TOPPING MX3s

[Zek]

Just use an RCA splitter and send cable(s) to the sub(s)

It depends on what inputs the sub has. If it has inputs for line signals from the Left and Right channels, then such a splitter can be used.

 

[NoxMorbis]

DX3 Pro+ is a more versatile product in my opinion. It can be used as pure DAC, pre-amp and headphone amp, whereas MX3s is an AIO stereo amp with an afterthought headphone stage. While both offer great capability with small footprint, DX3 Pro+ has top of the line DAC and HPA performance. It all depends on your listening habits prioritization:
Listening to headphones often >>> DX3 Pro+
Active speakers >>> DX3 Pro+
Need analog outputs >>> DX3 Pro+
Need analog inputs >>> MX3s
Passive Speakers >>> MX3s
You already have a DX3 Pro+ and just need a matching stereo amp >>> PA3S ($126: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LCTYHKQ)

Damn you Hatto. Now you have me interested in the DX3 PRo+. However, the cheapest you can get it on Amazon is actually 199.00 new. Pair that with the PAS3S at 149.00 new and that's $350.00. It better sound a lot better than the MX3s, right? It does have more power. I also thought about pairing the DX3 Pro+ with the Aiyima 07 for a $220.00 stack.

I can put together the Topping DX3 Pro+ for 199.00 and the Aiyima 07 for 65.00 (coupon on Amazon right now)
= 265.00
That would be a pretty clean combination?

 

[CedarX]

Damn you Hatto. Now you have me interested in the DX3 PRo+. However, the cheapest you can get it on Amazon is actually 199.00 new. Pair that with the PAS3S at 149.00 new and that's $350.00. It better sound a lot better than the MX3s, right? It does have more power. I also thought about pairing the DX3 Pro+ with the Aiyima 07 for a $220.00 stack.

I can put together the Topping DX3 Pro+ for 199.00 and the Aiyima 07 for 65.00 (coupon on Amazon right now)
= 265.00
That would be a pretty clean combination?

Making you head spinning a little more: you could also consider the MX5…

 

[Hatto]

Damn you Hatto. Now you have me interested in the DX3 PRo+. However, the cheapest you can get it on Amazon is actually 199.00 new. Pair that with the PAS3S at 149.00 new and that's $350.00. It better sound a lot better than the MX3s, right?

DX3 Pro+ & PA3s pair better than MX3s:
For headphones? Probably.
For stereo? Not sure.
As standalone DAC or preamp? MX3s can't even...

It does have more power.

Yes, but do you even need it? That's for you to decide.

I also thought about pairing the DX3 Pro+ with the Aiyima 07 for a $220.00 stack.

I can put together the Topping DX3 Pro+ for 199.00 and the Aiyima 07 for 65.00 (coupon on Amazon right now)
= 265.00
That would be a pretty clean combination?

That's more of a philisophical divergence than just a price difference.

DX3 Pro+ is an AIO device that does MANY things great: Standalone DAC, pre-amp and headphone amp. It's up there with SotA systems for just $199, even less used or with discounts. Yet if you have passive speakers, you're still going to need a stereo amp.

MX3s is an AIO device that does ONE thing (presumably) great: Driving passive speakers directly through of digital input. There are other AIO devices fitted to that niche under $200 like the great performing Loxjie A30 for ($170 new/$140 used) for example.

So it depends if one wants versatility of a 2 component setup or simplicity, compactness and affordability of a single unit.

 

[NoxMorbis]

It depends on what inputs the sub has. If it has inputs for line signals from the Left and Right channels, then such a splitter can be used.

Why not just use one side? My specific sub does have two inputs, but just asking. Isn't the bass signal the same for both sides?

 

[Matias]

Why not just use one side? My specific sub does have two inputs, but just asking. Isn't the bass signal the same for both sides?

In music and movies bass is usually centered during mixing. It is very rare to have bass coming from a single channel. And I guess that the SW out is already summing L+R to create it.

 

[Hatto]

In music and movies bass is usually centered during mixing. It is very rare to have bass coming from a single channel. And I guess that the SW out is already summing L+R to create it.

While that might be true, I haven't seen a sub that's good enough to be a part of a hi-fi stereo system yet has only one RCA input. If there is, I wonder if such a splitter would work well enough to mix both channels into one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7JW7SHB

Other than that,
If you want to connect a sub to MX3s, you can use something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09YHDWVG8 (along with a single RCA cable)
If you want to connect a sub to A07, you can use something like this :https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WQKLRM8 (along with a single 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male cable)

 

[NoxMorbis]

DX3 Pro+ & PA3s pair better than MX3s:
For headphones? Probably.
For stereo? Not sure.
As standalone DAC or preamp? MX3s can't even do those.


Yes, but do you even need it? That's for you to decide.


That's more of a philisophical divergence than just a price difference.

DX3 Pro+ is an AIO device that does MANY things great: Standalone DAC, pre-amp and headphone amp. It's up there with SotA systems for just $199, even less used or with discounts. Yet if you have passive speakers, you're still going to need a stereo amp.

MX3s is an AIO device that does ONE thing (presumably) great: Driving passive speakers directly through of digital input. There are other AIO devices fitted to that niche under $200 like the great performing Loxjie A30 for ($170 new/$140 used) for example.

So it depends if one wants versatility of a 2 component setup or simplicity, compactness and affordability of a single unit.

(I would not stack the DS3 with the MX3s. That would be dumb lol.)

I don't know why I said "pairing the DX3 Pro+ with the Aiyima 07 for a $220.00 stack."

It would currently be: Topping DX3 Pro+ for 199.00 and the Aiyima 07 for 65.00 (coupon on Amazon right now)
= 265.00
That would be a pretty clean combination?

As long as I can connect my sub to the DX3 Pro+, and the sub does have dual inputs.

 

[NoxMorbis]

In music and movies bass is usually centered during mixing. It is very rare to have bass coming from a single channel. And I guess that the SW out is already summing L+R to create it.

So if you only used one side, it simply would be null signal out?

 

[Hatto]

(I would not stack the DS3 with the MX3s. That would be dumb lol.)

Don't even know what DS3 is.

I don't know why I said "pairing the DX3 Pro+ with the Aiyima 07 for a $220.00 stack."

It would currently be: Topping DX3 Pro+ for 199.00 and the Aiyima 07 for 65.00 (coupon on Amazon right now)
= 265.00
That would be a pretty clean combination?

It is, speaking of experience.

As long as I can connect my sub to the DX3 Pro+, and the sub does have dual inputs.

You can also connect your sub to A07 directly through the 3.5mm output. Also, connecting only one channel works as well, but again, as per my previous point, I've yet to find a "hi-fi sub" with just one RCA input.

 

[Matias]

While that might be true, I haven't seen a sub that's good enough to be a part of a hi-fi stereo system yet has only one RCA input.

So if you only used one side, it simply would be null signal out?

I don't think I understand both questions.

Usually if there is only 1 subwoofer output like MX3s, then the music signal is summed L+R and low passed say 80 Hz into the RCA. There would be no nulls.

Even if you had separate L and R subwoofer output RCAs, and use 1 sub with both L and R inputs, the sub will sum both to the single subwoofer driver, right?

You could even use (from another hypothetical product) the left subwoofer output into a left subwoofer, and a right subwoofer output to a right subwoofer, so a system with 2 subs. And still you would use only 1 RCA in each sub.

On such hypothetical procuct with 2 subwoofer outs, if you take only 1 output and send to a single subwoofer, say you take sub left and use a subwoofer centered, maybe, just MAYBE, there could be a music or sound source with a right bass signal that is not sent to the single centered subwoofer that uses the left signal. But then why wouldn't you use both L and R sub signals and send to the single sub?

I am confused here lol.

 

[Zek]

I've yet to find a "hi-fi sub" with just one RCA input.

Usually if there is only 1 subwoofer output like MX3s, then the music signal is summed L+R and low passed say 80 Hz into the RCA.

On the sub it is most often marked as LFE input.

But then why wouldn't you use both L and R sub signals and send to the single sub?

Only if the sub has a line input for L and R.

 

[Hatto]

On the sub it is most often marked as LFE input.
View attachment 276881

Only if the sub has a line input for L and R.

I didn't say "I haven't ever seen a single RCA input on a hi-fi sub", it just wasn't the only one there is, (just like the one pictured).

 

[NoxMorbis]

Don't even know what DS3 is.

It is, speaking of experience.

You can also connect your sub to A07 directly through the 3.5mm output. Also, connecting only one channel works as well, but again, as per my previous point, I've yet to find a "hi-fi sub" with just one RCA input.

DS3 is the same as the DX3 except somehow my "S" and "X" key got transposed on my keyboard. Damn kids.

If my memory serves me, the volume control does not control the sub volume, in that instance, which is pretty useless, unless you never adjust volume. Otherwise, I'd be the owner of the Aiyima 07 right now. Good to know, you actually own the DX3 Pro+ and the Aiyima 07? The 07 is now on sale at Amazon for 65.00.

 

[NoxMorbis]

I don't think I understand both questions.

Usually if there is only 1 subwoofer output like MX3s, then the music signal is summed L+R and low passed say 80 Hz into the RCA. There would be no nulls.

Even if you had separate L and R subwoofer output RCAs, and use 1 sub with both L and R inputs, the sub will sum both to the single subwoofer driver, right?

You could even use (from another hypothetical product) the left subwoofer output into a left subwoofer, and a right subwoofer output to a right subwoofer, so a system with 2 subs. And still you would use only 1 RCA in each sub.

On such hypothetical procuct with 2 subwoofer outs, if you take only 1 output and send to a single subwoofer, say you take sub left and use a subwoofer centered, maybe, just MAYBE, there could be a music or sound source with a right bass signal that is not sent to the single centered subwoofer that uses the left signal. But then why wouldn't you use both L and R sub signals and send to the single sub?

I am confused here lol.

I was simply asking if you didn't have a dedicated sub out on a preamp, and you wanted to connect a subwoofer, why not just use one side of the preamp out into one side of the sub woofer RCA inputs? That wouldn't work?

 

[Matias]

I was simply asking if you didn't have a dedicated sub out on a preamp, and you wanted to conenct a subwoofer, why not just use one side of the preamp out into one side of the sub woofer RCA inputs? That wouldn't work?

Sure it would, just add low pass on the sub instead and all good.

 

[NoxMorbis]

Just thought of something else also. If you connect the DX3 Pro+ to a sub, is the volume control going to control sub volume and pass through the Aiyima 07 (because the Aiyima 07 volume control will not control sub volume)?

 

[Hatto]

DS3 is the same as the DX3 except somehow my "S" and "X" key got transposed on my keyboard. Damn kids.

Pairing DX3 Pro+ with MX3s is not dumb. It's a bit more expensive than some of the other options but give you a little bit more flexibility by breaking it apart if you need to.

If my memory serves me, the volume control does not control the sub volume, in that instance, which is pretty useless, unless you never adjust volume.

Yes, you're right, I forgot about that.

Otherwise, I'd be the owner of the Aiyima 07 right now. Good to know, you actually own the DX3 Pro+ and the Aiyima 07? The 07 is now on sale at Amazon for 65.00.

But you can still connect the sub to the RCA outputs of the DX3 Pro+ and use the A07 to drive stereo speakers.

 

[NoxMorbis]

But you can still connect the sub to the RCA outputs of the DX3 Pro+ and use the A07 to drive stereo speakers.

Sure I understand that. But will the DX3 control the volume of both the speakers and the sub? If not, then you still have the speakers and sub volume separate from each other.

 

[Hatto]

But will the DX3 control the volume of both the speakers and the sub?

Affirmative.