Topping PA7 Plus Amplifier Review

[Bleib]

That’s an interesting idea as a preventive measure… Did you use passive or active cooling?

Passive. I covered the top with a large heatsink and some smaller ones on the bottom as well. Also lifted it up so that air can more easily enter in from the bottom. Made sure no other electronics could heat it up either. So for instance no DAC underneath it.

Any AVR I have I make sure to raise it up a bit so that air can enter in underneath. These above all can become very hot even though it's only used for 2 channel operation.

 

[MacCali]

Just asked about this 2 hours before it came out on the Greenwave review.

Honestly not one to pass negativity towards topping, and I maybe be wrong as well with my following statement. But my take is jamming all of this into such a small box with such high power would be what makes me think this will fail or increase the failure rate.

The PA5 being even smaller.

I have the D70s and the pre90 and even those get to extremely hot. Not that it’s massive heat, but they do get really hot. I noticed when I first had them stacked it was extremely bad. Had to unstack and elevate them to prove more air flow and also put some copper heat sinks on top to help increase the cooling.

I would highly suggest this very same addition to any of your equipment. No need to paste it or do much more than place it right on top and it too is getting fairly warm.

Just my advice and just be sure to purchase pure copper as there are a lot of knock offs on the market

 

[unpluggged]

Fake CE mark on power supply → should not be allowed for sale.

 

[MacCali]

Passive. I covered the top with a large heatsink and some smaller ones on the bottom as well. Also lifted it up so that air can more easily enter in from the bottom. Made sure no other electronics could heat it up either. So for instance no DAC underneath it.

Any AVR I have I make sure to raise it up a bit so that air can enter in underneath. These above all can become very hot even though it's only used for 2 channel operation.

Lol just posted what you said. I think it’s definitely necessary. My experience was solely with a dac and pre

 

[Bleib]

Just asked about this 2 hours before it came out on the Greenwave review.

Honestly not one to pass negativity towards topping, and I maybe be wrong as well with my following statement. But my take is jamming all of this into such a small box with such high power would be what makes me think this will fail or increase the failure rate.

The PA5 being even smaller.

I have the D70s and the pre90 and even those get to my extremely hot. Not that it’s massive heat, but they do get really hot. I noticed when I first had them stacked it was extremely bad. Had to unstack and elevate them to prove more air flow and also put some copper heat sinks on top to help increase the cooling.

I would highly suggest this very same addition to any of your equipment. No need to paste it or do much more than place it right on top and it too is getting fairly warm.

Just my advice and just be sure to purchase pure copper as there are a lot of knock offs on the market

Pure copper is a bit overrated though. Most computer coolers are aluminium and that's perfectly fine.

 

[MacCali]

Fake CE mark on power supply → should not be allowed for sale.

I think fake is another factor, I believe it is CE or some of those UL style listings is dumb.

The company itself doesn’t test it. They just provide parameters to what constitutes a pass and let’s the company itself provide its own results for pass or fail, with no third party oversight.

 

[MacCali]

Pure copper is a bit overrated though. Most computer coolers are aluminium and that's perfectly fine.

Yea I maybe wrong it just needs fins to dissipate the heat.

I believe I read that copper does suck up the most heat so that’s why I bought it.

 

[YSC]

technically looked great, but after the PA5 drama I think quite some of us will kept on wait and see for reliability issues, the solid case don't cast a lot of confidence on heat dissipation

 

[Eldus]

Great performance, but someone disappointing after PA5 (reliability aside, but maybe that was the reason?)
I will hold off my purchase though. in this economic, early buyers are usually rewarded, but not in this case I assume.

My PA5 has had daily use for nearly 2 years. No issues.

 

[Rewind]

And here I was going to buy the SIT-4.

 

[Elitzur–Vaidman]

Fake CE mark on power supply → should not be allowed for sale.

That's not a thing. Quit spreading misinformation: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-6-2007-5938_EN.html?redirect

 

[Eldus]

PA7 was supposed to be a step up in power and was planned to release last year. We wouldn't release a new power amp without identifying and fixing the underlying issue.

So if I have a PA5 still, and it works great (for now) should I be worried?

 

[MacCali]

That's not a thing. Quit spreading misinformation: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-6-2007-5938_EN.html?redirect

As I mentioned above, and now double checked. The CE mark on certain products does not require a third party to test them to qualify. Home building on other the hand which definitely pose a much greater risk must be third party tested.

I recall looking into this and reading about it. I believe that UL listed items must be produced by the manufacturer and then sent to UL to test to be added to the list.

Clearly none of these methods are bulletproof as prototypes or preproduction units can easily swap out things which did make it UL listed but were different when shipped out. Doubt that there is going to be a further check of these products once it's cleared.

 

[Billy Budapest]

That's not a thing. Quit spreading misinformation: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-6-2007-5938_EN.html?redirect

More on this same issue. The supposed “China Export mark” is urban legend/internet rumor:

European Conformity VS China Export, a widespread Internet myth - S³ Group

There are many hoaxes on the Internet and this is one of them: there are no two different CE logos. Find out where the confusion comes from

www.groups3.com

“The CE marking on products manufactured in China actually corresponds to the European CE marking required on some products. The visual differences between one label and another are due to simple printing errors, which sometimes produce millimetric variations in the typography or even in the distance between one letter and another.

In addition, it is important to bear in mind that there are no established measurements for the European CE marking (the regulation only states that this logo must have a minimum height of 5 mm), which makes these visual differences even more understandable.”

 

[Billy Budapest]

As I mentioned above, and now double checked. The CE mark on certain products does not require a third party to test them to qualify. Home building on other the hand which definitely pose a much greater risk must be third party tested.

I recall looking into this and reading about it. I believe that UL listed items must be produced by the manufacturer and then sent to UL to test to be added to the list.

Clearly none of these methods are bulletproof as prototypes or preproduction units can easily swap out things which did make it UL listed but were different when shipped out. Doubt that there is going to be a further check of these products once it's cleared.

Don’t forget CSA and ITL testing and registration, too.

 

[MacCali]

So if I have a PA5 still, and it works great (for now) should I be worried?

Nope, honestly with the PA5 it seems like something in the production line of product assembly had some lazy people not doing the proper job which increased the imminent failure of the products most likely due to heat as nothing else really seems to be so bad

Wish someone could pin point the exact issue by tearing down a few of the damaged units, which could probably save a lot of people this headache.

 

[MacCali]

More on this same issue. The supposed “China Export mark” is urban legend/internet rumor:

European Conformity VS China Export, a widespread Internet myth - S³ Group

There are many hoaxes on the Internet and this is one of them: there are no two different CE logos. Find out where the confusion comes from

www.groups3.com

“The CE marking on products manufactured in China actually corresponds to the European CE marking required on some products. The visual differences between one label and another are due to simple printing errors, which sometimes produce millimetric variations in the typography or even in the distance between one letter and another.

In addition, it is important to bear in mind that there are no established measurements for the European CE marking (the regulation only states that this logo must have a minimum height of 5 mm), which makes these visual differences even more understandable.”

Yes this maybe the exact thing between the two logos, unsure as I have not really taken a deep dive into the matter. One logo is probably the legit on which people use to cover their bottoms and the other is just a feel good sign.

 

[NTK]

Nope, honestly with the PA5 it seems like something in the production line of product assembly had some lazy people not doing the proper job which increased the imminent failure of the products most likely due to heat as nothing else really seems to be so bad

Wish someone could pin point the exact issue by tearing down a few of the damaged units, which could probably save a lot of people this headache.

John Yang of Topping described the PA5 failure root cause in post #50.

Topping PA7 Plus Amplifier Review

Thanks for the review. For a little more (~430 usd) I would definitely get an NC252MP based amp like the Nord below (link measurements from KJF). Better high frequency behavior, more power, internal power supply...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[audiotron]

Another excellent Topping amp. Thanks for the super quick review Apos just emailed me yesterday about this amp!

 

[EJ3]

Max 107 watt @ 8 ohm
SINAD above 100db
(SingleEnded man everywhere forever). Sorry, no to XLR

Unless I have to make runs of more than 3-4 meters, I see no reason to use XLR. My home system has no runs that long, SO: NO to XLR also.