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First listening impression of Topping pa5.

Guido

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Apr 13, 2021
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Hi ,
i received my Topping pa5 amplifier from Audiophonics 3 days ago. My system is so composed : Topping e50 dac with shanty Allo , topping pre 90, Topping pa5 ampli. Balanced connexions, high efficient horn loudspeakers ( mantra sound presented at 2004 CES) as reference i used passive volume control with Tamura transformers with high gain, the same Topping e50 and a final ampli push pull el84 very low power ( 2,5 watts) from Audio Consulting Switzerland , extraordinary for dynamic, naturality , absence of listening fatigue.
My first subjective impressions is that the pa5 is far better of all d class amplifier i tried and of the same level of my tubes ampli many , many, times more exepensive , very very good and with 8 magnetic silver elements .
 

Kaval

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If chinese has done same progress in weapons this will be a big problem for americans and european . Not to say for Taiwan and Japan
May be but we don't know as yet to be tested.

But I can confirm that the progress made by Americans and Europeans in the weapon industry has caused a big problem in the rest of the world, especially the global South.
 
OP
G

Guido

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Merry Christmas
I
Merry Christmas
I apologize for having introduced a subject unrelated to this forum. No need to say that i hope in peace.
About Topping pa5 i should specify that i use it with more than 100 db loudspeakers so i don't know what would happen with far more less efficient loudspeakers .
Happy new year to all !
Guido
 

Moosi

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Feb 5, 2021
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Did anyone measure how much watts the PA5+PSU draw from the wall plug in on/standby?
 

MarkWinston

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It SHOULD be better than all tube amps, if it performed worse, it would be 350 bucks worth of junk. Lol!
 

asoka

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Oct 15, 2021
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Finally a thread about the real sound of this pa5...I really want to see it growing for all of us to have a real base of how it sound :)
 

WonkyDonkey

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Dec 11, 2021
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Finally a thread about the real sound of this pa5...I really want to see it growing for all of us to have a real base of how it sound :)
I'm listening to mine right now and posted some initial thoughts in the review thread here.

I have some parallels with the OP of this thread insofar as I'm using 96dB/W speakers with horn mid and tweeter and valve amplifiers. They're a real magnifying glass of noise, hums, whines, etc.

At certain times of day and very high listening levels you can detect a slight hiss from the valve amps, but it has to be silent everywhere else in the house and the heating off to hear it. With the PA5 even if you wear the Forte IIIs like headphones, there is silence.

Also like the OP and contrary to most speaker owners on here (I'd guess), this is far from a desktop amp in our case. Given the way it cruised up to near 100dB(SPL) peaks at the MLP (and with some rough calculations) it's clean power output of 85W into 4 Ohms is about 60W more than I could safely physically use!

As for the sound? It doesn't. Mine aren't very valvey sounding valve amps by the standard of the breed, but the extra grip at the bottom end was immediately noticeable. Or should I say the PA5 revealed the lack of grip of the valves? And that's the rub, the PA5 just doesn't add warmth, euphonic distortion, sibilance or anything unnatural.

It reminds me (in a positive way) of the ATi 3007 I used to have. It just amplifies.
 

Enkay25

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Mar 21, 2019
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I'm listening to mine right now and posted some initial thoughts in the review thread here.

I have some parallels with the OP of this thread insofar as I'm using 96dB/W speakers with horn mid and tweeter and valve amplifiers. They're a real magnifying glass of noise, hums, whines, etc.

At certain times of day and very high listening levels you can detect a slight hiss from the valve amps, but it has to be silent everywhere else in the house and the heating off to hear it. With the PA5 even if you wear the Forte IIIs like headphones, there is silence.

Also like the OP and contrary to most speaker owners on here (I'd guess), this is far from a desktop amp in our case. Given the way it cruised up to near 100dB(SPL) peaks at the MLP (and with some rough calculations) it's clean power output of 85W into 4 Ohms is about 60W more than I could safely physically use!

As for the sound? It doesn't. Mine aren't very valvey sounding valve amps by the standard of the breed, but the extra grip at the bottom end was immediately noticeable. Or should I say the PA5 revealed the lack of grip of the valves? And that's the rub, the PA5 just doesn't add warmth, euphonic distortion, sibilance or anything unnatural.

It reminds me (in a positive way) of the ATi 3007 I used to have. It just amplifies.
That's kind of reassuring
 

mocenigo

Major Contributor
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Dec 8, 2018
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Hi ,
i received my Topping pa5 amplifier from Audiophonics 3 days ago. My system is so composed : Topping e50 dac with shanty Allo , topping pre 90, Topping pa5 ampli. Balanced connexions, high efficient horn loudspeakers ( mantra sound presented at 2004 CES) as reference i used passive volume control with Tamura transformers with high gain, the same Topping e50 and a final ampli push pull el84 very low power ( 2,5 watts) from Audio Consulting Switzerland , extraordinary for dynamic, naturality , absence of listening fatigue.
My first subjective impressions is that the pa5 is far better of all d class amplifier i tried and of the same level of my tubes ampli many , many, times more exepensive , very very good and with 8 magnetic silver elements .

All of this bodes well. I have a couple of questions for you.
1. Which Class D amps have you listened to before?
2. Which Mantra Sound model are you using? The "Dulcet"?

thank you in advance!
 

burns.simon

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Joined
Mar 7, 2021
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I currently have the Topping Pre90 and D90 which I'm incredibly happy with.

Would this be a suitable upgrade on my current amp? A Musical Fidelity M2Si driving MA Silver 200s.
 
OP
G

Guido

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Location
via Fontemezzina 38 50019 Sesto fiorentino IT
All of this bodes well. I have a couple of questions for you.
1. Which Class D amps have you listened to before?
2. Which Mantra Sound model are you using? The "Dulcet"?

thank you in advance!
1) hypex, Tamp, nobsound, Ayma...Not Purify, icepower ect.
) yes , Dulcet
 

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mocenigo

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1) hypex, Tamp, nobsound, Ayma...Not Purify, icepower ect.
) yes , Dulcet

Which Hypex? The old UcD, or the NCore ones?

Intriguing speakers, the Dulcet. Too bad the company has closed shop, they had something really interesting there.
 
OP
G

Guido

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