Topping PA7 Plus Amplifier Review

[mike70]

I think that in the vast majority of cases the word "burn-in" is another name for the word "habituation".

... and a safety clause of the manufacturer to have higher "acceptance" against first impression.
usually a gain difference can set the new component as "bad", and with the "burn in" (time to listen without critical judgement and prepare the brain for that) then you "see the truth" (the truth generally is that it sounds the same, but you can run your mind tricks to judge as better).

burn-in in electronics is a very smart scientific marketing strategy. awesome.

 

[Ahmonge]

burn-in in electronics is a very smart scientific marketing strategy. awesome.

And a clever way of getting rid of showroom equipment at full price, as they are "better than new, because they are already burnt-in"

 

[mike70]

And a clever way of getting rid of showroom equipment at full price, as they are "better than new, because they are already burnt-in"

... another amazing strategy

 

[Ahmonge]

... another amazing strategy

unfortunate, but true. It happened to me in a hi-fi store, many years ago, when this concept was just starting to become popular.

 

[375HP2482]

^ Definitely. It's your brain that is burning in.

 

[ziggurcat]

How does the PA7 compare to the PA5 II? What would I gain/lose if I were to switch to the PA7?

 

[staticV3]

How does the PA7 compare to the PA5 II? What would I gain/lose if I were to switch to the PA7?

The PA7 has 10% (1dB) more hiss, but can play 25% (3dB) louder before distorting.
Everything else is effectively the same.

 

[ziggurcat]

The PA7 has 10% (1dB) more hiss, but can play 25% (3dB) louder before distorting.
Everything else is effectively the same.

So if we're talking about levels that are already inaudible, I'm going to go out on a limb, and say that that's a negligible amount of hiss added? Extra headroom is always worth it to me.

 

[Bleib]

So if we're talking about levels that are already inaudible, I'm going to go out on a limb, and say that that's a negligible amount of hiss added? Extra headroom is always worth it to me.

Yes, a difference that should be impossible to hear

 

[Roland68]

So if we're talking about levels that are already inaudible, I'm going to go out on a limb, and say that that's a negligible amount of hiss added? Extra headroom is always worth it to me.

However, headroom you never use is just wasted money.
Just to note, the A7se from 3E Audio would deliver the same performance, albeit with only one TPA3255, for a significantly lower price; the A7 would even have slightly more power.

 

[ziggurcat]

However, headroom you never use is just wasted money.
Just to note, the A7se from 3E Audio would deliver the same performance, albeit with only one TPA3255, for a significantly lower price; the A7 would even have slightly more power.

I am of the opinion that you can never have too much headroom, so I don't see it as wasted money.

I actually tried to look for the 3e Audio amps, but that brand doesn't appear to be available from any of the online retailers I have access to in Canada (not even on Amazon). I would probably lean towards the A5, if I could just find a place that has it...

 

[EJ3]

I am of the opinion that you can never have too much headroom, so I don't see it as wasted money.

Absolutely!
I am afraid that I have never met anyone that thought that they wasted money by having more headroom.
On the other hand, I have never met anyone that, never, at some point, used the extra headroom.

 

[ziggurcat]

However, headroom you never use is just wasted money.
Just to note, the A7se from 3E Audio would deliver the same performance, albeit with only one TPA3255, for a significantly lower price; the A7 would even have slightly more power.

So I did end up ordering the 3e A7 (just about an hour ago) - I think I was not sure about the legitimacy of the AliExpress links I found when I initially searched. Now that the 3e Audio site doesn't come back with that 509 error, clicking on the "buy it now" sent me to the same AliExpress link, which told me that what I originally found was legit.

Even though the non-SE is more expensive, it was still around $250 less than the Topping. Whether I would have been able to tell the difference between the SE and non-SE, I don't know, but this way I eliminate any "what ifs" in my idiot brain.

 

[GrahamHill963]

Is there any difference to expect in dynamic characteristics and sound quality between a PA7 and PA7+ when listening at 85-90 dB (speakers dbr62's)?

 

[staticV3]

Is there any difference to expect in dynamic characteristics and sound quality between a PA7 and PA7+ when listening at 85-90 dB (speakers dbr62's)?

No.

 

[Vladetz]

Is there any difference to expect in dynamic characteristics and sound quality between a PA7 and PA7+ when listening at 85-90 dB (speakers dbr62's)?

Absolutely no. Only few db more headroom on PA7+

 

[staticV3]

Absolutely no. Only few db more headroom on PA7+

Not even.

The PA7 Plus can play 10*log10(245/200)=0.88dB louder at 4Ω and 10*log10(135/125)=0.33dB louder at 8Ω.

 

[Vladetz]

Not even.

The PA7 Plus can play 10*log10(245/200)=0.88dB louder at 4Ω and 10*log10(135/125)=0.33dB louder at 8Ω.

View attachment 454973

Oh, the choice is even easier then)
Also I'll mention again - PA7 and PA7+ have identical board and components inside, only power supply is different

 

[robbiekhan]

Not the Plus but I have the PA7 and suspect the same quirk exists o the Plus too.

Found an odd quirk with the PA7 this evening, I thought initially it was my XLR cable as it was only with the left channel. There is a very very very faint high frequency noise coming from the left speaker when nothing is playing. I only noticed when I was wiping the speaker cabinet earlier so my head was right up against the front, it's the kind of sound you might hear from a wall wart power adapter sometimes, only audible up really close like right next to it.

Toggled the switch from XLR input to SE (no Se cable connected) and it went away, switched back to XLR it came back

After further testing just now turning off some other devices in the room (projector etc) so the entire room is deathly silent it seems the sound is completely gone if I enable non-bypass mode at the back. It's only there in bypass mode and It is completely gone in non-bypass mode at any volume setting on the dial.

Thankfully setting the dial to max and flicking the bypass switch on and off with audio playing shows there is zero difference in loudness, so I am happy to just leave the switch on normal mode and replicate bypass mode by just maxing the dial since I use my DAC to master volume control.

Yeah the noise is so faint I would not hear it sat at the desk, but now that I know it's there it would bother me otherwise.

Weird.

Triangle Comete 40th speakers by the way, zero hiss at any volume level when nothing is playing coming from the Luxsin X9 DAC.

 

[davmol]

I can pick one of these up for £250 ish and was considering it to replace my Fosi V3 Monos, purely for aesthetics with my WiiM Ultra in silver, which are driving a pair of Wharfedale Linton 85th, which are 6ohm nominal and can drop down to 3 ohm.

The amps seem to have very similar specs from a power and SINAD perspective but the only thing I wanted to check was the distortion at higher frequencies, which on the PA7 Plus review seems to kick in quite early at 5khz, vs 15khz on the V3 Monos. At may age I wouldn't hear 15khz anyway but would I hear the distortion at 5khz? Given that both amps are rated as excellent, I am assuming that any distortion mentioned / shown in the charts must inaudible in either case and is nothing to worry about, but thought I would double check.


Edit: I just noticed the colours used in the charts are not the same, so I think the 5khz results are similar anyway. I added the B200 chart as another example on this topic i.e. would the distortion shown on the PA7 Plus and V3 Monos at higher frequencies make an audible difference at higher volumes, vs the B200 (as the new example).

PA7 Plus:

V3 Mono:

B200 response - basically perfect: