Firstly I would like to thank Topping for sending me this sample to review.
*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings
Gear Used:
PC > DX7 Pro > Campfire Audio Andromeda / HiFiMAN HE-500 / Sennheiser HD660s and more
Tech Specs:
http://www.tpdz.net/products_detail/productId=44.html
Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The DX7 Pro comes in a fairly standard Topping box, it’s matte black and simple, the inside has foam cut outs for the DAC and accessories. The box is elegant and easy to open, it’s really nothing special but then again it’s nice to see the cost has gone into the product and not the packaging.
Build quality is superb, this is the most polished Topping product to date with an extremely well finished chassis that has no faults or bits that stand out. It is all very neatly put together and the inputs, outputs and screen are all of excellent quality. It feels and looks great, and Topping have definitely put some thought into the layout and build of the DX7 Pro.
Accessory wise you get the power cable, USB cable, 3.5mm – 6.3mm adaptor, bluetooth antenna, remote and manual. Nothing else is needed though, so there really isn’t anything else they could have included.
Features:
Well where do I start… The DX7 Pro is a feature packed DAC/Amp that is suitable as a desktop all-in-one unit, yet it also fits in well with a full size Hi-Fi system.
The DX7 Pro only has digital inputs, USB/Coax/Optical/AES and IIS (HDMI connector). You also get a bluetooth antenna and the DX7 Pro accepts bluetooth input via SBC, AAC, Aptx, Aptx LL, Aptx HD and LDAC so you can benefit from the highest quality bluetooth codecs out there.
The DX7 Pro supports PCM up to 768kHz and DSD up to 512 Native over USB. There are RCA and XLR analogue outputs on the back that can be configured to fixed volume (DAC mode) or variable volume (pre-amp mode) this allows users to use the DX7 Pro with an external amplifier or with powered speakers.
On the front you have a 6.3mm singled ended output, a 4.4mm balanced ouput and a 4-pin XLR balanced output, you also have the volume know which also acts as a push button for changing settings and input. The DX7 Pro has both high and low gain settings, and can output 1700mw at 32 Ohms max from the balanced headphone outputs, or 840mw from the single ended.
There are a few different digital filters on the DX7 Pro, like most DAC’s now, these can be selected via the remote or via the settings menu. I have found the settings menu on the device itself rather helpful, but you have to hold in the middle button whist flipping the rear on/off switch to get in to it. As with most digital filters, the difference is very small so I found leaving it on 1 or 3 to offer the best sound for my tastes.
Sound:
Well Topping have made a pretty feature packed device in an attractive chassis, but it comes down to the sound quality at the end of the day. And the DX7 Pro really does not fail here.
Powering the HE-500 you get great impact without getting rid of finer details, there is plenty of current to drive these headphones at a volume of between -30 and -40dB on low gain. It’s an exceptionally clean sounding unit, there is absolutely zero hiss when using the Andromeda (2.5mm > 4.4mm adaptor), yet there is enough muscle to drive more power hungry headphones. The DX7 Pro tries hard to not impart a signature of its own, and this shows as the soundstage is natural without being boosted or restrained, each part of the frequency response is evenly portrayed and it never sounds clinical or warm.
For the price Topping have made an impressive DAC/Amp when it comes down to technicalities, there is no distortion, no background noise, just pure and clean sound. This is perfect if you wish to tune your system downstream with headphones/amps as you don’t have to worry about this holding back your system. Both the DAC and headphone amp sections work together brilliantly, complimenting each other without compromise. Yet when you use it as a DAC only it also shines, with the same crystal clear and neutral sound.
There is one spec on the DX7 Pro which is a bit of a let down on paper, and that is the output impedance. It is rather high, 4.7 Ohms on the SE output and 9.4 Ohms via the balanced ports, but subjectively I have not found this to cause any sort of issue. I can also say I am not the only one to have been surprised by this, plugging the Campfire Audio Andromeda into the 4.4mm port, I didn’t notice any real change in the frequency response when compared to a sub 2 Ohm output impedance source. This surprised me a lot, and I really do not have any good explanation, as in theory they should not work well with the DX7 Pro at all.
One thing I have noticed from extended listening with the DX7 Pro is that the soundstage is both wide and deep, it isn’t artificially boosted but it does come across with a great sense of space. I have had quite a few moments with the HE-500 which I listen to daily, where the sound is more holographic than with a few other sources I have.
Conclusion:
Topping seem to be going from strength to strength with each new release, bringing out products that are objectively and subjectively excellent. My one complaint about the DX7 Pro was quickly reversed when I actually tried it out in real tests, even though a low output impedance would be nice. If you are looking for a detailed and neutral DAC/Amp you cannot go wrong with the DX7 Pro, it’s DAC only performance also outperforms a few of the big boys. We have reached a level where this level of transparency is no longer reserved to the top tier equipment. I can easily recommend the DX7 Pro.
Sound Perfection Rating: 9.5/10 (High output impedance is the only downside)