Topping PA5 Review (Amplifier)

[gvl]

You guys are psychotic. I dunno what compels you people to post over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over about how you don't like the amp when there are far worse amps out there.

Also, it won't sound the same if I can hear the hiss.

No one said the amp isn’t good, but you can get about the same sounding amps much cheaper.

 

[BoredErica]

No one said the amp isn’t good, but you can get about the same sounding amps cheaper.

I don't want about the same.
I want to hear as little of the noise as possible with my ear as close to the speaker as possible.

I hate hiss in speakers.
I also would rather not spend extra $2600 on ahb2. Turns out I can save quite a bit of money with this $340 amp.

I dunno how many times I have to repeat this. We have different goals and preferences. What won't work for you might work perfectly for someone else. Products have their niches. People who don't inhabit that niche tend to dismiss such niches because they can't ever put themselves in other people's shoes.

You should not get pa5 if its strengths don't matter to you.


Did I mention I hate hiss in speakers?

 

[DanielT]

The fact is that the PA5 is vastly quieter, so the measurements really aren't "more or less equal." Whether that difference is worth the extra $$$ is both highly subjective and very application dependent. I use A07s to drive my ambience/surround speakers -- my main L+R speakers and subwoofer are active -- and don't see spending $700USD for what would amount to little or no audible improvement as making a lick of sense in my particular situation.

Well it depends on what you mean by vastly?

Note I think PA5 seems to be a really good amplifier. Very "bang for the bucks" so do not get me wrong. If the measurements on it are made in the same way, someone can make a compilation where they overlap each other? Why not also include Allo Volt D as gvl mentions in post no 1315.

 

[gvl]

I don't want about the same.
I want to hear as little of the noise as possible with my ear as close to the speaker as possible.

I hate hiss in speakers.
I also would rather not spend extra $2600 on ahb2. Turns out I can save quite a bit of money with this $340 amp.

I dunno how many times I have to repeat this. We have different goals and preferences. What won't work for you might work perfectly for someone else. Products have their niches. People who don't inhabit that niche tend to dismiss such niches because they can't ever put themselves in other people's shoes.

You should not get pa5 if its strengths don't matter to you.


Did I mention I hate hiss in speakers?

How sensitive are your speakers?

 

[ceausuc]

I don't want about the same.
I want to hear as little of the noise as possible with my ear as close to the speaker as possible.

I hate hiss in speakers.
I also would rather not spend extra $2600 on ahb2. Turns out I can save quite a bit of money with this $340 amp.

I dunno how many times I have to repeat this.

Erica.. relax. Go buy it and be happy.
Actually buy 2-3. In case the amp dies, Topping disappears... one can never be too careful

 

[V.b.]

Well it depends on what you mean by vastly?

23db. That is (more than) 128 times quieter. I would say that "vastly" applies here.

 

[MarkWinston]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

And not everyone is an el cheapo.

 

[0bs3rv3r]

Hey, guys, no-one cares, OK???

 

[Eetu]

Can't believe people whining this amp is too expensive. First of all, we haven't seen this level of performance in an amp at this 1) price not to mention 2) physical size.

It's not an 'adult/grown up' amplifier? Disagree, it's that the times have changed and you don't need huge overbuilt monoliths anymore. And it's going to be fine for extended domestic listening sessions.

Aiyima A07 is load variant, meaning the frequency response changes depending on impedance whereas this amp has PFFB and is load invariant below 20kHz.

 

[DanielT]

Aiyima A07 is load variant, meaning the frequency response changes depending on impedance......

Yes I noticed it ... after I bought it ..

 

[Georgrig]

Anyone who’s shopping for Topping amplifiers is an el cheapo. I’m in the minority here as I’m actually not shopping for one.

Is it expensive or cheap? Make up your mind, dude

 

[DanielT]

23db. That is (more than) 128 times quieter. I would say that "vastly" applies here.

Damn, or it was good I mean. Damn because then I get the urge to buy one even though I do not need a PA5, he he.

 

[MarkWinston]

Anyone who’s shopping for Topping amplifiers is an el cheapo. I’m in the minority here as I’m actually not shopping for one.

Shopping for Topping is being cheap? Who said anything about shopping for Topping? It has nothing to do with the brand, its all about the measured performance, the only thing that matters in this forum. And you wont spend another miserable 100 bucks for it yet you are in this forum? LMAO! It could be a Krell, XYZ or 123. Dont matter one small bit. You completely lost the plot here trying to defend your cheap side.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Yes I noticed it ... after I bought it ..

You must have great ears -- like most males past the age of 50 or so, I can't hear a danged thing above 12kHz.

 

[voodooless]

23db. That is (more than) 128 times quieter. I would say that "vastly" applies here.

Actually, your ears only think this is a bit more than a quarter as loud. While still significant, it does put it into perspective.

 

[DanielT]

You must have great ears -- like most males past the age of 50 or so, I can't hear a danged thing above 12kHz.

It varied very differently depending on which speakers I used. Some worked well / ok others not at all well. Also seemed to lose power after I had it turned on for a while and used it at high volume.

It measures like that. See attached pictures, measurement made with the Power Supply was 36 Volts 5.56 Ampere. The distortion increases in the higher frequencies as the power increases. Now I do not hear up to 20 kHz anymore so it does not bother me but more than what I mentioned first in my post. Maybe there was something wrong with mine. I do not know.

faktiskt.io • Visa tråd - Aiyma A07 mätningar. Är Kejsaren naken?

www.faktiskt.io

 

[Doodski]

like most males past the age of 50 or so, I can't hear a danged thing above 12kHz.

I'm well past 50 or so and I can hear 15K-16K.

 

[gvl]

Is it expensive or cheap? Make up your mind, dude

It’s expensive for what it is, but inexpensive on the absolute scale as far as amps go. Is this a difficult concept to grasp?

 

[BoredErica]

Imagine linking an amp is 23db worse noise performance to try to own the pa5.

23db.

Let that sink in.

 

[Georgrig]

It’s expensive for what it is, but inexpensive on the absolute scale as far as amps go. Is this a difficult concept to grasp?

And what is it? A top-chart performer? How do you evaluate amps? Do you have a different metric to the ones discussed here? I think Amir said it best:

The dynamics of stereo amplifier market just changed folks!

Wake up... That's good for the consumer