Topping DX7 Pro+ Review (DAC & HP Amp)

[shrimp_dude]

Compared to other options at lower prices. Their own DX5 is $250 less and you drop some inputs, an output, and a trigger.

Seems like they fixed the IMD hump from DX5 to this DX7 pro at least/at last.

 

[jpanda]

Here's the max output power vs load for every Topping AIO currently sold:
View attachment 228156
Note that I used WolfX-700's data, because he does high res sweeps at four different loads.

I understand the dx3 pro+ will be better / gives more power than the dx7 pro+ for low impedance headphone like the Dan Clark Aeon (13 ohms), right?
More than twice the price ... I will wait

 

[VariousArtists]

Just curious, what are the practical engineering challenges of putting the power of say Topping L30 II (3.4W at 32 Ohm) into an all-in-one like this?

 

[Jimster480]

Seems like they fixed the IMD hump from DX5 to this DX7 pro at least/at last.

Is it using the same DAC Chip?

 

[restorer-john]

I'm not sure how you can say the two products are comparable. Has this Yamaha even been tested here?

I'm trying to show a little perspective. A D/A converter is just a small piece of a reproduction system and the cost should be commensurate with that.

The Yamaha has been very comprehensively reviewed. I'm not linking to other competent review sites, but you can easily search.

 

[Drengur]

Are you adverse to bass? What are you listening to? I find that the volume position varies based on the type of music. High frequencies need very little power, bass needs lots of power.

I listen to all kinds of music, I do love bass. I'm listening to BB King & Clapton while writing this. I can take it up to around two o'clock before it gets uncomfortable. (Treble starts to pierce at that point).

 

[Jimster480]

I'm trying to show a little perspective. A D/A converter is just a small piece of a reproduction system and the cost should be commensurate with that.

The Yamaha has been very comprehensively reviewed. I'm not linking to other competent review sites, but you can easily search.

yes but this also depends on if you have speakers or care about speakers.
Personally I don't have speakers, my secondary desktop has speakers and those are powered and plugged into a Topping EX5. I have a headphone plugged into the front and toggle between the two. My main workstation here has no speakers (a small dell sound bar at the bottom of my main / center monitor for regular sounds from windows) as everything important comes through headphones only. I had the original DX7 but this one is too expensive; I currently have a D70S + THX 789. I recently upgraded the original DX7 after 5 years of almost daily use.

 

[restorer-john]

Good point at @Jimster480

 

[amirm]

I'm trying to show a little perspective. A D/A converter is just a small piece of a reproduction system and the cost should be commensurate with that.

You can get DACs from Topping that are far cheaper than DX7 Pro+. DX7 Pro+ provides state of the art performance. The Yamaha I am sure does not.

 

[tomchris]

A few questions regarding measurements. When reviewing DACs, Stereophile shows how DACs reproduce an undithered 1kHz sinewave at –90.31dBFS, 16/24-bit data. First question, why undithered? Second question, if the DACs instead reproduced a dithered 1kHz sinewave, how low would it be able to go?

 

[gvl]

A few questions regarding measurements. When reviewing DACs, Stereophile shows how DACs reproduce an undithered 1kHz sinewave at –90.31dBFS, 16/24-bit data. First question, why undithered? Second question, if the DACs instead reproduced a dithered 1kHz sinewave, how low would it be able to go?

As dither is added noise I think the intention is to show how a pure digital signal is reproduced at those low levels. A related question I have is why the 16 bit -90db signal always looks like the square wave, shouldn’t the filter be able to smooth it out?

 

[Talisman]

Bored.
The only real novelty I see is (finally) the 12V triggers, considering that all the dacs can now be used as preamplifiers, it was also time that they put it on.
For the rest from 110 sinad up I do not worry at all, the phase of the ruler in the bathroom in middle school is over.

 

[amirm]

As dither is added noise I think the intention is to show how a pure digital signal is reproduced at those low levels. A related question I have is why the 16 bit -90db signal always looks like the square wave, shouldn’t the filter be able to smooth it out?

It can if it attenuates below noise floor of 16 bit audio. Otherwise harmonics of that square wave still exist making it more like a squarewave.

 

[tomchris]

As dither is added noise I think the intention is to show how a pure digital signal is reproduced at those low levels. A related question I have is why the 16 bit -90db signal always looks like the square wave, shouldn’t the filter be able to smooth it out?

The idea is to show low-level resolution by producing three quantization steps of equal amplitude: 0, +1, and -1. The more square-ish the waveform the better. An erratic waveform would imply noise. By having a 16-bit/44.1kHz signal - representing the CD format - bandwidth is limited to 22kHz, thus the waveform is "ringing" (i.e. Gibbs Phenomenon) instead of a clean square-like waveform, which would require more bandwidth.

 

[Garrincha]

Just curious, what are the practical engineering challenges of putting the power of say Topping L30 II (3.4W at 32 Ohm) into an all-in-one like this?

I would also like to know why most of the Topping combos, especially various more expensive ones, have a less powerful headphone amp. Is by intention or are there any technical dificulties? They could easily produce a $300 dac/headphone amp combo that has SOTA for both elements.

 

[Xyrium]

Nicely done. I dig the look, though it is difficult for me to get beyond the standard box look. They even beveled the edge of the faceplate. Nice touch.

 

[Xyrium]

How many products is Topping going to come up with? Amazing.

Maybe they will make an A/V pre-pro! Wouldn't that be great?

I'm somewhat surprised we haven't seen something like what MiniDSP does, with some processing on board, and a sub output that could be EQ'd separately.

 

[pma]

You can get DACs from Topping that are far cheaper than DX7 Pro+. DX7 Pro+ provides state of the art performance. The Yamaha I am sure does not.

Can you see a single atom, with your eyes only?

 

[Rja4000]

@amirm I might have missed it on the other pages, but I believe this one also has a tube-sound setting? Can you measure what that does? This review states they love it, and I wonder how much distortion it is adding .

I guess they add the same than with the D90LE.
So read here.

(Looking at Topping measurements confirms my guess above: They show values almost identical to what I measured)

 

[theoblue80]

For very demanding HPs the E30II / L30II stack performs a lot better at less than half the price