Topping G5 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp)

[antikryst]

wish this had a passthrough USB C power port that could also charge the phone like a powerbank. that way i can have it rubber banded to my spare phone permanently and use that as a DAP.

 

[ICYGENIUS]

I have firmware 1.50. I mixed a new sound installation (24 bit, 48 kHz) yesterday, it sounded fine on the studio monitor (Kali IN-8) and in the headphones (HEDDphone, LCD-XC). This morning I was listening on the G5 in BT mode with my LCD-XC headphones and at 6.56 I noticed that I could hear two small soft clicks. I got a bit angry, I said there's no way I didn't pick this up during mastering. I listen to the sound mix on the computer, no clicks. In BT mode, you can hear the little clicks in the same place on the phone and on the computer. In USB mode nowhere the clicks only in BT mode. I also listened to the material with other BT devices, e.g. the Lypertek Tevi, and no clicking there either, only on the G5... Is it possible that there is something to improve in the firmware....?

i don't understand why you use BT mode while mixing? i never do that and i don't get problems, only wired connection no bluetooth

 

[KeiIto]

i don't understand why you use BT mode while mixing? i never do that and i don't get problems, only wired connection no bluetooth

I don't think he wants to use BT while mixing. He heard no clicks during mixing when the DAC was wired. But he heard clicks when it was connected via BT. The people who would listen to his mixing via BT connection of the same DAC would experience the same clicks and complain, believing that he made mistakes during mixing. He wants to avoid such a problem, I guess.

 

[zeb512]

I have firmware 1.50. I mixed a new sound installation (24 bit, 48 kHz) yesterday, it sounded fine on the studio monitor (Kali IN-8) and in the headphones (HEDDphone, LCD-XC). This morning I was listening on the G5 in BT mode with my LCD-XC headphones and at 6.56 I noticed that I could hear two small soft clicks. I got a bit angry, I said there's no way I didn't pick this up during mastering. I listen to the sound mix on the computer, no clicks. In BT mode, you can hear the little clicks in the same place on the phone and on the computer. In USB mode nowhere the clicks only in BT mode. I also listened to the material with other BT devices, e.g. the Lypertek Tevi, and no clicking there either, only on the G5... Is it possible that there is something to improve in the firmware....?

I've also had some periodic noise in BT mode with USB-C power plugged in. I dont know if it was the cause but after disconnecting it was not there anymore...

 

[ParticularFix]

Yeah, I was looking forward to a review of this product. I have the NX4 DSD which I love very much and I was hoping to get my hands on this one as well. I think it is overpriced for something that is likely only an incremental gain in sound quality if even that. If it were below $200, they would have had me, but this is almost ridiculous for a portable device considering that all topping devices from desktop to portable sound virtually the same nowadays.

 

[DRuszaT]

i don't understand why you use BT mode while mixing? i never do that and i don't get problems, only wired connection no bluetooth

So you didn't understand what I wrote, I wouldn't even think of using the G5 for mixing in any mode, I mix with RME sound cards. I use the G5 for what it's intended for, listening to music with headphones.

I've also had some periodic noise in BT mode with USB-C power plugged in. I dont know if it was the cause but after disconnecting it was not there anymore...

That's another interesting issue, I hadn't noticed that yet, but I'll keep an eye on that now. Of course, in my case, the G5 was never on charge when I heard the click.

 

[zeb512]

I've an issue with big loudness difference when using G5 in USB-C mode on my iPad Pro 11 2021 (M1).
Topping at this time cannot reproduce the issue on their iPad (but they do not have the M1 model).

Note:
- Test done with max iPad volume / no loudness reduction in sound setting / same analog volume
- Works at right level in BT mode with the same iPad
- Works at the right level in USB-C mode under Windows

If by chance someone has bought the G5 and has an iPad M1 11 or 12 can you test it and report ?
I hope Topping can then buy this model to debug.

 

[Phorize]

Do we know if anyone has tested for the impact of charging whilst in use? I recall the NX4 did suffer higher noise when charging. Would be good to see if this still occurs in what would be the typical desktop scenario for many, although the stellar battery life and very high performance would mitigate a the problem if it did exist.

 

[Daykatoma]

Is it again bass killer, lifeless, ess hump shill, in ear knifle like, metallic sound which was the case with DX3pro+ ? Or is it listenable this time ?

Dx3pro+ literally killed all my HP's bass. Even first gen k3, my second hand zxr, k5 pro akm sounds much much better than it. Yet again, with another Topping product include ESS that also has problems; -12db @ 20hz and you call it masterpiece. Good god !

 

[Elitzur–Vaidman]

Is it again bass killer, lifeless, ess hump shill, in ear knifle like, metallic sound which was the case with DX3pro+ ? Or is it listenable this time ?

Dx3pro+ literally killed all my HP's bass. Even first gen k3, my second hand zxr, k5 pro akm sounds much much better than it. Yet again, with another Topping product include ESS that also has problems; -12db @ 20hz and you call it masterpiece. Good god !

Sounds like you didn't get a good headphone seal. The DX3pro+ and the G5 both have textbook excellent bass response. There's no appreciable difference between well-implemented DAC chips.

 

[TRDK]

New driver out:

V5.50 driver for most of TOPPING DACs-TOPPING

 

[Mihalis]

Makes no difference unless they specify an MFI certification, which they apparently don’t. The FiiO Q3 and iFi xDSD Gryphon do, which makes me worry that this device’s lightning cable is as genuine as its fake balanced pentaconn jack. All Apple has to do is release their next iOS cycle, and it could render this lightning OTG cable useless—along with the device.

Since the Q3 comes with a bass boost and a true balanced 4.4 connection at half the price of this thing, I’d prefer my FiiO—even if its measurements are inferior—for a portable iPhone solution. For me portables are for fun, not for critical listening—and most headphones out there without some bass tuning just ain’t fun. Especially IEMs.

I find it incomprehensible that Topping can be saying g5 is compatible with iOS, that they still have online mention of the lightning version and that it doesn't work. and even more than instead of this being correctly seen as mislabeling, members of this forum are blaming apple! wake up to the real world: the spectacular innovations that apple has spearheaded and have changed and improved people's lives come at a price. that is their right and it is your right to not buy the product. what isn't correct or even legal is to label something in a misleading way. if people don't see that then there is no intellectual honesty in this forum.

 

[TRDK]

The "MFi09S Lightning to USB-C OTG" works fine with Topping G5 (with my iPhone 11). I also use it with my iFi GoBar. Not cheap - but great quality.

Some say that "OEAudio Digital Audio Cable" is working fine - I have not testet it.

 

[srkbear]

I find it incomprehensible that Topping can be saying g5 is compatible with iOS, that they still have online mention of the lightning version and that it doesn't work. and even more than instead of this being correctly seen as mislabeling, members of this forum are blaming apple! wake up to the real world: the spectacular innovations that apple has spearheaded and have changed and improved people's lives come at a price. that is their right and it is your right to not buy the product. what isn't correct or even legal is to label something in a misleading way. if people don't see that then there is no intellectual honesty in this forum.

I hear what you’re saying. I’m a big fan of Apple and exclusively use their phones, computers and tablets for both personal and work purposes. However I think the legitimate criticisms of Apple’s lightning interface that are coming from honest actors on this forum (many of whom are Apple enthusiasts, like myself) pertain to the control Apple maintains over consumers’ choice of peripherals by perpetuating the lightning ecosystem.

There’s certainly nothing innovative about the lightning connector—USB C allows far greater data transfer speeds and much faster charging protocols than lightning does, and compatibility with a far greater number of peripherals and accessories. Every consumer of a particular portable DAC or DAC/amp is forced to pay for the inclusion of an Apple-compatible OTG cable and output transmitter whether they are iPhone users or not—all to perpetuate a transmission protocol that is no less obsolete than Micro-USB.

Apple surely knows this, and their insistence on maintaining this connector for their phones and accessories is not driven by innovation—it’s driven by a cash cow of profits from cables, chargers and lightning-compatible accessories they are determined not to give up. Can you think of any other justification they would have for balking at the adoption of the USB-C standard for its phones, AirPod charging cases and Siri Remotes, not to mention forging their own proprietary “Thunderbolt” protocol based on that standard, other than maintaining a profit stronghold on their own accessories as well as licensing revenue from third party accessory manufacturers?

 

[Mihalis]

I hear what you’re saying. I’m a big fan of Apple and exclusively use their phones, computers and tablets for both personal and work purposes. However I think the legitimate criticisms of Apple’s lightning interface that are coming from honest actors on this forum (many of whom are Apple enthusiasts, like myself) pertain to the control Apple maintains over consumers’ choice of peripherals by perpetuating the lightning ecosystem.

There’s certainly nothing innovative about the lightning connector—USB C allows far greater data transfer speeds and much faster charging protocols than lightning does, and compatibility with a far greater number of peripherals and accessories. Every consumer of a particular portable DAC or DAC/amp is forced to pay for the inclusion of an Apple-compatible OTG cable and output transmitter whether they are iPhone users or not—all to perpetuate a transmission protocol that is no less obsolete than Micro-USB.

Apple surely knows this, and their insistence on maintaining this connector for their phones and accessories is not driven by innovation—it’s driven by a cash cow of profits from cables, chargers and lightning-compatible accessories they are determined not to give up. Can you think of any other justification they would have for balking at the adoption of the USB-C standard for its phones, AirPod charging cases and Siri Remotes, not to mention forging their own proprietary “Thunderbolt” protocol based on that standard, other than maintaining a profit stronghold on their own accessories as well as licensing revenue from third party accessory manufacturers?

I find lightning to be surpassed by a large margin by usb c, less robust physically and a pain to have to bring both lightning and usb c cables for even an apple only system. It is ridiculous. So much so that the European Union put an end to with law! Having said that, one is free to not use apple products.

None of this shifts the responsibility that topping has to market properly.

 

[Shakes]

Received my G5 just a few days ago and happy to report that it has been working great. No issues powering either my DCA Aeon Noire or ZMF Aeolus with plenty of headroom available. Driver install and firmware update went smoothly as well, and have no connectivity issues when using BT or USB via Tidal / USB Audio Player Pro w/ my S22 Ultra.

 

[moshc]

I just got mine and it powers the Hifiman Susvara nicely. One thing that's nice with iFi battery devices is their 'desktop mode' if the unit is turned on then plugged to charge it only charges to 70% to prolong battery life (lithium degrades quicker when sitting at 100%). Does anyone know if this Topping can do this? It'd be a nice firmware addition if it was possible.

 

[tret]

I received mine earlier this week and it seems to drive DCA Expanse quite well. I am disappointed however with the RF noise when paired with my iPhone. Rather than going with something like the M17 I planned on stacking my iPhone on top of the G5 via a Magsafe mount and Fiio Lightning to USB-C cable. While everything works great when the iPhone and G5 are separated, as soon as I stack them the RF noises are evident. Does anyone have a solution that will allow for stacking?

 

[Galac]

Hello !
Do you think that G5 have the spec to drive HD800 (without S)
Thank you !

 

[Shakes]

Hello !
Do you think that G5 have the spec to drive HD800 (without S)
Thank you !

While I have not personally tried the HD800 with the G5, it should drive them very well