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Poll for Topping PA5 owners only please.

Is your Topping PA5 amp defective?

  • Yes

    Votes: 123 50.0%
  • No

    Votes: 123 50.0%

  • Total voters
    246

cjvivaaa

New Member
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Feb 22, 2022
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First one had a crackling left channel and soon the left channel died all together, after three months of light usage. Second one also around three month mark, right channel started crackling on me... The amp is always powered, usually I remember to turn it off but sometimes I leave it on for the night. Highly suspect the issue could be heat related as the unit usually gets very warm and cooling it down sometimes hides the problem for couple minutes.
 

gamerpaddy

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even with this neutral title you tend to attract more people that had issues than the ones who dont.
failure rate is high but not 35%

Did anyone figured out why these happen? i only heard crying so far
from many posts it seems like the volume pot is getting bad
that the issue happens so frequent on the left channel might be because the first pot behind the knob (its a stack of 4) is for the left channel, but i didnt confirm this.
now is this a topping or pot manufacturer fault? they cant test these for months in different climates when theres so much demand.

no issues on my unit yet
but when its time, i try to investiage instead of rma'ing into the chinese void
 

jjmanda

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even with this neutral title you tend to attract more people that had issues than the ones who dont.
failure rate is high but not 35%

Did anyone figured out why these happen? i only heard crying so far
But why does the engineer/representative for Topping and the PA5 not address this thread?

He is obviously active in other threads where there is no controversy but is totally ignoring this one.
 

gamerpaddy

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seen this behaviour with many chinese vendors that have social/pr representative
but mostly on chinese phone forums where people that report issues of a product get muted over the people praising it. (blackview)
 

jjmanda

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seen this behaviour with many chinese vendors that have social/pr representative
but mostly on chinese phone forums where people that report issues of a product get muted over the people praising it. (blackview)
I think too because the promotional period for the PA5 is over and there is other Topping products to promote and ASR is Topping’s promotional vehicle.
 

Loathecliff

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ASR is Topping’s promotional vehicle
& shipping aside, it is an all-time bargain.

I noticed one post on the review of their latest product that read (to my tired, suspicious mind) like one of those iffy Amazon 'reviews'.
So now I am wondering who joined ASR close to when the PA5 issue first flagged up.
Isn't 'Damage limitation' the preferred modern way?
I just hope Amir isn't being played.

I can't be the only one to have PM'd the Topping man. Anyone know what the space allowance is for PMs on ASR?
I half expected his mail box to be full, or for me to receive a reply. Neither was the case.
......
Apologies for the negative tone, but I've had UK run-ins with both a council, and a utility company in the last year. Both displayed an infinitely adjustable morality, and it took an Ombudsman decision to nail both thieves.
So, yes, I'm thoroughly p**d-off when I see such behaviour on a website where the owner's raison d'etre was to bash the BS and amorality.
All power to you Amir. Sincerely.
 
Last edited:

Slayer

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even with this neutral title you tend to attract more people that had issues than the ones who dont.
Numbers prove you wrong.
failure rate is high but not 35%
You have no way of knowing this. While maybe not completely accurate, at the very least, this thread gives us a somewhat idea to it's actual numbers.
Did anyone figured out why these happen? i only heard crying so far
from many posts it seems like the volume pot is getting bad
No, that's why people are posting. Again you nor I know exactly why, your vol pot theory is just a guess.
now is this a topping or pot manufacturer fault? they cant test these for months in different climates when theres so much demand.
WE don't know for sure who's fault, but we do know it's not the consumers fault. Regardless who's fault, it ultimately falls on Toppings shoulders. They can test returned products to find the problem and report back to current and possibly future customers. But the silence is very telling.
Now, I am only guessing as you have done, but one may be inclined to think this may be a design fauler or bad choice of parts being used.

So many questions could easily be resolved by Topping, specifically @JohnYang1997 by simply responding on this thread. But as you can see, nothing. Yet he has been available on another thread with his new baby.
 

terrys999

Active Member
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Mar 28, 2019
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A mate purchased the pa5 2 weeks ago,
I spoke to him today and he’s said that he sometimes get a little crackling in right channel.
I told him that 2 pas that I owned messed up and were returned.

I told him send it back , but he’s dithering as what to do, because he say that he accidentally shorted the xlr connections I told him topping warned of such , and would cause damage.

I know mine didn’t short xlr.
I did notice that speaker banana plugs are awfully close. And can touch due to cable weight pulling down.

I wonder if that could be the cause?
Food for thought.
 

restorer-john

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I told him send it back , but he’s dithering as what to do, because he say that he accidentally shorted the xlr connections I told him topping warned of such , and would cause damage.

The PA-5 doesn't have XLR connections. It has TRS inputs and banana outputs. Regardless, shorting anything should not cause any problems. If Topping told him shorting an input or output would cause damage, he should pack the unit up and return it for a full refund, as it is clearly not competently designed.
 

bopes

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@amirm can please comment on this issue? Why doesn’t the review have any mention of obvious quality control problems?
 

Vict0r

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@amirm can please comment on this issue? Why doesn’t the review have any mention of obvious quality control problems?
It is not Amir's job to do so. ASR reviews are about measurable performance only. I do think a proper general disclaimer is in order, though.
 
Last edited:

tomtoo

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@amirm can please comment on this issue? Why doesn’t the review have any mention of obvious quality control problems?

@amirm is imo realy a nice and great person. But looking into future, is even for him very hard to do. Knowing that there will be a quality problem in the future is a very hard task.
 

tomtoo

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It is not Amir's job to do so. ASR reviews are about measurable performance only. I do think a proper general disclaimer is in order, though.

Its just a impossible task. Nobody could do. Maybe some god's? But hard to ask them.
 

Vict0r

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Its just a impossible task. Nobody could do. Maybe some god's? But hard to ask them.
It's more a matter of expectations-management, I think. Amir's reviews aren't covering the whole product, but only a part of it. Which is perfectly fine, btw. I think some people mistake the reviews for something they aren't. Ideally you'd combine Amir's measurements with other people's reviews of the build quality, quality control, customer service and user experience and base your purchase of of that combined knowledge.

I think a short general disclaimer at the top of every review would prevent a lot of disappointment and negative sentiments.
 

Sokel

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Its just a impossible task. Nobody could do. Maybe some god's? But hard to ask them.
I agree.
Except some very skilled and experienced engineers that can identify an accident waiting to happen it's very difficult for anyone else (much more,we,consumers) to predict.
That's why after sale service must be rock solid,quick and responsible.
 

terrys999

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The PA-5 doesn't have XLR connections. It has TRS inputs and banana outputs. Regardless, shorting anything should not cause any problems. If Topping told him shorting an input or output would cause damage, he should pack the unit up and return it for a full refund, as it is clearly not competently designed.
Look in pa5 manual there’s a warning about speaker cables. Then again same goes for any amp
Trs xlr. Same thing if using xlr from dac.
 

tomtoo

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It's more a matter of expectations-management, I think. Amir's reviews aren't covering the whole product, but only a part of it. Which is perfectly fine, btw. I think some people mistake the reviews for something they aren't. Ideally you'd combine Amir's measurements with other people's reviews of the build quality, quality control, customer service and user experience and base your purchase of of that combined knowledge.

I think a short general disclaimer at the top of every review would prevent a lot of disappointment and negative sentiments.

What disclaimer?
Sry, iam not god. I cant predict the future?
 

Talisman

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Amir has nothing to do with this discussion. He tested a product, the product gave excellent measurements (and anyone who owned it found the goodness, at least initially, of the product) and he recommended it, he cannot keep up with all the problematic evolutions of the infinity of products he reviews.
The problem for me is the topping representative, who enthusiastically compares himself on all new releases but carefully avoids answering the merits of the problems of HIS products, this is unacceptable behavior and one might even think, in bad faith.
 

Sokel

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Predictability can exist in different parts,if you take a look at specs you get a hint about the performance,tolerances,etc.

Even a simple USB plug has a finite number of plug-unplug in it's specs when comes from a trustworthy manufacturer.

Quality materials can last longer,but the combination is a matter of experience,skill and bad situation prediction,something really difficult.

Of course the premium is unavoidable.
 

Frank Sol

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Amir has nothing to do with this discussion.

I respectfully disagree... You are 100% correct about @amirm having nothing to do with the problem. But with this "discussion" @amirm should chime in.

He could say/do something like this: "I've reached out to Topping and @JohnYang1997 in regards to this Issue and have not heard back."

Just my guess: I find it hard to believe @amirm has not talked to @JohnYang1997 since the beginning date of this thread.
 
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