Topping Mini 300 Amplifier Review

[Janox]

Based on the measurements here, I bought the Topping Mini 300 to see how much the development of class D amplifiers has advanced in the last 20 years.

I compared it with my twenty-year-old Panasonic class D receiver and the result is somewhat unexpected.

The Panasonic SA-XR55 (whose newer successor, the XR57, was tested here with very average measurement results) beat the new Topping Mini 300 in sound quality. The Panasonic clearly played the details that the Topping only hinted at. The Panasonic sounds more realistic. The timbre and localization of musical instruments and the spatial scene are better and more accurate with the Panasonic. The bass with the Panasonic is more accurate, punchier, the mids and highs are more extended, more detailed, more natural. For example, the sound of a triangle (which is a challenge for class D) sounds more realistic.

The above observations relate to my listening conditions and combination of devices. The Panasonic was connected to the DVD player with a coaxial digital cable, the optical digital output of the same DVD player was connected to the DAC Topping DX1 II and balanced cables to the Mini 300.

Has anyone had a similar experience that great measurements do not always mean better sound?

 

[peng]

Based on the measurements here, I bought the Topping Mini 300 to see how much the development of class D amplifiers has advanced in the last 20 years.

I compared it with my twenty-year-old Panasonic class D receiver and the result is somewhat unexpected.

The Panasonic SA-XR55 (whose newer successor, the XR57, was tested here with very average measurement results) beat the new Topping Mini 300 in sound quality. The Panasonic clearly played the details that the Topping only hinted at. The Panasonic sounds more realistic. The timbre and localization of musical instruments and the spatial scene are better and more accurate with the Panasonic. The bass with the Panasonic is more accurate, punchier, the mids and highs are more extended, more detailed, more natural. For example, the sound of a triangle (which is a challenge for class D) sounds more realistic.

The above observations relate to my listening conditions and combination of devices. The Panasonic was connected to the DVD player with a coaxial digital cable, the optical digital output of the same DVD player was connected to the DAC Topping DX1 II and balanced cables to the Mini 300.

Has anyone had a similar experience that great measurements do not always mean better sound?

If you are relatively new to ASR, I would be tempted to suggest you read Dr. Toole's books but I guess maybe just try the following posts first:

An Enticing Marketing Story, Theory Without Measurement?

Correct. This is why it is important for at least the mastering, if not the mixing, of recordings be done in spaces that approximate average domestic listening rooms. This sometimes happens, but not always. This is a component of the circle of confusion. Hello Dr. Toole, a question on this...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Perceptual Differences Between Sighted and Unsighted Music Listening

What perceptual differences do you notice when listening to music sighted versus unsighted, i.e. eyes open vs. closed? I have long contended that humans are primarily visual creatures. At least I am. Given a bimodal or multimodal sensory experience that includes both auditory and visual inputs...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I have never listened to the Panasonic amp though read about it years ago and was tempted to get one at the time. However, I have done comparative listening to quite a few reputable class AB amps and class D amps, and most recently the low cost ICs based tiny class D amps and have not experienced the kind of differences you heard.

You obviously heard what you heard but it may still be fair to stay the differences you described do not necessarily imply the Panasonic amp is more accurate, though as far as "better", "more realistic", that obviously would be true for you, but because it is subjective in nature so it may not be true to others.

We do get this kind of posts often, and I hope this one would not result in hot debates about the same boring things that have been repeated too many times.

 

[Janox]

If you are relatively new to ASR, I would be tempted to suggest you read Dr. Toole's books but I guess maybe just try the following posts first:

An Enticing Marketing Story, Theory Without Measurement?

Correct. This is why it is important for at least the mastering, if not the mixing, of recordings be done in spaces that approximate average domestic listening rooms. This sometimes happens, but not always. This is a component of the circle of confusion. Hello Dr. Toole, a question on this...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Perceptual Differences Between Sighted and Unsighted Music Listening

What perceptual differences do you notice when listening to music sighted versus unsighted, i.e. eyes open vs. closed? I have long contended that humans are primarily visual creatures. At least I am. Given a bimodal or multimodal sensory experience that includes both auditory and visual inputs...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I have never listened to the Panasonic amp though read about it years ago and was tempted to get one at the time. However, I have done comparative listening to quite a few reputable class AB amps and class D amps, and most recently the low cost ICs based tiny class D amps and have not experienced the kind of differences you heard.

You obviously heard what you heard but it may still be fair to stay the differences you described do not necessarily imply the Panasonic amp is more accurate, though as far as "better", "more realistic", that obviously would be true for you, but because it is subjective in nature so it may not be true to others.

We do get this kind of posts often, and I hope this one would not result in hot debates about the same boring things that have been repeated too many times.

Sure. That's why I wrote in my post that it concerns my listening conditions and the combination of my devices. In a different connection with other devices, the result may be different. This is a subjective opinion based on my own hearing and more than thirty years of experience with acoustic music. In my subjective opinion, cheap class D amplifiers have not moved significantly in sound and still have a special timbre compared to other classes. I am not imposing my opinion on anyone, it is just an observation, an interest, an impression... So there is no need for a long discussion. I was just interested in the experience and correlation of subjective perception of sound and measured values of other listeners.

 

[davmol]

So no bundle,link to it ?

Links:
E50II
L50
Mini300

Discounts code:
BTS555 (50 off 350)
Paypal is the 20 instant discount
The rest are just store savings

 

[fpitas]

the combination of my devices

There is just a chance the old Panasonic has significant output impedance. The Mini 300 is most likely very small. Some older speakers may care about that.

 

[gasolin75]

 

[RandomEar]

Sure. That's why I wrote in my post that it concerns my listening conditions and the combination of my devices. In a different connection with other devices, the result may be different. This is a subjective opinion based on my own hearing and more than thirty years of experience with acoustic music. In my subjective opinion, cheap class D amplifiers have not moved significantly in sound and still have a special timbre compared to other classes. I am not imposing my opinion on anyone, it is just an observation, an interest, an impression... So there is no need for a long discussion. I was just interested in the experience and correlation of subjective perception of sound and measured values of other listeners.

This isn't about opinions, experience or "listening conditions", though. Sighted listening, which I assume based on your post is what you did, is not a reliable or valid way to compare audio devices. Any impressions you take away from such a comparison are heavily biased. That's just a fact of life and unavoidable. It's a consequence of how hearing and our brains work.

There's various problems with the sighted method, including the fact that our echoic memory is only a couple of seconds long. You 100% need precise level-matching, quick switching and blinding if you want to get a valid result based on listening tests. Here's some more info about how to test correctly:

Audio Blind Testing - You Are Doing It Wrong! (Video)

Just uploaded a video on the basics of performing controlled tests in audio. It was motivated by saving myself text in having to write all of this down when telling someone who to do these tests right. And as a counter to a few online personalities to keep saying they do "blind" tests yet when...

www.audiosciencereview.com

AES Paper Digest: Sensitivity and Reliability of ABX Blind Testing

This is abbreviated synopsis of the paper, Ten Years of ABX Testing, by David Clark: http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=5549 ABX testing as you may know is a double blind testing methodology aimed at determining if someone can reliably identify A from B. Both A and B are presented to the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[ziggurcat]

Topping recently replaced my unit because of random sound quality fluctuations. They also swapped the power supply for a different brand (see Pic 2)—same brand but a different model compared to the one Amir tested. I just realized that for the exact same amplifier, Topping has mixed and matched three different brands/models of power supplies! I am absolutely blown away by this. My original power supply was the one in Pic 1. Did anyone else get the Pic 1 power supply?View attachment 549854View attachment 549857

I have the one in your first pic. Is there any noticeable difference between the two power supplies with regards to the power on/off cycles? My mini300 has a pretty audible pop when powering off, regardless of whether I have it connected to my DX5 II DAC or if there's only a pair of speakers connected to it (no other devices).

Also, I have a PA5 II amp as well, would there be any harm with testing out that power supply with the mini300 to see if there's still a pop?

 

[tb2025]

I have the one in your first pic. Is there any noticeable difference between the two power supplies with regards to the power on/off cycles? My mini300 has a pretty audible pop when powering off, regardless of whether I have it connected to my DX5 II DAC or if there's only a pair of speakers connected to it (no other devices).

Also, I have a PA5 II amp as well, would there be any harm with testing out that power supply with the mini300 to see if there's still a pop?

Both are completely quiet during power cycles with no pop noises at all. So far, they both still exhibit the same sound quality fluctuations, so the power supply swap clearly didn't resolve my issue.
That said, I did notice a slight difference in high-frequency performance. Subjectively, the one in Pic 1 has a bit more high-frequency emphasis, while Pic 2 sounds somewhat softer.

 

[ziggurcat]

Both are completely quiet during power cycles with no pop noises at all. So far, they both still exhibit the same sound quality fluctuations, so the power supply swap clearly didn't resolve my issue.
That said, I did notice a slight difference in high-frequency performance. Subjectively, the one in Pic 1 has a bit more high-frequency emphasis, while Pic 2 sounds somewhat softer.

Here's a video I took of what I am describing. There's only a slight tick after 2-3 seconds when turning the amp on, but there's a very audible pop when it's turned off. As a disclaimer, in the video it is connected to my DX5 II, which just added a feature to be able to sync the 12v trigger to the lineout instead of when the DAC is powered on/off. As a result, you will hear two remote button clicks at first as I cycle to the LO BAL output on my DAC. You may hear a very faint tick a few seconds later, and then a third remote button click as I cycle to the HPA output on the DAC, which is immediately followed by a pop from the speaker. The tick, and pop will happen even when my mini300 is not connected to the DAC. You will have to turn the volume up a bit to really hear things (I took the video on my phone). The tick can be heard at the 9 second mark, the pop at the 13 second mark.

IMG_4952.MOV

drive.google.com

My mini300 was ordered in November 2025 (Amazon Canada), but did not arrive until January 2026. I looked through the side vents, and did not see anything like the other image you had posted, so I do not know if mine was from an earlier production run or not (there's no information on the bottom of the amp indicating any HW version)

 

[tb2025]

Here's a video I took of what I am describing. There's only a slight tick after 2-3 seconds when turning the amp on, but there's a very audible pop when it's turned off. As a disclaimer, in the video it is connected to my DX5 II, which just added a feature to be able to sync the 12v trigger to the lineout instead of when the DAC is powered on/off. As a result, you will hear two remote button clicks at first as I cycle to the LO BAL output on my DAC. You may hear a very faint tick a few seconds later, and then a third remote button click as I cycle to the HPA output on the DAC, which is immediately followed by a pop from the speaker. The tick, and pop will happen even when my mini300 is not connected to the DAC. You will have to turn the volume up a bit to really hear things (I took the video on my phone). The tick can be heard at the 9 second mark, the pop at the 13 second mark.

IMG_4952.MOV

drive.google.com

My mini300 was ordered in November 2025 (Amazon Canada), but did not arrive until January 2026. I looked through the side vents, and did not see anything like the other image you had posted, so I do not know if mine was from an earlier production run or not (there's no information on the bottom of the amp indicating any HW version)

To my knowledge, all Topping devices should be completely quiet, and general forum feedback reflects this due to their excellent circuit design. Your situation might be an isolated case or a defective unit? If it is not caused by user error, I recommend contacting after-sales support.

Regarding what I saw through the side vents, it might just be the inductors being soldered in the opposite direction; the components themselves are actually the same.

I recently bought a second-hand PA5, which uses slightly different components compared to the mini 300, and I couldn't hear any difference at all. That just shows you how excellent Topping's circuit design really is.

 

[ziggurcat]

To my knowledge, all Topping devices should be completely quiet, and general forum feedback reflects this due to their excellent circuit design. Your situation might be an isolated case or a defective unit? If it is not caused by user error, I recommend contacting after-sales support.

Regarding what I saw through the side vents, it might just be the inductors being soldered in the opposite direction; the components themselves are actually the same.

I recently bought a second-hand PA5, which uses slightly different components compared to the mini 300, and I couldn't hear any difference at all. That just shows you how excellent Topping's circuit design really is.

I was going to send Topping a quick e-mail to get their thoughts on the popping. I'm not actually all that concerned about the power on tick, it's the power off pop that I would like to figure out how to (at the very least) mitigate. I don't think it will do anything to damage my speakers, but I'd ideally like to not hear anything.

I also have a PA5 II amplifier, and there is definitely no audible pop or tick when the unit is turned on, but there is a much less audible pop when it is powered off, and it's mostly masked by the sound of the switch on the front when it's flipped.

 

[Bleib]

Hifigo also has a sale, mini300, DX1 II plus the DX1 II cables

I purchased all 3 cables for the DAC and received no extra toll or charges to Sweden

 

[tb2025]

I was going to send Topping a quick e-mail to get their thoughts on the popping. I'm not actually all that concerned about the power on tick, it's the power off pop that I would like to figure out how to (at the very least) mitigate. I don't think it will do anything to damage my speakers, but I'd ideally like to not hear anything.

I also have a PA5 II amplifier, and there is definitely no audible pop or tick when the unit is turned on, but there is a much less audible pop when it is powered off, and it's mostly masked by the sound of the switch on the front when it's flipped.

My PA5 makes a relay clicking sound when the toggle switch is flipped, but with absolutely no pop noise. The mini 300 is completely silent, to the point where you can't even hear a relay click.

I suggest troubleshooting your upstream equipment. Generally speaking, this is likely caused by the upstream gear, since everyone pairs it with a different audio system setup.

 

[ziggurcat]

My PA5 makes a relay clicking sound when the toggle switch is flipped, but with absolutely no pop noise. The mini 300 is completely silent, to the point where you can't even hear a relay click.

I suggest troubleshooting your upstream equipment. Generally speaking, this is likely caused by the upstream gear, since everyone pairs it with a different audio system setup.

It will happen even when the only thing connected to the amp is a pair of speakers. I have tried a few different pairs of speaker cables, and a completely different outlet. I could try a different pair of speakers.

I just e-mailed Topping to find out what they think of this as it has always seemed to be inconsistent with the power on/off graph Amir posted in this review. I have seen a few people mention a similar thing to my own mini300 with theirs, but most of the accounts say that it's completely silent when it's powered on/off.

 

[SampleSizeOne]

Okay, so, I had my eyes set on the FIIO Level 1. Ordered one, it was a good amp, but the volume knob had an issue on the one I got. Contacted the seller, who contacted the FIIO dealer in my country and the dealer they work with said the showroom model they had, had the same issue with the volume knob and they claimed it was normal. I double checked with other users and they claimed their volume knob didn't have this issue so my trust in FIIO has fallen a bit and I sent the unit back as the volume knob annoyed me to hell. They way this was handled makes me very hesitant to buy another copy of a Level 1 unit.

This makes me look further and make possible concessions. Such as, maybe instead of trying to find an 'all in one' amp, getting a combo of two pieces of kit. With the downside of having more clutter on my desk, and also needing 2 mains outlets to hook it all up.. (considering the D50 III uses USB C as a power source, it doesn't seem to bad tbh).

I was thinking to get it here:
Mini 300

TOPPING MINI300 Integrated Amplifier Black

The Topping Mini300 is a Class D stereo amplifier delivering 2x125 W into 4Ω in a fully balanced, high-efficiency design.

www.audiophonics.fr

To get to the point, and my question is: Which of these two options would be best for my use case? (I am hooking up two floor standing speakers to the Mini 300).

Option 1: D50 III - seems like the best option, also more modern USB C connections

TOPPING D50 III DAC Black

Topping's new small D50 III desktop DAC now features two ES9039Q2M DAC chips and an XMOS XU-316 USB interface, enabling it to support high-resolution streams up to PCM 32bit 768kHz and DSD512.

www.audiophonics.fr

Option 2: DX5 II - more of a headphone DAC, but I read in the reviews in here it's also good as a DAC to then feed into a power amp

TOPPING DX5 II DAC Headphone Amplifier Black

With the DX5 II, Topping presents the direct heir to its famous DX5 DAC and headphone amplifier. This new version features a host of changes, improving on its predecessor in absolutely every respect.

www.audiophonics.fr

Do we really still need DAC's like this, or would it be just as good to hook up the Mini 300 directly to a PC from jack out to RCA in on the Mini 300 and then doing the equalizing on the PC?

ps I also looked at the 3e Audio A5 but it appears I can't source it in Europe anywhere, either not available or sold out and I don't like going to AliExpress for these type of things.

 

[ziggurcat]

To get to the point, and my question is: Which of these two options would be best for my use case? (I am hooking up two floor standing speakers to the Mini 300).

Option 1: D50 III - seems like the best option, also more modern USB C connections

TOPPING D50 III DAC Black

Topping's new small D50 III desktop DAC now features two ES9039Q2M DAC chips and an XMOS XU-316 USB interface, enabling it to support high-resolution streams up to PCM 32bit 768kHz and DSD512.

www.audiophonics.fr

Option 2: DX5 II - more of a headphone DAC, but I read in the reviews in here it's also good as a DAC to then feed into a power amp

TOPPING DX5 II DAC Headphone Amplifier Black

With the DX5 II, Topping presents the direct heir to its famous DX5 DAC and headphone amplifier. This new version features a host of changes, improving on its predecessor in absolutely every respect.

www.audiophonics.fr

Do we really still need DAC's like this, or would it be just as good to hook up the Mini 300 directly to a PC from jack out to RCA in on the Mini 300 and then doing the equalizing on the PC?

ps I also looked at the 3e Audio A5 but it appears I can't source it in Europe anywhere, either not available or sold out and I don't like going to AliExpress for these type of things.

You could probably just connect the amp directly to your computer using the 3.5mm headphone output with a 3.5mm to RCA cable if you want, but (IMO) a separate DAC would be nicer, and can be used as a preamp.

If you want a HPA, the DX5 II. Otherwise, the D50 III is a very good DAC (I also had one). Only disadvantage of the D50 III is there's no Home support, and Topping Tune is limited in that you can't apply PEQ filters to the Left/Right channels individually (which, I guess, would be moot if you do all of your PEQ filters on your computer).

 

[SampleSizeOne]

You could probably just connect the amp directly to your computer using the 3.5mm headphone output with a 3.5mm to RCA cable if you want, but (IMO) a separate DAC would be nicer, and can be used as a preamp.

If you want a HPA, the DX5 II. Otherwise, the D50 III is a very good DAC (I also had one). Only disadvantage of the D50 III is there's no Home support, and Topping Tune is limited in that you can't apply PEQ filters to the Left/Right channels individually (which, I guess, would be moot if you do all of your PEQ filters on your computer).

Okay, you know what. Since the Level 1 already sounded great without equalization, maybe I'll just give the Mini 300 a try without a separate DAC/equalizer and hook it up directly to the jack output. I'll give it some thought over this weekend and I'll decide this Monday.

By the way, I'm open to other combinations as well. I don't mind spending some money on an amp and/or DAC. Maybe a WiiM vibelink could be just as good as a Mini 300. I just don't want the WiiM ultra streamer as I read it has too much latency for my taste as I also play videogames.

 

[Timcognito]

I use mine with a Bluesound Node in garage/shop, it has more grunt than the Emotiva amp it replaces, and gave me back a lot shelf space.

 

[harkpabst]

By the way, I'm open to other combinations as well. I don't mind spending some money on an amp and/or DAC. Maybe a WiiM vibelink could be just as good as a Mini 300. I just don't want the WiiM ultra streamer as I read it has too much latency for my taste as I also play videogames.

If your PC is your most important (or only) source you could use it to apply EQ, too.

The volume control on the WiiM Vibelink Amp is a fully analog pot and has a very good feel to it. If low latency is amongst your prime targets this is the right WiiM product for you, since it contains no DSP.

You even have the option to skip the DAC in your PC and use one of the digital inputs of the Vibelink Amp. If your PC doesn't have an optical or coaxial output (which isn't too unusual) a DSC with USB in and e.g. Toslink out would do the trick. The ES9039Q2M and its implementation in the Vibelink Amp are certainly top notch.

Quite a bit more expensive than the Mini300, though. Slightly worse measurements than the Mini300, too (most likely totally inaudible). But noticeably more power, especially at lower frequencies.