Topping PA5 II Stereo Amplifier Review

[Billy Budapest]

Outstanding value. Towards the top of the heap and under $300.

 

[enricoclaudio]

Thanks @amirm for another great review. This looks like a nice amp, however I would pass on any Topping device until reliability issues are sorted out with others current devices and repair/service centers are open in the US and EU.

 

[frabor]

I dont think so, the only one that is bridged = Topping PA7 (that uses a dual TPA325X chip) checkout
Pretty sure the PA5 plus use the same PCB as the RA3

"TheTPA324xandTPA325x(TPA3244,TPA3245,TPA3250,TPA3251,TPA3255)Class-Daudio " from Ti web site

With the voltage of the PS, probably a TPA32251

 

[pseudoid]

Thank you for another great review @amirm.
Would it be possible for you to perform a curiosity-kill-the-cat test on the incoming DC from the its AC/DC Adaptor?
Sounds simple to request 2 simple frequency-response sweeps for noise: One under dummy-load and another powering the unit.
You know why I ask.

 

[totti1965]

So timely. I was just about to buy a much more expensive amp to run a pair of M16s. After reading this I ordered a plus and it will match nicely with the E50 DAC which I, coincidentally, bought last weekend. Thanks again Amir. This forum has helped me build an amazing 2 channel system for a tiny fraction of what I expected to pay when I started my research.

Would be nice if you could borrow the Plus version Amir for a short time to test. Whether it could probably benefit in a similar way from the stronger power supply as it was the case with the Fosi V3?
The Fosi V3 became more than twice as strong with the 48 volt power supply!
With a power plus of 100% and these noise and distortion values, they would be a great alternative to Hypex or Purify!

 

[Lräk]

Would be nice if you could borrow the Plus version Amir for a short time to test. Whether it could probably benefit in a similar way from the stronger power supply as it was the case with the Fosi V3?
The Fosi V3 became more than twice as strong with the 48 volt power supply!
With a power plus of 100% and these noise and distortion values, they would be a great alternative to Hypex or Purify!

Amir could take the original power supply from the original PA5 that he reviewed quite awhile ago. That's assuming he still has it.

 

[ocinn]

So it's presumably the same as the RA3 but in a less ridiculous case. Why anyone would buy the RA3 is beyond me now that this exists.

No it can't.

(The chip amp is already bridged internally)

TPA-32xx amps can be bridged again (PBTL). The modification isn't difficult at all:

Shui Yuan Audio TPA3255 Modification Thread

experience: If you listened with an op amp, you can hear it in good stereo stage with the speakers line. If I listen without an op amp — with an impedance- adapter — the music detaches from the speakers in advance, and the stage image is dizzying. Experience: It is important to have a...

www.diyaudio.com

But at that point, you should just buy the 3e Audio Module which is miles higher performing in every single way, and far cheaper.

Superior measurements aside, it's hard to ignore that Fosi V3 has double the power (141 vs 71 watts at 4 Ohms) for half of the price.
To each their own, I guess.

And if you have the slightest DIY-ability the aforementioned 3e does 220w@4ohm (knee), and -103 THD+N @5w 4R, for a whopping $109 + $30 case + $40 PSU. Hugely better implementation of the TPA-32xx than topping.

 

[Bleib]

So it's presumably the same as the RA3 but in a less ridiculous case. Why anyone would buy the RA3 is beyond me now that this exists.



TPA-32xx amps can be bridged again (PBTL). The modification isn't difficult at all:

Shui Yuan Audio TPA3255 Modification Thread

experience: If you listened with an op amp, you can hear it in good stereo stage with the speakers line. If I listen without an op amp — with an impedance- adapter — the music detaches from the speakers in advance, and the stage image is dizzying. Experience: It is important to have a...

www.diyaudio.com

But at that point, you should just buy the 3e Audio Module which is miles higher performing in every single way, and far cheaper.

To me RA3 is a superior product. PSU built in, remote and no channel imbalance. The downside is it's only sold through aliexpress whilst Amazon has PA5 II (with good return policy) and shenzhenaudio has a deal on it now

 

[Sokel]

As usual with Topping input impedance must be hidden somewhere I can't find
Anyone?

Seems that most here suggest waiting for a few months so reliability to be proven (that takes years in my book) but if that's the case who will we expect to test it for us
I think beta testers do community a great service.

 

[ocinn]

To me RA3 is a superior product. PSU built in

Agree to disagree, external PSU is not only a technically superior design, but it's far easier to hide an external PSU behind furniture for example, than have it in a massive 19" rackmount enclosure. The issue with the RA3 is that it is completely useless for any pro application, however, it is built into a pro format, which makes it inconvenient and ridiculous for home use, especially when the PA5 II exists and is the same amp in a 4.8x (!!) smaller footprint.

no channel imbalance

Channel imbalance has not been measured in either amplifier, so this is a baseless claim, not to mention that Topping themselves quotes the RA3 balance as <0.5db, while the PA5II is quoted as <0.1db.....

 

[Bleib]

Agree to disagree, external PSU is not only a technically superior design, but it's far easier to hide an external PSU behind furniture for example, than have it in a massive 19" rackmount enclosure. The issue with the RA3 is that it is completely useless for any pro application, however, it is built into a pro format, which makes it inconvenient and ridiculous for home use, especially when the PA5 II exists and is the same amp in a 4.8x (!!) smaller footprint.


Channel imbalance has not been measured in either amplifier, so this is a baseless claim, not to mention that Topping themselves quotes the RA3 balance as <0.5db, while the PA5II is quoted as <0.1db.....

View attachment 307484

Yes, they write those numbers, but on lower volumes if the DAC is at max the channel imbalance is rarely ideal. Use on a desktop and it can quite often be noticed, the same is also true with headphone amps that use the same method as PA5. To me this feels outdated.
Besides, it's mentioned in the RA3 topic how the channel volumes are controlled, I definitely like it over PA5's method.

 

[daniboun]

Pa5iiplus and pa5 use same adapter

pa5ii and pa5iiplus share same pa5ii series board.

So if you have pa5 you can upgrade pa5ii to pa5iiplus.

Few members in Korea are setting up to test this.

Wrong ) PA5 use a 38V /4A PSU
PA5 II : 38v / 3.2A PSU

 

[daniboun]

With the voltage of the PS, probably a TPA32251

Probably same as RA3 = TPA3251 )

 

[daniboun]

As usual with Topping input impedance must be hidden somewhere I can't find
Anyone?

Seems that most here suggest waiting for a few months so reliability to be proven (that takes years in my book) but if that's the case who will we expect to test it for us
I think beta testers do community a great service.

I would say about 10K same as PA5....must be confirmed ....

 

[daniboun]

Thanks for the review @amirm. You just forgot the crosstalk measurement to be complete. Not that I'm expecting any problems there.

Superior measurements aside, it's hard to ignore that Fosi V3 has double the power (141 vs 71 watts at 4 Ohms) for half of the price.
To each their own, I guess.

Fosi V3 performs 141w@4R with a 48V PSU only.... (62w@4R with a 32V PSU).....

 

[ocinn]

Wrong ) PA5 use a 35V /4A PSU
PA5 II : 38v / 3.2A PSU

This would provide more output power into high current loads (low impedance), with a slight tradeoff on 8ohm power, for example. Seems like a worthwhile "upgrade" to test out.

 

[daniboun]

And if you have the slightest DIY-ability the aforementioned 3e does 220w@4ohm (knee), and -103 THD+N @5w 4R, for a whopping $109 + $30 case + $40 PSU. Hugely better implementation of the TPA-32xx than topping.

Dont get me wrong....
I would say that in terms of pure reliability the JLester module remains unbeatable)

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This is a review and detailed measurements of the JL Electronic's (JLE) Sylph-D200 stereo amplifier module built on top of TI's TPA3255 amplifier IC. Depending on the configuration you pick, the module costs US $130 to $170. You can read more about it here...

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[daniboun]

This would provide more output power into high current loads (low impedance), with a slight tradeoff on 8ohm power, for example. Seems like a worthwhile "upgrade" to test out.

In facts 48w@8R for the PA5 vs 53w@8R for the PA5 II with their stock PSUs

 

[ocinn]

Dont get me wrong....
I would say that in terms of pure reliability the JLester module remains unbeatable)

??? That isn't even the same amp.... You're comparing a non-PFFB amp with a horrible DSP (and therefore AD-DA step) to a traditional analog amp with PFFB. Could not be more apples to oranges. Also, cite sources on the 3e products being less reliable than the JLe?

Not to mention the 3e 3255 PFFB board I linked (which is actually a comparable product to the JLe) absolutely demolishes that JLE in every single possible metric.

 

[Lräk]

Wrong ) PA5 use a 35V /4A PSU
PA5 II : 38v / 3.2A PSU

Not according to Amir's PA5 review 38V/4A: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-pa5-review-amplifier.28512/