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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

xaxxon

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Apr 3, 2022
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But then the customers must also be willing to pay the costs for such customer service.
Manufacturers in the EU and USA calculate at least 10 - 20% of the product price for such a service, which will not be enough given the low sales prices of SMSL, topping, etc. Just look what the Schiit products cost at the official EU distributor, that's the surcharge.

I don't know how it is in the USA, but in the EU every customer has the possibility to buy these devices from dealers in the EU, with service according to EU standards. Only as examples are there Clear, HiFiStudio79, Audiophonics, Soundimports, etc., or Amazon as a seller.

If you save the last few euros and order on another continent, you simply have to assume that you save on service and bear the return costs, even in the case of a guarantee.
I ordered mine from amazon. I didn't know what shenzen was and don't normally care who the seller is because I've never been burned like this.

I wasn't trying to "save a buck" - this is who was selling it on amazon
 

Roland68

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I ordered mine from amazon. I didn't know what shenzen was and don't normally care who the seller is because I've never been burned like this.

I wasn't trying to "save a buck" - this is who was selling it on amazon
The difference at Amazon is, among other things, whether the shipment is made via Amazon, or whether everything runs through the seller and Amazon is only a sales platform. But that's the case at Amazon in general, in all areas.
In the first case, I have never had any problems exchanging or returning a defective device within the country guarantee, the shipping back to Amazon is covered.
In the second case, I can't really tell you how far Amazon will help the customer with problems, or take over something, but I would try to involve Amazon.

If in doubt, it is worth clarifying which problems and services are covered in the Amazon chat before making a purchase.
 

Holmz

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But then the customers must also be willing to pay the costs for such customer service.
Which is low for units that don’t loose the magic smoke.

Manufacturers in the EU and USA calculate at least 10 - 20% of the product price for such a service, which will not be enough given the low sales prices of SMSL, topping, etc. Just look what the Schiit products cost at the official EU distributor, that's the surcharge.
I suspend that the larger num,bers for these units would make it 100% ?

I don't know how it is in the USA, but in the EU every customer has the possibility to buy these devices from dealers in the EU, with service according to EU standards. Only as examples are there Clear, HiFiStudio79, Audiophonics, Soundimports, etc., or Amazon as a seller.

If you save the last few euros and order on another continent, you simply have to assume that you save on service and bear the return costs, even in the case of a guarantee.
Amazon US did take the return.
 

GLTRV

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2022
Messages
13
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6
Location
Qc
My PA5's left channel has started making loud popping sounds and noises.
It was bought in late august thru Amazon.ca, used for about 8h a day at low volume, with the dial at about 2 o'clock and fed from a balanced DAC or preamp with volume at 25-50%.
My vote was changed from "no" to "yes".
I've sent an e-mail to Aoshida and Topping and will update my post with their reply (hoping I get one).
 

Laserjock

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My PA5's left channel has started making loud popping sounds and noises.
It was bought in late august thru Amazon.ca, used for about 8h a day at low volume, with the dial at about 2 o'clock and fed from a balanced DAC or preamp with volume at 25-50%.
My vote was changed from "no" to "yes".
I've sent an e-mail to Aoshida and Topping and will update my post with their reply (hoping I get one).
Good luck.
 

labdoc

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2018
Messages
24
Likes
14
@GLTRV,
I just received my PA5 back from China. My story is similar to yours: Amazon.ca purchase, used 4 h per day x 3 months. Then, hiss from both channels. I contacted Amazon and Aoshida Audio Canada. The latter organized the return and refunded my shipping cost to my Amazon Canada account. If the PA5 continues to work, I will be a satisfied customer.
A different topic, but related. Considering value for money, the Audiophonics S250NC that I bought to replace the Topping offers better value IMHO. Cost is 40% greater delivered in Canada and power is 130% greater, 150 w vs 65 w (8 ohms, 1% THD).
 
Last edited:

Martinvb

Active Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2021
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Location
Maastricht, The Netherlands
@GLTRV,
I just received my PA5 back from China. My story is similar to yours: Amazon.ca purchase, used 4 h per day x 3 months. Then, hiss from both channels. I contacted Amazon and Aoshida Audio Canada. The latter organized the return and refunded my shipping cost to my Amazon Canada account. If the PA5 continues to work, I will be a satisfied customer.
I’m happy for you. My PA5 just celebrated its 1st birthday. Even when it would breakdown soon, I still am happy for the time it has been producing the best sound in my home ever.
 

GLTRV

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Jan 9, 2022
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Location
Qc
@GLTRV,
I just received my PA5 back from China. My story is similar to yours: Amazon.ca purchase, used 4 h per day x 3 months. Then, hiss from both channels. I contacted Amazon and Aoshida Audio Canada. The latter organized the return and refunded my shipping cost to my Amazon Canada account. If the PA5 continues to work, I will be a satisfied customer.
A different topic, but related. Considering value for money, the Audiophonics S250NC that I bought to replace the Topping offers better value IMHO. Cost is 40% greater delivered in Canada and power is 130% greater, 150 w vs 65 w (8 ohms, 1% THD).
I'm glad to hear that!
I'd really like the PA5 to last as it's a really nice amp... and I bought two :facepalm:
Those S250NC are interesting.
 

Entropy

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Oct 13, 2021
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Location
67°40'17"N 51°19'34"W
Haaah... 4 months after RMA'ing...

Finally got apos audio to concede that the Pa5 is a defective, broken unit that they shouldn't sell to me. Then they tell me they're happy to announce that they can give me $300 of in-store credit! I really can't believe them sometimes. Guess I'll email them some more... wait another two workweeks for a reply...
 
Last edited:

anotherhobby

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I've had my Topping PA5 in service for 417 days without any issues yet (I'd say a very conservative estimate of a little over 4,000 hours).
  • Revel M105's near field on my desk (music plus computer audio)
  • Fed by miniDSP Flex
  • Powered on from 8am until 10pm daily (14 hours) at least 5 days per week, but usually all 7 days
  • I use a smart switch on the power adapter (I don't care if it kills the amp, the convenience is worth it to me)
  • Still silent and sounds perfect to my ears.
I don't live in fear, because if and when it dies:
  • I'll come back here and post about it
  • I'll immediately replace it with a Hypex or Purifi amp
  • If I think it's a premature death, I'll never buy a Topping product again...
  • I'll be disappointed, but whatever ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
Last edited:

gsymeoni

New Member
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Jan 22, 2023
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Chiming in to say that my PA5 also seems to be failing. I bought it on December 2021.

The windsweep sounds from the speakers started fairly early, but I discarded this as something all amps do on powerup (it's my first setup, pretty new to all this).

Also, either R or L speakers would pop when switching the amp on, and today I collected a new symptom, a constant pulsing sound from the R speaker. It's high pitched and the oscillation is in the order of 8-10Hz+

It's very frustrating as I'm doubtful I'll get a replacement or refund, I hope that the influx of RMAs can get the vendor to be understanding.

I'm decommissioning it before it does something nasty to my 3030i's. I've sent a message over to the vendor (PlayStereo).
edit: PlayStereo has provided a refund, a very credible, no-hassle retailer. I will be buying from them again.

Now, should I bite the bullet and wait for a PA7 (not learning my lesson here...) or are there any similar-sized and priced alternatives with balanced inputs I can feed my E50 into? Seeing as PA5 is a 3255, something of that caliber is preferable.
 

Onlinehead

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Feb 25, 2023
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Ok, that is a time to join the club of failed PA5 owners.
7 month of usage. Left channel started to hiss and cracking about 2 weeks ago and yesterday it finally broke. Now it has a half of the power.
No overheating or even work on a high level.
 
D

Deleted member 48726

Guest

Comment:
"Where do we go from here?"

1677333827531.png


Answer:
"Back to the store"

:facepalm:
 

Fritz

Member
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Feb 8, 2022
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Well, sadly I had to change my vote to yes. At least I bought from a european reseller and hope for good customer service.
 

Roland68

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it is cute I got a witch’s hat (road construction cone).
So… they have a sense of humour.
It is one of the symbols for "under construction".

But we can guess what that means?!?
- Quality?
- Quality control?
- Quality standards?
- Quality management?
Or is it a play on words and it stands for "Quality under construction".

Was that too nasty?
 
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