From topping's previous amplifier products, the EHA5 normal amplifier section is likely to be a composite amplifier, just like the amplifiers of jds atom and benchmark things. The common practice is to combine a precision opamp1 with a higher idle current opamp2 which has a specified closed-loop gain. opamp2 is placed inside the feedback loop of opamp1, which is the "feed forward technology" claimed by some manufacturers. In fact, it introduces a huge amount of feedback, the distortion test is usually lower than what the manufacturer's specs , but I don't know whether it can drive the transformer to output such low distortion though...never tried before 😟

Edited April 12, 20233 yr by Kung

it is topping a90d amplifier driving  step-up transformers，just get confirmed by manufacturer.

2 hours ago, Kung said:

From topping's previous amplifier products, the EHA5 normal amplifier section is likely to be a composite amplifier, just like the amplifiers of jds atom and benchmark things. The common practice is to combine a precision opamp1 with a higher idle current opamp2 which has a specified closed-loop gain. opamp2 is placed inside the feedback loop of opamp1, which is the "feed forward technology" claimed by some manufacturers. In fact, it introduces a huge amount of feedback, the distortion test is usually lower than what the manufacturer's specs , but I don't know whether it can drive the transformer to output such low distortion though...never tried before 😟

So it is basically what Quad was doing 50 years ago?  😉

Now given it is a step up transformer solution, the light weight of it does worry me as good quality iron has to have a certain weight to it. 

New King?

so birgir bought a a90d without knowing it. nice.

18 hours ago, kevin gilmore said:

they quote .0008% thd

this is why it's basically pointless to advertise specs anymore

8 hours ago, thebrunx said:

New King?

King of the trash maybe, not much more.  Assuming that it is well made (a big ask for Topping), it made to spec (also something I really doubt) and will not burn up headphones... This will be on par with the Stax SRM-1Mk2/3/313/323 amps in terms of performance.  Might be ahead of the 353 or D50 as they are both trash. 

26 minutes ago, justin said:

this is why it's basically pointless to advertise specs anymore

Indeed and also a small issue with the 2000Vppss voltage swing, if you go much above 1200Vppss... there is a major risk of burning up the headphones.  Completely useless stats. 

i have never seen a transformer output amplifier ever generate thd numbers like that. Not a single one regardless of cost.

not even the lundhall silver thing thats $5k each.

can't wait to see what a 10khz square wave looks like.

also likely that its not actually a balanced amplifier even though it has balanced inputs.

i think that kingsound made a chipamp/transformer portable. never heard anyone that liked it.

 

Yup that's the M03... it's not good and there are some others on the Chinese market. 

The old SRD-x Pro was a transformer driven by an amp.  That may be a he best comparison for this amp.

aren't Topping known for being giant killers?

Yeah any headphone giant you plug in is gonna get killed.

13 hours ago, Timb5881 said:

The old SRD-x Pro was a transformer driven by an amp.  That may be a he best comparison for this amp.

Indeed but I hope the power amp has moved on a bit from the early 80's... 

9 hours ago, thebrunx said:

aren't Topping known for being giant killers?

It's mediocre crap from China, I don't see how that would be the case.  It's one of a host of similar products that don't stand out at all. 

11 hours ago, thebrunx said:

aren't Topping known for being giant killers?

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-l30-headphone-amplifier-review.15226/page-150

headphone killers maybe...

Seems like everyone is still placing an order.

GOSH I will sell all my toppings now. 

Hi

I recently got a stax x9000 and am using a placeholder energiser in stax srm727a (modded). I find the bass to be lacking and it to sound shrill. What energisers do you recommend that's around 3k that I can use with the stax until I save up enough for a better buy? Thanks!

Mjölnir KGST

Edited April 13, 20233 yr by mrmarbach

Ray samuels the old friend of stax mafia just released a new amplifier B-21, the electrostatic part claimed 1800Vpp voltage swing with 200mA continuous current output performance just shocked me. . . Reminds me of the horribly weak output performance of the A10 he designed before, this new amp is also questionable...

 

Holy fuck that thing is ugly and yeah... color me skeptical of those numbers.  1800Vpp would point to either +/-450V or +/-500V rails (given the regular losses) so either 900V or 1000V at 200mA.  That's 180-200W, per channel and those heatsinks are not big enough for even a tenth of that. 

I also love that Ray dug out a 20 year old CD player (which I'm shocked still works as I had one of those)... 

so a darkstar driving transformers.

yep great idea.

no toobs

where else have we seen a red knob.

on the brighter side its probably better made than the viva. and cheaper.

possible spoiler:  transformers made by audiostatic, holland.

spoiler is incorrect

and ray clearly does not understand how current works.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 16, 20233 yr by kevin gilmore

For eha5, you may refer to this thread on erji.net,

http://bbs.erji.net/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=2300120&extra=page%3D1

What is this?

I wonder what's made everyone try their hand at making electrostatic stuff, not that I mind it but it feels like it's everyone rushing all at once

Edited April 16, 20233 yr by nopants

It's for the "tube effect", there is one on either side of the amp. 

On 4/14/2023 at 8:46 PM, Kung said:

Ray samuels the old friend of stax mafia just released a new amplifier B-21, the electrostatic part claimed 1800Vpp voltage swing with 200mA continuous current output performance just shocked me. . . Reminds me of the horribly weak output performance of the A10 he designed before, this new amp is also questionable...

What's the price on Ray Samuels B-21?   

Just to get perspective on Eletrostat/Dynamic combo amps out there..

Audio Valve Solaris $4900

https://www.headamp.com/products/audiovalve-solaris

Mal Valve Head amp three Mk 4  6000+ Euro

https://www.malvalve.de/Headamp3-E.htm

Linear Tube Audio Z10e $6950

https://www.lineartubeaudio.com/products/z10e-electrostatic-headphone-amp-integrated-amp