Topping A50s Headphone Amplifier Review

[raif71]

Got the amp today at a local audio shop. Tried it with P50 over there but I didn't purchased it. Perhaps sound felt a bit cleaner with the P50 but not enough for me to get it (maybe next time) . Overall, I'm impressed with the power behind the balanced out. The source that I was raving about in the L30 thread played just nice around 2 o'clock as shown @0db with Sennheiser HD600. The D50s was in the box for so long that I had forgotten what color it was. If I had remembered, I would have gotten the silver A50s. Anyway not complaining about it too much. Pop/Rock sources play around 10 o'clock.

 

[suttondesign]

I'm just not understanding something. Whence this 4.5mm balanced output thing? I never heard of it before this review. Also, I can't figure how this works out to good math because balanced headphone cables cost more than this amp. I use Audeze LCD series and Senn HD800. To get full output, wouldn't I need to blow nearly $300 on a balanced cable? Seems like a dealbreaker to me.

 

[JohnYang1997]

I'm just not understanding something. Whence this 4.5mm balanced output thing? I never heard of it before this review. Also, I can't figure how this works out to good math because balanced headphone cables cost more than this amp. I use Audeze LCD series and Senn HD800. To get full output, wouldn't I need to blow nearly $300 on a balanced cable? Seems like a dealbreaker to me.

Maybe not for you. But certainly makes sense for many others. HD660S comes with 4.4mm cable for example. For you, why not A90?

 

[Atanasi]

To get full output, wouldn't I need to blow nearly $300 on a balanced cable? Seems like a dealbreaker to me.

You can make your own cables if you like to solder. These cables are a niche product if they are not included in the stock accessories. Some manufacturers sell reasonably priced cables, meaning they are about double the price of a regular cable.

 

[David_kl]

Well, after buying My Beyerdynamic T1.2 and thinking my audio bug is sorted for several months, I've ordered D50s+A50s stack and a P50 (purely for the convenience of not having a huge wall adapter.. and looks), I was tempted to order custom cable anyway (the stock is 3m - too long for desktop use really IMHO) so I've also order a 4.4mm balanced cable. currently using NFB-11.28 that is 3 years old by this point, I'm not really expecting anything but hey, buying stuff is fun .

My only concern is that I made a mistake pairing the A50s with a 600Ohm headphone, but I guess with balanced 4.4mm it should be plenty of power. (100mW@600Ohm) I will probably test the SE for several songs, I can drive the T1's to decent volume with the btr3 ( and that's 25mW at 32Ohm, so 600Ohm is under 1mW.. ) it just that it sounds pretty bad, I guess with x25 the power even with 25mW at 600Ohm (SE from 2v input) it should probably sound fine.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Well, after buying My Beyerdynamic T1.2 and thinking my audio bug is sorted for several months, I've ordered D50s+A50s stack and a P50 (purely for the convenience of not having a huge wall adapter.. and looks), I was tempted to order custom cable anyway (the stock is 3m - too long for desktop use really IMHO) so I've also order a 4.4mm balanced cable. currently using NFB-11.28 that is 3 years old by this point, I'm not really expecting anything but hey, buying stuff is fun .

My only concern is that I made a mistake pairing the A50s with a 600Ohm headphone, but I guess with balanced 4.4mm it should be plenty of power. (100mW@600Ohm) I will probably test the SE for several songs, I can drive the T1's to decent volume with the btr3 ( and that's 25mW at 32Ohm, so 600Ohm is under 1mW.. ) it just that it sounds pretty bad, I guess with x25 the power even with 25mW at 600Ohm (SE from 2v input) it should probably sound fine.

You'll enjoy your T1 mkii fine with volume at 12 o'clock to 2 o'clock with 0dB gain. And that's not even at half of the voltage output. So you'll get at least 40 times more power in reserve.

 

[Kujo]

View attachment 85165

I'm relatively low on knowledge in this space and this sums up me looking from the outside in.

 

[Daimiel]

Maybe not for you. But certainly makes sense for many others. HD660S comes with 4.4mm cable for example. For you, why not A90?

Hi I have a Chord Mojo and a AKG K701 (very inficient headphone) and a Sennheiser HD660 and I need a amp for drive the K701 because the Mojo don't have enough power. It's good idea connect the Mojo via RCA to A90/A50s and use the senns and the AKG with her maximum potential?
It's sufficient with the A50s or it's better go to A90?
Thanks and congratulations for this excellents products .

 

[Jimbob54]

Hi I have a Chord Mojo and a AKG K701 (very inficient headphone) and a Sennheiser HD660 and I need a amp for drive the K701 because the Mojo don't have enough power. It's good idea connect the Mojo via RCA to A90/A50s and use the senns and the AKG with her maximum potential?
It's sufficient with the A50s or it's better go to A90?
Thanks and congratulations for this excellents products .

I wouldn't get the A90 for rca connections in. But the a50 would work. But the L30 is basically the single ended portion of the A90 in a different box. I'll try my k701 with it later but I'm sure it's more than capable


Edit, yes the L30 powers the k701 fine in mid gain.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Hi I have a Chord Mojo and a AKG K701 (very inficient headphone) and a Sennheiser HD660 and I need a amp for drive the K701 because the Mojo don't have enough power. It's good idea connect the Mojo via RCA to A90/A50s and use the senns and the AKG with her maximum potential?
It's sufficient with the A50s or it's better go to A90?
Thanks and congratulations for this excellents products .

A50s or even L30 for that matter since K701 is single ended. But hd660s does have stock 4.4mm cable. Thou hd660s is probably one of the easiest headphones to drive.
So my recommendation is a50s. Or L30.

 

[usern]

SE PAWAH -> A30pro
BAL PAWAH -> A90

By A30pro you mean L30?

 

[JohnYang1997]

By A30pro you mean L30?

A30pro is not out yet.

 

[usern]

How will A30pro be different from L30?

 

[raif71]

Hi I have a Chord Mojo and a AKG K701 (very inficient headphone) and a Sennheiser HD660 and I need a amp for drive the K701 because the Mojo don't have enough power. It's good idea connect the Mojo via RCA to A90/A50s and use the senns and the AKG with her maximum potential?
It's sufficient with the A50s or it's better go to A90?
Thanks and congratulations for this excellents products .

My setup with mojo and L30

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-headphone-amplifier-review.15226/post-514161

 

[JohnYang1997]

How will A30pro be different from L30?

As ended with pro, it's going be a big change. You can seach for A30pro in the forum for some more info and pics. It's higher priced than A50s, which is a less dramatic upgrate to the A50.
In short, internal power supply, bal input, XLR and 4.4mm output, 850mW power for 300Ohm.

 

[Veri]

How will A30pro be different from L30?

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-a30-pro-news.16487 Some info and links here

 

[ninetylol]

As ended with pro, it's going be a big change. You can seach for A30pro in the forum for some more info and pics. It's higher priced than A50s, which is a less dramatic upgrate to the A50.
In short, internal power supply, bal input, XLR and 4.4mm output, 850mW power for 300Ohm.

Nice, but why not call it A70? I dont want some smsl random naming scheme

 

[JohnYang1997]

Nice, but why not call it A70? I dont want some smsl random naming scheme

Because it's not. There can be A50pro in the future to price higher. This is not random at all.

 

[Veri]

Nice, but why not call it A70? I dont want some smsl random naming scheme

There was an A30. It's a big improvement, of it.

 

[ninetylol]

There was an A30. It's a big improvement, of it.

But A30 didnt have any balanced in or outs. It Was the lowest Model you could get.