Topping PA5 Review (Amplifier)

[mocenigo]

Hum yes but hiss? How?

Not sure, but it happened to me. Something in the EM spectrum, I guess, that would change if I oriented the amp in a different way. Mind you, as I mentioned already a few times, living almost atop a little power plant (not a transformator - a little hydroelectric plant) exposed me to weird behaviours.

 

[ClassicGuy]

Mines arrived, the front end is a RPi with HifiBerry digi+ pro hat running Volumio, coax to Topping DX3 pro+, single ended to the PA5. Drives the B&W 800 (93 dB, 2.83v/1m) with no problems even with the few dB lost by the single ended arrangement. Bass extension impressive .

All terminals secure, no problems. I think I get the prize for smallest amplifier with the biggest speakers (so far) haha. Sounds really good to my old worn out sound engineer ears. Very pleased so far. 150w power supply reassuringly heavy.

This is the best set up I have experienced with these speakers.

Tomorrow I will see what happens when it's driven really hard

View attachment 174110

Did you realize your speakers flipped out when you connected the PA5?

 

[Paco De Lucia]

Update: the combination of the dx3 pro+ and PA5 is awesome. I think the end of the road for me for a few years

 

[mario_rouge]

Here with the DBR62 and SMSL SU9 the sound is great but the volume is low

 

[Frank Sol]

Update: the combination of the dx3 pro+ and PA5 is awesome. I think the end of the road for me for a few years weeks

Fixed ^ it

 

[Paco De Lucia]

Fixed ^ it

Hahaha

 

[Triliza]

Here with the DBR62 and SMSL SU9 the sound is great but the volume is low

Can you make some measurements how loud it can play, using any free app on your phone, just to get an idea what pa5 can do?

 

[mario_rouge]

Dbr62 measured with Decibel X app 2m from speakers.
Su9 vol. 99. Max 97 db avg 85
Su9 vol. 75 max dB 87 avg 78
Su9 vol. 50 max dB 78,7 avg 73

Song Teardrop. Massive Attack.

During movies volume on Su9 is 90. Do you think is safe? Distortion at this volume?
Sorry I'm very noob here!

 

[cyruz]

Here with the DBR62 and SMSL SU9 the sound is great but the volume is low

Your listening room must be quite big otherwise you either listen to ear damaging levels or have some attenuation/hardware issues in your chain...

 

[mario_rouge]

Your listening room must be quite big otherwise you either listen to ear damaging levels or have some attenuation/hardware issues in your chain...

It was just for testing.

 

[Triliza]

Measure with decibel X app 2m from speakers.
Su9 vol. 99. Max 97 db avg 85
Su9 vol. 75 max dB 87 avg 78
Su9 vol. 50 max dB 78,7 avg 73

In the review Amir said that DBR62 are power hungry, for me 85db would be ok, still would be nice to have more power just in case.

 

[mario_rouge]

but to my ears the sound is incredible good.

 

[Klint]

but to my ears the sound is incredible good.

I think you should be somewhere at what the topping can deliver. Full volume on it?

 

[vkvedam]

Update: the combination of the dx3 pro+ and PA5 is awesome. I think the end of the road for me for a few years

Using PA5 as poweramp and DX3 Pro+ as a preamp?

 

[mario_rouge]

I think you should be somewhere at what the topping can deliver. Full volume on it?

Sorry, yes full volume on it!

 

[vkvedam]

Is it easy to integrate PA5 into my home cinema setup as well? I would be using it in isolation with a DAC for music but for cinema I will use the input from my receiver. Has anyone done this here?

 

[bsas]

Is it easy to integrate PA5 into my home cinema setup as well? I would be using it in isolation with a DAC for music but for cinema I will use the input from my receiver. Has anyone done this here?

I did and I use this:
2-Way Amp Amplifier Receiver to 1 One Pair of Speakers Selector Switch Switcher Splitter Combiner https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0796KGVX...abc_0W2T2HER2XV0SEYKXHNJ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[misterdog]

Speakers Selector Switch Switcher Splitter

Tongue twister of the day award

Though if I was in the market for a Speakers Selector Switch Switcher Splitter to be known from now on as a SSSSS
I would be after one of these bad boys.

Everyone loves a big Meter.

 

[bsas]

Tongue twister of the day award

You forgot the "Combiner" in the end

 

[misterdog]

Ruined it for me, I've added an edit since