Topping G5 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp)

[Thomas savage]

Can we independently verify battery life , and assuming real world volume driving real world headphones.

This would be fabulous, its kinda the most important thing given performance is on point but we know companies bullshit about battery life .

 

[Thomas savage]

-12db at 20Khz is too much I think,the time I'm watching ASR reviews I don't remember anything having so much.
It doesn't matter if we hear it (we must,the roll-off starts at 7Khz if I read it right),it's the principle,we get used to perfect 20Hz-20Khz flatness and I think this tricks the results a little.

Why tho ? Is this to fudge battery life ?

 

[amirm]

@amirm How can you give a product with such a brutally bad (and clearly faulty) HF response such high marks? It makes no sense. And that is at 44.1kHz. This is what they claim:

Those are the headphone amplifier specs, not the DAC. They hav DAC specs above it but are 96 KHZ sampling.

 

[dtaylo1066]

Aux in appears to be a nice added feature, as it looks to be an analog input that can be run through the headphone amp, and also doubles as a 2.1 volt analog line out, so you could run the line out into your preamp or powered speakers.

 

[Palladium]

Have you had your hearing tested recently?

I'm willing to bet a considerable sum that you cannot hear anything between 18 and 20kHz, let alone detect a -12dB rolloff between those ranges.

I dumped some of my FLACs to Spek and energy at 18KHz+ is only -60dBFs at most.

 

[Robbo99999]

Like some others have mentioned I think it's a bit off that above audible limit SINAD is "focussed" on within reviews as good engineering, whereas -11dB at 20kHz which is in the audible range for some is somewhat dismissed, so it's got a little bit of double standards going on there. I really don't think it's good engineering to be at -11dB at 20kHz and with roll off starting at 18.5kHz. I also noticed that @restorer-john noted that Topping get different results that show this product to be flat out to 20kHz and beyond, so there's something awry either with the review or with Toppings published information (or different filters being used).....so I do think there's something to sort out here. If this product didn't have the treble rolling off before 20kHz then they'd be absolutely nothing wrong with it (and a lot right with it!) apart from price depending how much you're willing to spend, but no the only problem is the early roll off in the treble.

EDIT: ah, I hadn't seen, Amir answered the question about the difference between the ASR & Topping results re roll-off before 20kHz, Topping were showing just the headphone amp performance whereas Amir is showing the influence of the DAC section too. OK, well I still don't like the "focus" on above audible SINAD as good engineering when the high frequency roll off that does exist is audible to some and should have the same good engineering standards applied to that aspect - to avoid double standards in how we view products. I won't give this product the highest rating in the poll.

 

[Tks]

Can someone explain to me why people care about ANY roll off at 20kHz, or heck even 19kHz?

Even if I had roll-off at 17kHz, I couldn't care less, any more than that and I can't hear anything anyway..

 

[Prince Valiant]

Can someone explain to me why people care about ANY roll off at 20kHz, or heck even 19kHz?

Even if I had roll-off at 17kHz, I couldn't care less, any more than that and I can't hear anything anyway..

I might not be bothered by it if the specs didn't advertise <+/- .5.

 

[usersky]

Have you had your hearing tested recently?

I'm willing to bet a considerable sum that you cannot hear anything between 18 and 20kHz, let alone detect a -12dB rolloff between those ranges.

I am willing to bet you won't hear below -96dB SINAD either. Still no reason for them to cheat on FR knowing they will get the prize for totally inaudible dB gained in return. It's a bad sign gaming the system, trading some qualities for the one that ezoteric numbers. Cheating should not make one a champion. For that alone this product I find to be less than 'fine'.

 

[pma]

A rolloff like that is not remotely high fidelity. -14dB at 20kHz is a bad joke. The pioneers of digital would be rolling in their graves.

But, kill that much HF and your THD will look fabulous....

@amirm How can you give a product with such a brutally bad (and clearly faulty) HF response such high marks? It makes no sense. And that is at 44.1kHz. This is what they claim:

I am afraid I know the answer, but it is impossible to post it.

 

[BostonJack]

No IEM remotely warrants an Amp as powerful as the G5.
Good IEMs under $200: Moondrop Kato, 7Hz Timeless

Thanks. I'm thinking HD6XX when convenient and IEM for lighter footprint when needed.

 

[usersky]

Can someone explain to me why people care about ANY roll off at 20kHz, or heck even 19kHz?

Even if I had roll-off at 17kHz, I couldn't care less, any more than that and I can't hear anything anyway..

Altering FR by reducing highest frequencies wins you better SINAD (unfairly as some may see it, me included in this particular case where such a cheat really was not necessary and if anything, it is just detrimental just for the sake of SINAD, knowing that SINAD is basically the ticket to win here).

 

[Robbo99999]

Can someone explain to me why people care about ANY roll off at 20kHz, or heck even 19kHz?

Even if I had roll-off at 17kHz, I couldn't care less, any more than that and I can't hear anything anyway..

Because theoretically it's within the audible range of some humans (younger), and it would be poor engineering standards not to be flat from 20Hz-20kHz......just in the same way that there is a focus in these reviews on high above audible range SINAD as good engineering.....it would be inconsistent to not apply that same logic/standards to an even more potentially audible area of the review - flatness from 20Hz-20kHz. It makes not much difference to pretty much anyone buying this product & listening to it.....but these DAC & amp reviews have gone beyond that, and I think it would be inconsistent to not mark this product down for it's lack of flatness from 20Hz-20kHz.

EDIT: and also the point mentioned by @usersky above (which a couple of other people have also mentioned).

 

[Madlop26]

No IEM remotely warrants an Amp as powerful as the G5.
Good IEMs under $200: Moondrop Kato, 7Hz Timeless

Agree overpowered for IEMs, this is for guys who want to walk around the house listening the HD800s, or HD6xx or Dan Clark RT, yep that is me, ordered

 

[KeithPhantom]

Can someone explain to me why people care about ANY roll off at 20kHz, or heck even 19kHz?

Because achieving this is a measure of engineering excellence, not really a matter of relative audibility. In terms of converters, we are limited at the reconstruction filter order, slope characteristics, and ripple level. As you increase the order and steepness of the reconstruction filter, you start losing bandwidth to achieve the desired stopband (22,050 Hz for 44,100 Fs/s). This is an over-simplification of the process going on, but this is the trend that appears when designing a filter. Digital filters help a lot, but still, we can't get an infinite slope transition band (the theoretical brickwall filter), thus we are limited in that aspect.

 

[Garrincha]

Half the price of Mojo2 but without EQ. With EQ it could have been a Mojo beater.

It beats the Mojo2 even without the EQ at lengths. Better DAC, more powerful amp and the filter, while not being nice, most probably inaudible.

 

[amirm]

Because theoretically it's within the audible range of some humans (younger), and it would be poor engineering standards not to be flat from 20Hz-20kHz......just in the same way that there is a focus in these reviews on high above audible range SINAD as good engineering..

The engineering is superb. They have simply decided on one dac filter vs another.

I clearly noted the response issue in the review with additional testing. Everything is there for you to decide otherwise.

 

[Moderate Dionysianism]

I have one that I use with akg 371s and occasionally hd6xx’s and don’t see a reason to upgrade just for Bluetooth and admittedly more power.

I have one too, currently paired with HD 25, waay more than enough juice on normal gain setting. Plus, I find the bass shelf toggle very useful.

 

[Thomas savage]

The engineering is superb. They have simply decided on one dac filter vs another.

I clearly noted the response issue in the review with additional testing. Everything is there for you to decide otherwise.

Member @pma Calls conspiracy, amirm I'm worried about my Topping legacy cheques.

Please keep the secrets and allow me the privilege of not having to choose between Gas and beer this winter .

Don't forget iv those FBI files from the fanny doctor, just in case you forgot..

 

[DonR]

Member @pma Calls conspiracy, amirm I'm worried about my Topping legacy cheques.

Please keep the secrets and allow me the privilege of not having to choose between Gas and beer this winter .

Don't forget iv those FBI files from the fanny doctor, just in case you forgot..

Surely if you drink one you will get the other as a byproduct. win-win.