Topping B100 Amplifier Review

[Old_School_Brad]

It doesn't seem to me that you read carefully: the space is large and does not high-pass filter its frequencies, so the amp works even on the minimum impedance peaks.

Actually, he does. However, I admit I assumed it when I wrote my post, as Edd only later confirmed in a comment that he had high-passed them.

And I do believe I read carefully. I try, at least. For instance, I recall Edd mentioning in another thread that he enjoys listening at low volumes (around 65-70 dB at the listening position), which is indeed a relatively low SPL. It’s no surprise, then, that he’s satisfied with the amplifier's performance.

We all have unique setups, listening habits, and musical tastes. That’s why it’s important to approach others' shared experiences with caution -neither dismissing nor blindly accepting them outright. Details need to be provided, and questions need to be asked.

 

[EddNog]

Actually, he does. However, I admit I assumed it when I wrote my post, as Edd only later confirmed in a comment that he had high-passed them.

And I do believe I read carefully. I try, at least. For instance, I recall Edd mentioning in another thread that he enjoys listening at low volumes (around 65-70 dB at the listening position), which is indeed a relatively low SPL. It’s no surprise, then, that he’s satisfied with the amplifier's performance.

We all have unique setups, listening habits, and musical tastes. That’s why it’s important to approach others' shared experiences with caution -neither dismissing nor blindly accepting them outright. Details need to be provided, and questions need to be asked.

The high-pass filtering is a recent development since I bought the WiiM Ultra. I’ve spent the longest part of my B100 ownership pushing full-range.

And when I finally did high-pass the speakers, it didn’t add a whole lot of headroom.

-Ed

 

[Old_School_Brad]

The high-pass filtering is a recent development since I bought the WiiM Ultra. I’ve spent the longest part of my B100 ownership pushing full-range.

And when I finally did high-pass the speakers, it didn’t add a whole lot of headroom.

-Ed

An additional 2-5 dB of headroom is quite alright. A 2 dB increase corresponds to approximately 1.6 times the power, while a 5 dB increase equates to about 3.2 times the power.
You might not have even noticed a significantly higher perceived volume, which aligns with the idea that a substantial increase in power is often needed to achieve a noticeable difference in loudness. Additionally, this doesn't necessarily mean you're putting your hearing health at risk to achieve it.

 

[EddNog]

An additional 2-5 dB of headroom is quite alright. A 2 dB increase corresponds to approximately 1.6 times the power, while a 5 dB increase equates to about 3.2 times the power.
You might not have even noticed a significantly higher perceived volume, which aligns with the idea that a substantial increase in power is often needed to achieve a noticeable difference in loudness. Additionally, this doesn't necessarily mean you're putting your hearing health at risk to achieve it.

So the results tie in with the science. No surprise there.

-Ed

 

[HerbertWest]

I have a number of vintage CD players and even a D/A converter with transformer based balanced outputs in addition to RCA.

View attachment 412291

When I read pma’s post last night, I thought “I’ll reply about the Sony CDP X7D tomorrow” - but apparently John quoted its schematics directly after a few mins )

 

[totti1965]

Please enlighten me: Is this „transformer based balanced outputs (of old CD Players)“ something I have to fear about, if I will use (in the near future) also a DAC like the Topping D70 velvet, Topping D90 III discrete or the Holo Audio Cyan 2?

Will this kind of „not proper implementation of the balanced inputs of the B100“ lower the sound quality also with these modern DACs (ground loops etc.)?

I hope, I will receive my B100 ‘ till the end of next week.

The first few days I will use it, I will stay with the WiiM Pro Plus as only source or will borrow me a SMSL D6s from a friend (and will then use proper XLR to XLR cables).

My peak listening level is only about 91 dB or so and I am sitting just 5 foot 4 inches away from the free standing 85 dB / Watt / Meter speakers. So I am hoping to be fine with just 5.7 Watts plus x (6 dB or so extra headroom) and I am not afraid of having not enough power….

 

[EddNog]

Please enlighten me: Is this „transformer based balanced outputs (of old CD Players)“ something I have to fear about, if I will use (in the near future) also a DAC like the Topping D70 velvet, Topping D90 III discrete or the Holo Audio Cyan 2?

Will this kind of „not proper implementation of the balanced inputs of the B100“ lower the sound quality also with these modern DACs (ground loops etc.)?

I hope, I will receive my B100 ‘ till the end of next week.

The first few days I will use it, I will stay with the WiiM Pro Plus as only source or will borrow me a SMSL D6s from a friend (and will then use proper XLR to XLR cables).

My peak listening level is only about 91 dB or so and I am sitting just 5 foot 4 inches away from the free standing 85 dB / Watt / Meter speakers. So I am hoping to be fine with just 5.7 Watts plus x (6 dB or so extra headroom) and I am not afraid of having not enough power….

No problem whatsoever with XLR to B100s from D90 III Discrete or E70 Velvet. I know for a fact as I have owned and used both with my B100s.

-Ed

 

[Ziofrenko]

What’s that rough calculation based on?
Is it dBA, dBC, peak, or average levels?

Let's assume it's dBA average then, since you referred to it as similar to a "LIVE ROCK concert!"
Let's also assume 15 dB headroom for peaks, which is conservative.

Obviously dBA, whit classic averaging time.

15dB of headroom for peaks?! Ahahhahahshha
Conservative?! Ahahhahahhs
15 dB For what?! Because you have a singer or a presenter who suddenly screams into the microphone?! Or because the drummer can hit harder?! Ahahahah
We're not mixing a live band, we're listening to mastered tracks!!! What headroom are you looking for... Have you seen what the waveform of a rock or pop song looks like?!
So headroom is not the question, or at least not at these enormous levels.

• Sensitivity of the Speaker
  Let’s assume the speaker sensitivity is 85 dB at 1 watt, 1 meter. This means:
  • At 1 watt of power, the speaker outputs 85 dBA at 1 meter.
  • With every 3 dB increase in SPL, we need to double the power.
• Calculating the Average Power for 95 dBA at 1 Meter
  Starting from 85 dBA at 1 watt, let’s calculate the power needed to reach 95 dBA:
  • 85 to 88 dBA: 2 watts (doubling from 1 watt).
  • 88 to 91 dBA: 4 watts.
  • 91 to 94 dBA: 8 watts.
  • 94 to 95 dBA: approximately 10 watts.
  • So, reaching 95 dBA average SPL at 1 meter requires approximately 10 watts of amplifier power. All is well so far.
• Calculating the Power Needed for Peaks 15 dB Higher (110 dBA)
  To achieve peaks 15 dB above this 95 dBA average level (i.e., 110 dBA), we need to add 15 dB, which translates to an increase of approximately 32 times the powerof the average level:
  • 95 to 98 dBA: 20 watts.
  • 98 to 101 dBA: 40 watts.
  • 101 to 104 dBA: 80 watts.
  • 104 to 107 dBA: 160 watts.
  • 107 to 110 dBA: 320 watts.
  • Therefore, an amplifier would need to be capable of delivering about 320 watts to hit those 110 dBA peaks cleanly without distortion. (Whoopsy!)
• Adjusting for Listening Distance (e.g., 3 Meters)
  Sound level decreases by about 6 dB when you double the distance. If the listener is 3 meters away, we would experience a drop of around 9-10 dB compared to the 1-meter level:
  • To achieve 95 dBA average at 3 meters, you’d need approximately 10 dB more power than calculated for 1 meter, or around 100 watts.
  • To allow for 110 dBA peaks at 3 meters, the amplifier would need to deliver roughly 1,000 watts. (Double whoopsy!)

So, correct count:
+10dB SPL = + 10W
+20dB SPL = + 100W
+30dB SPL = + 1000W

The sum of two speakers with a stereo source in a closed environment gives about 6-9dB SPL of gain!!!
Doubling the distance indoors does NOT halve the pressure because this only happens in open space conditions!
The distance at which this phenomenon occurs is called critical distance and in a closed domestic environment it occurs very close to the source unfortunately, and this is why the environment and the off-axis dispersion It's much more important than you think.
And this happens clearly more easily at low frequencies. But we shouldn't worry, in fact it helps us to require less power from the amplifier, because at high frequencies the power coming out of an amplifier is much lower than at low frequencies.

So, roughly, at 3 meters away we have lost what the second speaker added... So at 3 meters with 1 Watt we have 85dB with a pair of 85dB speakers.

Again we have 95dB with 10W at the listening position!!!!! Want to add some headroom?! Ok, 40 total Watt is more than enough headroom for a mastered track.

But there is a huge problem that you and many others do not consider: most of the normal hi-fi speakers from 85dB sensitivity at 96dB SPL are exploding, they are finished, they distort excessively!!!
And I have always verified this by ear and with any amplifier, obviously using a sound level meter:
At 95dB spl at the listening position a normal hi-fi speaker, so with just 30/40W maximum output from any amplifier, is at its limit of use!!!

In conclusion:
- listening to a normal hi-fi speaker in a normal living room at 3 or 4 meters makes no sense: You are hearing more reflected sound than direct sound.
- an amplifier with 50W push most hi-fi speaker out of their comfort zone
- If you don't have enough noise in your home with a 50W amplifier, you have the wrong speaker!!!!!!!

This amply proves it!

 

[totti1965]

Obviously dBA, whit classic averaging time.

15dB of headroom for peaks?! Ahahhahahshha
Conservative?! Ahahhahahhs
15 dB For what?! Because you have a singer or a presenter who suddenly screams into the microphone?! Or because the drummer can hit harder?! Ahahahah
We're not mixing a live band, we're listening to mastered tracks!!! What headroom are you looking for... Have you seen what the waveform of a rock or pop song looks like?!
So headroom is not the question, or at least not at these enormous levels.



So, correct count:
+10dB SPL = + 10W
+20dB SPL = + 100W
+30dB SPL = + 1000W

The sum of two speakers with a stereo source in a closed environment gives about 6-9dB SPL of gain!!!
Doubling the distance indoors does NOT halve the pressure because this only happens in open space conditions!
The distance at which this phenomenon occurs is called critical distance and in a closed domestic environment it occurs very close to the source unfortunately, and this is why the environment and the off-axis dispersion It's much more important than you think.
And this happens clearly more easily at low frequencies. But we shouldn't worry, in fact it helps us to require less power from the amplifier, because at high frequencies the power coming out of an amplifier is much lower than at low frequencies.

So, roughly, at 3 meters away we have lost what the second speaker added... So at 3 meters with 1 Watt we have 85dB with a pair of 85dB speakers.

Again we have 95dB with 10W at the listening position!!!!! Want to add some headroom?! Ok, 40 total Watt is more than enough headroom for a mastered track.

But there is a huge problem that you and many others do not consider: most of the normal hi-fi speakers from 85dB sensitivity at 96dB SPL are exploding, they are finished, they distort excessively!!!
And I have always verified this by ear and with any amplifier, obviously using a sound level meter:
At 95dB spl at the listening position a normal hi-fi speaker, so with just 30/40W maximum output from any amplifier, is at its limit of use!!!

In conclusion:
- listening to a normal hi-fi speaker in a normal living room at 3 or 4 meters makes no sense: You are hearing more reflected sound than direct sound.
- an amplifier with 50W push most hi-fi speaker out of their comfort zone
- If you don't have enough noise in your home with a 50W amplifier, you have the wrong speaker!!!!!!!

This amply proves it!

You have a point.
Hometheaterengeneering is a bit less optimistic if the speakers stand free.

Peak SPL Calculator

But you are right. Not sooooooo much power needed.

My biggest concern is the typical impedance plot of a typical Bass Reflex Speaker:
My speakers are electrical the most typical speakers you can imagine: 4 Ohms nominal. Absolute minimum is 3.9 Ohms. Mostly between 6 Ohms and 8 Ohms….
But at 24 Hz there is a 21 Ohms peak and at 60 Hz a 22 Ohms Peak.
Another Peak occurs at 2.4 kHz: 16 Ohms

What if the maximal Sound pressure is required at exactly 60 Hz or at 2.4 kHz

Maybe then I would miss a B200 or an Audiophonics HP-A 400 ET???

I will see. Abwarten und Tee trinken (Wait and Drink Tee - as a German saying goes).

 

[EddNog]

Well my B100s will likely go up for sale on eBay in a month or so—IOM came out with a Hypex nCore 252MP amp in a case that perfectly matches my WiiM Ultra’s so I’m putting in an order for one. Sometimes it’s not just about the sound but also the aesthetics. The extra power can’t hurt either, and I’ve zero concerns about the performance/fidelity of the Hypex modules.

-Ed

 

[totti1965]

Well my B100s will likely go up for sale on eBay in a month or so—IOM came out with a Hypex nCore 252MP amp in a case that perfectly matches my WiiM Ultra’s so I’m putting in an order for one. Sometimes it’s not just about the sound but also the aesthetics. The extra power can’t hurt either, and I’ve zero concerns about the performance/fidelity of the Hypex modules.

-Ed

Yeah, what an absolute beauty. I can fully understand:

The IOM Ncore stereo 250W amplifier using Hypex NC252MP

The IOM NCore® is a high-end stereo power amplifier. It's housed in a compact full aluminium chassis with XLR & RCA inputs.

internetofmusic.nl

…… and at least twice the power as the B100!

 

[totti1965]

Well my B100s will likely go up for sale on eBay in a month or so—IOM came out with a Hypex nCore 252MP amp in a case that perfectly matches my WiiM Ultra’s so I’m putting in an order for one. Sometimes it’s not just about the sound but also the aesthetics. The extra power can’t hurt either, and I’ve zero concerns about the performance/fidelity of the Hypex modules.

-Ed

Finally I found out: this one for the WiiM Users!

The IOM Ultra is special designed for the Wiim® Ultra

The IOM Ultra is a high-end stereo power amplifier. It's housed in a compact full aluminium chassis with trigger on/off control.

internetofmusic.nl

Cool!

 

[Old_School_Brad]

Obviously dBA, whit classic averaging time.

15dB of headroom for peaks?! Ahahhahahshha
Conservative?! Ahahhahahhs
15 dB For what?! Because you have a singer or a presenter who suddenly screams into the microphone?! Or because the drummer can hit harder?! Ahahahah
We're not mixing a live band, we're listening to mastered tracks!!! What headroom are you looking for... Have you seen what the waveform of a rock or pop song looks like?!
So headroom is not the question, or at least not at these enormous levels.



So, correct count:
+10dB SPL = + 10W
+20dB SPL = + 100W
+30dB SPL = + 1000W

The sum of two speakers with a stereo source in a closed environment gives about 6-9dB SPL of gain!!!
Doubling the distance indoors does NOT halve the pressure because this only happens in open space conditions!
The distance at which this phenomenon occurs is called critical distance and in a closed domestic environment it occurs very close to the source unfortunately, and this is why the environment and the off-axis dispersion It's much more important than you think.
And this happens clearly more easily at low frequencies. But we shouldn't worry, in fact it helps us to require less power from the amplifier, because at high frequencies the power coming out of an amplifier is much lower than at low frequencies.

So, roughly, at 3 meters away we have lost what the second speaker added... So at 3 meters with 1 Watt we have 85dB with a pair of 85dB speakers.

Again we have 95dB with 10W at the listening position!!!!! Want to add some headroom?! Ok, 40 total Watt is more than enough headroom for a mastered track.

But there is a huge problem that you and many others do not consider: most of the normal hi-fi speakers from 85dB sensitivity at 96dB SPL are exploding, they are finished, they distort excessively!!!
And I have always verified this by ear and with any amplifier, obviously using a sound level meter:
At 95dB spl at the listening position a normal hi-fi speaker, so with just 30/40W maximum output from any amplifier, is at its limit of use!!!

In conclusion:
- listening to a normal hi-fi speaker in a normal living room at 3 or 4 meters makes no sense: You are hearing more reflected sound than direct sound.
- an amplifier with 50W push most hi-fi speaker out of their comfort zone
- If you don't have enough noise in your home with a 50W amplifier, you have the wrong speaker!!!!!!!

This amply proves it!

• 15 dB of headroom is scientifically and practically justified for handling peaks in music, particularly in bass-heavy genres. Without it, amplifiers risk distortion and speaker damage during transient peaks.
• The 6–9 dB reinforcement claim due to reflections is overstated. While reflections can increase perceived loudness in specific scenarios, the actual reinforcement depends on room acoustics and is rarely consistent across all frequencies or locations. It is not a substitute for proper amplifier headroom.

Rather than repeating the same points, I’ll simply refer you to this thread:

WiiM Amp Pro Streaming Stereo Amplifier Review

Do you think 56W@8R or even 100W@8R is enough for these speakers? About 100dB SPL Peak with 10ft listening distance, so yes: I think it's enough.

www.audiosciencereview.com

To illustrate how this topic is context-dependent and program-specific rather than universally right or wrong, I'll counter your video "evidence" with this alternative video "evidence."

 

[Old_School_Brad]

You have a point.
Hometheaterengeneering is a bit less optimistic if the speakers stand free.

Peak SPL Calculator

But you are right. Not sooooooo much power needed.

Better safe than sorry. Especially as you already pointed out what is completely missing in the discussion. -It's not atypical for it to be left out of these discussions because it complicates things a bit more..

My biggest concern is the typical impedance plot of a typical Bass Reflex Speaker:
My speakers are electrical the most typical speakers you can imagine: 4 Ohms nominal. Absolute minimum is 3.9 Ohms. Mostly between 6 Ohms and 8 Ohms….
But at 24 Hz there is a 21 Ohms peak and at 60 Hz a 22 Ohms Peak.
Another Peak occurs at 2.4 kHz: 16 Ohms

What if the maximal Sound pressure is required at exactly 60 Hz or at 2.4 kHz

Exactly. You want your amplifier to deliver power consistently, regardless of the load conditions -essentially in a linear fashion. Otherwise, as you mentioned, you could experience clipping on bass transients around 50 Hz in specific tracks. This can happen because your speakers may have a lower impedance at 50 Hz while simultaneously requiring significantly more current due to a poor power factor.

Maybe then I would miss a B200 or an Audiophonics HP-A 400 ET???

I will see. Abwarten und Tee trinken (Wait and Drink Tee - as a German saying goes).

If you're already satisfied with your listening experience and happy with the current setup, there's no need to change anything.

However, if you're using a low-power amplifier paired with a modern, moderately sensitive, somewhat full-range speaker, you might benefit from more power, depending on your musical preferences.

Keep in mind, your amplifier can clip without you noticing, as our hearing is not very sensitive to distortion in low frequencies. This means you'll miss out on the full transient impact and, consequently, the dynamic range.

 

[NTK]

My biggest concern is the typical impedance plot of a typical Bass Reflex Speaker:
My speakers are electrical the most typical speakers you can imagine: 4 Ohms nominal. Absolute minimum is 3.9 Ohms. Mostly between 6 Ohms and 8 Ohms….
But at 24 Hz there is a 21 Ohms peak and at 60 Hz a 22 Ohms Peak.
Another Peak occurs at 2.4 kHz: 16 Ohms

What if the maximal Sound pressure is required at exactly 60 Hz or at 2.4 kHz

Maybe then I would miss a B200 or an Audiophonics HP-A 400 ET???

SPL produced by a loudspeaker is directly proportional to amplifier output voltage, not power. When impedance is high, it means it is easier to drive, not harder, as high impedance results in less current flow, and thus less power required.

 

[bmc0]

15dB of headroom for peaks?! Ahahhahahshha

Look at the unweighted crest factor of some "mastered tracks". Most pop/rock is around 10-15dB. Classical is more like 20-25dB, with some recordings exceeding 30dB.

 

[Ziofrenko]

Look at the unweighted crest factor of some "mastered tracks". Most pop/rock is around 10-15dB. Classical is more like 20-25dB, with some recordings exceeding 30dB.

Crest factor is another thing... And not the point!
You have the maximum SPL at the peak of the track with no clipping in the amp. So if the amp don't clip you have what youu need with this poor watt...

 

[Ziofrenko]

• 15 dB of headroom is scientifically and practically justified for handling peaks in music, particularly in bass-heavy genres. Without it, amplifiers risk distortion and speaker damage during transient peaks.
• The 6–9 dB reinforcement claim due to reflections is overstated. While reflections can increase perceived loudness in specific scenarios, the actual reinforcement depends on room acoustics and is rarely consistent across all frequencies or locations. It is not a substitute for proper amplifier headroom.

Erin checked it out, I think is a reliable source...

We are talking about rock live concert, you can see whatever rock track end no reason for 15dB of anything...
Tracks are compact and limited.

But the question is simple: if you don't have enough SPL in your room with 50W you need at least 200 to have some evident improvement...
I challenge anyone to actually really send 200W to a tower with two 6.5 woofers and believe that it won't break. Ahahahhahahah

 

[Ziofrenko]

You have a point.
Hometheaterengeneering is a bit less optimistic if the speakers stand free.

Peak SPL Calculator

But you are right. Not sooooooo much power needed

But it's obvius!
Because if you don't have enough volume with 50W you have to send about 200 to have appreciably different results. And I challenge anyone to actually send 200 real Watts coming out of the amplifier to a tower with two 6.5" woofers and think that it can remain intact ahahahahah

 

[totti1965]

If you're already satisfied with your listening experience and happy with the current setup, there's no need to change anything.

Ha ha ha, that is exactly my problem: I have the normal Fosi V3 now and the B100 deliver only half the power. We will see .........
Not that I am not quite happy with the Fosi V3 but I am more than curious to experience how sounds an amp with real PFFT and with these increadibly low intermodulation distortions.
I am curious, if I can at least IMAGINE (or HALUZINATE?) the differences for myself....