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Topping A70 Pro HP & Preamp Review

Rate this preamplifier and headphone amp:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 15 4.4%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 7 2.0%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 38 11.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 283 82.5%

  • Total voters
    343

JK002

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2023
Messages
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Likes
5
Same behavior for me BUT why do you change the input source so many times? It is useless and impractical
I ordered resistors and capacitators and I will convert the xlr connection on the hypex NC502mp to RCA as it is in the manual on the nc400, then I will write because on the schit vidar, which only has RCA, everything is OK
1707042327030.png
 

Ykar

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
73
Likes
65
I ordered resistors and capacitators and I will convert the xlr connection on the hypex NC502mp to RCA as it is in the manual on the nc400, then I will write because on the schit vidar, which only has RCA, everything is OK
View attachment 347237

and the following posts to decide if worth a try or not
 

JK002

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2023
Messages
6
Likes
5

and the following posts to decide if worth a try or not
well thank you

I tried all the listed XLR connections according to the pictures in these posts
I completely disconnected pin No. 1.
I connected pin No. 1 only to the chassis and pin No. 1 of the amplifier to the chassis at another point
I disconnected pin No. 1 from the chassis and directly into the amplifier
I connected pin No. 1 to the chassis and to pin No. 1 at one point on the XLR connector and directly to the amplifier.
Just all variants and cracking was always there
as I wrote, the crackling is only on the XLR output. The RCA Schiit Vidar is perfectly fine
 

marcom22

Active Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
161
Likes
127
Location
Rome
So I want to share with you that audio drop on my A70 still persist ........ The drops occur in HPA mode on both output SE and balanced. Audio drops suddenly occur at around -12 or -10db, depend by master audio level of the song. ......... I want to ask directly to topping....... because with my sundara I cannot reach the max power of the A70.

UPDATE: I wrote to [email protected] Seems that Topping A70 goes in protection ..... !!!!!!. It's unbelievable
 
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Disarmamant

New Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2024
Messages
4
Likes
3
Location
Northamptonshire UK
I have just bought the A70 Pro. It arrived from Amazon three days ago, on first power up it had firmware V2.01. I have installed the latest firmware V2.02.

I’m only using it as a preamp with both balanced and RCA outputs driving different amplifiers. I set the balanced outputs to low gain, and the RCA outputs to high gain. I turned off the HPA. I saved the settings using the C1 & the C2 buttons.

All was good, until I powered the A70 off, disconnected the power cable, and moved it to another location in the rack. When I powered back up again all the settings were gone, It even asked me to set the language again.

Is this normal, anyone else had this problem?
 

Ahmonge

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 30, 2022
Messages
228
Likes
221
Location
Valencia, Spain
Is this normal
Not at all. My D30 Pro DAC is always physically switched off when not in use, and never forgets its configuration settings.
 

JK002

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2023
Messages
6
Likes
5
I have just bought the A70 Pro. It arrived from Amazon three days ago, on first power up it had firmware V2.01. I have installed the latest firmware V2.02.

I’m only using it as a preamp with both balanced and RCA outputs driving different amplifiers. I set the balanced outputs to low gain, and the RCA outputs to high gain. I turned off the HPA. I saved the settings using the C1 & the C2 buttons.

All was good, until I powered the A70 off, disconnected the power cable, and moved it to another location in the rack. When I powered back up again all the settings were gone, It even asked me to set the language again.

Is this normal, anyone else had this problem?
I haven't tried disconnecting the power cable, but I usually turn off the switch on the back and it remembers the settings, try disconnecting the cable again to see if it happens again

when changing XLR to RCA on hypex NC502mp, everything is fine, no crackling when turning on the mute or changing the input, I use the RCA output on the A70 pro, as far as I can tell, there is no difference in the quality of reproduction
 

marcom22

Active Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
161
Likes
127
Location
Rome
But audio drops with my Sundara occurs only to me? I'm a lucky man :)
 

marcom22

Active Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
161
Likes
127
Location
Rome
Is the sound coming out of the headphones? Isn't the listening volume too high?
Yes coming out from headphones but they are Sundara so are open headphones ..... yes the volume is high but not so much HIGH ...... sure you cannot stay for 1 minute with this volume but if do you want to "pump" why you cant?
 

dougq

Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2021
Messages
29
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29
Yes coming out from headphones but they are Sundara so are open headphones ..... yes the volume is high but not so much HIGH ...... sure you cannot stay for 1 minute with this volume but if do you want to "pump" why you cant?
I think anything under a minute at that volume will cause permanent hearing damage. Obviously different setups, different headphones. I've got a topping d70 octa, and a70 pro. With my 'hard to drive' expanse turned to -15 it basically sounds like speakers just sitting at my desk. I would be afraid to go any further and damage my headphones. Maybe i'm too cautious, but even considering putting those anywhere close to my ears would be insane. My entire chain is balanced at 5v.
 

dougq

Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2021
Messages
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29
I can't stress, at -15db how clear I can hear the music with it sitting a few feet away.

I realize this isn't the most accurate measruemnt but I used the Niosh spl meter and measure the sound and it was 110db baseline.

On a positive note it sounded absolutely clear with no distortion that I could safely tell.
 
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marcom22

Active Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
161
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127
Location
Rome
I can't stress, at -15db how clear I can hear the music with it sitting a few feet away.

I realize this isn't the most accurate measruemnt but I used the Niosh spl meter and measure the sound and it was 110db baseline.

On a positive note it sounded absolutely clear with no distortion that I could safely tell.
With Sundara and all chain in balanced i cannot reach 110dp spl ..... because at around 98db my topping A70 goes in protection. Im very disappointed
 

dougq

Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2021
Messages
29
Likes
29
Rewatching your video I think it is your headphones. The meter is still moving on the amp as if it's sending the signal. From my experience any interruptions in the audio are visible on the meter.

I would have to guess you are putting too much power into those headphones from the headphones perspective and your hearing.
 

marcom22

Active Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
161
Likes
127
Location
Rome
Rewatching your video I think it is your headphones. The meter is still moving on the amp as if it's sending the signal. From my experience any interruptions in the audio are visible on the meter.

I would have to guess you are putting too much power into those headphones from the headphones perspective and your hearing.
For the moment the vendor tells me that is the Amp that goes in protection mode. I'm waiting the official answer from Topping
 
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