Early reports on new Topping PA5 ii and PA5 ii Plus?

[hobbyist]

This may be premature because the new Topping PA5 ii and PA5 ii Plus have just started shipping. But given the earlier problems, it would be very interesting to have first impressions on sound quality (and reliability) from people who were brave enough to order.

 

[unpluggged]

and reliability

Reliability is a statistical measure, and is a function of time.

 

[restorer-john]

Topping won't make the same beginners mistake potting modules again. But if they f#ck up the series 2, I'll have even less sympathy for them than I already do, considering how screwed over their customers were with the last PA5.

I mean seriously, somebody had to reverse engineer the stupid 'module'. A decent manufacturer would have publicly issued a mea culpa and released the gerbers for the PCB module, the internal schematic and values, because god knows, there's no actual parts available is there? That's the difference between a real HiFi manufacturer and a clown show.

There is no coming back from that fiasco in my book. And every single time I see another breathless review of a Topping piece here, I shake my head.

 

[JSmith]

There is a thread already on this;

New Topping PA5 MKII in the works

I asked a question about a comment where they had posted on Reddit. They are extending warranties of existing and a mkii is in the works.

www.audiosciencereview.com

JSmith

 

[cptsantos]

Just bought a PA5 II and have been testing it for the last 3 days.

Works fine but I’m surprised to find it runs very hot even at idle.
In fact, it runs hotter on idle than my Sonos Connect Amp (ZP120) playing at high volume.

Is anyone else experiencing this?

 

[Bleib]

Just bought a PA5 II and have been testing it for the last 3 days.

Works fine but I’m surprised to find it runs very hot even at idle.
In fact, it runs hotter on idle than my Sonos Connect Amp (ZP120) playing at high volume.

Is anyone else experiencing this?

The original ran rather hot as well. I raised it up a bit (almost an inch) to make sure that cooler air can come underneath it and also make sure not to have any component below it that emits any heat.