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Topping G5 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp)

Rate this DAC & HP Amp

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 11 3.0%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 20 5.5%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 75 20.7%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 256 70.7%

  • Total voters
    362

Phorize

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They make deductions based on info supplied by review.
In my book, it makes the voting results worthless !
I only vote on stuff I have had some personal experience of, otherwise I have nothing to contribute.
My quick pure assumptions can be waaaay off.
It’s an opinion poll based on how members thing the device stacks up for it price and performance etc. it’s no more or less than that. I voted ‘fine’ as despite it being a feat of engineering I was hoping for a quantum leap from the nx4, which it is performance wise (including battery), but not quite on features. That’s just me though, the centre of gravity opinion wise on the g5 is that it’s excellent engineering in any event, and certainly for the money, which is entirely reasonable. To be honest as I write above I think I was abit mean and entitled have been spoiled by the great performance one can get for peanuts these days.
 

BossBunos

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that's not at all the same as saying apple doesn't allow eq applications on iOS, which is what has been posted in this thread
really doesn't have anything to do with apple- the streaming services could do EQ in their apps if they wanted just like other developers have.
It doesn't make sense to EQ a source (streaming service application on your phone), you want to EQ the output device so all inputs on that device (stream services, players, YouTube, browser etc) are EQ'ed. So you want the phone to have phone wide EQ. So imo it's apples fault in this case. They produce an output device that doesnt provide EQ.

To make the parallel to analog devices: the iPhone is a preamp/headphone amp.
The pre amp does not support EQ. But you can add an EQ device between your tape player and the pre amp. You are saying I should have an EQ device on every input of the pre amp. That sucks :)
 

tifune

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Anyone see spec for AUX input sensitivity?

Follow-up Q - give the similarities to NX7, I'm guessing low gain AUX input sensitivity is fairly high (NX7 = 13V low gain, 4V med.). Any thoughts on use case for that? I feel as though, if I had a device that could output 13V, why would I need a HPA? Unless topping has a top secret mobile DAC in the works. If it has audibly different filters down to -300dB, maybe they can finally compete with Chord :)
 

Madlop26

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I had a quick look on the websites which are offering the G5 (audiophonics, shenzenaudio…). None of them seem to offer the lightning version of the G5 which includes the suitable cable. Does anyone know how to get it?
I ordered from Apos, comes with FiiO LT-LT1 USB Type-C to Lightning Data Cable for a little less than $20 extra
 

Jimster480

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I had a quick look on the websites which are offering the G5 (audiophonics, shenzenaudio…). None of them seem to offer the lightning version of the G5 which includes the suitable cable. Does anyone know how to get it?
Apos offers it with a FiiO Lightning cable.
People keep saying SINAD cheating, remeasure after, etc. But the filter does not affect the SINAD, at least not on this DAC chip o_O
There seem to be quite a few people out to get topping these days...
 

usersky

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People keep saying SINAD cheating, remeasure after, etc. But the filter does not affect the SINAD, at least not on this DAC chip o_O
Excelent, I will be glad if this would be the case, zero issue to be proven wrong. Even better if measurements will prove that different filter won't change SINAD. Topping's response, offering an alternative filter was trully exceptional, hat off to them! Other manufacturers should take notice. That in itself defused my suspicion that strange filter was chosen to look better in SINAD chart, an issue that was more in principle and with less practical impact (no-one in my neighborhood would notice the difference by ear). I easily admit that this mobile device is SOTA, just don't sacrifice FR for beyond meaningless SINAD figures, 115 to 119db SINAD is not audible. 1db at 19KHz...I don't know - for some. Anyways, congrats to Topping for the product but moreso for their offer to put another filter on the measurement table. I am glad I bought one of their product, based on a review here, DX3pro v2. I would gladly do it again with a G5 but with DSP/PEQ. Topping, my money already put safe for that.
 

usersky

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Maybe.
I think they have been kicking so much butt that people almost want to find something wrong now.
That's true, it looks to be too good so it makes skeptiks wonder what's the catch /shortcut :) but skeptikism not necessarily bad. Even is people or arguments are sometimes wrong, that's quite normal in places where people freely discuss. I was a bit surprised by some posts in this thread though.
 

Ken Tajalli

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It’s an opinion poll based on how members thing the device stacks up for it price and performance etc. it’s no more or less than that. I voted ‘fine’ as despite it being a feat of engineering I was hoping for a quantum leap from the nx4, which it is performance wise (including battery), but not quite on features. That’s just me though, the centre of gravity opinion wise on the g5 is that it’s excellent engineering in any event, and certainly for the money, which is entirely reasonable. To be honest as I write above I think I was abit mean and entitled have been spoiled by the great performance one can get for peanuts these days.
I understand, but in my book, that is just wrong!
If you read the ratings of an item on Amazon, knowing the majority who had rated it, hadn't even seen the item, how much value is there in such ratings? Would you even bother to look at ratings?
We all have seen the review and the results. we can all make our own deductions, what is the point of the ratings? Does it tell a potential buyer anything? or can it be absolutely misleading to someone who is not a member, and has just dropped on this review through a search engine.
I say it is misleading.
If you had bought the item, and the buttons fell off after two months, or any other reliability flaws, would you still vote fine?
There could be a lot of things that can irritate, and some may not show up in graphs.
 
Last edited:

Phorize

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tomli747

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Have the same problem. Did order the G5 at Shenzenaudio but did forget the lightning cable :) So I am looking :cool:
The official way (won't break by iOS update) is buying the Apple Camera kit that works like OTG, then use an A to C cable to connect to DAC.
 

JSmith

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Does it tell a potential buyer anything?
Well yes, it tells them the opinion of the membership based on the test results... any other interpretation is at the fault of the lazy reader. :p

I dare say anyway it is likely much more accurate than any Amazon rating or commercial "review" site. I tend to doubt anyone looking for a portable DAC/HPA would base their decision on the poll at the top of the page only... but if they did they would probably end up with a well measuring device at least.


JSmith
 

Ken Tajalli

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Well yes, it tells them the opinion of the membership based on the test results... any other interpretation is at the fault of the lazy reader. :p
I think a similar question was made on Audioquest cable review, where someone asked why bother even testing such things. Amir's reply was, that ASR gets a lot of traffic from simple searches on Google, from non members that just drop in, so in a way he was providing a public service, which is fine.
However, non members, by default, do not know the dynamics of ASR, and a rating, may be taken as a real rating! Which ASR ratings are not really.
Mind you, I am not blaming Amir for implementing the ratings system, I am all for it!
My only beef is with members, who vote about a device with absolute minimal knowledge and no experience of the device.
As I said before, Amir tests the performance of the device, but what about reliability, sharpness of the metal at corners, dodgy volume control knobs, so many things that Amir could not possibly test, but will affect any meaningful ratings of a device.
If one has access to Amirs review results, then the ratings of members based purely on those results, carries no information whatsoever.
But for example, on Audioquest cable review, I voted fine, because I actually had one, used one.
So I knew it was well-made, thin, flexible, strong - quality gold-plated jacks, low impedance etc.
My vote was based on personal knowledge and experience of the device, and therefore had value.
If I vote on this device now, my vote means zip! I could even vote on spite! Which some may have done on, say, Chord Electronics products.
 

Rottmannash

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I think a similar question was made on Audioquest cable review, where someone asked why bother even testing such things. Amir's reply was, that ASR gets a lot of traffic from simple searches on Google, from non members that just drop in, so in a way he was providing a public service, which is fine.
However, non members, by default, do not know the dynamics of ASR, and a rating, may be taken as a real rating! Which ASR ratings are not really.
Mind you, I am not blaming Amir for implementing the ratings system, I am all for it!
My only beef is with members, who vote about a device with absolute minimal knowledge and no experience of the device.
As I said before, Amir tests the performance of the device, but what about reliability, sharpness of the metal at corners, dodgy volume control knobs, so many things that Amir could not possibly test, but will affect any meaningful ratings of a device.
If one has access to Amirs review results, then the ratings of members based purely on those results, carries no information whatsoever.
But for example, on Audioquest cable review, I voted fine, because I actually had one, used one.
So I knew it was well-made, thin, flexible, strong - quality gold-plated jacks, low impedance etc.
My vote was based on personal knowledge and experience of the device, and therefore had value.
If I vote on this device now, my vote means zip! I could even vote on spite! Which some may have done on, say, Chord Electronics products.
@Amir does typically mention (in passing) obvious issues/flaws such as sharp corners, heavy for portable use, etc. It's not the focus of the review but I find I could come here without prior experience and confidently buy a product based on his measurements/reviews. I actually did that when I first came upon ASR-it's how I ended up buying the D70 and the TXH 789 which I'm listening to as I type.
 

JSmith

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no experience of the device
As I said, it's member opinion based on the measurements.
but what about reliability, sharpness of the metal at corners, dodgy volume control knobs, so many things that Amir could not possibly test, but will affect any meaningful ratings of a device.
As before, the membership rating isn't based on this. The only person who comments briefly on this is Amir... as he has the device physically in his hands. Members who own the same device are welcome to post their experience of the device on the items you refer to and that can add further context to the thread. To the lay reader... I'd imagine the word "science" in the forum title would be quite a giveaway too. It's not Audio Build Quality Review forum.
I am all for it!
Great... so why are we discussing it again then, especially here in a review thread? ;)


JSmith
 
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