Power amp recommendations

[ravh]

Hi guys, I've been lurking around for several months. I've decided to start over. I need ASR seal of approval. No kidding.
For starter, I have bought Topping DX7s. Now, all I need is a power amp, any suggestions?

 

[esm]

I could have sworn that @amirm had done at least one power amp review, but looking over the master list of reviews, I don't see any.

Although, he did succumb to a massdrop deal on the Topping TP60 recently, and I see a bunch of power amps in his to-do list, so maybe we'll see a few reviews soon.

 

[amirm]

Are you in need of a headphone amp or one for speakers?

 

[Xulonn]

Since the DX7s is a DAC + headphone amp, I assume that you are asking about an amp for poudspeakers. What speakers will you be driving? And how big is your listening room?

If you will be driving smaller monitors and using a subwoofer, you can get by with a lot less power, and the same is true for full range floor-standers with built-in powered subwoofer sections like the Goldenear Triton active series.

Producing clean, deep bass and/or filling big carpeted rooms with drapes and overstuffed furniture with good music takes a lot of power, but you can you can get by with a lot less power in small rooms driving smaller stand-mounted or "bookshelf" monitors.

Amir is waiting for his $200 Topping TP-60 80wpc amplifier with a Tripath "Class-T" amp-chip to arrive, and I have a Topping PA3 80wpc Class-D amplifier on the way. I stumbled onto the PA3 for $84 on an "Amazon one-day special" instead of the regular discounted price of $105, and jumped on the deal. The PA3 uses the popular ST Microelectronics TDA7498E Class-D amp-chip, and I decided to take a chance on it because of Toppings uniformly good performance here with Amir's DAC tests. (I will soon purchase a D50 DAC to feed it.)

Mini chip amps are typically advertised with a "maximum power" (which I assume is the same as peak power), and often at only at 1kHz - and sometimes even at 10% distortion. So I assume that if they were rated with the trusty old "RMS" standard they would actually be much lower.

The distortion graph for the PA3 at the Topping China website - LINK - shows excellent distortion figures - at 10 watts - which is way below their "power rating" of 80W. So I emailed topping in China, and a marketing guy replied that he would ask the engineers at the factory, and get back to me with the "continuous power rating" for the PA3.)

Besides using different amp-chips, the TP-60 is a bigger, heavier amplifier with an internal linear power supply fed by a toroidal transformer, while the PA3 uses an external 24-32v switching power supply. I assume that Amir will be testing his new amp soon after he receives it. However, I will only be able to give you a subjective opinion on the PA3, which will be in about two weeks after my amp arrives in Panama from a forwarder in Florida. (And in spite of my 60+ years of playing with audio, don't expect a fancy audiophile-speak review from me.)

 

[RayDunzl]

The PA3 uses the popular ST Microelectronics TDA7498E

80W rating doesn't sound unreasonable given the spec:

https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/tda7498e.pdf

I suppose it depends on the rail voltage they're running, though. This may be for 36V.

 

[ravh]

Are you in need of a headphone amp or one for speakers?

Hi Amir, I need a power amp for speakers.

Since the DX7s is a DAC + headphone amp, I assume that you are asking about an amp for poudspeakers. What speakers will you be driving? And how big is your listening room?

Here are my speakers:

• Selah Audio Tempesta: http://www.selahaudio.com/tempestamk2
• KEF LS50

My two listening rooms are about the same size: 16' X 16' X 9'

If you will be driving smaller monitors and using a subwoofer, you can get by with a lot less power, and the same is true for full range floor-standers with built-in powered subwoofer sections like the Goldenear Triton active series.

Producing clean, deep bass and/or filling big carpeted rooms with drapes and overstuffed furniture with good music takes a lot of power, but you can you can get by with a lot less power in small rooms driving smaller stand-mounted or "bookshelf" monitors.

Amir is waiting for his $200 Topping TP-60 80wpc amplifier with a Tripath "Class-T" amp-chip to arrive, and I have a Topping PA3 80wpc Class-D amplifier on the way. I stumbled onto the PA3 for $84 on an "Amazon one-day special" instead of the regular discounted price of $105, and jumped on the deal. The PA3 uses the popular ST Microelectronics TDA7498E Class-D amp-chip, and I decided to take a chance on it because of Toppings uniformly good performance here with Amir's DAC tests. (I will soon purchase a D50 DAC to feed it.)

Mini chip amps are typically advertised with a "maximum power" (which I assume is the same as peak power), and often at only at 1kHz - and sometimes even at 10% distortion. So I assume that if they were rated with the trusty old "RMS" standard they would actually be much lower.

The distortion graph for the PA3 at the Topping China website - LINK - shows excellent distortion figures - at 10 watts - which is way below their "power rating" of 80W. So I emailed topping in China, and a marketing guy replied that he would ask the engineers at the factory, and get back to me with the "continuous power rating" for the PA3.)

Besides using different amp-chips, the TP-60 is a bigger, heavier amplifier with an internal linear power supply fed by a toroidal transformer, while the PA3 uses an external 24-32v switching power supply. I assume that Amir will be testing his new amp soon after he receives it. However, I will only be able to give you a subjective opinion on the PA3, which will be in about two weeks after my amp arrives in Panama from a forwarder in Florida. (And in spite of my 60+ years of playing with audio, don't expect a fancy audiophile-speak review from me.

Thank you for the tips. I think I can wait for Amir's TP-60 test and your opinion on the PA3.

 

[Soniclife]

80W rating doesn't sound unreasonable given the spec:

https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/tda7498e.pdf

I suppose it depends on the rail voltage they're running, though. This may be for 36V.

I read that as 160w for both channels driven at 10% THD, so 80wpc at 10%, or just over 60wpc at 1%.

 

[Talisker]

there are sales at Red Dragon Audio

 

[daftcombo]

10% THD seems very nasty to me. Did anyone try this yet?

 

[dkinric]

Hi Amir, I need a power amp for speakers.



Here are my speakers:

• Selah Audio Tempesta: http://www.selahaudio.com/tempestamk2
• KEF LS50

My two listening rooms are about the same size: 16' X 16' X 9'



Thank you for the tips. I think I can wait for Amir's TP-60 test and your opinion on the PA3.

So, you list 2 sets of very nice speakers. The LS50s have many positive reviews online, but most think they really open up with some decent power behind them. Also, the Selahs are 86db sensitivity, so these seem like they would also benefit from ample power in your room, which is not small.
I would suggest something with more power than the chip based Topping mentioned above. If all you have is the DX7s, it appears you actually need a preamp as well, not just a power amp. Or, an Integrated amp which combines both. Really all you have listed for a speaker based system is a nice external DAC and speakers.

You have many many options. If you are looking for value, home theater or stereo receivers are priced well due to economies of production scale. A Denon or Yamaha from Accessories4less (https://www.accessories4less.com/) is a good option. You can utilize these for just their amp sections since you have a DAC already.
More upscale would be a Rega Brio. About $1000 USD new, but less used. I have a Cambridge Audio CXA60 (about $750 USD), which I like a lot. Since you have a DAC, the pre-owned market is a good option for nice 2 channel equipment.

 

[avddreamr]

Since the DX7s is a DAC + headphone amp, I assume that you are asking about an amp for poudspeakers. What speakers will you be driving? And how big is your listening room?

If you will be driving smaller monitors and using a subwoofer, you can get by with a lot less power, and the same is true for full range floor-standers with built-in powered subwoofer sections like the Goldenear Triton active series.

Producing clean, deep bass and/or filling big carpeted rooms with drapes and overstuffed furniture with good music takes a lot of power, but you can you can get by with a lot less power in small rooms driving smaller stand-mounted or "bookshelf" monitors.

Amir is waiting for his $200 Topping TP-60 80wpc amplifier with a Tripath "Class-T" amp-chip to arrive, and I have a Topping PA3 80wpc Class-D amplifier on the way. I stumbled onto the PA3 for $84 on an "Amazon one-day special" instead of the regular discounted price of $105, and jumped on the deal. The PA3 uses the popular ST Microelectronics TDA7498E Class-D amp-chip, and I decided to take a chance on it because of Toppings uniformly good performance here with Amir's DAC tests. (I will soon purchase a D50 DAC to feed it.)

Mini chip amps are typically advertised with a "maximum power" (which I assume is the same as peak power), and often at only at 1kHz - and sometimes even at 10% distortion. So I assume that if they were rated with the trusty old "RMS" standard they would actually be much lower.

The distortion graph for the PA3 at the Topping China website - LINK - shows excellent distortion figures - at 10 watts - which is way below their "power rating" of 80W. So I emailed topping in China, and a marketing guy replied that he would ask the engineers at the factory, and get back to me with the "continuous power rating" for the PA3.)

Besides using different amp-chips, the TP-60 is a bigger, heavier amplifier with an internal linear power supply fed by a toroidal transformer, while the PA3 uses an external 24-32v switching power supply. I assume that Amir will be testing his new amp soon after he receives it. However, I will only be able to give you a subjective opinion on the PA3, which will be in about two weeks after my amp arrives in Panama from a forwarder in Florida. (And in spite of my 60+ years of playing with audio, don't expect a fancy audiophile-speak review from me.)

View attachment 14188

.04% thd +n is like -70db?, isn't that a bit below the crown xls amp?

 

[snip3r77]

Are you in need of a headphone amp or one for speakers?

Another cheap ice power alternative ?

http://www.ghentaudio.com/amp/ga-s125p.html