New Topping PA5 MKII in the works

[Astrofly]

Why the support and excitement for this company? I just do not understand it. Sure, on the one hand their products aren't expensive price-wise compared to other products. They are though when you consider their high failure rate. Then it goes from,"It's only $249," to "I wasted $249 for a product that failed within 3 months." [Using a relative number here. Choose whatever specific product you want.] There is also your time. Is that worth something to you? What about your safety and the value of your home? I would absolutely not want failing electronics in my home. How is it a bargain after those considerations? How also is this considered good engineering? The products achieve some high measurements only to soon self-destruct. Is there any other product you own or would own in audio or any other product of anything where you'd consider this good engineering?

 

[jae]

Why the support and excitement for this company?

Because they're good...?

 

[Astrofly]

Because they're good...?

For the short period before they have a critical failure, and you own a brick.

 

[MAB]

Because they're good...?

Perhaps you missed this...

The original PA5 had a massive reliability problem due to encapsulating the circuitry...
Had abysmal after-sales service, borderline rip-off...
Continued to ship systematically faulty merchandise while trying to understand the reliability issue... an ASR member figured out what was wrong and offered a replacement module (that of course is NOT encapsulated)...
And now they released an updated amp with encapsulated circuity before even resolving the issues in the field with the first amp...

Each one of these disqualifies from the "Because they're good...?" category.

p.s. My A30Pro broke after 9 months, I took it apart and it was riddled with cold-solder and partial-solder joints, had not been cleaned of residue after the board was manufactured, and had incredibly sloppy thermal grease application. So perhaps there are more issues than just the encapsulation.

 

[Music1969]

p.s. My A30Pro broke after 9 months, I took it apart and it was riddled with cold-solder and partial-solder joints, had not been cleaned of residue after the board was manufactured, and had incredibly sloppy thermal grease application. So perhaps there are more issues than just the encapsulation.

@JohnYang1997

 

[JSmith]

AP measurements now shown on the product page... so at the "knee" it's only 95W@4R;

53/54W@8R;

JSmith

 

[Bleib]

AP measurements now shown on the product page... so at the "knee" it's only 95W@4R;

53/54W@8R;

JSmith

Well, the manual has been out for some time with the measurements at the bottom..

PA5 II / PA5 II Plus user manual-TOPPING

 

[Matias]

I have added the PA5 II Plus to the list with SINAD 96 and 125W at 330 usd.
Strange that the SINAD is higher on the previous model, but the current model is still blue excellent and hopefully without the issues anymore.

Still their TP RA3 looks like the better value to me imo.

Amplifier SINAD list ASR + 3rd parties

List Name,THD+N (5W, 4 ohms),SINAD (dB) (5W, 4 ohms),Power (W) (1% THD+N, 4 ohms),Price (USD),Source Topping LA90 (stereo, bypass, low gain),0.00009%,121,90,800,<a href="https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/topping-la90/">L7 Audio Lab</a>,Suggestions, corrections and more info here: Topping LA90 Discre...

docs.google.com

 

[BeQuietZen]

I have added the PA5 II Plus to the list with SINAD 96 and 125W at 330 usd.

And where did it come from? Or I'm missing something...
Official Topping measurement are a "little" bit different:

AP measurements now shown on the product page... so at the "knee" it's only 95W@4R;

Let's not forget that the THD+N "knee" is at around 0.0006 %, unattainable value for vast majority of amplifiers produced in the last century.

 

[Matias]

@BeQuietZen wait, I remember now. This graph is A-weighted. Their specc for no-weight is 0.0015% THD+N at 5W 4R aka SINAD 96.

 

[BeQuietZen]

@BeQuietZen wait, I remember now. This graph is A-weighted. Their specc for no-weight is 0.0015% THD+N at 5W 4R aka SINAD 96.

Sorry but you are wrong.
Or just use the same standards for old PA5, new RA3 and this PA5 II (Plus).
They all are based on the same TPA3251 with PFFB and have similar measured results.

If you like to have accurate list of amps, this one (PA5 II Plus (or minus)) must be in the same basket like the previous ones, with the same measuring standards.

So:
Topping PA5 = 105.5 dB SINAD
Topping RA3 = 104.5 db SINAD

TOPPING PA5 II (Plus) = 109.x SINAD (from the factory)? (@amirm will tell the last word, like in previous tests in the past).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Definitely you are wrong with this one and that 96 dB SINAD number, compered to other amps, there is nothing in common.

 

[Matias]

Don't ask me why it is different from other amps, I am just quoting what Topping themselves have written down. If you don't agree with their own numbers question them, not me. Don't shoot the messenger.

 

[Roland68]

Don't ask me why it is different from other amps, I am just quoting what Topping themselves have written down. If you don't agree with their own numbers question them, not me. Don't shoot the messenger.

I can't follow your reasoning either...

Addendum:

 

[Matias]

@Roland68 If you follow the links on the Source column on my spreadsheet, for PA5 you can see that it was independently measured by L7 Labs. And below on the left side you can see that it was measured unweighted at SINAD 106.

https://cdn.l7audiolab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/4R5W-scaled.jpg

PA5 Plus we don't have independent measurements yep, so I rely on what Topping themselves provided for unweighted, 20 kHz bandwidth, 1 kHz signal, 5 watts into 4 ohms standard.

Addendum: LA90 has 90 kHz bandwidth on unweighted specc.

 

[Roland68]

@Roland68 If you follow the links on the Source column on my spreadsheet, for PA5 you can see that it was independently measured by L7 Labs. And below on the left side you can see that it was measured unweighted at SINAD 106.

https://cdn.l7audiolab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/4R5W-scaled.jpg

PA5 Plus we don't have independent measurements yep, so I rely on what Topping themselves provided for unweighted, 20 kHz bandwidth, 1 kHz signal, 5 watts into 4 ohms standard.

Addendum: LA90 has 90 kHz bandwidth on unweighted specc.

Wouldn't it then be more correct or better to only include devices in this list for which there is a measurement from a trustworthy source?
So it's more of an apples to oranges comparison.
That doesn't make any sense compared to the old PA5 and the RP3.

 

[Matias]

Wouldn't it then be more correct or better to only include devices in this list for which there is a measurement from a trustworthy source?
So it's more of an apples to oranges comparison.
That doesn't make any sense compared to the old PA5 and the RP3.

My priority is always 3rd party AP measurements first, manufacturer measurements only when those do not exist. And in the case of Topping we know they have an APx555, also shown in their own measurement graphs, so pretty trustworthy to me. Until now their measurements match ASR and L7 quite well. If they write themselves that SINAD is 96 who am I to argue... Possibly a mistake, but I doubt it. @JohnYang1997

 

[sweetchaos]

Review is out:

Topping PA5 II Stereo Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Topping PA5 II stereo balanced amplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $219 (sale). There is a plus version with higher current power supply for $289.50. The fonts are hard to see but there is not much to read anyway. A power...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Graham849]

Archimago : https://archimago.blogspot.com/2023/10/part-i-topping-pa5-mk-ii-plus-pa5ii.html?m=1

 

[maty]

More easy to read the Archimago's review:

Archimago's Musings (via: archimago.blogspot.com)

A blog for audiophiles about more objective topics. Measurements of audio gear. Reasonable, realistic, no snakeoil assessment of sound, and equipment.

clearthis.page

 

[maty]

Tharbamar - Topping PA5 II Plus Amplifier Review, A True Head-Scratcher for Pricey Amp Owners!
Sound sample 10:21

To compare, with same loudspeakers Musician Knight 1

Tharbamar - SMSL AO300 Integrated Class D Amplifier Review
Sound sample 11:13

Pfff... Much better with KEF R3 Meta

"Comment is free, but facts are sacred" - C. P. Scot