Topping B200 Monoblock Amplifier Review

[Punchy_Power_Cat]

So we have 120 SINAD nailed in Amps with 115 being the threshold for perfection to (perfect conditioned) human ears. Correct if I'm wrong, but I think the best passive speakers out there can achieve something between 95-100 SINAD max.. Are passive speakers maxed? Can they only be pushed above 100 if they're actively amplified?

 

[WeekendWarrior]

"horizontal radiators";
Many women write here. How to make a fuss out of nothing. When there is nothing to find fault with, you have to invent something.
If you are serious, maybe it is worth checking why this device remains cold? Maybe it does some tricks and is not declared class A/B?

Aesthetics at work with my radiators.

Anyway, I've an LA90D that I use a lot and probably push it quite hard, but it never gets more than lukewarm. I'd happily get a pair of B200s reassured that they have been around for a little while now, and I've not seen any complaints about their reliability so far.

 

[wwenze]

Rant continue: Yes, there are technical performance-benefitting reasons for doing some things that you feel like it should be. Having extra current headroom for 4ohm is nice and can help THD, this is exhibited in amps that have lower distortion at 8ohm compared to 4ohm. "Peak power" PSU design methods give you more practical power at lower cost, while I personally believe a solidly-regulated PSU rail helps reduce distortion.

The problem with thinking is that, if you think those theories, then just do it, what results do you get?

Because what I see here is B100 doing -120dB at 5W with no practical distortion differences between 4ohm and 8ohm curves, which is the engineering equivalent of summoning a lost ancient dark god, so I would leave my own theorying out of this because I'm not the one who can reach this performance nor do I know how expanding capacity at lower impedances would do to the performance.

 

[totti1965]

I use Quad 989 Electrostatics.

I also have B200 amps, fine no problem, sound great, even with the horizontal heatsinsks.

The Benchmark AHB 2 ran warmer with vertical heatsinks.

No suprise, because the low (at 10 Hz is over 3 Ohms). As far, as I remember in the 1990s at a test of stereoplay (a german hifi magazin) the low was about 0.5 Ohms.
But maybe I have remembered wrong..... Or maybe the newer Quad 989, which are build now with the old Peter Walker tools in germany (afaik) are much less critical than the older ones.
Higher resistance now - The price you have to pay is maybe a bit less efficiency.
Whatever. Everything is fine now!
And: you have saved a lot of money by just buying the Topping B200 instead of snakeoil high end stuff (of course the Benchmark AHB 2 is also the opposite of snakeoil!!!)
Congrats!

 

[Burns]

Hands up, who has already bought and who will buy tomorrow?

I'm the first to raise (2x B200 silver)

Thanks to those grumpy ones

 

[Matt_Holland]

So we have 120 SINAD nailed in Amps with 115 being the threshold for perfection to (perfect conditioned) human ears. Correct if I'm wrong, but I think the best passive speakers out there can achieve something between 95-100 SINAD max.. Are passive speakers maxed? Can they only be pushed above 100 if they're actively amplified?

We need to work on improving the S/N ratio of our rooms as well.

Galaxy Studios, Belgium: Low Noise, High Profile

Galaxy Studios is set on a quiet lane in Mol, in Flanders in north-central Belgium. Not much happens in this bucolic suburban town. That is, except for

www.mixonline.com

 

[BeeKay]

Hands up, who has already bought and who will buy tomorrow?

I'm the first to raise (2x B200 silver)

Thanks to those grumpy ones

Done that already (2 x silver)

 

[misterdog]

Some of you guys are on a strange neurotic tangent about this Topping and low impedance.

• 
  

• 1. Poor (headless panther)​

  Votes: 92.9%

• 2. Not terrible (postman panther)​

  Votes: 92.9%

• 3. Fine (happy panther)​

  Votes: 4012.8%

• 4. Great (golfing panther)​

  Votes: 25581.5%

So we have the best test results yet conducted, and 9 out 300 odd people vote it as poor.
I wonder what would make them happy.

Unlimited power into any load.
Vertical heat sink fins.
Integrated linear power supply, though not impacting on noise or THD.
A service centre in every major city.

All for the same price of course.

 

[Bleib]

Hands up, who has already bought and who will buy tomorrow?

I'm the first to raise (2x B200 silver)

Thanks to those grumpy ones

Won't buy, it will be impossible to hear difference with TP RA3

 

[Scrivs]

Hands up, who has already bought and who will buy tomorrow?

I'm the first to raise (2x B200 silver)

Thanks to those grumpy ones

Whilst I appreciate your unbridled enthusiasm, it's just another power amp that'll be forgotten as soon as the next 1 kHz, 5 Watt "Wonder" comes along

 

[Burns]

Whilst I appreciate your unbridled enthusiasm, it's just another power amp that'll be forgotten as soon as the next 1 kHz, 5 Watt "Wonder" comes along

enthusiasm is moderate, I still have M6si. B200 was simply a whim for something new. I am aware of the functional differences in inputs and some kind of weakness of B200. Despite this, I really like Topping products, which I can't say about SMSL. In short, I like it, I bought it, the cost is not huge, in fact this money is barely enough for M3si, which measures much worse.
I will now be calm in terms of purchases for a few years and excited about the next reviews even with SINAD 180dB

 

[misterdog]

No suprise, because the low (at 10 Hz is over 3 Ohms). As far, as I remember in the 1990s at a test of stereoplay (a german hifi magazin) the low was about 0.5 Ohms.

I think the origional Quad ESL from 1957 is what you are thinking of, with a more demanding load.

 

[misterdog]

Done that already (2 x silver)

Same but black, for better thermal performance

 

[BeeKay]

Same but black, for better thermal performance

Genius move.

I'll have to see where the spray can with the remaining black paint is …

 

[Lambda]

being the threshold for perfection to (perfect conditioned) human ears.

What makes you think this?

but I think the best passive speakers out there can achieve something between 95-100 SINAD

what is SINAD measuring and what would it tell you about a speaker? How would you even apply this to a speaker.
There are electromechanical devices that can make pure tones. but this dose not make them a good speaker in any meaningful metric.

Unlimited power into any load.

Not that i voted poor for this amp But...
The SINAD is very good. But i don't think its the only relevant measurement for an power amp.
"sinad is an indicator for engineering excellence"

And i don't want "Unlimited power into any load" but as a AMP shuld be a voltage source, it should ideally behave like an ideal voltage source.
This means it output Voltage and should not change with load impedance (and back EMF).
Of cause within reasonable limits. this means if an AMP is rated for 4Ohm i expect it to deliver full Output voltage into a REAL "4Ohm" Speaker not only a dummy load.

For an Power AMP i think it a more important indicator for engineering excellence the output is never current limited and can deliver full voltage in a real "4Ohm" load.

And honesty for engineering excellence i would like to see "4ohm" rated amp to have no problem with a 2Ohm Dummy load (at least for short peaks)

 

[Burns]

Genius move.

I'll have to see where the spray can with the remaining black paint is …

silver on the windowsill will heat up less from the Sun than black...

 

[BeeKay]

silver on the windowsill will heat up less from the Sun than black...

Exactly. As my B200s resist to heat up properly by themselves I need to step up measures. Burn, Topping, burn!!

 

[KL....]

Has the B200 power supply been discussed?

Its size suggests that it is a corded SMPS unit? If yes, there also be some very clever circuity occuring inside the B200 (highly likely), after the corded SMPS. Asking and intrigued because amirm suggested that it should be easy to buy an of the shelf corded unit to replace it, if it should fail.... is that correct?

If you only want an analogue Power amplifyer then how could you not consider the B200 (200 watts, stable and exceptionally low noise for 4/8ohm loads). I am enjoying the A30a and its digital implementation (very much) but I am yet to experience the analogue section/performance where the noise measurements/specs (according to VMV A2 measurements) are not even/anywhere close to the B200 or the PA200/GAN. Nice to have choices, make your choice be wise :=)

 

[CedarX]

Has the B200 power supply been discussed?

You mean, the power supply “fins”?
As far as I can tell from Topping FAQ, the “fins” are horizontal as well:

 

[Sokel]

So we have 120 SINAD nailed in Amps with 115 being the threshold for perfection to (perfect conditioned) human ears. Correct if I'm wrong, but I think the best passive speakers out there can achieve something between 95-100 SINAD max.. Are passive speakers maxed? Can they only be pushed above 100 if they're actively amplified?

Even Purifi or Scan-Speak grade drivers will iron the distortion of even the nicest amp like this for example:

THD from -70dB (best case) to -50dB depending the level and IMD (which is a more meaningful measurement along with the multitone one) into 50's.
And as I suspect, this is tested with a perfect Purifi amp (as close to a voltage source as it can be) and without the sins of the x-over, box, etc, etc of the real speaker.

SO,SINAD is the last thing I would care for a power amp, that's solved in pro audio for decades with their 0.1% THD+N (60dB SINAD) .
Want a good headroom? Go to 90dB.
Is your room so very well treated which approaches anechoic conditions? Add a little more.
That's it.

Amps should drive, should be voltage sources, nothing more.
Choose wisely.