Topping DX7 Pro DAC and Headphone Amp Reviewed

[mugbot]

Has anyone tried one of these with an Aeon 2/Noire?
Interested in how it performs with these very low impedance cans (only 13 Ohms) given other dac/amps such as the EX5 go into protection.

 

[Martin]

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

This happened more and more frequently. Yesterday was the last time. I cannot get it working again.

I hooked up my D30 Pro and proved it to be an issue with my Raspberry Pi. I googled “Raspberry Pi 4 dead USB” and found many threads discussing how all four USB ports on Raspberry Pi 4’s just randomly die. It seems to be a hardware problem. I ordered a new Raspberry Pi.

Good to know it’s not my DX7 Pro.

Martin

 

[foxxx0]

maybe it's drawing a little too much juice and thus causing an early fail of the pi's usb ports?
as an idea you could try putting a powered usb hub inbetween or one of these usb ground loop isolator dongle that has a DC jack for external power supply so that it doesn't pull juice from the pi

 

[xnor]

@JohnYang1997 Are there any plans for a DX7 Pro+?

 

[Lupin]

Would be interesting to see what Topping can/will come up with in the high(er) end AIO market now they have the entry and mid end covered.
But sweet baby Jesus I hope Topping is really going to (re)think their naming scheme, just sticking "Pro" and "+" to existing names doesn't make it better.

 

[xnor]

I'd also like to see a DX5 (Pro+) with balanced line-outs but unbalanced headphone amp. There's little to no point in a balanced connection to the headphones anyway, but when connecting grounded devices balanced is a must in my book.

 

[Martin]

This happened more and more frequently. Yesterday was the last time. I cannot get it working again.

I hooked up my D30 Pro and proved it to be an issue with my Raspberry Pi. I googled “Raspberry Pi 4 dead USB” and found many threads discussing how all four USB ports on Raspberry Pi 4’s just randomly die. It seems to be a hardware problem. I ordered a new Raspberry Pi.

Good to know it’s not my DX7 Pro.

Martin

I setup the new Raspberry Pi today and it has the same issue. The DX7 Pro display shows 22.57MHz and there is no sound. After hours of research I finally figured out the issue. I did not need to buy a new Raspberry Pi. There are two interrelated settings to enable USB output in piCorePlayer.

The first is setting the Audio output device settings to USB audio.

The second is Output setting. You can leave it blank and it may or may not work. It worked for me for years; then it just stopped. If you click on more> next to the text box you can choose from a number of different devices. Mine showed all these:

• sysdefault
• default
• plugequal
• equal
• hw:CARD=Pro,DEV=0
• plughw:CARD=Pro,DEV=0
• sysdefault:CARD=Pro
• front:CARD=Pro,DEV=0
• surround21:CARD=Pro,DEV=0
• surround40:CARD=Pro,DEV=0
• surround41:CARD=Pro,DEV=0
• surround50:CARD=Pro,DEV=0
• surround51:CARD=Pro,DEV=0
• surround71:CARD=Pro,DEV=0
• iec958:CARD=Pro,DEV=0
• hw:CARD=Headphones,DEV=0
• plughw:CARD=Headphones,DEV=0
• sysdefault:CARD=Headphones

Through my research I found the correct choice is the hw: one, hw:CARD=Pro,DEV=0 in my case. Now both my Raspberry Pis work. I guess I'll be selling one.

Just in case anyone else runs into the same problem.

Martin

 

[kiyu]

NO more DX7 pro black in amazon, hifigo, or shenzenaudio hmmmm Dx7+ pro is coming?

 

[Martin]

NO more DX7 pro black in amazon, hifigo, or shenzenaudio hmmmm Dx7+ pro is coming?

On Apos:

Dang it.​

We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but the TOPPING DX7 Pro has reached its end of life. If you're looking for a flagship DAC, we think you'll like the TOPPING D90SE. For a flagship amp, check out the TOPPING A90.

I keep hoping Topping gives us a DX9 Pro.

Martin

 

[860lacov]

I don't fully understand output impedance problem

I have audeze lcd2 classic and sennheiser momentum 2 over year

Audeze has 70 omh impedance and sm has 18

Could you please tell me in simple words what can happen (any real world difference) with dx7 pro?

 

[kiyu]

I don't fully understand output impedance problem

I have audeze lcd2 classic and sennheiser momentum 2 over year

Audeze has 70 omh impedance and sm has 18

Could you please tell me in simple words what can happen (any real world difference) with dx7 pro?

well I am not an expert on the topic...
a lot of folks could give you a better answer but as far as I understand.

audeze lcd2 are planar magnetic headphones, usually those are NOT affected by the high impedance output. (because the impedance curve is flatt),
so you shouldn't have to worry about that.
for dynamic drivers, it can be affected and it can sound different than in other amps. that "different" is not always something bad, it might sound better for some headphones.

I won't recommend using IEM on the balanced output 4.4mm just in case

 

[xnor]

I don't fully understand output impedance problem

I have audeze lcd2 classic and sennheiser momentum 2 over year

Audeze has 70 omh impedance and sm has 18

Could you please tell me in simple words what can happen (any real world difference) with dx7 pro?

Do you have an impedance plot for the Sennheiser? If not then we can only guess what the result will be.

 

[860lacov]

Do you have an impedance plot for the Sennheiser? If not then we can only guess what the result will be.

Thank you for reply.
Today I saw monoprice 887 with quite high discount so I decided to go this way.

 

[pacman]

Well, my DX7 Pro died right now, after 2 years of use.

I was adjusting volume by knob, the sound stopped and the display went nuts. I powered it off and it never turned it on again.

@JohnYang1997 is there anything I could do? I live in Brazil and don't have the tools to open it.

 

[czykier]

I have DX7 pro and HD600 v2 with Mogami cable single ended. Before I had IFI nano LE so I compare a little bit what is important for me.

From technical side:
-more power then IFI but not so much
-volume knob, lots of steps with cliking and push to power on. IFI in this case is better, smooth with power on by rotating with click
-selectable gain h/l in plus
-with spotify sampling up to 48khz, with higher spotify show error
-digital filter makes no difference
-volume adjustment very precise from the begining, ifi on low level was crazy
-replaceable op amp

Sound(with HD600) vs IFI nano LE:
very detailed, very bright, generally whole sound shifted to lightnes, with deformed vocal and not energetic bas. Scene much bigger. In lots of cases ifi was better with more musical and smooth sound but in some cases was also devasteted. DX7PRO has very good sound control without anomalies expect very very high but with bright schemme on all range. Generally very specific, detailed, separated, cold, not natural, with small mess on high sopran. Quality not relate to price with HD600, there is feel of potential but thats all. Darker HD650 will be better for sure. I was close to send back but I tried to roll op amp.
I repalced 2xLME 49720 to 2xOPA1612 on LPF and... my ass has fallen off on the floor. Complete shift, energy and expresion comes back, brightnes was compensated, sound becomes 'big', scene about the same, with vocal just before face like in IFI but more detail. It is still bright but in positive meaning. I removed ifi from desk and foil from display. Only whats left is small mess on very high sopran. LME 49720 is wild. I tried also OPA1612 on amp section and effect was simillar but not the same, mess on very high sopran stays anyway. Next step could be replacing leftover LME by LME 49880 then we will see...
Genererally impressive sound but not directly from box (at least with HD600)

Other thing are generally positive opinions on reviews of dx7 PRO. Not everybody replace op amps. I can't belive that only HD600 has problem with this amp. Many headphones are the same or brighter then HD600. Maybe HD600 are specific, maybe balanced output is better, I didn't check, or maybe I'm half deaf or somone else is half deaf or has bussines in writing review

 

[AVPM]

I just purchased the DX7 Pro and plan to pair it with the HD6XX. Is there anything to be gained by purchasing a new cable and using the balanced output?

 

[Doodski]

I just purchased the DX7 Pro and plan to pair it with the HD6XX. Is there anything to be gained by purchasing a new cable and using the balanced output?

The sound quality difference is splitting hairs and it's all about the power output. The XLR output will deliver more power to the headphone(load). As can be seen here in this test graph with both the 1/4" and XLR outputs when the load is @ 50 Ohms. Other than power output there may be a lower distortion benefit to using the XLR over the 1/4" but there might be a benefit for using the 1/4" over the XLR. In this graph the XLR has ever so slightly lower THD+Noise. I suggest you try the 1/4" (Single ended connection.) and if that does not have enough power output then get the XLR balanced cable. I doubt you can hear a difference between the two other than the XLR will maybe go louder than the 1/4", if you want to go that loud. Otherwise if the expense for the XLR cable is not high and the cable shipping fee is included in the purchase price of the amp then maybe just go ahead and get the XLR cable too.

 

[xnor]

Power will a complete non-issue with HD6XX. At 110 dB SPL you will need less than 20 mW.
If volume is too low then the issue is low gain or low source level.

 

[SRKRAM]

If anybody needs a new display / volume controller board for their DX7 pro, send me a message. The volume control on my DX7 pro was faulty so I ordered a replacement board but ended up with 2 because the first was delayed in the post.

 

[pacman]

If anybody needs a new display / volume controller board for their DX7 pro, send me a message. The volume control on my DX7 pro was faulty so I ordered a replacement board but ended up with 2 because the first was delayed in the post.

I sent you a PM. My DX7 Pro is dead, like I stated here