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| My set up of NX1, Fiio X1 and Sennheiser Hd 215 |
Topping NX1
I really don't know much about the company Topping but how I came into contact was through Amazon. While buying the Fiio X1 player there was a recommendation to a headphone amp. The one advised was about £80. Considering the player was £90 I felt it was a little steep. But this one was also recommended with a rather palatable £22 price tag at the time.
After using the Fiio for a few weeks I ordered the amp and I have to say it is a great bit of kit. It really is nothing special simply an amp for a set of headphones but the extra quality provided can be a great boost on some albums/music.
I have seen this being promoted more for phones and I agree there the amp really does give my Motorola phone a better sound, more so on the low end. Even through the in ear headphones I use the sound is better. But to carry it with the phone on the bus can be quite an annoyance. My recommendation here is its for the real audio buff. But if going on holiday and wanting some time int he sun with music this wee amp would be a great device if staying in one place for long time (like sunbathing).
The real business end of this product is combined with a high end player with a good DAC. I have the X1 Fiio player a great entry level high end player so I have quite a good collection of music in 24bit high frequency so I give this £22 amp a go not looking for much due to price.
The package is simple to open and instantly I see there are two rubber bands for clamping the phone/player to the device. Also some handy Velcro pads, I choose to use these as I like to take the player with me to work on a Friday. USB cable for charging the unit as the battery is inbuilt the charger is mini USB (The kind on older devices not the one on newer smartphones). Also a pass through cable is provided. Simply use this to take headphone output from player to the amp them headphones go into the amp. Simple set up.
I was very much wrong, albums in all bitrate and file sound way better and again more in the low end. The bass in Death Magnetic by Metallica sounds fantastic and really carries the poor drums at times. Playing the new Iron Maiden albums is bliss with amazing highlights, the sound on the early albums is amazing. The bass is blowing out of my headphones so much I really have to turn them down a little and that is what I love about the amp as it has a good quality volume control and it is not a digital control (near all equipment now its two buttons up and down) this has a proper volume knob and like great HI FI amp the slightest twist brings out so much more great sound.
Bruce Springsteen is next and Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. again in 24bit and I really do feel this album so much more. I own this in cassette, vinyl and two CD reissues but this is by far the best I have heard. The amp gives a little touch to the vocals and also makes the band get more room. It is amazing to hear on a set of headphones how much room there can be but my Sennheiser Hd 215 make easy work of all music thrown at it.
Over to MP3 files and it still gives more great quality low end on near everything I throw at it, it is very frustrating as I am now looking for music that does not sound as good and I do find that on older recordings there can be very little improvement and even that is on low bit rate MP3 as well.
But the extra quality you get for £22 I really have nothing bad to say here at all. Even if you only use it for a week on holiday or for a few long journey train rides it is worth it. I am looking to buy a second for travel and keep one connected to my good headphones at home. For best results I say pair up with a good player and headphones.
The amp is available here .
