Topping DX7 Pro DAC and Headphone Amp Reviewed

[Audioent]

I hope that now that Topping has the required in house knowledge to produce state of the art headphone amplifiers they develop a refreshed AIO unit like the DX7 Pro but with SOTA HP amplification.

Building a stack is always an option, but I prefer to keep things simpler and reduce desk clutter, and a top notch one box unit would be the prefered option for me and should be cheaper.

Thank you

 

[Martin]

I hope that now that Topping has the required in house knowledge to produce state of the art headphone amplifiers they develop a refreshed AIO unit like the DX7 Pro but with SOTA HP amplification.

Building a stack is always an option, but I prefer to keep things simpler and reduce desk clutter, and a top notch one box unit would be the prefered option for me and should be cheaper.

A DAC/headphone amp all-in-one with preamp functionality with at least one set of analog RCA and XLR inputs and outputs would be ideal. The first company that does this, and does it demonstrably and measurably well, will get my money. I’m ready to spend $3k on the Benchmark HPA to get most of my desired functionality. Put a DAC in it and I’ll throw money at you.

Martin

 

[ReaderZ]

Audible?

I was sleepy and autocorrect took over...

 

[Jimmy]

The upcoming Fiio K9 Pro may fit the bill partially (it has RCA but not XLR inputs), and the HP amp is THX based, but I very much prefer the looks and smaller footprint of DX7 Pro.

A DAC/headphone amp all-in-one with preamp functionality with at least one set of analog RCA and XLR inputs and outputs would be ideal. The first company that does this, and does it demonstrably and measurably well, will get my money. I’m ready to spend $3k on the Benchmark HPA to get most of my desired functionality. Put a DAC in it and I’ll throw money at you.

Martin

 

[Martin]

The upcoming Fiio K9 Pro may fit the bill partially (it has RCA but not XLR inputs), and the HP amp is THX based, but I very much prefer the looks and smaller footprint of DX7 Pro.

So close... (it's got to have an XLR input)

I think I may have found what I need. A Schiit Jotunheim 2 with an AK4490 DAC module. And it's only $499. Unfortunately, it probable measures like the Bifrost DAC Amir tested. Topping - are you listening? Build me a DX9 Pro with both XLR and RCA inputs and outputs - please...

Martin

 

[domiji]

Hello

i give my DX7 Pro as a present to my younger brother and looking for a good solution with a bit of an upgrade in performance.

What do you think would be a better combination or just makes more sense?

Topping A50s + D70s MQA
Topping A50s + D50s + P50
Topping A90 + D50s

I slightly prefer the A50s + D70s combo at the moment but i don't know if the DAC will sound that different compared to the D50s?

May i also think about some SMSL products as well.

Thanks for your help

 

[Veri]

So close... (it's got to have an XLR input)

I think I may have found what I need. A Schiit Jotunheim 2 with an AK4490 DAC module.

Note that the AK module still hasn't got 2.0V output so pairing it with their $99 modi3+ will be much better than the add-on cart.
See Asgard 3 with the card in pre-amp mode, not terrible but not very good...

Modius + Jot 2 should be a good combo though. Then again both Magnius and Jot 2 are probably best used with balanced headphones, SE out is just not quite as good. I think Schiit likes to pretend the extra bunch of harmonic distortion makes the SE "tubey" sounding but I'd realistically say it's simply "worse" sounding...

 

[Tortie]

Note that the AK module still hasn't got 2.0V output so pairing it with their $99 modi3+ will be much better than the add-on cart.
See Asgard 3 with the card in pre-amp mode, not terrible but not very good...

Modius + Jot 2 should be a good combo though. Then again both Magnius and Jot 2 are probably best used with balanced headphones, SE out is just not quite as good. I think Schiit likes to pretend the extra bunch of harmonic distortion makes the SE "tubey" sounding but I'd realistically say it's simply "worse" sounding...

Can't knock Schiit when their recent amps have inaudible levels of distortion and measure generally well. Topping isn't fairing well out there outside of the ASR community.

 

[Bernard23]

I'm considering A90+D90 or smsl su9 + p400 or combinations of both, and now the dac of ax7 pro, unless the amp section of latter is a better option than the p400.
I'm driving Grados and HD600, source is tidal and musicbee; Iike the idea of the RME ADI-2 DAC but the wasapi "issue" means its not for me. Currenty using a marantz HD DAC1 which sounds great, but that's just subjective, no quantified data to support it.
Ideally I want to add some EQ to Tidal stream. Musicbee has built in DSP which is adequate for mitigating some of the more extreme characteristics of some models.

 

[Veri]

Can't knock Schiit when their recent amps have inaudible levels of distortion and measure generally well.

Both Magnius and Jotunheim 2 measure fairly badly in single ended out. Balanced out is pretty stellar. So I wouldn't say "generally" well.

 

[Tortie]

Both Magnius and Jotunheim 2 measure fairly badly in single ended out. Balanced out is pretty stellar. So I wouldn't say "generally" well.

Likely because their true balanced topologies unlike some of the Topping gear.

 

[Veri]

Likely because their true balanced topologies unlike some of the Topping gear.

In pursuit of their 'true balanced' topology they go with half-assed single ended output. I'd rather have an equal performing amp SE-BAL than something that does BAL great & garbage SE output. So no, not agreeing there whatsoever.

 

[Tortie]

In pursuit of their 'true balanced' topology they go with half-assed single ended output. I'd rather have an equal performing amp SE-BAL than something that does BAL great & garbage SE output. So no, not agreeing there whatsoever.

I get that you don't like Schiit gear but the animosity you have towards them is puzzling.

 

[renoxd]

Is the topping company planning to make some decent power amp for speakers?

 

[JohnYang1997]

Is the topping company planning to make some decent power amp for speakers?

Yes. But no ETA.

 

[Tks]

Yes. But no ETA.

Oh no! went from late 2020, to delayed indefinitely >_<

 

[Veri]

I get that you don't like Schiit gear but the animosity you have towards them is puzzling.

Oh I like plenty of their gear. Just not the ones that only perform at their best on balanced output. I don't see the real benefit in balanced headphones anyway, especially when they sacrifice SE performance..
https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/audio-myth-balanced-headphone-outputs-are-better

 

[Tortie]

Oh I like plenty of their gear. Just not the ones that only perform at their best on balanced output. I don't see the real benefit in balanced headphones anyway, especially when they sacrifice SE performance..
https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/audio-myth-balanced-headphone-outputs-are-better

Interesting article. Seems like headphone BO offers little benefit.

 

[IveyJ]

I'm having another strange problem with my DX7 Pro. I have mine connected via USB to piCorePlayer on a 2GB Raspberry Pi 4. When I power them on the DX7 Pro does not recognize the connection and I get no sound. The display always shows 22.57MHz when this happens. It usually takes several rounds of powering the DX7 Pro and Raspberry Pi off and on along with unplugging and replugging in the USB cable then suddenly it magically starts working. Any ideas of what could be causing this? Is this an indication of impending death?
View attachment 83830
Martin

Hi Martin,

I'm experiencing the same problem that you referenced here: Raspberry Pi 3+, w/ Ropieee installed, fed USB into a Topping DX7 Pro. Topping DX7 pro displays 22.57MHz and is invisible to Roon on my network. I tried a couple of different USB cables, albeit not very high quality ones, to no avail. Were you able to solve your problem?

Thanks in advance,

Ivey

 

[Martin]

Hi Martin,

I'm experiencing the same problem that you referenced here: Raspberry Pi 3+, w/ Ropieee installed, fed USB into a Topping DX7 Pro. Topping DX7 pro displays 22.57MHz and is invisible to Roon on my network. I tried a couple of different USB cables, albeit not very high quality ones, to no avail. Were you able to solve your problem?

Thanks in advance,

Ivey

Restarting the Pi and DX7 in random orders usually gets everything back in sync. Sometimes it takes a half a dozen restarts to get it to work. Now I leave them both on 24x7. They don’t seem to lose sync except when powered down.

I am in the process of replacing the DX7. The next candidate is on its way to Amir for testing.

Martin