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Topping PA5 is incredible.


CoryGillmore

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On 2/14/2022 at 10:02 AM, jjptkd said:

So I did a little playing around with the gain settings on each amp over the weekend, nothing too fancy just playing random music and using my Ratshack SPL meter. With the volume controls on both amps turned all the way up my woofers play on average about 3db louder then the upper horn section-- which is exactly how the Carver 275 measured. This is at lower volume with the LFE boost on in the TG-IV settings. 

 

To me, the added 3db on the bottom end sounds perfectly balanced, with the crossover point from woofer to mid horn at 800hz if I dial the horns back at all I can start to hear the woofer over the horns especially in voices. The second amp really closed the gap between the Carver 275 although my ears still prefer the sound of the tubes. With two PA5's I'm still at less than 1/3rd the cost of the Carver amp so all in all I think they're doing pretty good considering that fact. 

 

I'm not sure exactly why the single PA5 had such a deficit in bass response I know the Carver was a bit bloated on the bottom end but my Sunfire Receiver still seems to have quite a bit more bass than the PA5. Honestly I don't think I would have been happy with a single PA5 because of this long term I'm surprised no one else has mentioned this?  

Are you running 1 stereo PA5 per speaker and running 1 channel to the compression driver and the other to the woofers?

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On 2/14/2022 at 11:02 AM, jjptkd said:

I'm not sure exactly why the single PA5 had such a deficit in bass response I know the Carver was a bit bloated on the bottom end but my Sunfire Receiver still seems to have quite a bit more bass than the PA5. Honestly I don't think I would have been happy with a single PA5 because of this long term I'm surprised no one else has mentioned this?  

A man from Vermont was once asked: "How's your Wife?" to which, he replied: "Compared to what?"

 

So when you use an amplifier that has Load Independence, like the PA-5, I presume (same class as my Hypex NC-400, which is load independent) compared to the Carver Tubes which are Load DEPENDENT, you will get the sound you speak of in Comparison. So you should not be surprised. Fat bass from tubes vs. FLAT bass from Class D. So, basically your Carver Tube amp, all by itself, created that 3 db difference/equalization you heard and reported. Once that "free" EQ was removed, you then had to compensate to return a similar sound to your ears, since it's what you got used to hearing.

 

The Single Ended tube guys have the greatest Load Dependence of all, requiring a loudspeaker impedance curve to be as flat as possible, which of course, it rarely, if ever, is that way.

 

Different is never the same, but you can't know that until you hear it or measure it.

 

Either way, you have choices and you can pay whatever price you deem necessary to hear what you PREFER, whether flat or not.

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43 minutes ago, NBPK402 said:

Are you running 1 stereo PA5 per speaker and running 1 channel to the compression driver and the other to the woofers?

No I did one amp for woofers and one amp for the horns that way I could boost bass or cut high freq. as needed. I'm no longer using the Topping amps-- nice little amps for the money but I have a recently acquired tube fetish, I guess I like distortion.

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7 minutes ago, jjptkd said:

No I did one amp for woofers and one amp for the horns that way I could boost bass or cut high freq. as needed. I'm no longer using the Topping amps-- nice little amps for the money but I have a recently acquired tube fetish, I guess I like distortion.

Ah, but it's Euphonic Distortion! I like the sound of tubes also, but I got them and their "fussiness" out of my system in my 20's, many moons ago. Some people get over it and some don't. You know which camp I'm in.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 2/11/2022 at 5:37 PM, jjptkd said:

 

I love these processors very hard to beat for the price on the used market IMO at least for 2 channel w/ sub controls.  

Is there a time delay feature for the mains to match the subs if you have 11 ft horn subs?

 

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10 minutes ago, ClaudeJ1 said:

Is there a time delay feature for the mains to match the subs if you have 11 ft horn subs?

 

it's pretty basic in terms of set up features pink noise per channel including sub for measuring and adjusting spl from listening position and a distance setting where you enter in the distance from each speaker which I assume would act as a delay of sorts? Although I just checked and there is no distance setting for the sub

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10 minutes ago, jjptkd said:

it's pretty basic in terms of set up features pink noise per channel including sub for measuring and adjusting spl from listening position and a distance setting where you enter in the distance from each speaker which I assume would act as a delay of sorts? Although I just checked and there is no distance setting for the sub

There is no need for the sub to have distance setting, it determines the time delay required for the Mains, which they must work with those really long wavelengths in the most coherent fashion possible in a direct to reverberant modal fashion.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/5/2022 at 5:45 AM, wetowne said:

It's amazing what a low noise and low distortion signal will do for a pair of speakers. My Fortes never sounded so sweet. The bass is very well articulated now, it has better texture and detail. The tweeters have something to do now too, cymbals have sizzle and ring with a nice decay. Detail is amazing, I can hear background sounds on some recordings, players breathing and moving. This amp is dead quiet, absolutely black background at full volume. I think maybe the better upgrade for old Klipsch speakers isn't new crossovers or caps but using a really clean amplifier instead. Compared to the six watt tube amp I was using it is a major improvement. I think my love affair with tubes is over.

Are your fortes modern heritage line or vintage?

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2 minutes ago, NBPK402 said:

Update... one of the amps developed a hiss after a couple of weeks so I returned both amps. This is apparently not a rare problem as many reviews have reported this happening after a few weeks.

My first unit has been totally quiet on all horn system. The second one is still in the box. I did not have the same problem. Sorry to hear. No product is ever perfect and a few do sneak past the Quality Control folks.

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8 minutes ago, NBPK402 said:

Just my bad luck with it, so I will wait and buy some new power amps later next year, this year has been very expensive in new equipment purchases.

It's always about money and not a little hiss among friends! LOL.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/11/2022 at 11:50 AM, jjptkd said:

No I did one amp for woofers and one amp for the horns that way I could boost bass or cut high freq. as needed. I'm no longer using the Topping amps-- nice little amps for the money but I have a recently acquired tube fetish, I guess I like distortion.

Harmonic distortion is benign. IM distortion is not. It's ususally 10X to 100X more than amplifier distortion, which is why it NEVER shows up in speaker specifications.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/29/2021 at 2:28 PM, wetowne said:

It matches the E50 perfectly. Here's my rack with the PA3s just waiting for the PA5. As you can see I'm using the DAC in preamp mode and I use it's remote for volume control. I run the amp wide open and it's dead quiet.

IMG_0276_Enhanced 2.jpg

Love the rack. Two questions- where did you get it?  And isn't it upside down?  I'd think the points would be the 'feet'.

 

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