Introduction
Topping Audio China is mainly a DAC and amplifier producer that has gotten pretty successful lately with their products that have caught the ears and hearts of audiophiles around the globe. They indeed have a wide plethora of products that range from portable to desktop setup and from a budget lineup all the way up to the flagship line and I must say, they are all great products in their price range. With legendary products such as the A90, D90 line, NX lineups and many more, they sure do have the passion in producing quality items without breaking the bank for the users. Recently, Topping has decided to break into the portable bluetooth section with their latest invention, the Topping G5 and It is packed with amazing capabilities with their own signature NFCA(Nested Feedback Composite Amplifier) amplification along with the latest DAC chip from Sabre including LDAC bluetooth capabilities. The G5 has certainly piqued my curiosity on how they will sound and Ryan from Red Ape Headphones Store has kindly given us the opportunity to review the G5 and we personally would like to thank the Red Ape team for this chance. Will the G5 perform? We shall find out here.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the Topping G5 taken from their website and they are very informative indeed.
https://www.tpdz.net/productinfo/877767.html
Retail Price & Where to Get
TOPPING G5 is currently priced at ~ RM1,299.00
Purchase Link : https://invle.co/cldtrea
Packaging & Accessories
The G5 is packaged rather too simple for the price as it only came in a small box but they are packed with all the essentials such as a USB C to C angled cable, a USB C to USB A cable, a lightning to USB C cable (only on the lightning version), a 3.5mm interconnect a rubber sheet and 2 bands for stacking along with a manual and some product brochure. They are packed a little too simple but it is okay for me as the main product that mostly matters to me.
Design
Solid and well executed products are the 2 words I would use to describe the G5 as they are very well designed with a leather back, volume knob protector and a “window” plastic screen for us to peep into the G5. They are indeed very solid on hand and rather lightweight for their size.
On the bottom is 2 standard USB type C where one is for charging and another for sound input. They have 2 switches here which one for input selection and a 3 gains selector that can drive a variety of sensitivity. On the top we will have a 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced output along with a 3.5mm input with no digital input. The G5 sadly does not have a dedicated line-out option but instead has a line-in option probably the reason for this is that the main attraction of the G5 is their simplified NFCA amplification that is the main star of the show here.
Inside the body through the window is 2 LED lights, one indicates the working and charging status where green is for working status and it will turn white when it is fully charged. The other LED indicates the connection. it will blink if it is not connected and stop blinking when it is connected. As for charging, the LED will turn from white to green when fully charged which will take around 3.5 hours from 0%. This simplicity of the indicator is actually quite depressing for the price paid as they lacked information such as battery life, bitrate or file formats and even when it is low on battery, there is no indication.
The G5 is equipped with the latest portable flagship DAC chipset from the legendary chip manufacturer Sabre, the ES9068AS and they are known for their high performance with a low noise floor. The G5 has full support for DSD playback but there is no support for MQA which might deter some users out there but their Bluetooth has LDAC support which is great. The volume control is being done via an analog wheel on the top which has a nice resistance.
The main attraction of the G5 is their signature NFCA amplification that is a simplified version of the desktop amplifier, the A90 and they promised a clean sound with excellent battery life. The NFCA or Nested Feedback Composite Amplifier is a combination of multiple operational amplifiers that are cascaded together with a feedback loop and these feedback are negative in nature, thus they are also termed as a nested-feedback amplifier. Negative feedback helps to reduce fluctuations in the output. The G5 are indeed very clean sounding along with a great driving power with a whopping 1200mw of power that can drive even demanding headphones all the way to high sensitivity in-ears without any hissing.
The battery is quite impressive as they are fixed with a large 4000 mAh lithium ion battery. For DAC and Bluetooth I do get up to 11 hours of usage with low gain and 9 hours with high gain. On the line in input, the battery life is an impressive 25 hours.
Gears Used for Comparisons
FiiO M17
Questyle M15 & M12
Shanling UP5
FiiO KA3
DUNU EST112
Moondrop A8
JVC HA-FW01
Letshuoer S12
TinHifi P1max
Blur daBass custom earbud
Toneking TO600s
Sennheiser HD800s
Beyerdynamics T1
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
To simply describe the tuning of the G5, professional mature tuning as they are one of the well tuned Sabre DAC without any of the cold, dry, peaky sound that are usually present in Sabre products while maintaining their amazing clarity among their frequencies. They are a neutral sounding device that has a very clean sound and a borderline bright sound with a touch of lushness especially on the lower end of the frequency. They are also a very well balanced device without any major emphasis on the sound. The G5 is great for monitoring usage as they do not incur any colouration into their presentation. Clarity and details is top notch with amazing driving power that can satisfy hungry headphones with ease.
Soundstage
The soundstage that the G5 pushes out is actually quite good with great depth in their width and also great heights as well along with a spacious headroom even with in-ears. They are able to convey music with an added air to them making music sound livelier and they are great for live performances, movies and gaming as well. Placement on the G5 is impressive as they are accurate making music sound very organic in nature.
Separation and Timbre
The main strength of Sabre sound is their capabilities in their separation in music and the G5 is no exception in this area as they sound great with all layers being present well without any congestion or fuzziness. Even for fast, busy tracks such as metal genre and they handle them with ease with a smooth sound without harshness. Timbre might sound a little thin but they are accurate and natural without any colouration. Their timbre would benefit from a little more energy to make music more fun but that’s just my music preference. Overall amazing separation and accurate timbre, very well suited for a critical listener.
Drivability
Say what you want about this “portable” amplifier but you can’t deny their driving prowess. They are rated at 1200mw which has enough power for most of my headphones and they drove them with authority. Be it a dynamic based headphones, all the way to planars, the G5 is truly capable though on some planars, they are not quite well driven to their maximum potential. On high sensitivity in-ears, I did not detect any hiss or noise on low gain but there was some noise on medium and high gain. The G5 is a powerhouse for their size indeed.
The Bass (Low)
The bass produced by the G5 is superb as they are clean, impactful and detailed at the same time without any bloat or bleed. Clarity on the bass is great with every note and impact portrayed in a very controlled manner. They have a decay that has the right amount of tension without sounding too tight or loose. The texture of the bass is superb and they are able to suit a wide range of genres. Sub-bass is quite average as they do not add any quantity into them but they do extend the sub-bass a tad deeper than usual. What impresses me is their clean, clear bass performance without sacrificing any body and rumble that can sometimes make music sound a little too unnatural.
The Mids
The midrange that the G5 produces is a neutral, slightly bright and a well balanced midrange presentation that has a clean and clear tone. Details are very well embedded with their micro and macro details presented in a very clear manner. Resolution is also great as the G5 indeed made music more holographic and they are great for most of the music genres. Vocals sounded superbly clean and clear but with male vocals they do sound a little on the thinner side at times. The G5 somehow managed to sound quite lush in nature and they do not sound clinical or cold in any way without any over coloration. Overall, their midrange is very maturely tuned and they sound great.
The Highs
Afraid of the glaring high range typical of a Sabre based chipset? Worry not as the G5 is finely tuned here with their smooth high range without sacrificing any clarity and details signature of a Sabre chipset. Their high range is crystal clear with a great sparkle that is smooth to listen to but I do feel that they lack a great crisp decay for a better bite in the music. Their energy produced is rather low but they do have a rather fast pace in their presentation. Treble sounded natural with a medium intensity and they are organic in nature making music sounds as they should be. Treble extension is average and they do give a little air in the music played. Overall, the high range tuning is quite good but they lacked energy and crisp performance for my preference but will suit those who want a natural, high quality performance without any harshness.
Comparisons
VS FiiO M17
The jack of all trade beast from FiiO that is a true powerhouse of a device that can churn out amazing desktop level power for most of the headphones out there. Though the G5 is not as powerful, they are still able to hold their ground in the driving capabilities and not to mention they are ⅕ of the asking price of the M17.
The High range on the M17 has the better quantity and the details are much more apparent. Sparkle is also better on the M17 but the G5 sounds a little more controlled. M17 has a better extension and treble sound more accurate.
Midrange on the G5 sounded a little thicker and forward. M17 midrange has better details and clarity and they sound a tad brighter. Vocals on the M17 are lusher and more intimate. Resolution wise they are almost on par.
Bass on the G5 has a better slam especially in the mid-bass but the clarity of the bass in the M17 is on another level. Sub-bass quantity is almost the same but on the M17, they extend deeper. Bass control on the M17 is also better with a thicker note overall. Soundstage on the M17 is bigger, wider and taller but in a small margin. The air and headroom that the M17 possesses is on another level. But in terms of portability, the G5 is the wiser choice versus the big, heavy brick of a product that is the M17.
VS Questyle M15
The Questyle M15 is no doubt one of the best dongles in the market right now and they are indeed a little beast that has great driving power along with a great sound typical of Questyle products. They are both similarly priced but the M15 has no internal battery and bluetooth capabilities.
Bass on both surprisingly sound quite similar in their details, quantity and in the sub-bass extension but the G5 mid bass has a better presence overall. The M15 bass has a hint of neutrality and the G5 sounded a little more fun.
Midrange on the M15 has a little more intimacy and sounded more forward than the G5’s neutral type of midrange. Details on the M15 are slightly better but they are both very clean and clear. Vocals on the G5 have a more intimate take while the M15 has a slightly more organic, natural presentation.
Highs on the M15 are stronger by a small margin and they have better clarity. High range on the G5 is more controlled and smoother overall. Both of these unit’s high range has no sibilance or harshness occurring but the M15 has a bigger high range presence while the G5 sounds leaner. Treble on both are on par with each other with both sounding quite organic and spot on.
Soundstage on the G5 sounded slightly wider and taller with a bigger headroom.
Synergy
Sennheiser HD800S One the legendary flagship headphones from the reputable headphones maker from Germany that needed no introduction for the amazing performance. The G5 has ample power driving the 300 ohms drivers on high gain and they do it pretty well for their size. High range on the HD800S sounds smooth and extends quite well with all the details intact but they sound a little on the thinner side. Treble still remained organic and holographic but might sound a little too intense on certain music like metal genres. Midrange on the HD800S sounds a little cleaner and clearer overall with a hint of warmth. Vocals sound intimate and lush but might sound a little flat at times. Bass has a better impact especially on the mid bass region and the slam is tightened by a small degree. Sub-bass extends slightly deeper but lacks rumble. Soundstage is average on this pairing but still able to sound relevant as the G5 is a portable device. Overall. The G5 surely do manage to drive the HD800S with good authority but they do not manage to drive it to their fullest potential. But for the size and asking price of the G5, they manage to do the job pretty well.
Dunu EST112
The tribrid from Dunu TopSound China and they are equipped with 1 dynamic driver, 1 balanced armature driver and a dual sonion electrostatic drivers that have a great tone control with a superbly balanced sound signature. They are slightly sensitive in-ears and the low gain on the G5 drove these in-ears with ease without any hiss or noise present. High range on the EST112 is actually quite good and they do bring out the flavour of the electrostatic drivers so they are more enjoyable with better sparkle and a distinct decay that only electrostatic drivers can do. Details and clarity on the high range is superb with them sounding cleaner and clearer. Treble mostly stayed the same. Midrange on the EST112 has a clearer and cleaner presentation with vocals sounding more lush and intimate but they might sound a little thin at times. Soundstage sounds a tad bigger in depth and height. Overall, they complemented each other and they seemed to pair pretty well.
Who Is It For?
For those who want a powerful and convenient portable setup with bluetooth, the G5 is a product for you and at this price bracket , they are hard to beat. Also, for those who want a clean and clear sound without any harshness, the NFCA amplifier module in the G5 certainly does a great job. With their 3 gain settings, they are able to cater a wide range of products all the way up to the power hungry headphones. They are not able to decide MQA so take note but they are able to play DSD without any problem.
Final words
The G5 is a powerhouse of a portable DAC/amplifier that has decent bluetooth capabilities with a great industrial design that performs very well for a wide range of products with a competitive price tag. The sound is truly great with a clean and clear sound typical of Topping’s signature NFCA amplification and without any cold, peaky sound from a well tuned Sabre chipset. Though their midrange might sound a little thin at times, they are still able to sound lush and intimate. The only downside of the G5 is their simplicity of their indicators where there isn’t any information on their status such as battery life or types of files being played and not to mention the lack of MQA playback which some users might crave for. But overall, as an audiophile device mainly for sound reproduction, they are awesomely, addictively great. Great job Topping!
I would rate this product a solid 4 stars over 5.
