Making further progress, TOPPING’s new flagship amplifier will be launched in late May!

[dsnyder0cnn]

Av? Gain by any other name

Sure, but I don't understand the 3.8 and 12.6 numbers. What are the units? Or is this a ratio?

 

[staticV3]

Sure, but I don't understand the 3.8 and 12.6 numbers. What are the units? Or is this a ratio?

It's the gain expressed as voltage ratio.

 

[babadono]

Yes, what staticV3 said. So at low gain setting one is going to have to input a very large voltage.The 4 volts out of a balanced output DAC will produce 28.88 watts into an 8 ohm speaker. Sufficient? We will see. Do you plan on using the low gain setting?

 

[Madmaori53]

Hi am new to the forum bought 2 from Aoshida hifi uk took 6 days for delivery hooked it up to my DX9 what do you guys think is the best setting high or low gain also had a PA7 Plus which was also a fantastic amp

 

[staticV3]

what do you guys think is the best setting high or low gain

First, try DX9 Low gain and B200 Low gain.

If it's too quiet even with the DX9 set to max volume, set the DX9 to High gain.

DX9 in High gain has enough output voltage to max out the B200 in Low gain.

 

[Madmaori53]

First, try DX9 Low gain and B200 Low gain.

If it's too quiet even with the DX9 set to max volume, set the DX9 to High gain.

DX9 in High gain has enough output voltage to max out the B200 in Low gain.

Yes i found that to be the best option thanks for your response wasn't sure how to properly set gain i tried both in low gain but was to low and high gain on amps was ok but did'nt seem to work as well have'nt tried both dx9 and amps in high gain but don't think that would be the best i had a pre90 which would have been just plug in and play but i sold these with the original d90

 

[Tank81]

Sure that's not just because it's a Focal headphone? Many report driver clipping with them. Assuming that is what that is.

Ye well it aint Audiophonics confirmed that both units were broken.
Focal clipping is minor metallic crackling sound which i havent experienced with any focals i have.
This Topping failure caused ear bleeding explosions to ear.

 

[babadono]

DX9 Preamp out can put out 16.6 Vrms (+26.6dBu) in hi gain...yowzer, that's a spicy meatball

 

[Platypus20]

A friend of mine ordered a pair of the B200s and a set of KEF R3 Metas (with stands), I lent him a Benchmark DAC1 (with volume control) and a cd player, he is still looking in to which ones to buy. I’ll be interested in how it all works out.

 

[babadono]

Received my 2 B200s today. First one on bench putting about 40W into 4 ohms. Man does this thing get toasty...kind of scary. Also on the DC plug on power supply that goes into back of amp the outer ring was smashed and would not thread on at first. I had to reform it with a pair of pliers.
@TOPPING
@TOPPING-Service

 

[restorer-john]

Man does this thing get toasty...kind of scary.

Inadequate and horizontal heatsinks. From the brilliant minds at Topping...

Run it up to full power for 5 minutes into a dummy load (you have a 'bench'?) and do a spot temperature check of the heatsinks and casework. If you cannot touch the amplifier- it's unsafe, send it back.

 

[CRobbins1701]

Long time reader, first time poster:

I've got 2 (obviously) B200s from Apos about a week ago. I'm currently using an Eversolo A6 (balance output) to drive them. Also, tested the B200 against my Cambridge CXA-81 (balanced as well) and my Denon PMA-1600NE. Using Wharfedale Heritage Lintons for these comparisons. I thought the CXA-81 with the Lintons was very good but now I truly understand what low (or basically no) noise sounds like with the B200. I'm an amateur to say the least so take this all with a grain of sand. Build quality is lovely, obviously very easy to setup, and I think the sound is clean, very very clean. The Denon is all over the map with grating treble, a muddle mid range (though playing vinyl with the phono preamp helps tremendously) and a terribly attenuated volume knob. The B200 smoothes this all out with incredible stereo separation (obviously) and a very balance, clean, warm-thick (but not muddled) sound across the board. Seems like the Lintons are an excellent pairing.
Just my 2 cents gents!

 

[TOPPING]

Received my 2 B200s today. First one on bench putting about 40W into 4 ohms. Man does this thing get toasty...kind of scary. Also on the DC plug on power supply that goes into back of amp the outer ring was smashed and would not thread on at first. I had to reform it with a pair of pliers.
@TOPPING
@TOPPING-Service

Hi,

40w into 4ohm continuous is not small amount of power. So the thing getting hot is normal. It's difficult to say without measured temperature. There's over temperature protection implemented and tested, so nothing really to worry about. LA90D and B200 have gone through 50C test.
It's class AB/B at the end of the day so they are quite inefficient.

Due to the crest factor, when playing music the average power is much lower.(it should be lower than 40W even running at maximum peak output) So B200 will not get hot in regular use. Even when they get hot as long they aren't shut down, they are fine.

Regarding the smashed DC socket. We would investigate the cause and try to prevent it in the future.

 

[babadono]

Bench? Yes. I will load it with 8 ohms tomorrow and run it up to 40 to 80 watts and put the FLIR on it. I got black units so I think the FLIR will get a pretty good temp. reading. If need be I can stick a thermocouple in the heatsink fins. To my hands it seemed the top and front were getting hotter than the heatsink.

 

[babadono]

Regarding the smashed DC socket. We would investigate the cause and try to prevent it in the future.

Made me think I got a unit returned by another customer...hopefully not. I got 2 and have not even unboxed the second. I will test it also.

 

[Tangram]

Hi,

40w into 4ohm continuous is not small amount of power. So the thing getting hot is normal. It's difficult to say without measured temperature. There's over temperature protection implemented and tested, so nothing really to worry about. LA90D and B200 have gone through 50C test.
It's class AB/B at the end of the day so they are quite inefficient.

Due to the crest factor, when playing music the average power is much lower.(it should be lower than 40W even running at maximum peak output) So B200 will not get hot in regular use. Even when they get hot as long they aren't shut down, they are fine.

Regarding the smashed DC socket. We would investigate the cause and try to prevent it in the future.

Hello Mr Topping and welcome to the forum,
Iam an extremely happy owner of the la90 of some 18 months now and have no desire to go back to my other amplifier costing ten times more!
Could you tell us more about the sound differences with these B200 v la90, obviously more headroom, is the chip a newer generation then? Thank you.

 

[TOPPING]

Hello Mr Topping and welcome to the forum,
Iam an extremely happy owner of the la90 of some 18 months now and have no desire to go back to my other amplifier costing ten times more!
Could you tell us more about the sound differences with these B200 v la90, obviously more headroom, is the chip a newer generation then? Thank you.

B200 is the basically an LA90 Discrete that's optimized for bridged configuration only. Gain structure and values are re-tuned for lower noise. PCB layout was tweaked a little to reduce magnetic field coupling in the chassis slightly for lower THD.

LA90 was using integrated Op-amp and Chip-amp in NFCA circuit. LA90 Discrete takes the idea and implemented in discrete fashion plus some extra goodness. The result is a bit more power and a bit lower noise and a bit less high frequency distortion than LA90.

TLDR LA90 was last gen. LA90D is slightly better and B200 is slightly better still.

 

[TOPPING]

Made me think I got a unit returned by another customer...hopefully not. I got 2 and have not even unboxed the second. I will test it also.

We tested it by tapping the ring on the plug with an adapter chassis and we were able to replicate the situation. This should be the case, the plan is to probably add a sleeve to future packaged plugs if the box space allows it.

Anyway, thank you for your feedback

 

[staticV3]

B200 is the basically an LA90 Discrete that's optimized for bridged configuration only. Gain structure and values are re-tuned for lower noise. PCB layout was tweaked a little to reduce magnetic field coupling in the chassis slightly for lower THD.

LA90 was using integrated Op-amp and Chip-amp in NFCA circuit. LA90 Discrete takes the idea and implemented in discrete fashion plus some extra goodness. The result is a bit more power and a bit lower noise and a bit less high frequency distortion than LA90.

TLDR LA90 was last gen. LA90D is slightly better and B200 is slightly better still.

One question that keeps popping up ever since the LA90 was launched is why the horizontal cooling fins?

Since convection cooling is these Amps' only way of managing heat, wouldn't orienting the fins vertically be an easy upgrade in that respect?

See for example the SGP1:

 

[Usatencu]

Hi am new to the forum bought 2 from Aoshida hifi uk took 6 days for delivery hooked it up to my DX9 what do you guys think is the best setting high or low gain also had a PA7 Plus which was also a fantastic amp

Hi! How it s sound, comparing to pa7 plus?