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Topping A70 Pro HP & Preamp Review

Rate this preamplifier and headphone amp:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 16 4.4%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 8 2.2%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 40 10.9%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 303 82.6%

  • Total voters
    367
I'd like to buy an A70 Pro, but am weary of the reported hardware defects (e.g., "HP DC abnormal" error).

There's someone selling a used one who says:

I did the update that fixed the problem before it even occur. Problem occured with power hungry, low ohm headphones. I blasted the Susvara in high gain at -6dB with bass boost EQ, if it didn't brick with that, it won't xD

I got it new second hand back in May, first owner got it earlier in 2024.

Is that right? Is an A70 Pro which has had the firmware update and hasn't failed with power-hungry Susvaras safe from the defect?

Thanks
 
I'd like to buy an A70 Pro, but am weary of the reported hardware defects (e.g., "HP DC abnormal" error).

There's someone selling a used one who says:





Is that right? Is an A70 Pro which has had the firmware update and hasn't failed with power-hungry Susvaras safe from the defect?

Thanks
Yes ..... I think that.
 
I'd like to buy an A70 Pro, but am weary of the reported hardware defects (e.g., "HP DC abnormal" error).

There's someone selling a used one who says:





Is that right? Is an A70 Pro which has had the firmware update and hasn't failed with power-hungry Susvaras safe from the defect?

Thanks
The modules can fail at any time. But there also seem to be other problems and failures, the reasons for which are more rumors than confirmed knowledge.

Unfortunately, Topping does not behave like a reputable manufacturer. I am used to reputable manufacturers standing by their devices and the problems with them. This also includes repairing devices when they break, analyzing why the defect occurred, and also informing the customer. This is the only way to deal with the customer and the problem in a serious way, and this is the only way to build trust in the product and the manufacturer.

To my greatest regret, the Topping company is the complete opposite of that.
 
The modules can fail at any time. But there also seem to be other problems and failures, the reasons for which are more rumors than confirmed knowledge.

Unfortunately, Topping does not behave like a reputable manufacturer. I am used to reputable manufacturers standing by their devices and the problems with them. This also includes repairing devices when they break, analyzing why the defect occurred, and also informing the customer. This is the only way to deal with the customer and the problem in a serious way, and this is the only way to build trust in the product and the manufacturer.

To my greatest regret, the Topping company is the complete opposite of that.
Can you recommend an alternative headphone amp that has high power (for the Dan Clark E3), balance output with discrete volume control?

(And that doesn't cost an arm and a leg like the Benchmark HPA4 )

Thanks
 
In the last 4 years I had over 20 DACs/headphone amps from Topping and not one problem. Some of them I use daily.
 
Can you recommend an alternative headphone amp that has high power (for the Dan Clark E3), balance output with discrete volume control?

(And that doesn't cost an arm and a leg like the Benchmark HPA4 )

Thanks
The Dan Clark E3 doesn't seem to need a lot of power, maybe 2 watts with EQ, probably less.
The Sabaj A20h has everything you want for about $/€ 110 including relay-based volume control and enough power to bring my Hifiman HE6se V2 to ear-damaging volume, and this HP needs x times more power.
Good review Sabaj A20h
HIFi-Express A20h

You can also get a Topping L70 for a much higher price, but in a quick comparison I couldn't see any difference, both are really good.
 
What are you basing that on? Thanks

Audiophonics from France did firmware updates to prevent the A70 Pro from the issue. Thatswhy the boxes were opened at that time by them before the customer got it. They promised that the issue is solved. I think it is safe now.

I own one of them and I am very happy with it.
 
Can you recommend an alternative headphone amp that has high power (for the Dan Clark E3), balance output with discrete volume control?

(And that doesn't cost an arm and a leg like the Benchmark HPA4 )

Thanks
The Dan Clark Stealth was tested by Amir with RME DAC FS2. Amir made a video to the review. Sensitivity of E3 and Stealth is similar.
 
Anyone run the Susvara and the OG HE6 at the same time off of the A70 Pro?
 
Does anyone else have this strange issue? I switch off the a70 pro with the remote control and after a while the device gets disconnected from electricity (smart home socket). When I switch the device on again, there's a chance that its firmware got reset to factory default and all settings are lost, so I have to do the onboarding again. It doesn't always happen, but as a result, I simply don't switch off the a70 pro with the remote control and leave it running until it automatically gets cut from electricity via the smart home socket. Then this problem never occurs.
 
Hi everyone,

I've been reading this thread with interest. What started out as a killer option for me is now looking like something I should maybe avoid. I'm looking at the A70 Pro as a balanced preamp for 2 channel listening. I'm not a headphone guy, so that aspect of the A70 Pro interests me less. Given that I'd only want to use the A70 Pro as a preamp to feed my poweramp running balanced XLR the whole way, should I be looking at the A70 Pro given the reported error messages and quality control issues, or do you have a recommendation for a similar preamp in the same price range. I only need 1 pair of XLR in, and 1 pair of XLR out, and a remote for volume control. Anything on top of that base requirement is gravy, but not needed.

I'm in Canada if that matters.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Cal.
 
Audiophonics from France did firmware updates to prevent the A70 Pro from the issue. Thatswhy the boxes were opened at that time by them before the customer got it. They promised that the issue is solved. I think it is safe now.

I own one of them and I am very happy with it.
Have u checked which version of the firmware they upgraded to? Hopefully not the v2.05 as a post here indicate some problems with outuput mode

 
Hi everyone,

I've been reading this thread with interest. What started out as a killer option for me is now looking like something I should maybe avoid. I'm looking at the A70 Pro as a balanced preamp for 2 channel listening. I'm not a headphone guy, so that aspect of the A70 Pro interests me less. Given that I'd only want to use the A70 Pro as a preamp to feed my poweramp running balanced XLR the whole way, should I be looking at the A70 Pro given the reported error messages and quality control issues, or do you have a recommendation for a similar preamp in the same price range. I only need 1 pair of XLR in, and 1 pair of XLR out, and a remote for volume control. Anything on top of that base requirement is gravy, but not needed.

I'm in Canada if that matters.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Cal.
I’ve been using an A70 Pro in my system since February this year. I only use it as a balanced preamp, much like you describe your requirement. I don’t use headphones.
I use the balanced inputs for my DAC and the unbalanced RCA inputs for my phono stage. The balanced outputs drive my Pass Labs XA30.8 power amplifier in low gain mode.

I’ve never had a problem with it, it performs faultlessly.
 
My A70 pro arrived yesterday. Today I've been testing the device and I am impressed both of the sheer power and fidelity this thing delivers to headphones and to the line-outs, but also how well built and solid it feels. I also somehow like the clicking of relays when changing the volume.

However, there's something weird going on. I'm using my A70 pro mainly (~99% of time) as a preamp in my system which includes a pair of Elac FS207A floorstanders, a AP MPA-S250NC power amp, an SMSL DL200 (as dac), and a BKE XLS200 Mk.2 sub. Dac vacuums the bits from my loyal HT/media PC via usb and feeds Topping through xlr cables. From topping the signal goes to the power amp via xlr and to the sub via rca.

I have measured the system and my listening room (with Umik-1) when I used Nad C720BEE as a preamp, and adjusted the bass response with REW to be ruler flat from 20Hz to 100Hz. Now the bass response is totally messed up, muddy and ragged. There's a massive bump at 50hz and practically nothing to be heard between 20Hz and 35Hz (which definitely was not the case when using Nad as preamp). What on Earth is going on? Nad had a dedeicated sub out with some sort of filtering. Obviously A70 Pro does not have any filtering.

I've been thinking about this and there's only two options in my opinion - either there was some sort of phase shift in Nad's sub-out or there is something wrong with my Topping.

What do you think?
 
I have measured the system and my listening room (with Umik-1) when I used Nad C720BEE as a preamp, and adjusted the bass response with REW to be ruler flat from 20Hz to 100Hz. Now the bass response is totally messed up, muddy and ragged. There's a massive bump at 50hz and practically nothing to be heard between 20Hz and 35Hz (which definitely was not the case when using Nad as preamp). What on Earth is going on? Nad had a dedeicated sub out with some sort of filtering. Obviously A70 Pro does not have any filtering.
I suspect it is because:
  • The A70 Pro's output gain is +6dB on the XLR vs RCA, so the volume towards your speakers is twice as strong as the signal the subwoofer. That may or may not be the same as from the NAD, but I suspect your NAD took care of ensuring volume amplification levels were matched between what it sent to the floor speakers vs the subwoofer.
  • The A70 Pro is now sending the full audio frequency towards the floor speakers, including low frequency below the cutoff that would have been applied by the NAD. So anything in the range that your floor standing speakers can produce is now being added (at perhaps 2x the volume) to whatever your subwoofer is producing (at only 1x the volume). For example, the bass in the 50Hz. And the stuff in the subwoofer below 35Hz (which is below what your floor speakers do) is potentially only coming through at half the volume (i.e., 0dB gain vs. +6dB gain) relative to the volume coming from your floor speakers.
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