Poll for Topping PA5 owners only please.

[terrys999]

I had a replacement few weeks now,
Played around 70 to 80 hrs.
No problems so far, no left channel problems or rustling leaves. Ah.

One thing I have noticed is that I would usually use adi2 dac fs and mdac plus, with cxa80 I thought that the mdac sounded better than adi,
That’s all changed adi wipes the floor with mdac plus going to pa5, literally miles ahead.
It seems the pa5 is producing better sound.

Iam amazed.
I only hope the pa5 does screw up.

 

[Upped]

My PA5 has started having static and cracking problems on the right channel after being flawless since I've had the thing since January. Use it Everday for 6-10hrs around 12 o clock on volume for my Elac dbr62

 

[terrys999]

Oh that doesn’t bode well.

If this second unit plays up then that’s it for me won’t bother again.

 

[JeremyFife]

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.

Update

Right channel is now suddenly silent, no warning, no noise, no crackling or leaves or hiss - just dead.
Swapped everything from the source through the chain and swapped the speakers ... it's the amp.
Left channel sounds great still!

Going back to Shenzhen for repair / replacement

 

[vkvedam]

I started experiencing this in the right channel. Now it's the left channel. It is very random though, it only does that after being turned on for sometime but not all days.

Yesterday I heard a ghostly howl (Capacitor whistling) from the left channel

 

[terrys999]

My second unit pa5 is now playing up.
I noticed intermittent breaks in the left channel, fractions of a second.

This first started when playing from Qobuz so I then used ripped cds playing from cxn to adi 2 dac fs.
Same again random breaks, definitely not the tracks at fault.

So here we go again bla bla bla.
Will give it a few days and back once again to amazon.
Won’t be replacing, just a refund

While iam on . I ordered 2 phone other day blackview a55 pros .
They went back too.
Useless. Chinese phones. They crippled the android 11 software. Phones kept freezing software error please restart.

Isn’t there any dam hardware that just works.
Thank god I have my German made adi. And cxa80. Oh and my new iPhone 12. These all work.
Amen

 

[chuckt62]

My second unit pa5 is now playing up.
I noticed intermittent breaks in the left channel, fractions of a second.

This first started when playing from Qobuz so I then used ripped cds playing from cxn to adi 2 dac fs.
Same again random breaks, definitely not the tracks at fault.

So here we go again bla bla bla.
Will give it a few days and back once again to amazon.
Won’t be replacing, just a refund

While iam on . I ordered 2 phone other day blackview a55 pros .
They went back too.
Useless. Chinese phones. They crippled the android 11 software. Phones kept freezing software error please restart.

Isn’t there any dam hardware that just works.
Thank god I have my German made adi. And cxa80. Oh and my new iPhone 12. These all work.
Amen

Can you vote twice?

 

[Frank Sol]

Can you vote twice?

A little levity

 

[Slayer]

Can you vote twice?

I think you should get a vote for each unit you had or have now.

 

[terrys999]

Ha each unit is a vote , I won’t be voting again cus I will not be parting with my cash again
I have moved on.

 

[ampguy]

First post here, but have been lurking for a long time. I got my PA5 from Apos at the end of March, it's often on most days, sometimes all the time, sometimes off for few days if I'm traveling. When I first got it, which was the only time I actually listened for any noise, there was none discernable with ears to speakers. Now I have a slight white noise at the R channel, flipped all cables, and speakers, and it is R channel only, and very low level, it doesn't increase with input or amp level, and is present with or without inputs plugged in. It is very low, and ears must be within 1 foot to LS50s to hear. I'm not too bothered if this is as bad as it gets, but if it is likely to get worse, I'd like to work with Apos now, while it's in warranty. Any suggestions? I honestly wouldn't have noticed if not for these threads

Also, fyi - I have tried the passive Little Bear balanced attenuator/preamp, and gain nothing from it. Now just using balanced from an Ares II DAC (in fixed mode output mode), and 2nd channel is unbalanced from Phono pre. Of course I unplugged and swapped cables and speakers to verify none of this was source of the white noise.

 

[Frank Sol]

Any suggestions?

Just me: I would try and get a refund... Wait this one out on the sideline

 

[bopes]

Mine adds a little bit of static and pops to everything. Makes it sound like a record. Luckily still within the return window. Won't be getting a replacement.

 

[restorer-john]

Isn’t there any dam hardware that just works.

Get an iPhone. I've had many different Androids, from cheap to TOTL and they are all flawed. The iPhones just work, day in day out and don't lock up, crash or turn themselves on/off or need reboots twice a day.

Right now, I have an older iPhone XS on the latest IOS (upgreaded the other day) and it's flawless. I wish it wasn't so I could could have something to complain about, but I'm afraid there's no chance I'll ever go back to Android again.

 

[Talisman]

Get an iPhone. I've had many different Androids, from cheap to TOTL and they are all flawed. The iPhones just work, day in day out and don't lock up, crash or turn themselves on/off or need reboots twice a day.

Right now, I have an older iPhone XS on the latest IOS (upgreaded the other day) and it's flawless. I wish it wasn't so I could could have something to complain about, but I'm afraid there's no chance I'll ever go back to Android again.

you probably haven't had a modern android in a long time, it is since the days of the huawei p9 that I have not had a single problem / reboot / freeze.
I want to clarify that I am not a detractor of apple, I also have an Ipad that I am very satisfied with and my everyday headphones are airpods 2 (associated with my android huawei p30)

 

[restorer-john]

you probably haven't had a modern android in a long time, it is since the days of the huawei p9 that I have not had a single problem / reboot / freeze.

Galaxy Note 10 (one year ago) was the last one. It was expensive and total crap.

 

[Bleib]

Get an iPhone. I've had many different Androids, from cheap to TOTL and they are all flawed. The iPhones just work, day in day out and don't lock up, crash or turn themselves on/off or need reboots twice a day.

Right now, I have an older iPhone XS on the latest IOS (upgreaded the other day) and it's flawless. I wish it wasn't so I could could have something to complain about, but I'm afraid there's no chance I'll ever go back to Android again.

This is off topic but I've only really had trouble with Android phone back in 2012 with a Samsung Gio that truly was rubbish (it crashed at least 5 times). Since then it's been smooth sailing.

 

[terrys999]

Yes apple are better in my view.
But those blackview phone were total crap.

2 phones that crashed huh, iam still waiting for my refund,
I used my old galaxy s6 but it was nearly knackered cracked screen battery nearly dead USB port doesn’t work now
Android on that phone is full.
These modern android are butchered cut down versions.
I noticed that most android below £400 don’t use Corning Gorilla Glass which is crazy.
Thank god for apple.

 

[Slayer]

Just a heads up for those of you having issues with your PA5 and @JohnYang has been absent in responding.
He posted over in the Sabaj A10d 2022 reversion thread. I responded to him post#91 and asked him to come to this thread and respond to some of the owners having issues, after as he said, this was his baby. Hopefully he will show up and can give some reassuring answers for you all.

 

[Frank Sol]

Dont hold your breath