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Topping PA5 Review (Amplifier)

Toku

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TAS5613A DKD PACKAGE?
I think TAS5613 is different.
The pin arrangement does not match the chip in the photo. Also, the 38V power supply voltage is the upper limit of the standard and does not match. Out Put noise is also extremely high.
 

xrk971

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What part of it would you see as worthwhile to license?!
Its almost 1:1 the Reference implementation from Ti.
If you want to fined the Secret souse just buy a Amplifier and reverse engineer it.
But you wont fine anything unusuall
It’s not quite 1:1 TI implementation. There appears to be use of a composite amp topology here since feedback goes to the D-01 opamp block and not the input in front of the IC. There is new IP here and that’s why it is encased in black epoxy to slow down reverse engineering.

Edit: it may be a standard TI PFFB implementation as that calls for feedback node to be before the 10uF coupling caps.
 
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Zmix

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Wonderful, but a bit surprised at the frequency dependent distortion rise. Even the B&O AS125 in the Yammie WXA-50 shows better behaviour. Still, at worst -60dBc so inaudible. Hell, the multi-tone looks like a DAC.
Where did you see -60dB distortion? The multitone indicates less than -110 at 10kHz:

index.php
 

Lambda

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The main things To Make this chip Perform good are.
Over sized linear output inductors.
Lowe impedance power supply for the chip. they may uses 4 or 6 layer for this.

This drives Cost up and Most customers don’t measure there amps but listen to them
The Average Joe can't here the difference so there is not mush intend for manufactures t optimize the amp an increases price.


There appears to be use of a composite amp topology here since feedback goes to the D-01 opamp block and not the input in front of the IC
I have not seen this. can you point out where you see this?
 

pma

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The pot may, or not be genuine Alps. Let's get a closeup and see.

From the photos posted, I would say it is NOT a genuine Alps. I heave neither seen nor googled the same genuine Alps. And my printed Alps catalogue does not know it as well.
 

Billy Budapest

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I think we should wait to see the price of the next Allo TPA3255. I shared the first picture + measures in another thread.... This new amp has some innovative spec too : air core inductors / ultra low noise psu / new op amps / PFFB etc
The amp will come with XLR and RCA inputs and probably in a full alu case. I expect to see it @ less than $ 400.

I am pretty sure that Allo s team is reading us and is aware about the perf. of the PA5 )

Wait and see ))) good match to come
Could you post a link to that Allo thread? I cannot find it.

Allo has demonstrated significant engineering chops in the past so I eagerly await their new amp.
 

xrk971

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The main things To Make this chip Perform good are.
Over sized linear output inductors.
Lowe impedance power supply for the chip. they may uses 4 or 6 layer for this.

This drives Cost up and Most customers don’t measure there amps but listen to them
The Average Joe can't here the difference so there is not mush intend for manufactures t optimize the amp an increases price.



I have not seen this. can you point out where you see this?
In post #1078 I was looking at where the feedback appears to go back to the pins on the D-01 opamp block and assumed that it was going into the opamp as a composite feedback system. But that is just speculation. It may very well be a standard PFFB implementation as I reviewed the TI PFFB white paper. The schematic indeed shows the feedback point as before DC decoupling caps. Here is the schematic for PFFB topology from the TI paper.

3B45EA48-D931-4CBD-B09A-DCDA61816347.jpeg
 

Xenio

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Hello,

I gave difficulties knowing how much power is enough power so I was wondering if it was enough for normal use case.

I mean it seems to be the ONLY downside of this amplifier, the potential lack of power. But I'm pretty sure it will not be a problem in 90% of the use cases ...?
 

Lambda

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I gave difficulties knowing how much power is enough power so I was wondering if it was enough for normal use case.
Well how much power are you using right now? is it enough or do you need more?

It depends how low you want that speakers to play and if you have an sub woofer.
 

Xenio

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I'm part of a community that isn't centered on audio and even though i don't know a lot I'm still the one (well, one of the few) that can help them the best

So I need and want things to recommend to people. Thus I need to know what are the limitations of the products I'm showing to them.
I can see that nobody in the world needs better fidelity than this but maybe people may need more power
(Or need something fully integrated with dsp, streaming capabilities etc like minidsp shd power but that's a whole other product)


As for me, i have a home theater amplifier for my main speakers so I can't really use this. And I'll probably take this amp for my bedroom coupled with a rpi zero that will do the streaming part and dsp + a good dac
 

daniboun

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Could you post a link to that Allo thread? I cannot find it.

Allo has demonstrated significant engineering chops in the past so I eagerly await their new amp.

Hi
This is the picture of the proto amplifier from outside only.


here the given measurements

THD+N 5W , 1Khz 0,00014
THD+N 100W 20-20Khz 0,0097
THD+N 10W 20-20Khz 0,0091
 

Klint

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I agree. It must be a very early sample/prototype as the placement and soldering in general is very poor, letalone the cleanup (or compete lack thereof).

I look at the photgraphs of the interior and think, well, they used the base grade Nichicon 'audio' caps, just FW, not UFW or UFG. Sure they all get a nice 'gold and black' jacket, but give me UFGs anytime. They cost more, but are way better for coupling AF. I know, I use them.

And, the vent crimp is not typical for Nichicon, especially for those values. The Chinese copiers haven't worked out Nichicon's vent crimps yet. :facepalm:

The pot may, or not be genuine Alps. Let's get a closeup and see.

Basically, everything coming out of China is suspect at the present. Let's not kid ourselves. All componentry could be 100% real or 100% fake. The huge amount of fake capacitors is unbelievable. I see them all the time.

And that 'Rubycon' main filter capacitor- there's so much wrong about that, I cannot even go there.
So how will i know that i get what Amir has tested. Now the fun became not so.
 

daniboun

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So how will i know that i get what Amir has tested. Now the fun became not so.

We will know soon ) As soon as I get mine I will open the enclosure to compare.
 

Mark

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Hi,
I’m considering to pair the Topping PA5 with Kef LS50 meta speakers (85 DB sensitivity according to the specs). I listened to the speakers and really liked them. They were also well reviewed by Amir. Do you think this would be a good match? Or does the Topping PA5 lack power?
The plan is to use it in my kitchen as a secondary system. I’ll be listening at max 4,5 meters distance from the speakers; usually not very loud.
I’m not really an expert, so your advice is very welcome.
 

dougi

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Where did you see -60dB distortion? The multitone indicates less than -110 at 10kHz:
In the distortion vs frequency plot, not the multitone one.
1638654032771.png
 

NTK

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Hi,
I’m considering to pair the Topping PA5 with Kef LS50 meta speakers (85 DB sensitivity according to the specs). I listened to the speakers and really liked them. They were also well reviewed by Amir. Do you think this would be a good match? Or does the Topping PA5 lack power?
The plan is to use it in my kitchen as a secondary system. I’ll be listening at max 4,5 meters distance from the speakers; usually not very loud.
I’m not really an expert, so your advice is very welcome.
The Topping PA5 will be fine. According to Amir's LS50 Meta review (see link below), its distortion level at 96 dB SPL is already quite high. That's 31 W (at the 4 ohm nominal impedance) input. Therefore the PA5 has sufficient power to drive the LS50 Meta to its maximum usable SPL.

 
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