using a proper optical signal. The times it occurs during a clean optical signal is predictable and repeatable, similar to a sample rate change. It occurs randomly when using the LG OLED TV's optical signal.

You should never encounter this problem listening to music or using USB in general, unless you change your sample rate and play a song.

 

[Zackthedog]

Please tell me.
Does this symptom mean that the fade-in behavior works first when playing a song?

I have only noticed this "fade-up" effect when you change inputs on the fly. I've never had a problem with either the DX7s or the Pro cutting off the beginning of a song.

 

[Jimmy]

If you used RCA outputs don't forget that if I'm not mistaken the Qutest outputs 3V by default which isn't by any means standard and it may even affect the behavior of upstream gear.

Well now there’s no point for me to continue comparing the two because it would look like I’m trying to make my wife change her opinion and I see no potential benefit in trying to do it since frankly we’re now both of the same opinion. Should I change Qutest for Topping now, we will both regret it, so we’re done experimenting with DX7 Pro. It’s all 100% subjective of course, just felt that it would be right on my part to post my second and final impression here.

P.S. It was not a blind test and I still wouldn’t bet much (but some) that I can differentiate the two in a blind test.