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Topping PA5 Review (Amplifier)

DS23MAN

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Thanks, I didn't know about this project.

I found measurements at this place in the thread which look pretty good but are clearly limited by the soundcard:

Are you aware of more elaborate measurements? Since it does not throw away gain after the op-amp, it could potentially measure even better than Neurochrome.

Are the PCBs still available?
After a lot of fideling, 2 watt in 8 ohm:

 

Doodski

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I’m just an old country boy, and it mystifies me why such a well performing product is in such an odd form factor, have balanced TRS inputs, RCA outs and binding posts.

I know it’s been beat to death but it puzzles me. 19” rack mount it with XLR and speakON connections and increase the price $200 bucks and I’m in, and it’s still a great value.

I am curious though how it would stack up against my old Crown D75 with my Topping D90se.
The Topping PA5 is more a lifestyle product than a rack mount device like the Crown D75. Many people want small and unobtrusive stuff.

As per comparing your D75 to a PA5 the Ken Rockwell website has extensive details about your D75.
 
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daniboun

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DS23MAN

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Thanks, I didn't know about this project.

I found measurements at this place in the thread which look pretty good but are clearly limited by the soundcard:

Are you aware of more elaborate measurements? Since it does not throw away gain after the op-amp, it could potentially measure even better than Neurochrome.

Are the PCBs still available?
Mk1-V2


Version 1: more than 200 pcb's where sold.
 

Doodski

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I would rather say : a "Desktop amplifier" for the PA5 )
The desktop amplifier designation limits what it can be utilized for and lends a smallness factor to it.
Lifestyle product intonates that it's sophisticated, versatile, powerful although in a small form factor and beautiful in it's simplicity.
Of which the PA5 is all those things. I envision many different peeps employing the PA5 in different environments and that it's LED'less design (I'm assuming it has no LED because none of the pics I've seen have a illuminated LED.) will assist it's ability to hide and blend into the home and work environments. :D
 

Bruce Morgen

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I know it’s been beat to death but it puzzles me. 19” rack mount it with XLR and speakON connections and increase the price $200 bucks and I’m in, and it’s still a great value.

I'd be willing to bet that sales of amps in the "desktop" form factors exceed the number of rack-mountable amps sold by huge margin -- and the Chinese makers are all about sales volume.
 

bahamot

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JohnYang once said their market actually demands small form factor like L30. Even D90 size was said to be a bit large.
 

cyruz

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PA5 seems good but I do not really see why I would choose in front of Aiyima A07 TPA 3255? They seem to have quite the same effect (depending on the choice of power supply). Measures more or less equal. But difference in price.:)

"Measures more or less equal" is an extremely unfair statement. As outlined by the measurements the difference is substantial. If you want to argue about the audibility and the price/performance ratio it's a different thing, but measurements are objective.
 

Rottmannash

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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.
I hardly think the D90SE at $900 is "el cheapo".
 

Rottmannash

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Rafaille

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I think the small form factor helps keep cost down when you're shipping these components half way around the world.
And keeps my wife happy whenever I say I 'need' a new black box to make the sound better.

I think we should stop calling class D amps "desktop" amps, it makes people think they are not up to the task when driving anything else than sensitive speakers listened at near field. This is not the case at all and if some people do need more power than such amps can deliver because they have 'low' sensitivity speakers and/or listen in a large-ish room and/or often play loud then they should definitely seek a higher power amp.
As for myself, and I suspect many other people, 2x50W (or more with a bit of distortion) is plenty! After all, big comsumer brands like Cambridge audio, Marantz, Yamaha, Denon and others mostly sell 50-100W amps and no one is calling them 'desktop' amps.

Class D amps are small because they can be, and I am quite glad they are. Now, as it has been suggested by others in this thread, if one only swears by heavy, chunky, and hot running boxes, then indeed the PA5 is extremely disappointing.

The only reason why we would need something bigger than a 'desktop' form factor is if we need more I/Os but IMHO we should pick another word than "desktop" when we speak of a small footprint, moderately powered, high performing amplifier with enough inputs for most applications.
 

Doodski

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I'm 62 and can hear 15K.
I just did a freq sweep starting at 20KHz and slowly sweeping down till I could hear something and it was @ 15,336 Hz that I started hearing the high freq. The windows volume was at 100%, the freq sweep was @ 75% and my Sennheiser HD598 headphones where used. The headphones have very poor high freq response so I'm not so sure the upper limit for me is actually 15,336 Hz.
 

maty

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Topping PA5 -> audiophile tweaks

Topping PA5 audiophile tweaks.png
 

Paco De Lucia

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Arguing about Topping makes very dull reading
 
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