Topping PA5 Review (Amplifier)

[KSTR]

Amp has been opened, heatsink removed, chip identified. It's all in this thread ;-)

Update: Chip identification went wrong, it's not what the marking on the chip seemed to indicate. The main marking has been sanded off and another marking that happened to be similar (but not exactly matching) to the TAS5613 main marking was used as a wrong clue.

 

[misterdog]

Looks like, I think and I assume science.

 

[mocenigo]

That @JohnYang1997 has said it is capable of delivering 300W. I think for a couple of minutes or so (but I'm sure he can correct me if I've got that wrong). At least more than enough for delivering peaks and crescendos in music.

Well, then something does not compute.

 

[mocenigo]

According to JohnYang1997, practical (short term?) Is about 8A.
The AC adapter official specification 4A may be a continuous output guarantee value including strict conditions such as industrial use. Especially the temperature.
Of course, I think it is better to avoid continuous output for several hours at 4A or higher.
Perhaps the temperature of the amplifier will be the first limit.

Topping PA5 measurements )

@JohnYang1997 Is it OK for a customer to use a different power supply? Is there a performance gain (dynamic power at 6ohms or 4 ohms) using something like this? https://www.amazon.com/NES-350-36-Switching-Power-Supply-110-240/dp/B01AWQ0Y52 No. And no.

www.audiosciencereview.com

Then it can deliver those peaks. But this also means that the continuous output in two channels is half of the claimed values. Still ok of course, as I said I believe this is all-in-all a jewel, but we should not compare it to a Purifi 1ET400A or a Benchmark AHB2, less of all claim it "beats" the Purifi at anything.

 

[UAN]

There is too much mystery in this P05.

 

[ogonex]

There are no secrets. TPA 325x implantation

 

[Hiten]

I find it hard to pick between a PA5 and Hypex NC252NP amp. It's not much more $ to get a Buckeye or Audiophonics... and there's way more power. SINAD, close enough. Also the new IcePower 200AS2 board looks interesting.

Hypex I think has DC protection and Current limiting. Important if speakers are expensive. An old school way of doing things. I guess we will soon get info about PA5 in this matter.
Regards.

 

[UAN]

There are no secrets. TPA 325x implantation

Why hide it?

 

[mocenigo]

There are no secrets. TPA 325x implantation

X = 1 or 5 ?

 

[ogonex]

Why hide it?

marketing

 

[ogonex]

X = 1 or 5 ?

yes because these IC's fit leg to leg

 

[mocenigo]

There are no secrets. TPA 325x implantation

I also read TI TAS5613A...

 

[Toku]

Why hide it?

The new PA5 is packed with topping research results.
This is to prevent it from being easily copied. Such measures are natural for a company.

 

[ogonex]

I also read TI TAS5613A...

you read it wrong. jlester clearly wrote that the power and output did not match the TAS5613A

"On the picture of the chip used, you can clearly see the pinout of xVDD supplies, the IO and ground pins as well as other components. The circuit is pin by pin compatible with TPA325X.

If you replace it with TAS5613 it will go into flames since PVDD supply and speaker out pins are different.

You need to find another chip that is pin by pin compatible with TPA325X because the board pinout and PCB trace is for TPA325X."
Jlester

Topping PA5 (TPA325X) : Is a modification worth it? ?

Well, someone started this thinking they could mod it to improve it. Its just that I suppose. I'm good with Nc400 monos thank you. // I agree with you ... and also why modify an amp if from the start there does not seem to have good reasons to do so. This thread is useless after all ... lol

www.diyaudio.com

 

[UAN]

marketing

That is, the curious should buy and disassemble it?

 

[Rottmannash]

Will I hear that noise? Not sure? Will the NC252MP give me more dynamics, bass slam... ? likely will. Could filter the lows out of the PA5, then the Pa5 likely wins in performance. splitting hair I know. When the volume is cranked, which one is going to be silent in between tracks. Has that been figured out and confirmed subjectively too?

I have a Buckeye 252MP and I can tell you it is dead silent. There is zero hiss or noise at full volume through F208's.

 

[ogonex]

That is, the curious should buy and disassemble it?

it has already been done and there are photos

 

[tonycollinet]

Then it can deliver those peaks. But this also means that the continuous output in two channels is half of the claimed values. Still ok of course, as I said I believe this is all-in-all a jewel, but we should not compare it to a Purifi 1ET400A or a Benchmark AHB2, less of all claim it "beats" the Purifi at anything.

There is no point in an amp being able to deliver it's full rated power continuously. There is no way of doing that with music unless you accept horrendous distortion.

Which means you will be paying for significantly more cooling than you need.

 

[UAN]

The new PA5 is packed with topping research results.
This is to prevent it from being easily copied. Such measures are natural for a company.

The secret of the chip is already known ... In our time of information technology, it is stupid to make a secret out of it.

 

[pma]

Which means you will be paying for significantly more cooling than you need.

... and it also means you get more years or decades of reliable function. Depends what you are seeking for. If it is a toy which you need to change every 6 months to be "in" on the social network, then these small undersized boxes are the way to go.