TP RA3 Rackmount Amplifier Review

[tmtomh]

Can we just take a moment to appreciate that crosstalk performance? I mean, holy moly.

 

[testp]

maybe it's been answered, could it be run in bridged-mode for double the power or something?

 

[D!sco]

Because the same thing can create localized non-linearities when more than one tone is present as would be the case in music. Here is the test I ran for that:

Then again the spectrum of such high frequencies in music is very low so those sidebands would not be above noise floor.

So it remains less important than distortion in the more sensitive range, but is fundamentally still a part of a perfect system. That makes sense. This graph is also a lot easier for me to read and understand in this context. Thanks for the response!

 

[SuicideSquid]

I can see it being used in DJ situations for small venues such as coffeehouses or sidewalk cafes. In those use cases, the rack mounts would be useful for mounting in road cases. PA’s and powered monitors are probably the more typical use case for these applications, though.

I can also see it being used in a rack in a home studio to power bookshelf speakers - I sometimes run passive bookshelves alongside active monitors in my home studio and this amp would be perfect for that.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

This would be a category killer if could offer double the power at a comparable bargain price. Even so, it will work very well on a lot a small systems. We're getting very close to the same kind of price commoditization for amplifiers that we've already seen with DACS.

 

[sarumbear]

Folks, this is NOT a pro amp. It is a pro looking amp for home use. No pro amp needs a remote control or selectable inputs. This is a very high function and high performance amplifier put in a rack mount case I suspect to save cost. Rack mount cases were all the rage in 1980s and was a sign of equipment being "high-end!" Here is my carver receiver of the era:

That is not a rack mount case, @amirm. There are no mounting holes.

 

[staticV3]

Folks, this is NOT a pro amp. It is a pro looking amp for home use. No pro amp needs a remote control or selectable inputs. This is a very high function and high performance amplifier put in a rack mount case I suspect to save cost.

I'm curious, why can the RA3 not be used professionally?

 

[sarumbear]

I'm curious, what would prevent someone from using the RA3 professionally?

If there is no lock on the volume, it will be a problem with a flywheel type volume control in a pro environment where levels are often set and left.

 

[Zek]

I'm curious, why can the RA3 not be used professionally?

Low power output, protection that prevents higher power, question of long term durability.

 

[Sokel]

When it comes to power,you realize that Genelec for example uses double this amp's power to drive only the tweeters of the small 8341?
Have you try to play it loud and have you seen how often the clipping light appears if you do so?

And that example is active,free of the x-over loses,etc.
Wouldn't they put something smaller if they could get away with it?

 

[sarumbear]

Low power output, protection that prevents higher power, question of long term durability.

Pro use is not related to available power. Why do you need higher than 2x 80W for background music at a bar or restaurant, for instance?

 

[mdsimon2]

An important detail is that the volume control is done with resistor network and is fully balanced also with very good noise performance. Essentially a built in SOTA preamp in a 229 USD amp.

Thanks for sharing. It would be cool to see some comparisons at lower power levels between using the TP RA3 volume control and using a decent performance DAC as volume control.

Michael

 

[Louie]

I didn't know 8 ohm speakers were rare. I did a quick search of my KEF LS 50 metas and sure enough, they are 8 ohms. I need an education in impedance !!!!

Most impedance ratings are an average number. You need to look at the whole impendence curve and see where the minimums are. That is where the most power demanding requirements are.

 

[fpitas]

When it comes to power,you realize that Genelec for example uses double this amp's power to drive the tweeters of the small 8341?
Have you try to play it loud and have you seen how often the clipping light appears if you do so?

And that example is active,free of the x-over loses,etc.
Wouldn't they put something smaller if they could get away with it?

Maybe, maybe not. The last thing they want is the tweeter amp clipping and destroying the tweeter.

 

[Sokel]

Maybe, maybe not. The last thing they want is the tweeter amp clipping and destroying the tweeter.

And there's already protection for such event,we see it in Amir's speaker distortion charts,tweeter's output is automatically reduced when pushed a little.

 

[Doodski]

Pro use is not related to available power. Why do you need higher than 2x 80W for background music at a bar or restaurant, for instance?

Some bars and restaurants can get very loud. I loaned a Technics SU-V9 to a pub for 3 days and it was run very hard to keep the music at a level that the bar needed. If that amp had difficulty then I imagine the TP-RA3 might be a bit stressed at times in some restaurants/pubs.

Technics/Panasonic SU-V9 SpecificationsTechnics / Panasonic

 

[sarumbear]

Some bars and restaurants can get very loud. I loaned a Technics SU-V9 to a pub for 3 days and it was run very hard to keep the music at a level that the bar needed. If that amp had difficulty then I imagine the TP-RA3 might be a bit stressed at times in some restaurants/pubs.

Technics/Panasonic SU-V9 SpecificationsTechnics / Panasonic

And some are very quiet. That’s not a reason to say this amplifier is not suitable for background amplification at tens of thousands of restaurants and bars is it? It’s horses for courses.

 

[Doodski]

And some are very quiet. That’s not a reason to say this amplifier is not suitable for background amplification at tens of thousands of restaurants and bars is it? It’s horses for courses.

Yes, true. A nice relaxed location and it would suffice. I would let it run with a few buyers and see what happens before buying a Topping amp though. Otherwise I like the unit and the design. I can see many peeps wanting something like it.

 

[sarumbear]

Yes, true. A nice relaxed location and it would suffice. I would let it run with a few buyers and see what happens before buying a Topping amp though. Otherwise I like the unit and the design. I can see many peeps wanting something like it.

I doubt anyone in the pro/install world will do that. Do pros followed forums to see if a cheap Behringer had failed, before ordering a hundred for the chain they won the contract to amplify?

 

[tmtomh]

Pro use is not related to available power. Why do you need higher than 2x 80W for background music at a bar or restaurant, for instance?

You don't - but on the other hand you don't need anywhere near this level of SINAD and crosstalk performance for a bar or restaurant either.

Still, for only 229 with integrated PSU, I agree it could be a great choice for that use case.