Topping B100 Amplifier Review

[Panelhead]

Impressive cooling.

 

[Panelhead]

Where was that?

After receiving a Topping PA5 II I contacted Topping about a recommendation for my system. Loved the PA5, was looking for more better.
Received a response a few days later. From a knowledgeable person, tech or maybe marketing. Said for high efficiency speakers B100’s. For overall use LA90 Discrete.
Followed up with the mention of 20 watt level as change over. If planning on pumping out 20 watts regularly go with LA90. Plus almost as low distortion and noise.
I doubt the B100’s have been pushed to 1 watt. With low gain selected and E70 Velvet set to 5 volt output, the B100’s are voltage limited at around 3watts. But a glorious 3 watts.

 

[J84]

Thank you for providing the impedance at low to mid frequencies. Two drivers are changed, the woofer is now an Eminence Kappa 15C, The compression driver on top is a B&C DE-120. The padding down for the Atlas PD-5VH is reduced by 2.6dB to bring up to woofer and tweeter at the crossover frequencies.
The four ohm woofer and 16 ohm compression drivers were factory compromise to allow a horn loaded dynamic driver keep up with compression drivers efficiency wise.
This does challenge some amplifiers. Or make a case for biamping. Biamping for when total output could may be a half watt. Before the B100 looked at some of the low distortion/noise headphone amps. None could drive the woofers.
The high phase angles and low impedance maybe where the PA5 II out performs the B100’s. The bass seemed to be really strong using the PA5. Turned off the sub to see if a sub was still needed. It was but combination of PA5 and La Scala’s was closer to not needing than any amplifiers tried.
I usually do not measure. Rigged up a Focusrite Claret and REW for while years ago. Spent way more time measuring than I did listening. Had to quit doing both for several years.

Hi so you prefer the PA5 II to the B100?

 

[J84]

Depends on listening habits. If lower output levels are normal they would be fine. This amplifier seems to not work well with higher volume output.
Topping recommended the LA90 Discrete when pushing the amplifier. They used 20 watts. Said if pushing 20 watts on a regular basis try another amplifier and not the B100.
Wish other buyers had gotten that advice.
That said, 20 watts should be plenty loud with the Linton’s,

Thanks. For the B200, do you have to use the high gain into 8ohms to drive the Wharfedale Linton?

The Wharfedale Linton has 6ohms I think. Can I use the low grain into 4ohms on the B200 to drive the Linton?

 

[staticV3]

Thanks. For the B200, do you have to use the high gain into 8ohms to drive the Wharfedale Linton?

The Wharfedale Linton has 6ohms I think. Can I use the low grain into 4ohms on the B200?

Which gain you select does not affect what kind of impedances you can drive with the B200.

 

[J84]

Which gain you select does not affect what kind of impedances you can drive with the B200.

Thanks.

 

[Panelhead]

Hi so you prefer the PA5 II to the B100?

No, really enjoyed the PA II. But once the B100’s arrived it was clear which is better in my system. Had to retune the subs. The level and low pass needed adjusting.
Run the B100’s full range,
Was using a Micromega Class AB integrated prior to the Topping amplifiers. Seemed like it worked well. But it is less enjoyable than either Topping.
An analogy, Micromega meows, PA5 barks, B100 sings.

 

[Panelhead]

Thanks. For the B200, do you have to use the high gain into 8ohms to drive the Wharfedale Linton?

The Wharfedale Linton has 6ohms I think. Can I use the low grain into 4ohms on the B200 to drive the Linton?

Voltage output is what the gain setting controls. The B100 low gain (unity voltage gain) makes whatever your source can swing is what the B100 can output. So if you have a RCA only source that outputs 2.0 volts, the B100 will only output 2 volts.
Into the 6ohm Linton that would be 2x2/6 or 0.66 watts. Most sources with balanced output can put out 4 or maybe 5 volts. So less than 5 watts max.
The low gain setting is not for most applications. Not enough voltage swing.

 

[J84]

No, really enjoyed the PA II. But once the B100’s arrived it was clear which is better in my system. Had to retune the subs. The level and low pass needed adjusting.
Run the B100’s full range,
Was using a Micromega Class AB integrated prior to the Topping amplifiers. Seemed like it worked well. But it is less enjoyable than either Topping.
An analogy, Micromega meows, PA5 barks, B100 sings.

Thanks

 

[J84]

Voltage output is what the gain setting controls. The B100 low gain (unity voltage gain) makes whatever your source can swing is what the B100 can output. So if you have a RCA only source that outputs 2.0 volts, the B100 will only output 2 volts.
Into the 6ohm Linton that would be 2x2/6 or 0.66 watts. Most sources with balanced output can put out 4 or maybe 5 volts. So less than 5 watts max.
The low gain setting is not for most applications. Not enough voltage swing.

Thanks.

 

[J84]

Hi can the B100 drive the wharfedale Linton?

The b100 measured like 83w into 4ohms and like 50w into 8ohms

The Wharfedale Linton has 6ohms

 

[staticV3]

Hi can the B100 drive the wharfedale Linton?

The b100 measured like 83w into 4ohms and like 50w into 8ohms

The Wharfedale Linton has 6ohms

Yes the B100 can drive the Linton.

Whether it can drive the Linton in your listening space with your audio material to your desired loudness, no one can answer but you.

 

[J84]

Yes the B100 can drive the Linton.

Whether it can drive the Linton in your listening space with your audio material to your desired loudness, no one can answer but you.

Thanks. Like in a large room at the max 90db?

But will listen below 85db

 

[staticV3]

Thanks. Like in a large room at the max 90db?

But will listen below 85db

no one can answer but you.

 

[Jazigo]

Ref Topping B100 protection mode:

It seems to me that it is content specific. If I watch the opening scene of Destiny 2, then the B100s will go directly into protection mode. Based on the blinking sequence of the leds (A=1, B=3), then the manual states that: "Amplifier circuit outputs abnormal DC voltage".

This is reproducible and there is no difference no matter which gain I set on the amplifier. The only way to avoid it is to watch the opening with low volume (-10db from normal listning level).

I suspect the content comes with clipped data, but I am waiting for a device to arrive before I can confirm it.

 

[staticV3]

I suspect the content comes with clipped data

DC offset more likely.

Are you playing on PC? Or console?

 

[Jazigo]

DC offset more likely.

Are you playing on PC? Or console?

DC offset?

Yes, console; xbox

 

[staticV3]

DC offset?

Significant DC content being present in the mix: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...30-ii-review-headphone-amp.36027/post-1870257

 

[Jazigo]

Significant DC content being present in the mix: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...30-ii-review-headphone-amp.36027/post-1870257

Interesting! Thanks, I shall dive further down this rabbit hole.

 

[Panelhead]

Just experienced an interesting event.
Was listening to an interview with Al DiMeola Saturday evening. Have not played system since. It was muted by the dac, used remote to turnoff dac and B100’s via trigger.
We had a short power outage this morning, lights went off for a couple seconds. Lights came back on and a little later the system started playing.
Got to assume the dac turned on, turning on the B100’s. The HD radio tuner must have reset and once synced started outputting to dac.
Volume was down, would have been startling if dac was not attenuated.
Never had the system just turn on before.