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Poll for Topping PA5 owners only please.

Is your Topping PA5 amp defective?

  • Yes

    Votes: 123 50.0%
  • No

    Votes: 123 50.0%

  • Total voters
    246

restorer-john

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I did startup sequence DAC --- then Pa5. Had music on all day (with a few pauses). No issues, then it just recently crept back in.

I'll try powering everything off, start over and see how long it lasts again.

Can you record the noise and attach it as a file to this thread? I'm interested to see exactly what it is.
 

BoredErica

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Why do people post about whether their pa5 works fine or not without saying how long they've used it or how they use it? If all you want to do is say it works okay or not then just vote in the poll.
 

Eldus

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Why do people post about whether their pa5 works fine or not without saying how long they've used it or how they use it? If all you want to do is say it works okay or not then just vote in the poll.
I do wonder what the levels/distance of the listeners are and sensitivity of speakers being used. Is it just a certain level of strain? I suppose each member would need an SPL meter lol for good data.

I have used mine nearly every day with my 86db Elac DBR62 for 4 months in near-field without any issues. I did use RCA to TRS adapters for a month before my E50 arrived. I listen at max around 80db-ish (averaged, I am sure there are peaks higher) I tend to listen fairly quiet. Using my phone app and mental reference based on memory of using a borrowed SPL meter. (I know, not hard data, best I can do atm I might buy one later) At any rate, my PA5 does not get even close to hot. Only slightly above room temp.
Point being, I do not stress the amp. No issues so far. Fingers crossed.
 

jmillar

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This little amp found a real market niche, it behaved and performed well and was enthusiastically received. Topping should consider a redesign targeting the flaws detected. There are many amps around using the same TI chip and working reliably. When it came out I was short of time and delayed purchase. I definitely would buy a corrected version (perhaps renamed?) It ticks all the boxes for one of my use cases.
 

terrys999

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Oh dear.
Purchased my pa5 from amazon uk 5 days ago
Today I noticed left channel random cutouts,

I wanted to find out if it was my pi4 moodeaudio playing up,

Moodeaudio to adi2 dac fs then to pa5.
Then swapped to cxn out to adi ect...

Both same, definitely left channel issue, bummer. Had it connected to bronze 6 floor sta... low volume.
It’s going back asp. Good riddance.
 

pkane

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Oh dear.
Purchased my pa5 from amazon uk 5 days ago
Today I noticed left channel random cutouts,

I wanted to find out if it was my pi4 moodeaudio playing up,

Moodeaudio to adi2 dac fs then to pa5.
Then swapped to cxn out to adi ect...

Both same, definitely left channel issue, bummer. Had it connected to bronze 6 floor sta... low volume.
It’s going back asp. Good riddance.

That’s terrible. Doesn’t speak well for Topping quality control.
 

terrys999

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That’s terrible. Doesn’t speak well for Topping quality control.

Yep.
I was over the moon with the sound too.
Reason I bought it was
1. Measurements
2. Sound quality
2. 7w power draw. We all need to save on power usage with ****** uk energy prices.

Iam gutted really pissed, seems like they threw this thing together without proper testing,

Dam shame
 
OP
Eggs Ackley

Eggs Ackley

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Luckily I have had no issues at all in almost six months. That said, if the poll numbers are even half way true Topping should stop selling and pull all remaining stock back from distributors and offer full refunds to anybody that bought one, no questions asked.
 

terrys999

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Luckily I have had no issues at all in almost six months. That said, if the poll numbers are even half way true Topping should stop selling and pull all remaining stock back from distributors and offer full refunds to anybody that bought one, no questions asked.

Yes they should.
I would usually use a cxa80 recently purchased, or cxa60.
The pa5 sounded better Then again I don’t use the DACs in the cxas either adi 2 dac fs or mdac plus.
I was fascinated on how this little amp could produce such a wonderful sound.
And that super low wattage.

Example mdac plus 15w with cxa80 40w. pi4 5w. T 60w
Or adi with the above amp t 52w
Now with the pa5 with adi and pi 19 -24w

Dam amazing.
Going to send it back and wait to see if topping fix the problem .
 

oivavoi

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Luckily I have had no issues at all in almost six months. That said, if the poll numbers are even half way true Topping should stop selling and pull all remaining stock back from distributors and offer full refunds to anybody that bought one, no questions asked.
Yap, the results in this poll are disastrous. Wondering how long it will take before Topping either does the honorable thing and offers a refund, or quietly does the nonhonourable thing and just introduces a MK2 where these problems are fixed.
 

terrys999

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Other strange behaviour is now happening.

Getting a rustle sound, like someone sweeping up leaves. Hahah. This is hilarious.
Going back Morrow morn. Refund.
Going to wait see if they bring out a fixed version ect..

Thing is it drives my bronze 6s beautifully, plenty loud without distortion.
Oh well we live and learn.
Come back cxa all is forgiven.
 

Toku

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30.9% of the people who voted say that there is something wrong, but the details are unknown. When I read the posts on ASR so far, I often see things such as misuse, lack of understanding of the product, and simply a problem of preference for the product, so I can not accept the 30.9% value as it is. ..
More thorough investigation and tracking is needed to conclude the problem that is occurring on the PA5. I think we need to report more to Topping, not just to speak at ASR.
 

raest

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30.9% of the people who voted say that there is something wrong, but the details are unknown. When I read the posts on ASR so far, I often see things such as misuse, lack of understanding of the product, and simply a problem of preference for the product, so I can not accept the 30.9% value as it is. ..
More thorough investigation and tracking is needed to conclude the problem that is occurring on the PA5. I think we need to report more to Topping, not just to speak at ASR.
what are you talking about? how does "preference for the product" factor in a simple, straightforward, explicit question like "Is your Topping PA5 amp defective?"?

who doesn't understand the product? what is there to understand about an amp with 2 inputs and a pair of speaker outputs? quote the posts and prove your assertions.

what misuse? other than people trying to use it with balanced inputs, which could fit said narrative if someone wanted to be beyond pedantic in defending Topping, what examples of "misuse" did you see here? what's there to misuse in a simple product like that? plug in the relevant cables, turn on, turn off every day. is that misuse?

i haven't counted (nor do i intend to) if all 25 who voted "yes" have also posted in this thread, but everyone who posted about having problems had the exact same issue: annoying, audible noise in the left channel (and some even both). how is that not a clear and obvious indication of either very poor engineering or very poor QC?
 

JeremyFife

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For information and background;

My PA5 is working well.
Purchased from Shenzen Audio, arrived in the UK in March 2022 and has been in light daily (1-2 hours) use since then.
I listen at low volumes (around 75db). It operates as a power amp, volume set to near max and the system volume changed by by pre-amp (miniDSP flex). Balanced signal throughout the chain. Speakers sensitivity is 89db, nominal impedance is 8ohm.
Amp is switched off once or twice a week, but the power supply is hardly ever powered down.

My amp is not stressed at all. No noise, thumps or concerning sounds and it doesn't get overly warm (never hot).
Watching this thread with interest, perhaps I've just been lucky. FWIW, an amp should be able to take, and hand out, abuse - I'm certainly not suggesting that it should be used the way I do.
 

Sokel

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When I read the posts on ASR so far, I often see things such as misuse, lack of understanding of the product, and simply a problem of preference for the product, so I can not accept the 30.9% value as it is. ..
Let me speak from the side of those who rely on other peoples knowledge to setup up something descent.I really like the concept of tri-amping so something like this seems ideal for the tweeters (let's not put the gain differences in the equation for now).
I really respect other peoples hard earned money so I empathized on those who got something that was not reliable.That's one reason to be skeptical.Posts like yours on the other hand about misuse(?),understanding(?),etc,make me worry even more.My hobby is obligated to give me joy not worries!That's why I like every possible protection in every condition so your post makes me worry a bit about the specific item (even if there was zero failures).
 

BoredErica

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30.9% of the people who voted say that there is something wrong, but the details are unknown. When I read the posts on ASR so far, I often see things such as misuse, lack of understanding of the product, and simply a problem of preference for the product, so I can not accept the 30.9% value as it is. ..
More thorough investigation and tracking is needed to conclude the problem that is occurring on the PA5. I think we need to report more to Topping, not just to speak at ASR.
I'd need some examples of how PA5 might be misused in a way that causes all the people voted to experience similar symptoms, but for people who make similar mistakes not to get problems with other amps. And using unbalanced source and losing 1db sinad doesn't count.

This thread doesn't need people who mindlessly defend the product or people who don't own one running in here gleefully talking about how garbage Topping is.
 

antcollinet

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Bottom line as I see it.

What we know:
There is a problem. 25people have reported failure of their amp, with a common failure mode.

What we can surmise:
A likely design fault or manufacturing fault (probably batch related if manufacturing)

This is not due to "misuse" or "misunderstanding". Switching the PSU on and off is not misuse, nor is driving the amp with an unbalanced signal. If the amp is failing for these reasons it is a design/product fault, not an issue of misuse.

What we don't know:
This poll is a self selecting participation, and we have no idea how many people who are not seeing a problem are not participating.
We have no idea how many regular participants at ASR have the amp.
We have no idea how many PA5's have been sold, nor how many in the general market have failed.

So we have no idea what the actual failure rate of the amp is. It could be world class at sub 0.5%, or it could be a disaster at 10%+
 

terrys999

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I don’t think people are abusing their amps.
There’s an obvious fault.
And yes it could be batch related.
There’s definitely a problem.

I have my returns label ready. But before I return iam listening now,
Volume at 8 o’clock on dial, turned it up to 11 o’clock it’s around 78 dB. No distortion quite loud, getting no probs at moment.
And yet last night I heard rustling leaves sound. Before then I was getting left Chanel drop outs.

I left the dac on last night straight through it morning ,

Now lowered adi dac volume -10 and turned up amp vol to 3 o’clock slowly raising digital volume.

No problem as I type this.

Hooo bugger no sure what to do. Do I send it back ,

Going to leave it on all day. With different volume settings ect, also going to move the psu to diff positions see if that has an effect.
 

raest

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What we don't know:
This poll is a self selecting participation, and we have no idea how many people who are not seeing a problem are not participating.
just like we don't know how many people who are seeing the problem are not participating ;)


I don’t think people are abusing their amps.
There’s an obvious fault.
And yes it could be batch related.
There’s definitely a problem.

I have my returns label ready. But before I return iam listening now,
Volume at 8 o’clock on dial, turned it up to 11 o’clock it’s around 78 dB. No distortion quite loud, getting no probs at moment.
And yet last night I heard rustling leaves sound. Before then I was getting left Chanel drop outs.

I left the dac on last night straight through it morning ,

Now lowered adi dac volume -10 and turned up amp vol to 3 o’clock slowly raising digital volume.

No problem as I type this.

Hooo bugger no sure what to do. Do I send it back ,

Going to leave it on all day. With different volume settings ect, also going to move the psu to diff positions see if that has an effect.
can't speak for others, but mine was quite inconsistent with the problem. the day before i returned it, it was there as soon as i turned it on (100% cold as it was early in the morning... can't work without music :p), so i switched it off, and tried turning it back on later around lunch break, and it worked fine until late in the evening (can't remember exactly. past my daughter's bedtime so definitely after 2000h) when it began anew. sent it back the day after (and now i'm stuck with a new one from the same batch :/ )
 

IPunchCholla

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The only ”abuse” I can think of would be incorrectly installing the speakers. I didn’t know what a BTL amp was. Even now that I do, I am not entirely sure of the consequences of wiring the speakers incorrectly. I do know Topping goes out of their way in the manual to say you must be careful about this.
 
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