Topping DX1

[fuad4s]

Hello,

I am looking for a usb dac to drive my Sennheiser HD6xx, and I need your advice about:

1- I plan to completely disable my PC sound card (win 11) and get Topping DX1 and use an EQ software like (Peace equalizer, or any other, I am open to suggestions), will this work effectively? any downside for this approach?
2- Will I get any audio delay? I am a character animator and audio/video sync is essential for me.
3- Will I get an audio quality upgrade (music - gaming) over my Creative sound blaster z?
4- Do you have a better usb dac suggestion other than DX1? (preferably same price range but I can go to 150 Euro if it worth it).

I apologize for this long post and thanks in advance for your help and time.
Kind Regards

 

[PurpleAngel]

The Creative Labs Sound Blaster Z sound card is a very decent DAC/amp (for is price, used $50).
The SB-Z uses a decent but older DAC chip (CS4398).
The DX1's DAC chip (AK4493S) is a newer design, so that's a plus.
Will that "plus" make a real world noticeable difference in audio quality, for your current use (maybe, maybe not)?
If I had a choice myself and had to choose between the two, I would take the Topping DX1, over the SB-Z card.
I would not expect the DX1 to cause any audio delay, compared to the SB-Z card.

For audio production (creating, editing, mixing) I would get some Sony MDR-V6 headphones (used $50-$60), lots of used one for sale on eBay.
MDR-V6 boring sounding headphone, which is great for audio production.
The 300-Ohm Sennheiser HD6XX headphones are something I would connect to a OTL tube headphone amplifier, for audio enjoyment.

I do not see any negatives with replacing the SB-Z card (it's old, so limited driver development)/improvement).
An internal sound cards can pick up electrical noise generated inside the computer case, sending the digital signal outside the computer case (USB DAC)
helps reduce that possible noise.

 

[fuad4s]

The Creative Labs Sound Blaster Z sound card is a very decent DAC/amp (for is price, used $50).
The SB-Z uses a decent but older DAC chip (CS4398).
The DX1's DAC chip (AK4493S) is a newer design, so that's a plus.
Will that "plus" make a real world noticeable difference in audio quality, for your current use (maybe, maybe not)?
If I had a choice myself and had to choose between the two, I would take the Topping DX1, over the SB-Z card.
I would not expect the DX1 to cause any audio delay, compared to the SB-Z card.

For audio production (creating, editing, mixing) I would get some Sony MDR-V6 headphones (used $50-$60), lots of used one for sale on eBay.
MDR-V6 boring sounding headphone, which is great for audio production.
The 300-Ohm Sennheiser HD6XX headphones are something I would connect to a OTL tube headphone amplifier, for audio enjoyment.

I do not see any negatives with replacing the SB-Z card (it's old, so limited driver development)/improvement).
An internal sound cards can pick up electrical noise generated inside the computer case, sending the digital signal outside the computer case (USB DAC)
helps reduce that possible noise.

Thanks allot! 6 months ago I upgraded from win10 to win11 and everything was great including sound quality, but lately it started to degrade and gradually becoming uncomfortable, I don't know if its win11 or SB Z.

Thanks again for your great help
Kind Regards

 

[PurpleAngel]

Thanks allot! 6 months ago I upgraded from win10 to win11 and everything was great including sound quality, but lately it started to degrade and gradually becoming uncomfortable, I don't know if its win11 or SB Z.

Thanks again for your great help
Kind Regards

Guess you could try doing a fresh install of the SB-Z card.
Remove the card, delete Creative software, then reinstall card in case, and reinstall Creative Software.
I like to disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS, when installing an internal sound card (like the SB-Z).

But better off selling the SB-Z card an adding that cash to the purchase of a USB DAC/amp.
(with the USB DAC/amp, leave the on-board audio enabled)
With the 300-Ohm HD6XX, it seem to do best (with music) with a $400 tube headphone amplifier.
But the Topping should do fine for Audio production.

 

[fuad4s]

Guess you could try doing a fresh install of the SB-Z card.
Remove the card, delete Creative software, then reinstall card in case, and reinstall Creative Software.
I like to disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS, when installing an internal sound card (like the SB-Z).

But better off selling the SB-Z card an adding that cash to the purchase of a USB DAC/amp.
(with the USB DAC/amp, leave the on-board audio enabled)
With the 300-Ohm HD6XX, it seem to do best (with music) with a $400 tube headphone amplifier.
But the Topping should do fine for Audio production.

I did a clean Win11 install -more than once- with the onboard sound disabled in bios, it was working perfectly fine in Win10, maybe it's not properly supported in Win11 due to it's age.
I will look into the tube amplifier, but right now my budget is tight.

Thanks again!

 

[Mikael7x]

I am using Topping DX1 with Sennheiser HD800 (300 Ohm) and Windows 11. I also use Sonarworks SoundID Reference for calibrating and there is zero latency mode for real time monitoring. I am using this set up for Pro Tools and audio production and feeling happy about the sound quality and it also feels powerful enough for me.