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

Product Information

The main difference lies in the naturalness of the timbre and the more musical character of the DX5 when compared to the EX5. 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.

Differences are not night and day so I wouldn't suggest selling your EX5 to get a DX5 but if you are into buying something new then the DX5 is the obvious choice, both for the improved sound quality and the new looks. The bass got a bit fuller sounding losing the slightly dry default tuning of the combo and continuing to a drum and bass guitar placement that is much more pinpoint. There is also improved technicality in the midrange revealing microdetails smoothed over by the unit’s amplifier for a more textured vocal listening satisfaction. In terms of features, I’m just impressed that Topping could just fit all the features of the A30 Pro/D30 Pro and more into the smaller EX5. Technical After running the EX5 as a DAC/Amp, I tried upgrading the amp section by connecting the balanced outputs of the EX5 into my Burson Soloist 3X. This resulted in a mostly similar tonal balance. However, there are some marked improvements brought about by replacing the EX5’s amplifier section.

Sound(overall)​

So far, I like the new unit in my PC near-field setup (EX5 hooked up via XLR cables to a Sabaj A20a desktop stereo integrated amplifier conducting a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 220), but I can't say that I really noticed any difference from the old D50s sound (which was to be expected, both units being very good and acoustically transparent DACs). By default, the screen on the EX5 is empty save for information on the input currently being played. Turning the volume knob will first show the sample rate, and then subsequent turns will change the volume levels. Apart from that, the PRaT is excellent, like I said, the EX5 punches above its price tag with its technical performance and it is quite surprising to see a mid-tier 2-in-1 device performs this well. The soundstage, on the other hand, is wide but not so deep. The depth was good with the 58X but so much with the DEVA. The synergy card is at the play here. I must also say that I had no problems with the IEMs I paired with the EX5, depth-wise. Apart from that, thanks to the balanced and airy signature and great instrument separation, the imaging, and the positioning are both quite good. Overall, the EX5 is a technically impressive DAC & AMP combo. Comparisons vs. SMSL SH-8s & SU-8s

The construction of the EX5 immediately reminds me of the construction of both the A30 Pro and the D30 Pro. The chassis is actually dimensionally the same, and they all feature a plastic front fascia that is color-matched with the chassis. While differences are not that pronounced from the line outputs (both balanced and unbalanced), it cannot be said the same for the headphone amplifier. This is probably the easiest chapter to write about as in my opinion EX5 delivered an outstanding performance from the lowest pits of sub-bass to the highest treble peaks. I find it dead-neutral and it covers the frequency response will flying colors. In the middle of the front fascia of the EX5 is a large screen composed of 7-segment displays and some indicator LEDs. This screen displays the different modes of the EX5, the active input, and some letters or numbers that indicate the different modes, volume level, or sample rate being played by the EX5. 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.

Although there is a difference between the softest and loudest tones, the EX5 slightly amplifies softer and gentler tones, presenting them with less finesse than expected. Although the EX5 can play loud, the slew rate of the amplifier is not fast enough to present those emotional crescendos normally found in orchestral recordings. DAC ShenzhenAudio is one of the world’s biggest e-commerce platforms specializing in high-quality audio products such as amplifiers, decoders, digital players, headphones, cables, and accessories. They are located in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. They offer a really wide product gamut and their customer support is quite thorough. I am glad to say that my experience with them has always been positive. EX5 After that’s taken care of, open Tidal, select the output device, go to settings and enable Software Decode Disabled and Exclusive Mode and you’re done. That’s it – you should now see the MA symbol in the upper right corner. There is a weird bug that says 44.1 kHz still with MQA active, even after changing the sound settings output to the correct value. It doesn’t seem to impact anything though.