Topping EX5 MQA Dual ES9038Q2M DAC Bluetooth 5.0 LDAC DSD512 PCM 768kHz Hi-Res Audio HiFi Decoder Headphone Amplifier (Black)

Product Information

Loxjie D30 is half the price of EX5 and with lower power reserves. If you don’t need much power, it’s still a worthy contender. The bassline on Loxjie D30 is not as punchy, but the midrange is more open and more forward sounding, so I enjoyed vocals through it more. The highest spectrum is also airer, making the soundstage slightly wider and more open. EX5 on the other hand sounds more focused and punchier.

Overall, its frequency response feels complete, there aren’t dips or rises, you won’t find roll-offs in here, just an extended frequency response at both ends of the spectrum. Technicalities are strong and up with the best of the category, the DX5 is offering high conversion fidelity, great transparency, crystalline clarity, excellent extension at both ends of the spectrum, it is detailed and resolving but without sounding analytical. The DX5 is not sterile, there is a touch of warmth and lushness, not very pronounced but still enough to make for an engaging and organic sound signature. For a good Bluetooth codec support and stable connection, they went with the highest performance CSR8675 BT receiver from Qualcomm, that currently supports all the best codecs as AAC, SBC, AptX, AptX-LL, AptX-HD and LDAC. Bluetooth version 5.0 and that wireless booster (antenna) will make sure to play all your tunes even with two concrete walls between the source and the EX5.So how does the little EX5 is sounding more exactly? Well, it sounds exactly like a miniature version of its DX7 PRO sibling that I’ve hailed as being a dead-neutral combo, focusing mostly on technicalities, rather than on the act of music listening and the same can be said about the EX5. Those NFCA modules aren’t crippling its DAC section and are more like improving the timing, the pace, speed and decay of the notes, while highlighting inner-details more than anything else. Of course you don't have to use it since there is a fully functioning remote control with a couple of handy shortcut buttons. Recreating a round of applause from an audience and instruments such as chimes and trumpets diffuses with great resolution and air. While it is approaching shrillness with brighter song choices, its ability to sift through top-end microdetails enables it to not sound grainy as an upside.

Not boring, clinical or artificial, this is carefully tuned to offer an analogue-like experience with some great factor of enjoyment and emotional depth. The screen on the EX5 and the D30 Pro is pretty much the same as well, where the numbers and the displays are pretty much the same. The menu system and the remote control used on both devices are also the same, so it’s possible to operate both the EX5 and the D30 Pro using the same remote control. The upper range seems to be defined, detailed and very precise. There are sharp leading edges and contours, but all that isn’t adding a fake brightness filter all over my music. I don’t find it rolled-off in here, on the contrary its top-octave flies sky high showing the last drop of information from that region. I’m not really sure what op-amps were being used at its LPF stage, but is seems that Topping nicely balanced its treble delivery, so it would be clean and detailed, without adding ringing, distortion or nasty brightness. If you like your trebles clean and textured, then you are definitely reading the right article, as EX5 renders bells, cymbals, tambourines and snare drums with utmost accuracy. I felt their metallic shimmering, all their RAW and unpolished surface, without making me lower that volume down. While differences are not that pronounced from the line outputs (both balanced and unbalanced), it cannot be said the same for the headphone amplifier. However, I currently no longer consider that Topping EX5 have an overheating problem during operation.However, both devices are equipped with XMOS XU216 USB controllers, which enables both devices to be full MQA decoders, and decode standard PCM files up to 32bit/768kHz and DSD512. The EX5 reproduces the treble range skilfully, the treble feels accurate, transients are fast and snappy. Just like the rest of the spectrum, the treble range feels dynamic and agile. Detail-retrieval is excellent here as well. This range boosts the perceived clarity of the signature and the EX5 reaches the top octave without getting harsh. The treble carries good detail and definition while presenting the harmonics brilliantly. The EX5 shows great balance throughout the spectrum. The extension is just as good as it is at the lowest notes. Overall, the EX5 has excellent tonality and it stays true to the mastering.

For the complete spec list, you should take a look at the table down at the end of this review. That said, let’s mention a few of the more interesting details. The DAC part of the device is based on dual ESS ES9038Q2M Sabre DAC chips, and all the formats you can imagine are supported. Full decoding of the infamous MQA is present over USB input too, which is something that’s usually interesting only to Tidal streaming service users. Overall, I have to say I’m quite pleased with Topping’s new design. While Topping raised the bar in audio circuit design with each product, its aesthetic offerings did not change much. Now, they entered into a new realm of possibilities where we audiophiles get better looking and sounding devices. When we look at the design awards that Topping’s DX5 has received, it is easy to say that this change has been expected for a long time. In addition to that, they are heavily invested in the latest audio testing machinery such as the APx555 from Audio Precision. There are 2 gain levels with the EX5, however, I kept the EX5 at high gain for most of my listening tests. The high gain is silent enough to run IEMs like the FiiO FH3 while having enough power to run my harder-to-drive headphones like my Audio Technica ADX5000, and my Sennheiser HD600.With the mid-bass hump complementing the more subdued mid-bass on the EX5. The richer midrange presentation on the HD600 on the other hand shone through despite the upper midrange recession on the EX5. Power output is quite high and you are not going to encounter any problems driving most of the headphones minus some very inefficient models. Sennheiser HD660S, το Focal Clear Mg και το HiFiMan Sundara το οποίο αν και είναι το πιο δύσκολο φορτίο της συλλογής μας, ο ενισχυτής ακουστικών το οδήγησε με άνεση και δυναμικό περιθώριο.