New Topping B200 Mono Amp

[BeeKay]

Kimber 4pr terminated by yours truly.

So a clear yes

 

[JRR]

So a clear yes

View attachment 427810

Just remember, if you can’t make them clip easily it is because your are an audiophile listening to Stockfish recordings all day long.

When you get your Amps try this track and wait for the snare to come in. Give it a bucket of coal and listen to the voice coil turn percussion into heat.

 

[BeeKay]

Thanks! I will try hard. But currently I can drive my speakers very loud with this amp

Anyway the fallback plan still is to swap these monos into this if necessary

 

[JRR]

Just swapped my good ole Audiophonics back in. Issue is resolved with a 144w amp.
Mine is the older version Amir tested. Audiophonics has the best customer service I have experienced anywhere. Apos is charging me inexpensive return shipping but otherwise making it right.

Before I return the B200s I’ll try and biamp the Topping and the AP. When run in low gain mode they are listed at 11.6db and 12.8 db respectively. A slight bass boost probably wont hurt. In any case DLBC would fix this easily. This solution, I hope, would alleviate the rather mediocre high frequency performance of the heralded Purify amp and the abysmal current capacity of the Topping.

 

[deitrick]

I drive a pair of B200 into clipping quite easily with my F226BE. They do not behave like 200w amplifiers more like 50-80

That's interesting. I've pushed mine to 90% and never clipped. Wonder if your speaker's impedance has a low that is lower than my F206s? That's where they will typically break down, right?

I'm gonna,warm them up then try Virtual Riot's Simulation. That drove my B100s to shut down 100% of the time with only 61% volume (out of 100) on medium gain.

 

[deitrick]

Okay, I was able to get them to shut down, BUT DAMN! The SPL was painful to my ears. I had to go to 85% out of 100 and my Topping D70 Pro Sabre is outputting 5v, not 4. The gains are set to high. There is absolutely NO reason for me to ever have that level again. It was louder than being at a concert up front. That level is damaging to your hearing. So I say they are putting out what I'd expect them to, and more than I could ever need. Minutes later my ears are still ringing.

 

[dsnyder0cnn]

So I say they are putting out what I'd expect them to, and more than I could ever need.

That's what I would expect also. So, no issues with "dynamics" besides, likely, some thermal or mechanical compression from your drivers?

 

[JRR]

if you could measure your db level. That would helpful. Mine don’t shut down but ratch produce a loud whack sound with transients as low as 85db. No clip indication either.

 

[dsnyder0cnn]

produce a loud whack sound with transients as low as 85db.

That definitely sounds broken. Both of them are doing this? I've not experienced this so far with mine.

 

[JRR]

That definitely sounds broken. Both of them are doing this? I've not experienced this so far with mine.

Yes! I have three.

 

[deitrick]

if you could measure your db level. That would helpful. Mine don’t shut down but ratch produce a loud whack sound with transients as low as 85db. No clip indication either.

I will try to do that today. I won't take it to that level again, as I don't want to abuse my amps, but I'll get it up there for sure. Isn't there a distance from the speaker that is typically measured, like 1 or 2 meters?

 

[JRR]

I will try to do that today. I won't take it to that level again, as I don't want to abuse my amps, but I'll get it up there for sure. Isn't there a distance from the speaker that is typically measured, like 1 or 2 meters?

@2m.

 

[mhardy6647]

I drive a pair of B200 into clipping quite easily with my F226BE. They do not behave like 200w amplifiers more like 50-80

Sounds like a power claim issue
... or maybe it's an input signal level (i.e., overload) issue.

 

[JRR]

Sounds like a power claim issue
... or maybe it's an input signal level (i.e., overload) issue.

I thought the same. I tried high and low gain input which should alleviate being overdriven on the input side. Alas, the problem persisted.

 

[ldp82]

My system is a cambridge CNX to Topping B200 to Revel F228BE, (blue jeans cabling). These might be a little bass light but sound great and can get loud and stay clean. For the price I am happy with these for now.

 

[deitrick]

@2m.

I got the same track to 80% volume and this was the measurement at 2m. 102 dBA is not a comfortable level for any length of time. When I tripped protection yesterday I was at 85% volume, so somewhere north of 102 dBA would be the tipping point...on THIS track which is bass intense. I would guess Fast Car by Tracey Chapman would get higher levels without clipping.

 

[deitrick]

Tried Fast Car. Volume up to 92% and no clipping. SPL was only 95dBA. Didn't wanna push it any harder. For comparison, VU metter on Topping DAC was swinging to about -6 for Virtual Riot track while Miss Chapman's stayed around -15 to -10.

 

[BeeKay]

Holy Moly!!
My poor old, always trusted Lindemann amp sidelined. In shame. I really liked that thing, but not even playing in the same league. Brutally blown out of the water.

The "Trinity Session" suddenly is a severely different recording. I mean that chapel noise floor was there before. Now it jumps to your face. So much more detail, a crazily tight controlled bass.

Although not maxed out loudness yet there is probably no way to drive the Toppings into clipping with my setup. Unless there will be nasty surprises - which I doubt - they are keepers.

 

[Burns]

Hi,
I bought B200,
my audio setup will look like this:
Topping E70 (in DAC only mode) > Toping L70 pre-amp mode > 2xB200 > Sonus Faber Lumina V floorstanding speakers Sensitivity (2.83 V/1 m) [dB] 88.
Who can tell me how to set GAIN in L70 and B200 in combination Low & High (I am attaching tables with manufacturer data so you don't have to look)

What I found by ear when changing the gain:
L70 (PreAmp) / B200
Lo / Lo - The sound is very quiet, barely audible even at maximum gain
Hi / Lo - The sound comes to life, becomes normal, the bass gains dynamics, the maximum volume is at 92% of the speakers' explosion
Lo / Hi - Similar to the above change, but the Hi gain of the amplifier makes a slightly smaller gain than the Hi in the Preamp. The sound comes to life, becomes normal, the bass gains dynamics, the maximum volume is at 88% of the loudspeaker explosion. It is hard for me to evaluate this combination. Something does not suit me in it. It seems to be less expressive. It seems to me that at high volume levels like 10 dB there is already overdrive B200
Hi / Hi - there are no compromises in this combination, you should use the volume normally. The maximum level will cause the speakers to explode as if it wanted to give out 220W of power per channel

my brain is leaning towards choosing one of the two settings, but I don't know if it's right:
L70 (PreAmp) B200
Hi / Lo - clear, probably clean sound, relatively safe for the equipment
Hi / Hi - you have to be careful not to exceed high gain levels, not to mention maximum

 

[deitrick]

Hi,
I bought B200,
my audio setup will look like this:
Topping E70 (in DAC only mode) > Toping L70 pre-amp mode > 2xB200 > Sonus Faber Lumina V floorstanding speakers Sensitivity (2.83 V/1 m) [dB] 88.
Who can tell me how to set GAIN in L70 and B200 in combination Low & High (I am attaching tables with manufacturer data so you don't have to look)

What I found by ear when changing the gain:
L70 (PreAmp) / B200
Lo / Lo - The sound is very quiet, barely audible even at maximum gain
Hi / Lo - The sound comes to life, becomes normal, the bass gains dynamics, the maximum volume is at 92% of the speakers' explosion
Lo / Hi - Similar to the above change, but the Hi gain of the amplifier makes a slightly smaller gain than the Hi in the Preamp. The sound comes to life, becomes normal, the bass gains dynamics, the maximum volume is at 88% of the loudspeaker explosion. It is hard for me to evaluate this combination. Something does not suit me in it. It seems to be less expressive. It seems to me that at high volume levels like 10 dB there is already overdrive B200
Hi / Hi - there are no compromises in this combination, you should use the volume normally. The maximum level will cause the speakers to explode as if it wanted to give out 220W of power per channel

my brain is leaning towards choosing one of the two settings, but I don't know if it's right:
L70 (PreAmp) B200
Hi / Lo - clear, probably clean sound, relatively safe for the equipment
Hi / Hi - you have to be careful not to exceed high gain levels, not to mention maximum

While I don't have THE answer for you, I can say that low gain leads to less distortion, which is highly desirable.

I would be very interested to hear what others think on this one.