Topping PA5 Review (Amplifier)

[xaon60]

There is a threshold on the PA5 where when the volume approaches 45%, the magnitude and sound presence on very good quality files (Qobuz + D90se 5V) is breathtaking. I can't explain this feeling. On a James Horner song from the Titanic Suite soundtrack, I and my friend immediately got tears because it's so true to reality. Incredible. This rise of hearts in the background and this explosion of the big cymbal, I exploded into tears, magnificent.

 

[pkane]

There is a threshold on the PA5 where when the volume approaches 45%, the magnitude and sound presence on very good quality files (Qobuz + D90se 5V) is breathtaking. I can't explain this feeling. On a James Horner song from the Titanic Suite soundtrack, I and my friend immediately got tears because it's so true to reality. Incredible. This rise of hearts in the background and this explosion of the big cymbal, I exploded into tears, magnificent.

Can we measure tears? Maybe in milliliters or some such? Then we can objectively compare PA5 to other amps. For example: on the ‘Titanic’ track I scored 2ml with A07 and 5ml with PA5. That would be so much better than SINAD ranking, wouldn’t it be?

 

[pma]

At least similar validity .

 

[antcollinet]

At least similar validity .

Touché

 

[Laserjock]

Can we measure tears? Maybe in milliliters or some such? Then we can objectively compare PA5 to other amps. For example: on the ‘Titanic’ track I scored 2ml with A07 and 5ml with PA5. That would be so much better than SINAD ranking, wouldn’t it be?

Yeah, but how much salinity is in those tears? The full 0.9% or something less?…

 

[ModDIY]

They said the same thing with the release of the Quad 303, it was also very emotional.

 

[Eldus]

There is a threshold on the PA5 where when the volume approaches 45%, the magnitude and sound presence on very good quality files (Qobuz + D90se 5V) is breathtaking. I can't explain this feeling. On a James Horner song from the Titanic Suite soundtrack, I and my friend immediately got tears because it's so true to reality. Incredible. This rise of hearts in the background and this explosion of the big cymbal, I exploded into tears, magnificent.

This does show that it did its job. Many audiophiles claim that amps that measure like the PA5 are not "emotional" and are "clinical" "cold" etc.

 

[ND1]

Hello. I have Heco Aurora 700 speakers with specs:

Sensivity (2.8V/1M) - 92 dB
Impedance - 4-8 Ohms
RMS/Max - 200/300 Watts

Can they be used with PA5/E50 stack? Or I can get some distortion, or even broke these speakers?

 

[Lambda]

Can they be used with PA5/E50 stack? Or I can get some distortion, or even broke these speakers?

Yes to all of it.
The PA5 can be used with this speakers.
The PA5 can distort with the e50 and this speakers if you turn it up to loud.
The PA5 can brake the speakers if you overpower them.

 

[ND1]

Yes to all of it.
The PA5 can be used with this speakers.
The PA5 can distort with the e50 and this speakers if you turn it up to loud.
The PA5 can brake the speakers if you overpower them.

Thanks! But if I turn the volume control on PA5 only to 12 clock, what volume I need to set on E50 and my PC (source) to avoid possible damage? Trying to understand all of that

 

[Bleib]

Thanks! But if I turn the volume control on PA5 only to 12 clock, what volume I need to set on E50 and my PC (source) to avoid possible damage? Trying to understand all of that

I think it's doubtful that you need to raise the volume up that high. Your speakers are sensitive and do not require many watts to play loudly. Likely it will get uncomfortably loud for you as a listener before things start to possibly distort.

 

[ND1]

I think it's doubtful that you need to raise the volume up that high. Your speakers are sensitive and do not require many watts to play loudly. Likely it will get uncomfortably loud for you as a listener before things start to possibly distort.

Got it. So, in terms of sound quality, for example, if comparing PA5/E50 to Yamaha A-S801 or any similar price range integrated amp, do I need to get that receiver, or I can save some money and buy Topping?

 

[Bleib]

Got it. So, in terms of sound quality, for example, if comparing PA5/E50 to Yamaha A-S801 or any similar price range integrated amp, do I need to get that receiver, or I can save some money and buy Topping?

I don't know. I have an 7.1 receiver myself and currently waiting for PA5 to arrive. Obviously the downside with the topping is the lack of a remote and possibly other features so it might be that I'll prefer the Denon I'm already using. Situation might be the same for you (I might also just use the PA5 for desktop).

In your case the Yamaha plus e50 might sound better too. I guess you just have to try.

The main sound errors will in either case come from the loudspeakers as its SINAD number is quite a bit lower than the electronics. And obviously a lot of recordings aren't even really that great either.

In my own case I'm too experienced to expect miracles.

 

[peng]

Got it. So, in terms of sound quality, for example, if comparing PA5/E50 to Yamaha A-S801 or any similar price range integrated amp, do I need to get that receiver, or I can save some money and buy Topping?

For sound quality only you can certainly save money buying the Topping unless you need that extra 3 dB of power the A-S801 offers. That's base on specs and measurements obviously. If one believes subjective measurements matter more, then all bets are off.

 

[Lambda]

But if I turn the volume control on PA5 only to 12 clock, what volume I need to set on E50 and my PC (source) to avoid possible damage? Trying to understand all of that

Don't know. If you play a 19khz sine signal you surly can damage your tweetrs even at low power.
Same if you play a very low frequency signal.

If the amplifier has enough power to drive the speaker it has usually enough power to damage it if used wrong.

But this is like asking whats the biggest motor to fit into a Car that makes it save to drive.

At "50%" "volume" on the Amp. 100% on the e50/pc shuld be abut 100% output power.

 

[ND1]

Don't know. If you play a 19khz sine signal you surly can damage your tweetrs even at low power.
Same if you play a very low frequency signal.

If the amplifier has enough power to drive the speaker it has usually enough power to damage it if used wrong.

But this is like asking whats the biggest motor to fit into a Car that makes it save to drive.

At "50%" "volume" on the Amp. 100% on the e50/pc shuld be abut 100% output power.

Maybe it's ok, because Heco has 200w nominal power and 300w max. power...

 

[Lambda]

Maybe it's ok, because Heco has 200w nominal power and 300w max. power...

Sure its going be "ok"
If it is loud enough for for you. This depends on listening distance, room and of cause preference.

Putting a 100Hp motor in a Car that is also available with 300hp don’t mean its save or possible/save to drive the 100hp version at full throttle.
But if "drive" carefully it will be fine. You need to be some what careful and listen to your speaker... if it starts to sound bad, compress or distort your driving it way to hard.

HiFi Speaker power ratings are usually a marketing driven "estimation" at best anyways.

 

[peng]

Thanks! But if I turn the volume control on PA5 only to 12 clock, what volume I need to set on E50 and my PC (source) to avoid possible damage? Trying to understand all of that

Unless they tell you something in the manual, you have no way of knowing. You can take some measurements to get some idea. According to the specs, gain is 19.1 dB, based on that you probably need to set the volume (really a gain control knob I would think..) closer to maximum. It also depends on your spl requirements and that can be estimated/calculated since you have the specs of the loudspeakers. The nominal impedance is supposed to be 4-8 ohms, I would use 4 ohms for your spl calculations.

 

[Lambda]

this is not a problem at all since max power was achieved at 2.5 volt

The E50 DAC outputs over 4.2V.

So "ideal" would be to set die Amplifier to about -5dB or less.

But if I turn the volume control on PA5 only to 12 clock,

I can’t tell you what volume control position would result to -5dB but.
but if you turn the amp up all the way there will be clipping.

In your music player software you can usually see volume in dB.
So you can get a feel for how much of different in volume 5dB is. Then turn the player volume very low and PA5 volume to the max and try how much you need to dial back on the PA5 volume knob to get the same 5dB reduction.
Then you would know how wide you can crank it up before the amp can clip.

Or don’t worry because in normal listening you will probably never turn it up this loud anyways.

 

[dsnyder0cnn]

Hello. I have Heco Aurora 700 speakers with specs:

Sensivity (2.8V/1M) - 92 dB
Impedance - 4-8 Ohms
RMS/Max - 200/300 Watts

Can they be used with PA5/E50 stack? Or I can get some distortion, or even broke these speakers?

The E50 + PA5 stack will work beautifully with these speakers. You'll be able to drive the speakers up to ~107 dB with clean power, which will be punishingly loud. (http://www.hometheaterengineering.com/splcalculator.html)

Of course, the PA5 is a desktop amp, and these are tower speakers, so it's not the most convenient combination, but with longer speaker cables, I suppose you could place the amp within arm's reach. Or you could remove the amp's volume control from the signal path by turning it all of the way up (sounds scary, but it's not…all power amplifiers work this way) and use the E50 as a digital preamp. (The E50 has a remote control)

The greatest limitation resulting from using the E50 as a digital preamp is that you have no analog inputs. If USB, COAX S/PDIF, and TOSLINK are all the inputs you need, this stack should work very nicely, in spite of the fact that it's is really all about driving passive nearfield monitors in a desktop setup.

Objective performance of the E50 + PA5 stack will be rather dramatically better than the Yamaha A-S801, but it's difficult to say how audible the differences will be in your room with your speakers. The Yamaha has a bunch of analog inputs, including a phono stage. If you don't need any of that, I think you'd be quite happy with the E50 + PA5.

With the money that you save, you could even add the L50 headphone amp to the stack for late night listening when you don't want to expose your household to those 107 dB peaks! continuous playback levels up to 107 dB.