Topping A50 III Headphone Amp Review

[Robbo99999]

That question has obviously been raised before, as Topping have produced these charts to explain the differences - see their website product pages:

View attachment 481353 View attachment 481356 View attachment 481361

Yep, that's quite useful, it doesn't contain price and performance info though (albeit shows amplification amount) - but I can't complain because I haven't and won't be creating any summary tables whilst also saying yours was showing too much information, so I can't complain as I'm not doing anything to "create"!

 

[MCH]

And still zero features added that make it more usable other than as yet another great measuring DAC and HPA. We seem to have a hundred of semi identical such products now.

Wake me up when these companies add configurable sub outs and easy interoperability with room correction etc.

There should be a "Great but yawn" survey response.

Is there a DAC there?
A simple headphone amp is a pretty legit product in my opinion, when your system doesn't have an integrated one or the one available is not powerful enough. No sub out or room correction needed here.

 

[JOCoin]

I've had my A50 iii + D50 iii since release in April 2024 and gets almost a minimum 1 hour use per day and they been absolutely rock solid. No issues no glitches, it's been much better than the DX5II purchased at launch as well. Only complaint about the stack is that you can't eq both channels independently and it's got more cabling with separates and I do like the FFT display on the DX5ii.

 

[HD800Fan]

I find it suspect that Topping no longer sends their flagships to Amir.

 

[BigSweeny]

Here it is - on the preamp tab.

Personally I think the L70 rocks. It can generate 18V on the line output, and scored the highest ever SNR in any independent measurement. R2R volume controls used to be the preserve of uncompromised, cost-no-object, megabucks amps, yet now it's only $237.

I bought an E70 & L70 combo back in July 2023 to allow me to use my headphones, RCA speakers, and IEMs at my desktop pc. I paid extra for the balanced inputs/outputs, XLR options, R2R controls, and great 50mv score .
It's been great, I have no complaints other than the amp can get a little warm but I haven't had that cause an issue in over 2 years.

 

[IamJF]

For most of their HPAs they claim around 0.8µV noise in low or medium gain, when AP measured.
(They also claim as little as 0.3µV noise, when measured using an LNA in front of the AP, which might seem cheating, but I think the results are still genuine. Nonetheless, they never use use this noise measurement to calculate SNR / DNR - which would be even better - they only use the AP results for that).

Audio Precision input noise is about 0,6-0,85uVrms(A), depending on the model.
When you measure 0,8uVrms(A) at the output of the amp - a lot of this noise comes from the AP itself. 0,3uVrms(A) is about as little as possible - exceptional achievement! But it would be totally legit to use that for DR calculations, the AP measurement is surely wrong at these extremely low noise levels.

 

[totti1965]

I find it suspect that Topping no longer sends their flagships to Amir.

I‘m not sure about that. AFAIK @amirm has numerous devices in the queue, and the backlog is currently 4-6 months now. So we hopefully will see a test of the D900 DAC or the A900 Preamp in late 2025 / early 2026.

 

[welwynnick]

I‘m not sure about that. AFAIK @amirm has numerous devices in the queue, and the backlog is currently 4-6 months now. So we hopefully will see a test of the D900 DAC or the A900 Preamp in late 2025 / early 2026.

Agreed.
He did test the B100 and B200 recently, though not until some time after they were released.

 

[DantonIzzo]

So other than for looks/design this will get you 99,99% of perfomance. That's like offering a VW Golf for the price of a Hyundai i10 base model which will lap the Nurburgring 2 seconds slower than a Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

I don't think this is a good analogy. There's a significant difference in how everything feels, that YOU WILL NOTICE, between driving a VW Golf and GT3 RS...

 

[DantonIzzo]

Does anyone know what bal in/out measures noticeably worse (although doesn't really matter from a function standpoint) than any other combinations?

 

[staticV3]

Does anyone know what bal in/out measures noticeably worse (although doesn't really matter from a function standpoint) than any other combinations?

The A50III's volume knob, like on the vast majority of headphone Amps, has two channels which means it works on single-ended signals.

If you input a balanced signal, then the A50III first has to convert it back to single-ended, otherwise the volume knob couldn't work.

This extra step adds noise and distortion.

 

[napfkuchen]

I don't think this is a good analogy. There's a significant difference in how everything feels, that YOU WILL NOTICE, between driving a VW Golf and GT3 RS...

I was just referring to the laptime. Of course a different DAC will also "feel" different. Probably the case is milled from solid aluminum, has an OLED display, thick power cable, higher pricetag etc.
All these product features named above are (mostly) psychological factors which contribute next to nothing to the most important performance aspect (sound quality) of the product but are very important to many people. But since we here at ASR want to limit ourselves to the most objective, measurable product comparison possible, we can disregard product features that have no influence on them.
Of course, everyone is free to choose a more expensive product, for example, for aesthetic reasons, if they have the budget. There's nothing wrong with that.
I just don't know what the tactile sensation when turning on a DAC or its front panel design would contribute to the sound.
So actually, I think you're wrong in your assessment that the comparison is flawed, but in a way you're also right.

 

[DantonIzzo]

I was just referring to the laptime. Of course a different DAC will also "feel" different. Probably the case is milled from solid aluminum, has an OLED display, thick power cable, higher pricetag etc.
All these product features named above are (mostly) psychological factors which contribute next to nothing to the most important performance aspect (sound quality) of the product but are very important to many people. But since we here at ASR want to limit ourselves to the most objective, measurable product comparison possible, we can disregard product features that have no influence on them.
Of course, everyone is free to choose a more expensive product, for example, for aesthetic reasons, if they have the budget. There's nothing wrong with that.
I just don't know what the tactile sensation when turning on a DAC or its front panel design would contribute to the sound.
So actually, I think you're wrong in your assessment that the comparison is flawed, but in a way you're also right.

Have you driven a 911 GT3 RS? If not, I don't think you can claim that my assessment in that "comparison is flawed." Your analogy is akin to saying that a movie on VSH tape on CRT tv is the same as the same movie on Blu Ray on a 4K OLED because they both depict the same movie on the screen. I agree that in audio, there's no real audible difference, but there are lot of tangible differences in a VW and 911 GT3 RS even when driven at the same speed.

 

[napfkuchen]

Have you driven a 911 GT3 RS? If not, I don't think you can claim that my assessment in that "comparison is flawed." Your analogy is akin to saying that a movie on VSH tape on CRT tv is the same as the same movie on Blu Ray on a 4K OLED because they both depict the same movie on the screen.

Ahm, no. I was simply referring to the relevant comparison metrics, namely lap time and sound quality. With VHS/CRT and Blu-ray/4K TVs, it's obvious that they differ significantly in the crucial characteristics (picture quality and sound quality). Continuing the Porsche comparison: A 993 Carrera (which I've had the pleasure of driving before, but not on a racetrack) will evoke plenty of emotions, but a current VW Golf R is about 30 seconds faster on a lap of the Nordschleife. The 944 turbo which was sometimes my "chauffeur limousine" as a kid will have a hard time competing against a Golf GTI from the 2010s.

I agree that in audio, there's no real audible difference, but there are lot of tangible differences in a VW and 911 GT3 RS even when driven at the same speed.

Yeah, so what? If there's no audible difference what are these "tangible" differences? If a headphone amp with the same source DAC has enough power for a headphone without singificant distortion/noise or altering the FR it's good enough, and good enough means there's no need to improve on that.
My RME ADI2-DAC has nice display, a remote, equalizer, windows app and much more options. Is its headphone amp section better than the Topping A50 III's? Probably. Will there be a noticeable difference in perceived audio quality with my headphones? No. So is the RME worth the money just by objective standards? Proably not, at least for the average listener like me.

 

[Roland68]

I find it suspect that Topping no longer sends their flagships to Amir.

I would understand if a manufacturer didn't make its expensive devices available for testing.
Just look at what happens when more expensive devices from Topping, SMSL, or other companies are tested here.
Then you can read many posts with statements like:
- Far too expensive
- Unnecessary
- Nobody needs it (I'm always amazed at how many users think they know what other people need or would buy)
- What right does it have compared to a much cheaper DAC or HPA (or even DX5 II)
etc.

Do you know for sure that Topping doesn't make it anymore?

 

[totti1965]

I would understand if a manufacturer didn't make its expensive devices available for testing.
Just look at what happens when more expensive devices from Topping, SMSL, or other companies are tested here.
Then you can read many posts with statements like:
- Far too expensive
- Unnecessary
- Nobody needs it (I'm always amazed at how many users think they know what other people need or would buy)
- What right does it have compared to a much cheaper DAC or HPA (or even DX5 II)
etc.

Do you know for sure that Topping doesn't make it anymore?

Perhaps a direct message to @amirm regarding this question would help?
Ich lass mich überraschen…..

 

[JanL]

Sorry to say it every time, why don't S.M.S.L., Topping, Fosi listen??????? Slow down on piling up 2 channel devices, think subwoofers, launch 3,4,5 channel devices, sell them at higher enough prices and make more profits, please!! Yes we all know you guys can made great DACs that measure exceptionally well, there is no need to prove that point anymore, it is time to focus more, just a little more, or potential customers who have been wanting to do 2.2 with room correction possibility, as we also all know, bass performance is a big part of hi enjoyment, not just 120 dB SINAD.

May be hopefully the newer comers like WiiM would listen.

I agree. Here is an idea for a product for Topping et al. Make an 8 channel DAC/amp with ASIO drivers and independent EQ per channel or channel pair. That way the user could have multiple headphones and IEMs permanently landed on it and freely switch between them or use more than one simultaneously (like with a friend or spouse).
Have one output be balanced, one output SE 1/4", one output 1/8" with low gain for IEMs, one connection for a headset etc. Maybe even add a USBC port for a dongle.
Give it a nice display and a few buttons for quick recall of settings. I would buy one if it was priced under $1k and I would use the hell out of it at work where I wear headphones for most of the day and switch between headphones, IEMs and a headset regularly.

Right now I use 3 different USB audio devices, two amplifiers and the Voicemeeter Potato software mixer/router with VST plugins. I would be really happy to have everything self contained, high performance and rock solid (no audio dropouts)

 

[Roland68]

I agree. Here is an idea for a product for Topping et al. Make an 8 channel DAC/amp with ASIO drivers and independent EQ per channel or channel pair. That way the user could have multiple headphones and IEMs permanently landed on it and freely switch between them or use more than one simultaneously (like with a friend or spouse).
Have one output be balanced, one output SE 1/4", one output 1/8" with low gain for IEMs, one connection for a headset etc. Maybe even add a USBC port for a dongle.
Give it a nice display and a few buttons for quick recall of settings. I would buy one if it was priced under $1k and I would use the hell out of it at work where I wear headphones for most of the day and switch between headphones, IEMs and a headset regularly.

Right now I use 3 different USB audio devices, two amplifiers and the Voicemeeter Potato software mixer/router with VST plugins. I would be really happy to have everything self contained, high performance and rock solid (no audio dropouts)

It's extremely unlikely that Topping will bring something like this to market. They've already discontinued production of the inexpensive 8-channel DAC DM7 due to low sales, even though there's a market for it (see okto dac8 PRO).
The market for such a device would be significantly smaller.

The device you describe would be very expensive.
- Low production volume
- Large housing required, significantly increasing costs, including logistics
- 8 separate connection areas
- 8 DSP areas
- 8 DAC areas
- 8 powerful amplifier areas
- 8 volume controls
- Power supply that eliminates mutual interference
- Similar measurement values as the DX5 II
- GUI that allows for operation of everything
- Individually operable areas
- Functional software and firmware

To achieve a halfway acceptable price, which would be significantly higher than €1,000, it would require production volumes similar to those of the DX5 II, which is absolutely unrealistic.
The development costs alone for such a complex device, which would have to be spread across 100, perhaps a few hundred devices, would exceed the price range without a single device being produced.

 

[amirm]

I find it suspect that Topping no longer sends their flagships to Amir.

Where do you get that idea?

 

[HD800Fan]

Where do you get that idea?

Well Topping pushes the envelope for measurements and that becomes increasingly difficult.
First there was no DX9 sent and I don't think they have sent you an A900 or D900 either. Not even the D90 Discrete.
You see subjective reviewers get sent this stuff so you begin to wonder if it's because objective improvements are so marginal that price becomes appalling.

Or it could simply be because you don't desire to review these flagships.