Joined in 2023 
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63 About this deal
Topping DX3 Pro– The original was one of the thinnest and dynamically flattest sounding devices that I’ve heard. Pro+ may look the same but it is sonically vastly improved. For starters, the bassline has much more weight and slam, so everything sounds fuller and punchier through this version. Sound in general is cleaner and crisper, with more energy, faster transients, and better separation. What hasn’t changed is the thin and analytical tonality of the midrange. Obviously, for testing purposes, I want something easy to access and swap and if I like it I'll solder it in more reasonably permanent as close to the PCB as possible.
And continuing Topping’s trend of lower THD in every update of its products, the DX3 Pro+ measured 0.00015% THD in both its DAC and Amplifier section. This is a 60% improvement for the DAC and 85% for the amp compared with the LDAC version values. That said I am gunning for the Topping D50 since its also the same darn cheap here to A/B compare it with. My linear power supply for the DX3 Pro arrived today and I replaced the Topping D50 in my computer based HiFi system with the DX3 Pro + linear power supply. I'm listening to it as I type this post. The sound is beautiful. I preferred the Topping D50 in my headphones system. However, I prefer the DX3 Pro in my speaker-based system.I did experience a burn in time with the DX3 Pro where it started off real strong and then got a bit dull and flat for quite some hours. After which it opened up again. I never am a big believer for burning in DACs or headphone amps... (Headphones and speakers with mechanical parts I do believe need to burn it) but this thing did seem to need some time to settle..
The ‘plus’ gets you reworked internals including a new ESS Sabre decoder to replace the dual AKM AK4493 chip of the earlier versions while promising improved overall performance. The silver color reviewed here has a very sleek appeal with four fairly tall feet holding the unit upright giving a floating effect that further accentuates the polish of the metal. The yellow LED as with the Topping D10 adds a much needed touch of color and uniqueness to the unit. The volume knob adds more to that sauce, making for a small box and you enjoy glancing at on your desk. Well…here things get quite interesting. DX3 Pro can work as a standalone DAC, preamp or a headphone DAC/AMP through optical, coaxial and usb input. Finally, that song has several musical instruments that I could place on the soundstage easily with the D50. With the DX3 Pro all of the instruments were closer to the centre of the soundstage and it was more difficult to separate them.Setup was plug-and-play and I was relieved to see full compatibility with ASIO4ALL at 24 bit depth allowing me to proper test the unit without installing any drivers. Listening tests were performed using WASAPI interface in Roon. An optimized NFCA circuit provides powerful, distortion-free performance: 1800mWx2 @32Ω, 0.00015% THD+N. High/low gain settings I have to be honest that I don't use the headamp that much since I got my Lehman (Burson v6) which I also use as a pre-amp for my studio monitors. This pairs amazingly with the AKM DAC. The heart of the unit is the AKM AK4493 DAC chip. This is a departure from most of the Topping DACs (and many Chinese manufacturers) which use ESS DACs. Surprising for a small unit, as seen in the picture, you get a remote control and all the functionality in its larger brother, the Topping DX7s. You can select the volume control to apply to line out, headphone out or both. So you could use this to drive powered speakers for example without a need for pre-amp and use the remote control as needed.
In that white box, you’ll get a remote control, which may come handy, especially if you plan to use the DX3 Pro in your stereo setup with no remote to control the volume. Also included is a mediocore, cheap power supply, usb cable and an antenna for bluetooth. As expected, the build quality of the device is quite good and the device offers an aesthetic design compared to the D series. The price difference between the D10B and the DX3 Pro+ is totally negligible considering you get a much nicer-looking chassis, a great NFCA amp module, and LDAC capability along with other features. I can’t see any milling or assembly imperfections anywhere on the unit. Topping seems to have designed a very competitive product for the market with the DX3 Pro+. Controls & UI Simply plug the DX3 Pro+ via USB into your PC or Mac to enjoy all the benefits of a high-end DAC without the need for drivers. Only higher-end ASIO applications on Windows 10 require a driver. Low noise NFCA circuitThankfully, the DX3 Pro+ comes with a remote for raising and lowering the volume plus changing the settings as mentioned above. The volume changes in 1db increments from -99dB to -10dB before switching to 0.5dB per turn until it maxes out at 0dB. The DX3 Pro+ Bluetooth module has been updated to the QCC5125 chipset with its built-in DAC decidedly bypassed relaying the digital signal directly to the onboard ES9038Q2M to handle for better performance.
Sadly at this time I don't have any other DAC running (that's why I bought it) since my other DACs died in the past year. I had a LKS custom built ES9018 DAC with a highly tuned output stage and some other small DACs (Sanskrit, Aune T1SE, Aune X1S, onboard ES9018K2M). So no direct A/B comparison DAC only. Sorry. The ES9018K2M in my laptop is not worth comparing it with. At the front of the device is the LED display with vibrant orange lit bottom section used to show most of the information about the unit and a cool-blue lit top portion which shows the active input selected. This is an improvement over the LDAC version’s all orange display but I still would have preferred a less eye-catching color to match the clean look. My ears are completely immersed in the music as the soundstage is extremely focused with accurate instrument placement. It’s almost as if I’m sitting in a huge hall rather than a cramped living room. Verdict and Results of the Topping DX3 Pro+ Review
Tech Highlights
There are selectable gains for the headphone out (0 and 9 dB) and filter settings. The unit supports PCM up to 768 kHz and up to DSD512. As standard with Topping, the DX3 Pro+it comes in a white cardboard box with generous foam inserts to keep the contents secure. The unboxing is a straightforward experience with not that much to complain about.
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