Topping Mini 300 Amplifier Review

[Roland68]

TPA32xx, although Topping won't confirm officially.

3251, pretty sure. That kind of HF performance has not been shown even by the best 3255 implementations.

It would be great if someone could post a picture without the heatsink, with the amplifier IC cleaned and the labels clearly legible.

But I don't want to encourage anyone. Only do this if you know what you're doing and can reattach the heatsink with thermal paste.

 

[Tell]

For the cost of a single meal at a restaurant

I think I payed around 170 euro all in all for my Mini 300, but I've never payed anything close to that on a restaurant. 50 euro maaybe including drinks?
Anyways, so far happy with mine, lots of amplifier for the money and this review confirms it

 

[Chr1]

Got mine from Aliexpress for £107 delivered a few weeks back. Have avoided Topping amplifiers since I had the TP60 many years ago, due to reliability issues. Hoping the Mini 300 is an updated, more reliable version of the PA5.
It drives my Tannoy V12s, (EQd to 37Hz) to v loud volumes, with no signs of clipping and barely gets warm.
As to it's reliability: so far, so good. And not so much of a concern, at this price.

 

[Roland68]

A power amp loosing one third (1/3) of its max power down low or going to protection even lower is not great in my book.
Other implementations of the same or similar chips do it just fine and they also do low loads (we don't have test here but its specs is down to 4 Ohm so would be unfair to ask for lower)

The price is unbeatable though, so... I will understand the appeal it may have to some people.
Thanks Amir!

They may have been tested with larger power supplies.

I get three wishes in each thread, right?

I'd really like to see the Mini 300 tested with a Mean Well HRP-300n3-36 (set to 38 volts). This power supply shouldn't present any limitations whatsoever, as it's optimized for rapid load changes in CNC machines, among other things. It can deliver 3.5 times its normal power for up to 5 seconds, meaning 8.52 A continuous current at 38 volts and 27.6 A for 5 seconds.

 

[respice finem]

Just a (potentially silly) thought: Maybe the bundled power supplies on such chip amps are slightly "underrated", to protect the chips from premature "death" caused by overheating? They are not actively cooled, the small radiator is all they got.

 

[Roland68]

Just a (potentially silly) thought: Maybe the bundled power supplies on such chip amps are slightly "underrated", to protect the chips from premature "death" caused by overheating? They are not actively cooled, the small radiator is all they got.

Absolutely not. These ICs have built-in protection features. Many people operate the Fosi V3 Mono and 3E Audio A5 or A5se amplifiers with 10A power supplies, which deliver roughly twice the current these amplifiers can handle. I've even run such amplifiers on 30A power supplies without noticing any difference.
You also mustn't forget that the efficiency of these ICs is very good, incomparable to conventional Class AB amplifiers.

 

[Sokel]

Absolutely not. These ICs have built-in protection features. Many people operate the Fosi V3 Mono and 3E Audio A5 or A5se amplifiers with 10A power supplies, which deliver roughly twice the current these amplifiers can handle. I've even run such amplifiers on 30A power supplies without noticing any difference.
You also mustn't forget that the efficiency of these ICs is very good, incomparable to conventional Class AB amplifiers.

Their efficiency falls with load according to TI's sheets though and at normal listening levels is directly comparable.

This one looks like it's using both the small heatshink and the case for cooling. Not big real estate of course but it stayed cool at Amir's tests, so...

Edit: also, the PSU seems fully certified so its choice can also be about conforming with EU rules for under 0.5W power when plugged in doing nothing or standby.

 

[OldTimer]

Great product. Unfortunately there’s no Pre Out, like Fosi Audio V3. The V3 Mono doesn’t have Pre Out as well. Pre Out for daisy chain amps.

 

[Roland68]

Their efficiency falls with load according to TI's sheets though and at normal listening levels is directly comparable.

This one looks like it's using both the small heatshink and the case for cooling. Not big real estate of course but it stayed cool at Amir's tests, so...

Edit: also, the PSU seems fully certified so its choice can also be about conforming with EU rules for under 0.5W power when plugged in doing nothing or standby.

The heatsink used in the PA5 (II) and Mini 300 is perfectly adequate and at least twice as efficient as the one used in the original Aiyama A07.
Even in summer, I didn't experience any temperature problems with my inefficient DBR62 in the PA5 and II.

 

[daniboun]

Tear down

We can assume it's a TPA3251 since the PSU is rated at 38VDC/4A
The PA5 II is rated @ 38VDC/3.2A so you can compare.

 

[spookym]

Good luck finding a replacement for that oddball 38V power brick with the GX12 connector when it goes poof.

You could say the same thing about the Topping PA5.

€27 for a replacement.

TOPPING Switching Power Adapter 38V 4A GX12

This Topping power adapter allows 38V 4A DC output via a GX12 connector from 100-240V AC mains. It has been specially designed for Topping PA5, PA5 II and PA5 II PLUS amplifiers.

www.audiophonics.fr

 

[yo!]

Nice to see relative late distortion rising at higher frequencies.

 

[daniboun]

It has almost identical measurements to the PA5 II tested by Amir, but the PA5 II does not go into protection mode at 20Hz.

 

[Sir Sanders Zingmore]

although they are still excellent for the category:

Question: what do you mean when you say “for the category” or “for the class”?

Shouldn’t measures like Multitone and 19+20 kHz just be “good” (or bad) without any qualifier?

 

[Power Pop 23]

Good luck finding a replacement for that oddball 38V power brick with the GX12 connector when it goes poof.

Can I use the power supply that came with my 'game-changing' Topping PA5 ?


I have noted the unfortunate failures of your Topping B100 amplifiers in Amir's review thread.

Thank you for reporting them.


After Amir measures a Topping amplifier, I apply a 12-month 'probationary period' before I consider purchasing the amplifier.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Good luck finding a replacement for that oddball 38V power brick with the GX12 connector when it goes poof.

You can clip off the cable and splice it to a suitable garden variety power brick and you're golden. If you don't want to butcher the replacement power brick with a splice, you can even use a screw-terminal female barrel connector attached to the clipped off cable end, making it into a barrel-to-GX12 adapter for a no-soldering DIY solution. 5.5/2.5mm barrel connectors are generally rated for at least 50VDC and plenty of current, so there's apparently no issue there.

 

[Sokel]

Can I use the power supply that came with my 'game-changing' Topping PA5 ?

Why not if it matches the power and connectivity?

In general, and to be fair here, these external bricks are both a blessing and a curse for companies.

-The blessing side is certifications, ease, etc.
-The curse side is that, anyone can use whatever goes around the market even above the limits or the specified engineering needs and then blame the company for any potential failure. That's totally unfair.

 

[daniboun]

Clip off the cable and splice it to a suitable garden variety power brick and you're golden. If you don't want to butcher the replacement power brick with a splice, you can even use a screw-terminal female barrel connector attached to the clipped off cable end, making it into a barrel-to-GX12 adapter for a no-soldering DIY solution. Barrel connectors are generally rated for at least 50VDC and plenty of current, so there's apparently no issue there.

There are JackDC to GX12 adapters available without any hassle... You might as well just buy the whole PSU for €26

Adaptateur Pegasus Astro avec jack femelle 2,1 x 5,5mm vers connexion GX12 - PEG-ADAPT-21GX12

Adaptateur Pegasus Astro avec jack femelle 2,1 x 5,5mm vers connexion GX12 - PEG-ADAPT-21GX12

laclefdesetoiles.com

 

[Bruce Morgen]

There are JackDC to GX12 adapters available without any hassle... You might as well just buy the whole PSU for €26

Adaptateur Pegasus Astro avec jack femelle 2,1 x 5,5mm vers connexion GX12 - PEG-ADAPT-21GX12

Adaptateur Pegasus Astro avec jack femelle 2,1 x 5,5mm vers connexion GX12 - PEG-ADAPT-21GX12

laclefdesetoiles.com

True, as long as there's no down time issue waiting for that proper replacement.

 

[amirm]

Question: what do you mean when you say “for the category” or “for the class”?

TI chip-based desktop amplifiers.