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Topping PA5 II Stereo Amplifier Review

Rate this stereo amplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 16 4.3%

  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 21 5.7%

  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 103 27.8%

  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 230 62.2%
  • Total voters
    370
@ totti 1965.

You write: "...22 dB away from any theoretical, physical reasoned limit of being audible, which is minus 116 dB..."

You are right but we only talk about what is 'audible', perception is not limited to that. Some researchers have done work by addressing other approaches that are not limited only to the threshold of audibility, they are very interesting but I have to find the 'internet source' where I had been able to consult them, you would probably like it ;)

I think that, as research has proven so far, there is still a lot of 'things' to be discovered about the retransmission of sound 'messages' and I have no doubt that the next 'advances' will be made in a short time: I am convinced of this because it seems that currently with the well-known 'technology' brands such as TOPPING have reached limits which will inevitably lead them to other 'avenues of reflection' :)
 
Greetings. I'm considering buying the Topping PA5 II for use in my two source (Vinyl & CD) system.
Outputs from both sources are single ended RCA, and both phono amp and CD player have fixed and variable outputs.
If I use an RCA to RCA cable from one source, and an RCA to TRS cable from the other, I can select source by using the switch on the front panel of the PA5 II. Great!
My question is a general one: any problems foreseen or advice on using the amplifier in this way? Thanks.
 
DVinylfan said:
Greetings. I'm considering buying the Topping PA5 II for use in my two source (Vinyl & CD) system.
Outputs from both sources are single ended RCA, and both phono amp and CD player have fixed and variable outputs.
If I use an RCA to RCA cable from one source, and an RCA to TRS cable from the other, I can select source by using the switch on the front panel of the PA5 II. Great!
My question is a general one: any problems foreseen or advice on using the amplifier in this way? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes, as per Amir’s comment in the review (post 1):

”The other switch lets you select between balanced and RCA which lets you use it as a pre-amp in a minimalistic system.”
Click to expand...
 
Thanks @Yorkshire Mouth for the reply, that is encouraging.
To be more specific about my concerns, they are:

1. Is there any potential harm in using a simple RCA to TRS cable to connect either source to the balanced input on the PA5 II ?
(I understand this won't give me a Balanced signal, that's fine)

2. Is there an optimal/safer choice between phono output to balanced input and CD output to unbalanced input, or vice-versa, or it doesn't matter?

3. Is there an optimal/safer choice between controlling volume on the source device(s) or by using the volume control on the PA5 II, or it doesn't matter?

4. If I use the Variable output(s) on the source devices, is there an optimal/safer choice for where to park the volume knob on the PA5 II ? (I'm guessing it matters).

Phono preamp maximum output is 5.2V rms.

CD player has an internal preamp section and outputs are 2V fixed; 175mV variable (max 2V).

I don't know how helpful these figures are in answering my questions, so please let me know if there are other specs that would be useful. Thks!
 
DVinylfan said:
1. Is there any potential harm in using a simple RCA to TRS cable to connect either source to the balanced input on the PA5 II ?
(I understand this won't give me a Balanced signal, that's fine)
Click to expand...
No harm. If the balanced input is a proper differential input you still get most of the benefits of a balanced connection.
 
I read in the PA5 II manual (https://dl.topping.audio/usermanual/pa5ii_pa5iip.pdf) that the input sensitivity for the SE input is 1.3 Vrms, while input sensitivity for the Balanced input is 2.6 Vrms.
On this basis I'm assuming that the preferred input for my CD player (fixed output 2V) is SE, and the preferred input for my phono amplifier (fixed output 5.2V) is Balanced.
Is this a reasonable assumption?
Or, since the figures are sufficiently close, or for other reasons it doesn't matter, in this case, which input is chosen? Thanks!
 
DVinylfan said:
I read in the PA5 II manual (https://dl.topping.audio/usermanual/pa5ii_pa5iip.pdf) that the input sensitivity for the SE input is 1.3 Vrms, while input sensitivity for the Balanced input is 2.6 Vrms.
On this basis I'm assuming that the preferred input for my CD player (fixed output 2V) is SE, and the preferred input for my phono amplifier (fixed output 5.2V) is Balanced.
Is this a reasonable assumption?
Or, since the figures are sufficiently close, or for other reasons it doesn't matter, in this case, which input is chosen? Thanks!
Click to expand...
All else being equal, one of the PA5II inputs will play a third quieter than the other, because it is designed for an XLR source which is a third louder by nature (which you don't have).

I'd do some real-world tests by playing a few tracks on both the turntable and CD Player, both plugged into the RCA input one after the other.

If one of them turns out to be playing slightly louder than the other in practice, then that's the one I'd connect to the XLR input to equalize the volume difference and therefore reduce how often I'd have to adjust the volume knob.
 
Last edited:
Julf said:
No harm. If the balanced input is a proper differential input you still get most of the benefits of a balanced connection.
Click to expand...

Can you describe these benefits? I'm currently using RCA and also trying to decide whether I should go balanced.

Also, just wanted to add a positive review to the PA5 II Plus that I've been using since 2023 to drive a pair of large floorstanding speakers. They have been very reliable so far and does not get hot even after running for more than 10 hours per day. With regards to the sound, nothing much to say here except they sound 'transparent' with a dead quiet background - as they should be. Subjectively I will say that they sound better than my $3000 vintage amplifier. And the power is more than adequate for my 5 x 6m listening room for those wondering if they will work for other setups apart from nearfield.
 
nck045 said:
Can you describe these benefits? I'm currently using RCA and also trying to decide whether I should go balanced.
Click to expand...
Attenuation of common mode noise is what most people think about, but to me avoiding ground loops is a more significant benefit. If your system doesn't have noise/hum issues with the unbalanced RCA connection, I would not bother changing.
 
nck045 said:
Can you describe these benefits? I'm currently using RCA and also trying to decide whether I should go balanced.
Click to expand...
Also can usually deliver a higher input voltage which can supply more pre amp power. Sometimes.
 
Mort said:
Also can usually deliver a higher input voltage which can supply more pre amp power. Sometimes.
Click to expand...
In this specific case (unbalanced output driving balanced/differential input) there probably isn't any voltage/gain difference.
 
My PA5 II arrived a few days ago. It cost €169 from Audiophonics. At @staticV3's suggestion I compared CD player and phono stage levels via the SE input, and found CD louder than phono (comfortable at 11 o'clock versus comfortable at 1 o'clock), so the CD will be connected to the BAL input when the RCA to TRS cable I ordered arrives.
So far I'm extremely impressed by the sound I'm getting using this amplifier. The background is completely silent at full volume with CD input, and only the hiss from the phono stage is audible when connected and turned up loud.
My speakers are floorstanding designs of 8ohms and 87dB sensitivity and are working well with the PA5 II, easily filling my room of about 30 square metres.
It gets only a little warm to the touch in use, I guess a couple of degrees over 37C.
Listening to Aphex Twin 'Come to Daddy (Little Lord Faulteroy Mix)' on vinyl I am struck by how clearly the rapid and brief sounds and beats that make up this track are reproduced. The Topping amp replaces a vintage Class A/B design which cost $2K new in 1992. When this amp blew a channel a few years ago the manufacturer repaired it at a cost of more than three times the price of the PA5 II. Plus I got a hernia moving it out of the rack to send it off. And it didn't play the Aphex Twin track as fast and well as the PA5 II. When the same channel blew again recently I decided to cut my losses and replace it. So for me, no regrets, and credit to Topping for producing such a good sounding and practical device, perfect for what I need in a minimalist two source system.
 
Last edited:
djsolidsnake86 said:
The plus has more distortion?
Click to expand...
Check the Topping link for specs and measurements. The amps are identical apart from more power in the Plus (and I think it comes with a beefier power supply to support that)
 
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