This Bluetooth DAC and headphone amp with cool VU meter looks like super-luxe audio upgrade, but it's actually stunningly well-priced

• The Topping DX5 II has a double-DAC design with three-stage amplification
• Bluetooth 5.1 with LDAC and aptX Adaptive/HD
• $299 / £299 – available now in the US, during July 2025 in the UK

Topping's new desktop DAC is surprisingly affordable for its specification: the list price is just $299 / £299. It's a hi-res DAC, preamplifier and headphone amplifier that's designed for dual duties as either a stand-alone desktop amp or as part of a component hi-fi system.

The DX5 II is the successor to Topping's highly acclaimed DX5, and it's built around two ES9039Q2M DAC chips from ESS Technology’s 32-bit Sabre range. One chip is dedicated to the left channel and the other to the right; because the ES9039Q2M is a two-channel DAC chip, that means there can be two differential signals per channel, which Topping says means a lower noise floor, improved channel separation and better clarity.

Topping DX5 II: key features

The DX5 II supports PCM data to 32-bit/768kHz over USB (24-bit/192kHz via the coaxial and optical inputs) and DSD to 22.5792MHz (DSD512). It also supports DoP (DSD over PCM).

There's a new 32-bit, 16-core XMOS chip for USB data and a high-performance driver for Windows; other platforms don't require a driver. And there's Bluetooth 5.1 with LDAC and aptX Adaptive up to 24-bit/96kHz and aptX HD at up to 24-bit/48kHz. The Bluetooth module also supports Low Latency, plain aptX, AAC and SBC.

There are three hi-res digital inputs – USB, coaxial and optical – a 12V trigger in/out and three headphone outs: balanced XLR, balanced 4.4mm and single-ended 6.35mm.

And the headphones are powered by Topping's new X-Hybrid headphone amp, which is a fully balanced four-channel design that's based on Nested Feedback Composite Architecture (NFCA) with a three-stage design: input, op-amp gain stage and output.

Topping says it's powerful enough to drive even difficult planar magnetic headphones, with power output of 2x 7,600mW into 16 ohms, 2x 6,400mW into 32 ohms and 2x 990mW into 300 ohms through its balanced outputs.

The DX5 II DAC/headphone amp will be available in the UK this July in a choice of black, white or silver, and is already available online in the US.

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