Topping B200 Monoblock Amplifier Review

[peng]

Well, 4 Ohm speakers generally don't go below 3.2 or so. I guess the amp will still do okay.

I would add that even if it dips below 3.2 ohm, it should be fine most (99%?) of the time because music just wouldn't have contents that would cause impedance dips and have phase angles at the same time and that would last longer than some mini second ? (educated guess) and nannies can tolerate such short term dips, it not just fire them lol..

 

[KL....]

It made the music sound cold, dead and lifeless. On my Zanden amp music came to life, made me smile, made me cry, made me think of enjoyable times in a not so distant past. But with this plastic-like Topping thing ... my gaze just wandered to the window, hoping to soon feel like I've subjected myself to more than enough of this emotionless attempt at conveying real music. The experience felt almost as excruciatingly painful as listening to one of those damned silver discs from days of yore (CD).

are you suggesting that you are comparing the Topping B200 Monoblock Amplifier to a Zanden amp. If yes, which Zanden?

 

[peng]

Thanks for the review, Amir. Wire with gain indeed.

Would you mind explaining how to interpret the load tests and how the B200 compares to something like the 3e Audio A5 when driving difficult loads. Does this test tell us anything about subjective performance?

The A5 looks like it would deliver better bass into a <4ohm speaker? Apologies if I have interpreted the tests incorrectly.

Based on the results, not likely, the A5 would obviously do better under specific load conditions (combinations of ohms and degrees) but the B200 would do better overall in terms of probability.

 

[deitrick]

So glad to see this finally reviewed. I've enjoyed my B200 amps very much. I had B100 amps and upgraded to these with no regrets. They power my Revel F206 speakers perfectly. Thanks @amirm for the official information.

I also like the clipping behavior on these much more than the B100s. They 'just recover'.

 

[uwotm8]

I also like the clipping behavior on these much more than the B100s. They 'just recover'

Makes you wonder how loud people go if they manage to reach clipping of 200W amp with normal 88-90 dB speakers in a room.

 

[amarsicola]

Nice to see Topping has reached excellence even on powerful amps. What puzzles me is the design choice of gain, most DACs (even Topping ones) deliver 4v to 5v. The two gains proposed in this implementation have max input voltages at 2.1 and at 6.6, in first case you might generate clipping by turning volume up too much, in the second case you are wasting power. Any explanation why?

 

[Ismapics]

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Topping B200 "monoblock" (single channel) audio amplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $599.
View attachment 432842
I don't think it is possible to make the unit more solid and high-quality feeling in this form factor. The amp is heavy for its size (although you can still easily pick it up). The single push button power the unit on/off and selects one of three combo balanced XLR/TRS inputs:
View attachment 432843

I like the spaced out speaker terminals and high contrast labeling. Topping has made trigger automation standard on their products which is much appreciated.

Two gain settings are provided unlike the three on B100.

If you are not familiar with my amplifier measurements, please watch this tutorial:

[And subscribe to the channel ]

Topping B200 Amplifier Measurements
Let's start with low gain testing into 4 ohm load:
View attachment 432844
I must say, as much as Topping always produces state of the art products, I am always pleasantly surprised the moment on turn on the analyzer and see such superlative results! Distortion is vanishingly small at -140 dB so our SINAD is dominated by noise. It lands the B200 at top of the graph, edging out the B100 by a faction of dB:
View attachment 432845
View attachment 432846

There is still of course some penalty in using the higher gain, but still excellent results:
View attachment 432847

As much as noise sets SINAD, it is still state of the art, especially in low gain:
View attachment 432848
View attachment 432849

Being a conventional design, frequency response has no load dependency and shows wide bandwidth:
View attachment 432850

Multitone and 19+20 kHz intermodulation distortion tests show very little rise in distortion with frequency:
View attachment 432851
View attachment 432852

Topping amplifiers until now have had average levels of power. That is changed with B200 landing in "high power" category now while still maintaining its superb noise and distortion:
View attachment 432853
View attachment 432854

By now, the amp was fairly warm and it seemed that it was pulling back a bit in available power:
View attachment 432855
The above test pushes the amplifier into clipping repeatedly to find the 1% point and it seemed to rob the amplifier of some power. Later reactive tests with the amplifier being cooler showed the full power rating coming back.

Here is our new 40 Hz power rating while the unit was warm:
View attachment 432856

And "FTC like" full bandwidth power which lasted about a minute while again repeatedly pushing the amplifier beyond clipping to achieve 1% THD:
View attachment 432857

The "transfer function" is extremely clean, showing just a slight degradation with frequency as noted earlier:
View attachment 432858

No class D is able to achieve this level of performance at this time (although they can be a lot more powerful).

I had dinner and then ran the reactive load tests:
View attachment 432859
View attachment 432860
I was pleased to see it produce power even at 2 ohm although past 0 degrees, the protection circuit was interfering with the measurements so I show that as zero. Max power is available at 4 ohm. But healthy power is available at 8 ohm as well.

Speaking of protection circuit, it was the kind I like where it a) allows the amplifier to go into clipping and b) self recover without shutting down. This made it possible to run the above tests with ease.

The amplifier is exceptionally quiet coming out of, and going into standby mode:
View attachment 432861

And the unit is stable on power up:
View attachment 432862

Conclusions
One or more designers at Topping have figured out how to nail noise and distortion in any products they design. No matter how difficult it is to "port" that to other product categories such as this higher power amplifier, they deliver on that. As such, Topping owns the category when it comes to medium to medium high power amplification when it comes to performance. Try as I might, I cannot find any faults here. The product itself is also attractive, feels high quality and has proper features, sans a VU meter.

It is my pleasure to recommend the Topping B200 amplifier.

------------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/

Reserved for @AdamG to kindly post the specs.

This reminds me of Diesel Gate. Are they really that good? Or are they just tweaking to make sure they nail the test perfectly. Maybe they are, but its just curiosity if something like this maybe at play.

 

[manisandher]

View attachment 432876

I wonder why it's not quite as good as the LA90D below 50W (purely academic, of course):

(FWIW, the 2x LA90 and 2x LA90D amps in my active setup have performed flawlessly for well over a year now. Not pushed particularly hard though - unlike the 2x PA7+ amps driving the subs!)

Mani.

 

[amarsicola]

This reminds me of Diesel Gate. Are they really that good? Or are they just tweaking to make sure they nail the test perfectly. Maybe they are, but its just curiosity if something like this maybe at play.

I assume the "transfer function" graph and "multitone" graph show that performance is outstanding at any frequency, even a step ahead from Hypex/Purifi, so i wouldn't be suspicious. Anyway no amp is 100% perfect, in this case load test shows that it's better not to exaggerate with speakers with extremely low impedance. And also reliability must be proven

 

[deitrick]

Makes you wonder how loud people go if they manage to reach clipping of 200W amp with normal 88-90 dB speakers in a room.

Great question. I only did it once to see where that 'limit' was. After having the B100 amps for a few months, I wanted to make sure the same issues didn't also exist in the B200 series. I am happy to say the issues do not exist in the B200 series. And to your point, the sound level was way too loud for comfortable listening.

 

[Sokel]

Nice to see Topping has reached excellence even on powerful amps. What puzzles me is the design choice of gain, most DACs (even Topping ones) deliver 4v to 5v. The two gains proposed in this implementation have max input voltages at 2.1 and at 6.6, in first case you might generate clipping by turning volume up too much, in the second case you are wasting power. Any explanation why?

Specs report the following:

So, it seems that 3.9V RMS is enough for full output at high gain.

(while looking at it, I hope people do not confuse the 80 Vpp voltage for RMS which is actually close to 29V as evident by Amir's chart )

 

[KL....]

Oh wow, that's phenomenal performance, and it's class B (yes, B, not AB). I'd still take a Purifi amp over this simply because of efficiency

class B with negligible crossover distortion (very nice).... is that correct?

 

[AndreaT]

SOTA & power for a low price. Until recently, this level of performance required Mark Levinsons. It is good to be in the 2020s.

 

[Stephen]

I would say: why only one trigger In? No trigger out to control an other one?

 

[BeeKay]

I would say: why only one trigger In? No trigger out to control an other one?

Topping include a trigger cable that allows to connect to the next box. Daisy chaining

 

[lordhumungous]

Why buy this over a Topping Pa7 Plus? Actually you would have to buy two.

 

[stefanovesa]

So glad to see this finally reviewed. I've enjoyed my B200 amps very much. I had B100 amps and upgraded to these with no regrets. They power my Revel F206 speakers perfectly. Thanks @amirm for the official information.

I also like the clipping behavior on these much more than the B100s. They 'just recover'.

In general, which are the audible effects of clipping?

 

[Audionaut]

I wonder what the subjectivist crowd will invent to avoid praising this amp...

It is not the measurements and possible quality that make some people hesitate to press the order button directly, but the problems that sometimes occur during operation that some owners of topping amplifiers report.

 

[-Matt-]

@amirm , thanks for the review, I was waiting for this one!

So which would be more appropriate as external amps for LCR in an AVR setup?

3x Topping B200
or
Audiophonics HPA-T450ET with 3x Purifi 1ET6525SA
or
something else?

Which has a gain setting that is most approriate for use with an AVR?

I'd be using with Kef R7s and an R2 Meta centre.

 

[digitalfrost]

I wonder what the subjectivist crowd will invent to avoid praising this amp... They'll really have to get creative this time.

I got creative

Topping B200: A Measurable Marvel, But Where’s the Soul?

Introduction
Topping has gained a strong following in the world of high-fidelity audio, particularly among those who prioritize measurements and technical performance over subjective musicality. With the B200 monoblock amplifier, the brand continues its pursuit of textbook-perfect audio reproduction. But does it truly engage the listener, or does it simply check all the right boxes in a lab test? We set out to discover whether the B200 delivers more than just numbers.

Design and Build
As expected from Topping, the B200’s design is functional, if uninspiring. The matte black chassis is solidly constructed, but lacks the tactile charm of classic audiophile designs. There's a stark absence of visual flair—no VU meters, no distinctive accents, just a minimalist front panel with a single input select button and three small LEDs.

At just 8.2 inches wide and 2.5 inches tall, the B200 is compact enough to fit in a desktop or tight shelving, but this form factor also raises questions: Can an amplifier this small truly deliver the deep, organic presence of a high-end power amp?

Features and Connectivity
Topping continues its trend of emphasizing specification-driven design, opting for a Class D topology—a choice that maximizes efficiency and measurable performance but often divides audiophiles on sound character.

The rear panel is straightforward, featuring:
- Balanced XLR
- RCA
- Trigger input for automated power control

Speaker connections are handled via gold-plated binding posts, which feel adequately sturdy, though they lack the substantial heft of those found on premium amplifiers from brands like Pass Labs or Luxman.

Performance
On paper, the B200’s numbers are nothing short of stellar. Topping claims 250W into 4 ohms and 135W into 8 ohms, with distortion levels as low as 0.00008% (THD+N, 5W @ 4Ω, 1kHz). These figures rival some of the best measurement-based amplifiers on the market. But as we know, music is more than just numbers.

Sound Quality
This is where opinions will diverge.

- Bass: Impressively tight and controlled, but lacking the warmth and physicality of a well-designed Class A or AB amplifier. The B200 delivers bass with precision but not with emotion.
- Midrange: Neutral to a fault. While vocals and acoustic instruments come through with clarity, there’s an analytical quality to the sound that keeps it from feeling truly immersive. The emotional weight of a singer’s voice or the resonance of a grand piano feels slightly detached.
- Treble: Exceptionally clean and extended, but bordering on clinical. The amplifier does not add any noticeable coloration, but it also does not enhance the listening experience in a way that some might expect from a high-end component.

Pairing and System Matching
Given its ultra-low distortion and high power output, the B200 is a natural match for those who prefer a highly resolving system. However, listeners who appreciate warmth, texture, and harmonic richness may find it lacking. Pairing it with inherently warm speakers, such as Harbeth or Sonus Faber models, helps offset its sterility, but even then, it never fully escapes its analytical nature.

The Verdict
The Topping B200 is, without question, a triumph of engineering. It delivers pristine, distortion-free sound with extraordinary precision, making it an ideal choice for measurement purists and detail-obsessed listeners. However, those who seek musicality, organic textures, and emotional engagement may find it lacking. The amplifier’s flawless technical execution comes at the cost of soul and character, making it a device that some will adore and others will find uninvolving.

Pros:
✔ Incredibly low distortion and noise
✔ Compact and efficient design
✔ Excellent power output for size
✔ Transparent, highly resolving sound

Cons:
✖ Somewhat sterile and analytical
✖ Lacks the warmth and texture of classic audiophile amplifiers
✖ No VU meters or aesthetic appeal

Final Rating: (4/5)
For those who prioritize technical perfection over subjective musicality, the B200 is an undeniable achievement. But for those who believe music is about emotion as much as precision, this amplifier may leave something to be desired.

As always, the best judge is your own ears.