Topping PA5 measurements )

[daniboun]

A real amplifier:
View attachment 167656


Here are the benefits:
Cheaper
Contains a respectable D/A converter
Similar power in real terms
Inbuilt phono stage
6 inputs
Tone controls, bass, treble and direct switch
Absolutely perfect channel balance through the entire volume range.
Motorized remote control volume, sources and muting/power.
Two individually switchable sets of speakers (A, B, A+B).
Extremely reliable and cool running amplifier topology.
Retains a good resale value.

It measures bad :

Test Amplificateur stéréo intégré Yamaha A-S301 : esprit rétro

Le Yamaha A-S301 complète les caractéristiques de l'ancien A-S300 et s'offre un DAC qui lui ouvre la voie du numérique. Il a donc été conçu dans le but d'offrir de jolies performances tant en analogique qu'en numérique. Voyons, à travers ce test, comment il se comporte en pratique...

www.lesnumeriques.com

 

[abdo123]

The 20kHz AES A-WTD filter is knocking off all the harmonics. It doesn't drop at 6.5k in reality. Not only that, the HF noise kills the wideband THD vs Frq.

Correct me if I’m wrong but why would we care about harmonics above the threshold of hearing?

 

[Sharpi31]

@JohnYang1997 Please can you confirm the input impedance for the PA5? I couldn’t see this in the manual.

 

[JohnYang1997]

@JohnYang1997 Please can you confirm the input impedance for the PA5? I couldn’t see this in the manual.

About 10k

 

[Toku]

It's a pity the PA5 can't work in bridge mode

Why do I need to bridge this PA5?
Depending on the circuit type of the amplifier, there are some that can be bridged and some that cannot.
Not possible with PA5.

 

[pma]

@JohnYang1997 , could you post CCIF IMD 19+20kHz at low power and high power?
It would be nice if we could always see the whole set of measurements and not only the selected ones. The whole set must include frequency response into different loads and CCIF IMD as well. Look at Hypex datasheets for inspiration.

 

[daniboun]

@JohnYang1997 Please can you confirm the input impedance for the PA5? I couldn’t see this in the manual.

just see output impedance... but could help you :

One thing is certain, this is not a power need oriented amp but clearly a desktop only amp.

 

[daniboun]

I asked to Topping about the chips inside the PA5. I was really disappointed about the answer....
They unveil the PA3s chips without any worries and they leave the veil on the PA5 ...
Anyway we'll find out )

 

[Walter]

As @pma states, there are a few more measurements needed, so I will be waiting for Amir's review to make a final judgement. However, at this point this does indeed look like an excellent choice as a desktop amp, or anywhere someone needs a compact power amp with moderate power and balanced inputs (since the lack of a remote means it is effectively only a power amp for most people when used farther than arms-length away.) Whether the improvements in specs result in audibly better performance than a Yamaha A-S301 or similar amps, I can't say and neither can anyone else without proper testing, but for the right use case it is definitely a "real" amp.

It is provisionally going on my personal list for my next office system as the upper-mid-price option, in between the SMSL DA-9 (much cheaper here than AO200) and the Buckeye NC252MP (if I can find a way to get one to my location). I would have liked to see it come in around $50 cheaper, but that was probably impossible with current shipping costs and supply chain constraints. I'm curious what price it will sell for in mainland China.

 

[daniboun]

The PA5 is now avalaible in Aliexpress... and more expensive than Audiophonics )

 

[Toku]

Noise A-Weighting <16uVrms is a very low value, and I don't think you can feel any noise from the speakers anymore.

I asked to Topping about the chips inside the PA5. I was really disappointed about the answer....
They unveil the PA3s chips without any worries and they leave the veil on the PA5 ...
Anyway we'll find out )

I think Topping's answer is natural.
The PA5 is not a commercially available chip amplifier like the PA3s.
There is something that is based on Topping's original technology, so it may not be easy to publish.
You can imagine from the wonderful measurement results.
This is common to many manufacturers. Manufacturers such as Purifi, Hypex NCore, Benchmark, etc. are only pictures of PC boards and details are unknown.

 

[Enkay25]

View attachment 167614View attachment 167615View attachment 167616
Test conditions are labeled at top of each graph. Hope this clears the confusion.

Again giving a pass @JohnYang1997

Waiting calmly for PA9 to pair with D90SE.

 

[daniboun]

Noise A-Weighting <16uVrms is a very low value, and I don't think you can feel any noise from the speakers anymore.

I think Topping's answer is natural.
The PA5 is not a commercially available chip amplifier like the PA3s.
There is something that is based on Topping's original technology, so it may not be easy to publish.
You can imagine from the wonderful measurement results.
This is common to many manufacturers. Manufacturers such as Purifi, Hypex NCore, Benchmark, etc. are only pictures of PC boards and details are unknown.

Probably.... I will wait for the first pictures with the open enclosure ) And also waiting for the ASR review.
I am still skeptical about a "proprietary Topping chip"

 

[galgogergo]

It’s just not worth it at all considering this is a garage amplifier with no heat sinking or anything that would allow you to actually draw this amount of power continuously.

With 400$ you can get a class A/B amplifier from Denon with all the necessary heat-sinking, a DAC, a phono stage, remote control functionality with similar power output.

Class D amplifiers are much more effective than A/B topology ones.
Class D is about 90% of efficiency, while A/B are much less. Thus they produce more heat, so they need heatsinks.
Class D produces much less heat than a Class A, B, A/B etc. But correct me if I'm wrong @JohnYang1997

 

[Zek]

I asked to Topping about the chips inside the PA5. I was really disappointed about the answer....
They unveil the PA3s chips without any worries and they leave the veil on the PA5 ...
Anyway we'll find out )

It is unlikely that the power chip will be seen if it is protected in this way.

 

[Ra1zel]

You can imagine from the wonderful measurement results.

You mean okay measurements below 60W?

only pictures of PC boards and details are unknown

Choose one, once you have pictures you can decipher most things

 

[ModDIY]

Probably.... I will wait for the first pictures with the open enclosure ) And also waiting for the ASR review.
I am still skeptical about a "proprietary Topping chip"

GaN transistor ??

I don't think so because the false gold-colored radiators are missing. ;-)

 

[JPrufrk]

4A supply (from Amazon)? How do you get more than 64W into 4 ohms with this?

 

[ModDIY]

4A supply (from Amazon)? How do you get more than 64W into 4 ohms with this?

"Power input: DC38V/4.0A"

"Output Power:
140W×2@4Ω THD+N<10%
125W×2@4Ω THD+N<1%
85W×2@8Ω THD+N<10%
65W×2@8Ω THD+N<1%
"

It's a joke??

 

[pma]

"Power input: DC38V/4.0A"

"Output Power:
140W×2@4Ω THD+N<10%
125W×2@4Ω THD+N<1%
85W×2@8Ω THD+N<10%
65W×2@8Ω THD+N<1%
"

It's a joke??

"Special" specifications. Due to required "political correctness" I can't be more specific .