Topping PA5 Review (Amplifier)

[MAB]

Sorry for misunderstanding your first post.

Me too!
Enjoy this amp. So you know, I bought one of the apparently defective amps. It failed after a week of use driving an 8 Ohm speaker, and it went bad while I was sleeping (I had it on at whisper volume, woke up the next morning to rain-like noise coming out of the left speaker.). While I have no idea what the failure mode was, it is exceedingly hard to imagine a thermal issue on an amp that ran ice cold, all while playing at bedtime volume.
So, you should just enjoy! My intuition tells me there is a defect that needed to be addressed, and I was one of the unlucky early PA5 deliveries.
And, again, sorry for my snarky response. I understand why you asked.

 

[iLoveCats]

Do you have the Topping Pre90 preamp? I bought one and can't operate the remote to save my life. Very likely to send it back because of that.

No I don't and I've found several other people that have remote problems so it's off my list.

 

[iLoveCats]

I bought a D90SE to replace the digital inputs and preamp part of my failed NAD M10. Since the Topping Pre90 has all these remote control problems I'm going to skip the preamp and try and use the 2nd balanced input of my PA5 with RCA adapters for my phono preamp. When the Wiim Pro comes out I'll use that to feed streaming sources to the D90SE via coaxial.

 

[AndreaT]

Hi...I am considering buying it now, if the early failures cause has been found and fixed. Too many pages (252!) to browse through, the last post of Mr. John Yang was about power at 1% distortion. Shall I consider buying or should I wait a bit longer?

 

[iLoveCats]

The second input to the PA5 works fine with a phono preamp> RCA>TS adapters and then just use the PA5 volume control.

 

[LumenMedia]

Hi...I am considering buying it now, if the early failures cause has been found and fixed. Too many pages (252!) to browse through, the last post of Mr. John Yang was about power at 1% distortion. Shall I consider buying or should I wait a bit longer?

Bought it month ago. Still working. Sounds excellent for this money. Warm, detailed with excellent transients

 

[JeremyFife]

Hi...I am considering buying it now, if the early failures cause has been found and fixed. Too many pages (252!) to browse through, the last post of Mr. John Yang was about power at 1% distortion. Shall I consider buying or should I wait a bit longer?

There's been no announcement from Topping that the issue is resolved.
Personally, I'd still consider this as a risk - one for you to weight up. If you buy then have a strategy in case it fails (e.g. local seller with good service and returns policy) or be ready to be without an amp for several weeks if you don't have a backup.
It's a great amp when it's working

@TOPPING-Service

 

[vuittion]

I paid £175 for my Topping PA5 from Amazon uk. "It said like new" but it was more like brand new. Im using it with a Topping D10 balanced dac and it sounds simply magical.

 

[JohnnyNG]

Do you have the Topping Pre90 preamp? I bought one and can't operate the remote to save my life. Very likely to send it back because of that.

Yeah, has to be aimed with Webb Telescope precision. My Pre90 is working extremely well with my PA5 but I have my components next to my seat so no remote needed.

 

[bourbonman]

I paid £175 for my Topping PA5 from Amazon uk. "It said like new" but it was more like brand new. Im using it with a Topping D10 balanced dac and it sounds simply magical.

I also bought from the same seller i think yesterday, same price, like new. Unfortunately even though it sounds incredible it has the static issue in the right cahnnel reported by others in this thread so is going back

 

[vuittion]

You get static when music is playing or when nothing is playing.

 

[bourbonman]

You get static when music is playing or when nothing is playing.

When nothing is playing. Its exactly like a video another user posted in here before

 

[Kael]

Right, mine’s going back tomorrow. I had delayed a return after noticing the static sound for months but not minding it. It kinda went away if you put the amp volume to max. Well this evening I came back to it and the left channel has completely failed. So off it goes.
Last time I make the mistake of buying expensive stuff from China. I don’t have a spare balanced amp so I guess I’m using headphones for a while.

I’m tempted to just pick up something like an Audiophonics MPA-S250NC and call it a day. Sell the replacement PA5 when it’s eventually shipped back in a few months.

 

[mike70]

is good to report it in the "failure counting" thread ...

 

[Fontie]

Right, mine’s going back tomorrow. I had delayed a return after noticing the static sound for months but not minding it. It kinda went away if you put the amp volume to max. Well this evening I came back to it and the left channel has completely failed. So off it goes.
Last time I make the mistake of buying expensive stuff from China. I don’t have a spare balanced amp so I guess I’m using headphones for a while.

I’m tempted to just pick up something like an Audiophonics MPA-S250NC and call it a day. Sell the replacement PA5 when it’s eventually shipped back in a few months.

good call

 

[juliangst]

Can anyone confirm if this audiophonics power supply will work with the topping? It’s 48 volt and I haven’t found out yet if the topping can handle higher voltage.

 

[Toku]

The maximum operating voltage of the TPA3251 amplifier chip used in PA5 is 38V.

 

[juliangst]

The maximum operating voltage of the TPA3251 amplifier chip used in PA5 is 38V.

Could this 32V 10A version have any benefits over the stock PSU? I don’t know how many amps the topping can draw but with the other TPA chip amps more current lead to more 4 Ohm power

 

[Toku]

Could this 32V 10A version have any benefits over the stock PSU? I don’t know how many amps the topping can draw but with the other TPA chip amps more current lead to more 4 Ohm power

I recommend using the attached power adapter.

The voltage of the power adapter attached to PA5 is 38V.
This is the highest voltage of the TPA3251 chip used in PA5.
If a 32V power supply is used, the maximum output power will be greatly reduced.
In addition, a special power connector is used for PA5.
To use other power adapters, you need to create a new DC power cable.
However, using a 32V power supply will reduce the output, but there is also the merit that heat generation will be reduced.

 

[okok]

how loud will pa5 drive the hifiman susvara, the actual sensitivity is 79 db/ unknown 1 vrms or not