Topping PA5 Review (Amplifier)

[Tangband]

Hats off

This will be the gamechanger we all been waiting for, and for other manufacturer to copy.

 

[kchap]

Looks impressive especially if you add the L50 but, for me it's the D10B. The D10B has hardware volume control.

 

[Tsetse]

There are plenty of RCA to TRS cables. Try amazon. Many are under $20 usd.
You will not have a balanced line but no worries at

There are plenty of RCA to TRS cables. Try amazon. Many are under $20 usd.
You will not have a balanced line but no worries at all.

Will this work?

 

[YSC]

seems like good for small desktop speakers, but the power would likely be too low for other low sensitivity passives?

 

[sweetchaos]

Topping PA5 manual available here:
https://www.tpdz.net/newsinfo/575024.html

Here's the screenshots:

Spoiler

 

[F1308]

Topping, please, now that you have landed second place on the amplifier chart, kindly help the poor and lower the user spending price on the system by avoiding any interconnects, removing part of the case as well as one power brick by means of selling DAC/AMP in a single box. Thank you.
Topping Twin could be a good name...
I offer you my Copyleft.
TT30...TT50...TT70...TT90....

 

[restorer-john]

@amirm Great review.

The channel balance on the 5W test is remarkable for an analog pot. Clearly Topping selected a particularly good pot or they just got lucky...

So at that point, you were injecting 500mV into the unit. Did you try any other volume pot positions for testing channel balance like you do with headphone amps? It may be a good addition to "integrated" amps going forward.

 

[Walter]

seems like good for small desktop speakers, but the power would likely be too low for other low sensitivity passives?

Average sensitivity (84-87 Db 1w@1m) speakers at 8' or so, probably fine. 15' at concert levels, probably not, unless they are high passed and a powered sub is used. Somewhere there is a calculator for this but I don't have the link.

 

[martijn86]

Hold me... I... This is such a kick in the belly of the entire industry! I mean Benchmark, Purifi, Hypex... They're all brilliant. But at 350 and the size of a DAC this is just next level! Two of these for bi-amping? Sure. One plus an L50 for your TV? No problem. Upgrade your AVR's amplifier section? Yes please. Next audio show, bring binoculars to find the equipment.

 

[renaudrenaud]

This is the end of this industry.

 

[Holmz]

I should probably sell my Prima Luna about now.

 

[Tangband]

@amirm Great review.

The channel balance on the 5W test is remarkable for an analog pot. Clearly Topping selected a particularly good pot or they just got lucky...

So at that point, you were injecting 500mV into the unit. Did you try any other volume pot positions for testing channel balance like you do with headphone amps? It may be a good addition to "integrated" amps going forward.

Maybe they used an analog chip for that , and the pot is just a regulator ?

 

[F1308]

This is the end of this industry.

I remember you very well when you said the very same as the first Ford T was announced....

 

[Tangband]

This is the end of this industry.

Or a new beginning …

 

[restorer-john]

OK so please let me do it myself

from the THD+N vs. level at different frequencies
View attachment 168548

this is the derived THD+N vs. frequency at 20W/4ohm
View attachment 168549

It is definitely not bad but not in line with low noise and 1kHz distortion results. It indicates to worsening of linearity with frequency. I do not agree that distortion rise with frequency is to be "normal".

Your graph is optimistic- it will be worse in reality. The 10kHz and 15kHz AP plots are limited in harmonics due to the 45kHz measurement bandwidth. But it appears pretty decent for a Class D doesn't it?

 

[F1308]

Clearly Topping selected a particularly good pot or they just got lucky...

We have been told it is the final result of hard work.

 

[restorer-john]

@JohnYang1997 Well done. I also think the red and blue units look fabulous too.

 

[Trokox]

I do not want to exaggerate but this is a great day for the entire audiophile community, we already knew that it would measure well but we waited for Amir's review to make it official, getting this performance for a $ 350 amplifier is really impressive, Topping has taken their amplifiers to the same level of your dac and that's saying a lot. Congratulations Topping

 

[pma]

@amirm Great review.

The channel balance on the 5W test is remarkable for an analog pot. Clearly Topping selected a particularly good pot or they just got lucky...

So at that point, you were injecting 500mV into the unit. Did you try any other volume pot positions for testing channel balance like you do with headphone amps? It may be a good addition to "integrated" amps going forward.

Like 4V input because there is a balanced TRS in, right? And 4V is now a standard at DAC without volume control output.

 

[daftcombo]

Exceptionnal.
Thank a lot Amir.

Was there any audible hiss in the speaker? It is a common issue with those products. eg. Aiyima A07 produces hiss but SMSL AD18 not.