Poll for Topping PA5 owners only please.

[antcollinet]

If you want a refresh:

Topping LA90 Review (Integrated Amplifier)

Does the radiator have horizontal blades? :))))))))))))))) Amateur job...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I just thought the PA5 deserves more scrutiny, some follow up. It received so much attention for the initial measurements and hype around it's SINAD score. Clearly many people are having issues already.

Sorry - my comment was supposed to be humorous based on the fact you were accused of three things and only denied two of them.

I am not aware of anything that went on, and I’m not intending to get into it.

 

[AudioArchitech]

I see, funny !

(no false statements either)

 

[BoredErica]

Has anyone gotten left channel problems to start but then have problems move to right channel, with most of the problems moving over to the right channel rather than both channels failing all the time? I haven't see anyone report this failure pattern apart from me.

 

[terrys999]

Has anyone gotten left channel problems to start but then have problems move to right channel, with most of the problems moving over to the right channel rather than both channels failing all the time? I haven't see anyone report this failure pattern apart from me.

I think some have had that too.
Mine was making rustling leaves sound. Then left channel just kept dropping out.

Mine went back, now have a replacement same dam batch number, mines been running for a few days see if it screws up.

I have been playing 128 dsd. And it sounds brill, much better than my cxa80.

Did your problem suddenly start? Or gradually.

 

[BoredErica]

I think some have had that too.
Mine was making rustling leaves sound. Then left channel just kept dropping out.

Mine went back, now have a replacement same dam batch number, mines been running for a few days see if it screws up.

I have been playing 128 dsd. And it sounds brill, much better than my cxa80.

Did your problem suddenly start? Or gradually.

My problem started as elevated and audible background noise at seating position. Then a day later, noises started popping up every once in a while. The problem did not move to right channel until at least 2 weeks from onset of issues. Since then issues were 90% on right channel.

I'm reluctant to send for a replacement since I probably have to pay significant shipping cost. Without the all clear from Topping, I might get another one that's broken. But Topping can't give ETA since they don't know what the problem is. So I am just waiting here indefinitely.

 

[AudioArchitech]

Has anyone gotten left channel problems to start but then have problems move to right channel, with most of the problems moving over to the right channel rather than both channels failing all the time? I haven't see anyone report this failure pattern apart from me.

yes, same. then both, then loud static. then hear noise with the music and pops

 

[pma]

My problem started as elevated and audible background noise at seating position. Then a day later, noises started popping up every once in a while. The problem did not move to right channel until at least 2 weeks from onset of issues. Since then issues were 90% on right channel.

I'm reluctant to send for a replacement since I probably have to pay significant shipping cost. Without the all clear from Topping, I might get another one that's broken. But Topping can't give ETA since they don't know what the problem is. So I am just waiting here indefinitely.

At least you have a kind of experience. Next time, hopefully, you will be more careful before buying a product based only on a nice single number and a hot-cooked “review”.

 

[IPunchCholla]

At least you have a kind of experience. Next time, hopefully, you will be more careful before buying a product based only on a nice single number and a hot-cooked “review”.

Seriously? The experience part is fine, but you know there is more than one number in @amirm's review, that's your obsession/projection not any one else's. I personally bought it based on multiple considerations and knowing full well it was a new piece of equipment, bought from a place that gave me a two-year warranty. I didn't expect a review here to report issues that were not experiences or to vouch for anything other than the measurements provided. If you want to volunteer to provide QA for all the equipment tested, feel free. Obviously Topping is experiencing issues with some of their amps. That is unfortunate for both the purchasers and Topping. I'm still happy with mine. Amir's is still working as per reviewed. What else do you want?

 

[Shazb0t]

At least you have a kind of experience. Next time, hopefully, you will be more careful before buying a product based only on a nice single number and a hot-cooked “review”.

Seriously? The experience part is fine, but you know there is more than one number in @amirm's review, that's your obsession/projection not any one else's. I personally bought it based on multiple considerations and knowing full well it was a new piece of equipment, bought from a place that gave me a two-year warranty. I didn't expect a review here to report issues that were not experiences or to vouch for anything other than the measurements provided. If you want to volunteer to provide QA for all the equipment tested, feel free. Obviously Topping is experiencing issues with some of their amps. That is unfortunate for both the purchasers and Topping. I'm still happy with mine. Amir's is still working as per reviewed. What else do you want?

He's got a vendetta against Topping and @amirm and is reveling in the problems this amplifier is experiencing at launch. Including deriding members here who purchased a PA5.

Maybe instead of obsessively posting about how YOU, @pma KNOW EVERYTHING about design and manufacturing you should start your own audio company that actually competes with the likes of Topping and others by selling audio products at real scale. Or are you only a Monday morning quarterback? Put your money where your mouth is.

 

[JGeez]

Seriously? The experience part is fine, but you know there is more than one number in @amirm's review, that's your obsession/projection not any one else's. I personally bought it based on multiple considerations and knowing full well it was a new piece of equipment, bought from a place that gave me a two-year warranty. I didn't expect a review here to report issues that were not experiences or to vouch for anything other than the measurements provided. If you want to volunteer to provide QA for all the equipment tested, feel free. Obviously Topping is experiencing issues

He's got a vendetta against Topping and @amirm and is reveling in the problems this amplifier is experiencing at launch. Including deriding members here who purchased a PA5.

Maybe instead of obsessively posting about how YOU, @pma KNOW EVERYTHING about design and manufacturing you should start your own audio company that actually competes with the likes of Topping and others by selling audio products at real scale. Or are you only a Monday morning quarterback? Put your money where your mouth is.

This thread has become a self reinforcing loop. If you Google problems with the PA5, largely you get referenced to ASR and this thread. A thread/poll like this understandably attracts those with problems with the gear. As everyone here realizes this type of poll says nothing about the real failure rate of the amp. ASR's testing is irrelevant. Amir simply tested performance at the time of the test. In fact, I am surprised 70% of the people in the poll report no problems. I certainly believe anyone with a defective product should get redresss. But, I think there are a lot of people out there happy with the amp.

 

[Talisman]

This thread has become a self reinforcing loop. If you Google problems with the PA5, largely you get referenced to ASR and this thread. A thread/poll like this understandably attracts those with problems with the gear. As everyone here realizes this type of poll says nothing about the real failure rate of the amp. ASR's testing is irrelevant. Amir simply tested performance at the time of the test. In fact, I am surprised 70% of the people in the poll report no problems. I certainly believe anyone with a defective product should get redresss. But, I think there are a lot of people out there happy with the amp.

I think everyone would like to know more about the break rate to understand if it actually makes sense to try the purchase or not. Surely for the performances shown in the measurements and the price at which it is proposed, it would be a very valid amplifier for a myriad of applications in which you do not need a lot of power but you need a clean and quality amplification.
A failure rate of 1% is a speech, 10% is different, 30% a catastrophe.
Another problem, the breaking rate after how much? A month? And after 3? And after a year?
As far as we know at the moment, the rupture rate can be stable over time (those who have the problem manifest it within 1/2 months or will never manifest it) or tend to grow over time, and any unit may be at risk, as far as it is concerned. we know at the moment it could also be that all units could break down within two years.
This is why it seemed strange to me, and also not very nice, that the manufacturer appeared in the Topping LA90 thread to take all the compliments but carefully avoided both this thread and that of the pa5 review in which many asked for clarification on the problem.
All our questions could be answered if someone from Topping gave us an account of the problem, don't you think?

 

[AudioArchitech]

I tried to leave a 1 star review on HifiGO and it was never published. Notice how the only have the same 5 positive reviews for PA5 !?! Hard to say about other online stores like Apos, Amazon, ShenzhenAudio.. Iwould expect more reviews there too.

 

[AudioArchitech]

Notice how they only have the same 5 positive reviews for PA5 !?! Has anyone been able to leave a 1-2 star review there successfully? Hard to say about other online stores like Apos, Amazon, ShenzhenAudio.. I would expect more reviews there too.

 

[IPunchCholla]

Notice how they only have the same 5 positive reviews for PA5 !?! Hard to say about other online stores like Apos, Amazon, ShenzhenAudio.. I would expect more reviews there too.

Well, users can’t leave reviews at Apos, otherwise I would post my own 5 star review. It sucks they didn’t post your poor review on HifiGo. Did you buy from them? I’ll try and avoid buying from them if so, cause that is a crappy practice.

 

[AudioArchitech]

Yes, bought from HifiGo unfortunately

 

[Nzama]

At least you have a kind of experience. Next time, hopefully, you will be more careful before buying a product based only on a nice single number and a hot-cooked “review”.

I feel this is a strong statement.
What is the alternative? There are no other reviews on reliability or such. So shall we go after brand reputation? (As easily flowed as the review in question).
Btw i totally agree on the hotcooked review in the sense that clearly this measurements became a goal per se in topping design strategy. Which is a pity, but that's the hype world we live in

 

[antcollinet]

I feel this is a strong statement.
What is the alternative? There are no other reviews on reliability or such. So shall we go after brand reputation? (As easily flowed as the review in question).
Btw i totally agree on the hotcooked review in the sense that clearly this measurements became a goal per se in topping design strategy. Which is a pity, but that's the hype world we live in

Surely achieving good measurement should be a goal in all design strategies. Not only measurements - other things, especially reliability are also important.

But I'd never set out on a design without intending whatever I am designing to measure well.

 

[Frank Sol]

It should be obvious A Reviewer cannot report "reliability" on a brand spanking New product... Buyer beware goes without saying

 

[snappysam]

Power bricks dying prematurely when repeatedly plugged in and unplugged is not a theory. This is a known problem.

I need to chime in with my experience using power bricks, not used for audio device, but for laptops.
As part of usage, I power cycle my laptop's power brick 3-4 times a day, and have been doing it for a specific laptop for 11 years now. It is still running fine. Zero problems.
My feeling is that device designers do actually account for such usage.

 

[Harryharryharry]

I got mine at the end of January and it started having the "cracking on left channel" issue about two weeks ago. I've already returned it sadly, so I can't look up its serial number anymore.

One thing I was wondering about: I had the amp plugged into an automatic power strip that kills the power when the main device powers off. I suspect the amp did not particularly like that, as it produced popping sounds whenever it lost its power without being turned off separately first.
I will admit I have no clue about how these amps are designed, and whether it's even possible that that has anything to do with the left-channel issue, but I thought I'd mention it in case it turns out to be a factor distinguishing the defective units from the surviving ones.

Ooo what power strip is that!? This is the solution I've been looking for for ages.