Topping MA4 - new active studio monitors by Topping Professional

[xanalog]

I was not a fan of active monitors, until I made the mistake of purchasing a pair of KEF LSX2 monitors for my wife's desktop PC (Christmas 2023).
The KEFs had the WAF and matched her all off-white desktop rig, down to the monitor, keyboard/mouse, wrist-rest, even the KEF cabling and their stands.

Unfortunately - and as good as the KEFs sound- they are nuisance to use as Windows desktop speakers. She turned the KEFs off permanently, a few months later.
I really should pawn-off those unused LSX2s, because I am in denial to have purchased them to begin with.
I think even a pair of tin cans would sound better than a pair unused KEF LSX2s, any day!

If @amirm personally asked me, I pay for these MA4s; if he can figure out a way or is willing to get an early production pair from Topping for test.
I'll even pay for shipping them to me, upon his review.
It will give me an excuse to pitch my useless KEF LSX2s.

 

[AnalogSteph]

Unfortunately - and as good as the KEFs sound- they are nuisance to use as Windows desktop speakers.

-v please?

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Probably a decent product, but in my experience Topping customer service is seriously deficient, whereas established brands in the small active monitor space like Adam and Kali are known to be excellent in that respect. IMO Topping would need to set up some sort of presence in North America and Europe to compete in this particular marketplace.

 

[unpluggged]

whereas established brands in the small active monitor space like Adam and Kali are known to be excellent in that respect

They also somehow manage to employ DSP-based designs that bring a significant improvement at much more attractive price/performance ratios. Go figure.

 

[xanalog]

-v please?

If that is asking for an explanation, allow me to use a visualization:

There sits your wife, busy in front of her 'desktop PC' wanting to listen to some music feeding those active KEFs.
But she realizes that she can't make any excuses for the absence of a Windows KEF app, for the ^&*# things!
And you realize she is staring at you in askance and you can't find an excuse either!

 

[beeface]

Since they have a Klippel, hopefully we'll see the MA4 on the Spinorama site soon

 

[just1n]

If that is asking for an explanation, allow me to use a visualization:

There sits your wife, busy in front of her 'desktop PC' wanting to listen to some music feeding those active KEFs.
But she realizes that she can't make any excuses for the absence of a Windows KEF app, for the ^&*# things!
And you realize she is staring at you in askance and you can't find an excuse either!

Did you try using USB-C or 3.5mm headphone cable between the computer and KEF? Control volume with remote and problem solved? I don’t see where the app comes into play after reading the manual.

Looks like those inputs can automatically turn on the speakers, too.

Start on page 43. https://assets.kef.com/product-support/lsx-2/LSX_II_Product_Manual_EN_v9.pdf

 

[xanalog]

Control volume with remote and problem solved?

But the active LSX2s have many more settings than just "volume with remote". They also cost probably ~8x MA4 prices and even my SMSL/Topping gear come with better remotes.
You are also attempting to solve a problem without considering the - all too important - WAF factor, I posted.

 

[boxerfan88]

According to https://hifi-port.ru/threads/topping-ma4-studijnye-monitory.3848/ The Topping MA4 is scheduled to be released on March 25th. In China, it will cost 1,199 yuan (approximately $165). The price may change when it is released internationally.

Wow $165 is a good price indeed!
And it claims to be all analog, no DSP!

 

[thulle]

Unfortunately - and as good as the KEFs sound- they are nuisance to use as Windows desktop speakers.

Offtopic, but how?

 

[neifle]

Wow $165 is a good price indeed!
And it claims to be all analog, no DSP!

I think the $165 is for 1 unit only.

So it's about $265 for pair

 

[thewas]

I also think so but 2 x $165 is $330?

Also if the export price is even higher that doesn't make it really impressive value as in this range there is great competition from JBL, Kali, ADAM etc.

 

[Sokel]

Are these active or just powered ones?

Edit: active,I had a look at their site:

MA4 | TOPPING Professional

topping.pro

Being analog (with el. xover) simplifies things I guess and avoids the known half-baked DSP problems a lot of gear have.
I trust them to make it as good as it gets, it's simple with analog to get more than -100dB THD+N across the spectrum and keeping levels as low as physics dictate for a 4" playing all this range can't be bad.

Nice for a desk, even if they are a bit ugly (to my taste) and dis-proportioned .

 

[kemmler3D]

I didn't love the look of the FR because of the unusually jagged bits, but if it comes in at under $200/pr it's definitely competitive. Maybe not if the distortion is a total train wreck, but I expect it to be pretty normal for the class...

 

[Thomas_A]

Nah. It has the peaks and dips at wrong frequencies. An inverted response 1-10 kHz would have been better.

 

[holdingpants01]

I like the looks on the front but the box depth is just too much. The cables on the back will further move them away from the back wall, they're not really suitable for a desktop use, which I guess they were aiming at with 4" midbass and such low extension.

 

[xanalog]

The cables on the back will further move them away from the back wall, they're not really suitable for a desktop use,

Could this (concern) be one of the reasons why the Topping MA4s are front-ported?

I could not readily find an image of the MA4' rear panel, except for this one.

OT: Why would Topping locate the input-XLR inline w/the location of the tweeters?

 

[Esprit]

The cables on the back will further move them away from the back wall

https://www.amazon.it/Cable-Matters-Confezione-adattatori-regolabile/dp/B0BZ5SP6JV

 

[holdingpants01]

to put things into perspective, they are deeper than Neumann KH150, basically the same depth as KH310, deeper than Genelec 8050 which are massive, deeper than Kali Audio IN-8 v2. The depth matches other brands 8 inch monitors.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

to put things into perspective, they are deeper than Neumann KH150, basically the same depth as KH310, deeper than Genelec 8050 which are massive, deeper than Kali Audio IN-8 v2. The depth matches other brands 8 inch monitors.

In my 50+ years of involvement in home audio, I don't recall ever seeing any speaker with that sort of baffle width to enclosure depth ratio. The amount of desktop real estate they'd consume is insane, and they'd look ridiculous on any commercial stand that could accommodate their depth.