Following your glowing review of the B200, I decided to take the plunge. I typically don’t purchase audio equipment without the assurance of being able to return it. My setup includes Pure Audio open baffles, a vintage CJ PV11 with a phono stage (all tubes!), a TD 124, and a few other turntables, as well as the Gustard R26. As a passionate fan of tube amplifiers, particularly 300Bs and KT120s, I was drawn in by your words: “Just get them and thank me later.” Thank you-I’m absolutely blown away! I’ve never enjoyed solid-state equipment, and while I'm not an expert in this topology, I can confidently say they sound incredible. As you mentioned in your detailed review, they do sound a bit congested at first, but after about 7 hours of playtime, they completely relaxed. At 60 years old and an audiophile for roughly 40 years, I’m genuinely amazed at how much progress we've made in audio equipment at such a modest price. These units outperform their cost significantly and can easily rival $7,000 to $8,000 tube power amps. If you have an all-tube preamp, prepare for a wonderful experience-you’ll believe you’re surrounded by tube warmth. While my 300B setup provides a rich midrange for vocals (though they’re typically rated at just 8 watts per channel), they can’t handle my Van Halen, Floyd, or Zeppelin tracks. But with these new additions, I know they’re here to stay for the long haul. By the way, the bass response is excellent, especially for jazz, which I’m a huge fan of. I wholeheartedly echo what you said: just get them, and thank my friend later!
Hello, I noticed in your comment you use a Conrad Johnson pv11 single ended preamp with the B200 amps. I would also like to use a single ended tube preamp with these Topping amps. How did you connect your pv11 to the balanced inputs on the Topping? Did you use adapters? I have not been able to confirm that these would work with a single ended preamp. Thank you.
@@acrosounder Visit Blue Jean Cable Co. and make sure to get Belden cables-they can create custom XLR to RCA cables for under $80. No need to spend huge money on cables.Their customer service is excellent, so I recommend giving them a call. To connect, use the XLR from the B200 to the RCA "output" on your preamp. The amps are quite revealing, but the right preamp will make all the difference. It will not make a bad recording sound good. So throw only good to great recorded music at it, including streaming. I was fortunate with this combination, and in my opinion, having high-quality speakers is essential for this amp to truly shine. The B200 seems to be sounding a bit better, more defined. As a side note: I have been listening to this combo for many hours with no fatigue.
This is perhaps one of the best reviews I have ever heard! I am totally blown away by your command of English and the highly differentiated way you can describe the subtlest of differences in glorious detail while not losing sight of your goal. I don’t know how many other languages you speak but I am very very impressed (I am learning my fifth so I know what it means to achieve such a refined vocabulary). I won’t be changing any time soon (I have the Topping D90 DAC and love its value proposition) and just changed to the Transaudio D5 Pro which finally drives my KEF Reference Two Threes with authority. Great UA-cam channel! Excellent work! Thank you for this wonderful review! All the best Rob in Switzerland
You just saved me $3k. I was trying to save to upgrade my current Hegel h160 hoping to purchase an h390 by 2025. I will instead go for these Topping B200 monos and upgrade my dac to a Gustard a26, also based on your review . I'm 64, and after listening at high decibels movies and music for over 50 years, great detail transparency and fantastic soundstage imaging is my thing. I'm way past tubes, mellow rounded analog sound. Thanks. You, sir, are truly trustworthy.
I'd hear these first. They have next to no current delivery. Doubt they'd come close to your H160. Tread carefully, and make sure they've got a great returns policy.
But his review are all subjective, no insturmented tests at all. You wouldn't know if how he hears them is how you'll hear them. I once bought speakers (Sony SSCS5) based on a subjective review from a popular budget audio channel, and now i regret buying it.
Listening before the purchase is always a good idea. But objectively, measurementwise despite the low current delivery it's definitely better than any Hegel amps.
Yeah I have to agree. I watch most subjective reviews purely for entertainment but I do feel like my man here truly is great at it. He has a great ear. After listening to a few things he has reviewed I realized how gifted he is. Best subjective reviewer on UA-cam in my opinion.
Wow. A review in which all needed info (especially price!) is given early. No dangling info to try to keep us watching. Just an excellent intro and body of info throughout review. Very clear and easy to understand what the gentleman is hearing. Also great that he uses actual music to review. Bravo!
I found your review very clean, very detail oriented,, and not the least bit fuzzy around the edges. Nice drive and pacing, too, and the gain was nicely done. I'm becoming a big fan.
Oy J, hope alls good an work been treatin' ya well. That why ya havent been posting? Would be grreat to see ya back round if the time ever lent itself.
Thanks bud! I've had my B200s for a couple of weeks now. It's my first Topping, having been an Audio-gd fan myself. I recently got in a Holo Audio Cyan 2, which trumped my Audio-gd R27 DAC - the primary upgrades being clarity and transparency, as well as improved dynamics. The B200s replace my Audio-gd A1 amp - and they have also improved the clarity and transparency even further. The soundstage depth and pinpoint imaging are on another level now, veils have been further lifted and the speakers have truly disappeared. The rig: HTPC USB + Tidal -> Holo Audio Cyan 2 -> Audio-gd Master 9 -> Topping B200 -> Purifi-6R.
Great review as always! If you’re not familiar, Fiio has a $159.00 USD, K11 R2R DAC/preamp/headphone amp you should check out! I just got one. Sounds fantastic! The volume control is an R2R attenuator, has NOS mode. Just got one delivered today. The thing sounds fantastic! Hope to see you review it.
@@jayem1826I haven’t seen a review yet. Where at? This shouldn’t be confused with the Fiio K11, non-R2R which has got mixed reviews but it’s a delta sigma DAC. Kind of dumb but they named each version the same model K11, just one is delta sigma and one is an R2R. Lots of reviews out there on the delta sigma version but none I see on the R2R.
Great job, by far you are the best reviewer out there. the amount of work put into this review for example is to be praised, since comparisons it's one the most time consuming tasks. Thanks for your efforts, they don't go unnoticed.
That's the fun thing about opinions. Everyone has one. This review is giving me a foul taste in my mouth because he should mention the massive issues topping had with the LA90D. This is built on that same template.. The quality control issues that are experienced with many products from Topping and often very difficult to get it sorted. The lack of current that he tries to tell people isn't there.. To recommend this product to anyone without warnings about some of the above mentioned is a no go...
Great review, thank you.I'm impressed with how much detail and resolution you bring to the subject, always learning new things with you. Topping are an intriguing company, always stirring the pot, and I like that, but they are a bit mysterious to western audiences. It's an interesting time to be listening to music, that's for sure.
Those are some beautiful speakers you have there. 👌 Thank you for all of your solid content, you're an inspiration to continually dive deeper into this awesome love for music.
But his review are all subjective, no insturmented tests at all. You wouldn't know if how he hears them is how you'll hear them. I once bought speakers (Sony SSCS5) based on a subjective review from a popular budget audio channel, and now i regret buying it.
Excellent articulation of your sonic description of your experience with these monos! Your careful discussion of your perception of their characteristics relative to your audio related knowledge and experience bases reflect your excellence as a reviewer. As I have shared with you previously, I believe you are one of the most trustworthy reviewers in the audio community.
Great review! I had a Peachtree Nova125 I sold because the lack of bass impact on the Bela Fleck tune. I now use a Icepower 1200AS2 with 600watts into 8ohms. Now I have the impact!
Srboljub, I have really enjoyed your reviews. I like them for two principle reasons. First your descriptions of subltle differences are usually illustrated with examples that help me understand what you are describing. Secondly, you aren't afraid to make comparisons that actually point out the strengths of a product compared to its competitors. So many reviewers are afraid to just state a products superiority for fear of future reviews from manufacturers. In this review you even stated the disadvantages of placing these transparent amps in a mediocre system. I have experienced that before and it can be frustrating to now hear the shortcomings of the rest of my system after installing a very revealing component. This leads me to ask a question. I am currently piecing together a new and better front end. Due to cost constraints, I did some pieces DIY with well proven designs and superior parts. The last piece I'm struggling with is a budget killer preamp; something in the $1,000 to $2,000 range. I've seen your reviews on the Freya, the ladderbach, the regular acoustic invader, etc. Do you have any advice on a preamp, even one you haven't reviewed, but heard extensively? I've been picky on this last piece because I think it can have the most effect on sound if the other components are top shelf. I've even considered passive. Thank you
Really informative and entertaining review. I've been looking forward to learning how good these amps might be. Thanks for the great review and your awesome channel!
These amps look impressive I am not surprised that you will be using them in your system At some point I expect you will end up with Orchard Audio GaN Monoblocks
Im still coming to grips with these amplifiers. Late last night I just leaned back and played my favourite music. Wow! A veil between the performers is dropped and they just seemed so “there”. They may be similar to the LA90 but the increased illusion of real performers was stunning.
Awesome (sincerely), I wonder what would happen if you tried driving them with a WiiM Ultra. Let me amend that by saying I watched your review of the Schiit Freya Plus and note you were really not that excited about it, at least compared to your reference preamp. Perhaps Topping itself will solve the problem of appropriate front ends for these monoblocks. I have a decent amount of experience with tube electronics and I like 6SN7s but my own preferences have moved to solid state designs and I’m quite taken with what Topping is doing, stoked further by your excellent review of the B200s. Well done and I look forward to more of your reviews.
Great review..things have definitely changed in this past year …I’d quibble about the input choice of TRS as opposed to full size XLR and RCA …it would be interesting to see if they improve their build quality in the next iteration . Have a great weekend.
I have the LA90 Discrete (Basically the same amp) in dual mono. They are quite simply the best I have heard no matter price as far as neutral amps go. However they sound the best with Topping Pre90 which is on Stereophiles A list.
Or Topping headphone amps are also excellent pre-amps that work with an input extender. A90D is my pre with bonus of hpa outs. Topping stack is so good now. Going to be hard for me not to buy these monos. I don't like the wall warts though.
I’ve watched this review 5+ times now. My system is what I’d call mid-fi. I have balanced audio tube preamp and solid state amp I got 20 years ago to drive a tough load of Thiel 2.2’s. My main system is now Focal Kanta No2’s. I have Aurender N100 and Gustard R26 for streaming, Technics SL1200G and Gold Note PH/PSU 10 phono preamp. Your amazing description of this amp pairing is most compelling, I’ve never heard another reviewer that comes close. On the beach and. I feel very much like giving these a try to see if I can accomplish but some more transparency. Lol
Very eye opening review . You have your own way of explaining the sound that ( for me) gives a clearer image what to expect. This will make you stand out from the audio review crowd. And now my big quest for a new poweramp ( or mono's): I have trouble to find reasonable priced poweramp that can accept my to 2 REL subs in the way they are made for. All class D amps gives problems in that regard, and nowadays a lot dedicated balanced poweramps like Denafrips. So the question: Can i use the high level input of the REL's in the way it was meant to be??
Hi Srboljub! Thank you for continuing to post these reviews. They are my most important guidance in the audiophile world. I have an Acoustic Invader Amp/preamp stuck, a VOLUMIO streamer, Harmony DAC, and Marten Oscar duo speakers. I also lubed my system with snake oil, like LHYaudio linear power supply and SW6- SFP ethernet switch. I think I will resist the temptation to buy these new Topping B200 amplifiers. I put definition and transparency above all other sound characteristics, but I am not taking the risk of sacrificing the roundness of the sound I have just achieved.
22db gain seems kinda low for a 200w amp, for use with typical home 2v devices. I suspect certain use cases are going to be volume limited based on the input voltage you're able to send it, whereas I'd rather be limited by the power amplifier, and have it outputting maximum power with a 2v input or even less, like 1.4, so you never come close to distorting or clipping your output devices preamplifier/op-amps.
The standard output voltage for XLR sources is 4V. Active preamps deliver much more Voltage. Low gain makes the amp suitable for DACs with digital volume control. Most speakers run at 1 to 5 Watts at sane volume levels. Nobody really needs gain - its all about current delivery and stability. And this amp has very poor current delivery.
22db is fine. My nuerochrome mono's are set for 20db and 240w. I have volume to spare with a 64db MC phonostage and unity gain pre-amp/buffer into yamaha ns1000m. You'll only want more with sub 80db speakers or a huge room. Or very low impedance speakers, and then you want current not volume.
@@soulfunkjazz I don't think that's accurate, why do you say this amp has poor current delivery? This is a purely objective measurement. Most dacs are 2v not 4, and most home users aren't running 4v XLR, but having a selectable input gain for exactly this reason is a good thing. When talking input/output voltage of components it's sometimes also overlooked that RMS isn't the same as peak.
@@BestKiteboardingOfficial I have no doubt that it's "fine" subjectively, you're right we're usually not using that much power. My point was merely that with a typical 2v DAC I want the amp to deliver maximum rated power at or below that level, whether most people use it or not, they should be able to get maximum power out of the amp without clipping anything ahead of the amp. I have a unique use case, not subs, where I in fact can use 200+ watts continuously from an amplifier, since this is a pure 2ch system, no sub, with pro 15" woofers, which are EQ'd such that I can have my desired level of bass (above flat) down to 30hz. The speakers are quite capable of this but I've sent fairly powerful amps into protection playing certain material at high levels. My 150ish watt amp will trip long before I'm worried about driver excursion or heat or distortion. My 500w crown amp is another story, but that doesn't sound as good. These amps are interesting, but I'll be getting a hypex or purifi based amp.
I listened to 1ET400 shortly but not enough time for full impression. It was quite similar with long tone decays and deep soundstage but maybe slightly narrower. I can't say for sure or go into more details without a direct comparison.
@@iiWiReviews Yeah, it's hard to tell if you've heard it in a different setup but according to this they might be on the same league which is a compliment for Topping!
The theoretical maximum efficiency of a Class A B amplifier is 74% that is with a idealized output architecture and load architecture so a 64 volt at 4 amps 256 watt supply would get about 189 watts out under super ideal conditions
Pretty compelling amps for the money, I'm confused as to the point of the 3 inputs on a power amp though. Also, is there anything special going on in the front end of the IcePower Acoustic Invader power amps? I built a IcePower amp a few years ago but really didn't care for the sound.
Monoblocks are so cool. They have such a minimalist vibe and purity of purpose. I like the design. I'm running an integrated, but monoblocks are on the wish list. Didn't notice any transformers inside.
Nice review. Some great insights. I've got the Fosi Audio V3 Mono and I think I'll give these a try at some stage. But why is a flat frequency response "boring"? I'm pretty certain these will measure "flat" in terms of a typical in room response.
Am working on a list of components to build a system. Appreciate the review on them and are on my shortlist. Any plans to review the Matrix Element P2 amplifier?
It stands to reason, I think, that the Topping would be overall a bit brighter in sound than one of the larger IcePowers (which is the only other amp you use here that I've listened to at length). I'd venture to imagine that the Class AB architecture of this Topping would introduce some level of added harmonics that would account for the overall "upward frequency tilt" of the Topping, versus the "honest and reliable, if a bit dry" (and these are my words based on thousands of listening hours) character of the IcePower amps. EDIT: ...and let me join the chorus of the rest here, thanking you for your fine work!
Cao Srboljub! Hvala na odličan kanal na UA-cam. Pratim te več odavno🙂. Now to my question, I have an Audiolab 6000 play and Elac 247.2 speakers that I am really happy with. The problem is Play-Fi DTS which is a pain, especially as I use Tidal 99% of the time as music source (no Tidal connect, and the native DTS Tidal integration is a disaster). You review of the Topping m200 had me thinking. Could a Eversolo A6 streamer combined with two Topping m200 monoblocks be a good upgrade? Do I need a pre-amp or can I plugg in the Eversolo directly to the m200? Thanks again for a great channel! Srđan pozdrav iz Švedske! /Saša
Pozdrav Saša! I wouldn't use Eversolo as a preamp, especially with these amps... It would sound thin and analytical to my ears. A preamp is a must there in my personal opinion. At least plan for it sometime down the road if you want to hear what these can really do.
WOW! …This sounds like a very desirable and exciting product that I have not seen reviewed elsewhere! I am VERY satisfied with my McIntosh MC152 Power Amp, driven by upgraded (audiophile caps & resistors) Schiit Freya + with NOS tubes. …but my power amp costed FIVE times the price of these interesting mono blocs. Would love to compare! Thanks for the music!🎶 😊
I noticed a few curios points with these amps, but first up, mono blocks are the best configuration for HiFi systems because they preserve the damping factor of the speakers (assuming the amps are capable of handing the reactive load properly). This requires the speaker leads to have the smallest possible impedance. The external PSU though is woefully under powered. 200W into 8 Ohms needs 40VRMS and 5ARMS. Into 4 Ohms it is around 30VRMS and 7.5ARMS. There are many reasons they may have settled on a 64V supply, some good and some not so good. If it is to keep the transistors in the amplifier in a more linear region that could be good unless they do that so they can rely less on the negative feedback loop which will destroy the damping factor and the bass will be muddy (for a start). IMHO you did not find the right tracks to test these amps in the areas they might fail. Old school amps using more traditional mains frequency transformers have the advantage of going into overload or heavy load gracefully. But those types of power supply are becoming rare due to regulatory requirements. These amps will be relying on bulk capacitance to carry the heavy load peaks of current and the designer is relying on the music not demanding those peaks for too long. Have you measured the power output of these amps? I think you might be surprised and maybe a bit disappointed. I would also say the heatsink is undersized for the power output and the power rail voltage.. What I am saying is that the are not 200W amps. Power supply and heatsink strongly suggest this to be the case.
Great review as always. Just received my order of the B200. One thing I will complain about are the binding posts. They are extraordinarily cheap and are probably impacting sound quality to a degree. Not sure if they are easy to swap out but I will try. I know Topping cuts some corners to keep price down but there's no excuse for this poor quality given the cost.
You should ask Topping to send the Pre90 preamp to test with the B200s. Pearl Acoustics spoke highly of the Pre90 in a recent video. They keep one in their showroom to audition speakers.
Nice review again, as usual. You’re one of my go to reviewers fod subjective listening. I’m sure it has top sounding quality like Topping always known for, I have no doubt at all. But the last few Topping amps have them broken after a few months, I really want to own a couple of this but that uneasy feeling of them dying soon is making me step back. I don’t have that much money so I don’t feel like gambling. I’ll have to wait 6 months.
I don't keep using actively most products I review. So I usually don't get to test the reliability. But these stayed in my setup, and I make them work 12h a day. I'll report if there is a problem with them.
I don't really like the power blocks and would probably look for something better to replace them. It seems that Class D having more detail is not a given. I am still on the fence about the Hypex Nilai Mono blocks. Those are rated for 2 ohm and have dedicated manufacturer designed power internal supplies. These would set me back 800 less though (or 300 if i were to get the stereo version). I do like the fact they have multiple RCA inputs. If you want to use different pre-amps you easily can.
I'm looking into purchasing mono blocks soon as my Spectron musical MK lll class D amp designed by John Ulrich just lost the right channel It's output was 500watts@8ohm 650@4ohms and 1,200 watts@1ohm So I'm looking for amp that will bring my Maggie's to their knees, like my Spectron Thanks for the great review! I will definitely check out the Topping monoblock amps I have been considering Orchard Audio (know of them?) and Leo's GaN monoblocks I took this description from Leo's web page Oh he's a one man show Linear power supply Custom 1000VA toroidal transformer 133,600uF of capacitance Fully balanced from input to output Extremely low noise and distortion Power output 250/500W (500W/1000Wpeak) into 8/4Ω 2-ohm capable Size per monoblock(W x D x H): 31cm (12.2″) x 35.3cm (13.9″) x 11.6cm (4.6″) - w/o binding posts Weight per monoblock: 11.3kg (25lbs)
Have you thought about second hand? I am driving my acoustat x with Harman Kardon citation 22 in mono. Gives 400 watt per channel. And with loads of power/current. Total cost for two amps 800€. And unlike most new gear, these prices are rising 😊
@annebokma4637 I bought my beast of an amp, the Spectron used, weighing in at 54 lbs That's a lot for a class D amp I think it was less than a $1,000 USD but It lost the right channel So do I go down that road again? Mind you I still have my VAC tube amp and ARC LS15 tube pre amp that I bought back in 1996 and they are still going strong
@@Jack96993 most of my gear I bought new... In 1988 😎 had them checked once in all that time. For my latest buys it is vintage (like a pair of Quad ESL 57 for €200 with an €80 service) or new headphones or dac. Headphones are too personal (specially if you can't/don't replace earpads) My problem is I don't wanna sell anything 😎
I couldn't find your written review when I went to your link. One question I have is that on their site they don't really speak to their power supply. Are you completely happy with the one they supply & do you think a better aftermarket power supply would help them even better?
Generally I'd avoid a switching PS. Having it separate is probably the best way to get around the fact that thay are not serviceable. Current limiting is a sure deal breaker for me though.
Hi. I enjoy your reviews a lot, especially how you explain the sound. You said in this review that you tested purifi based amplifiers. Can you please name the amplifiers or the purifi module? How does it compare with B200? Now seeing your review I am trying to decide between B200 and purifi 1ET400A based amplifier. Thank you.
It was 1ET400 from Audiophonics. Very clean and transparent sounding amp. Very similar in tonality to B200 but somewhat softer and more laid back sounding, less punchy than two B200.
Hi. Audiophonics now offers monoblock's 1et400a based amplifier with 600w power unit. Don't know if this makes any difference compared to the unit with 1200w and 2 purifi 1et400 modules. Audiophonics is also customizable offering the possibility of upgrading the OPA. Your answer is much appreciated. Thank you. Do you think the OPA can improve the sound of an amp? Best regards.
I have never seen a Class AB amp powered by a switching power supply! I wonder how much effect the power supply has on the amps? With all our other hifi gear, we consider a linear power supply to be an UPGRADE over a switching supply… would that be applicable in this case too? Would a LPS improve these amps?
I belive that Benchmark is using smps with their amps that are class AB too. A good LPS might be an upgrade but for this power it would be huge and expensive.
Schönes Video zum B200. Ich Frage mich nun, ob ich ich mir zwei B200 für meinen Eversolo DMP-A6 zulegen sollte ? Was denkst du ? Gäbe das eine brauchbare Kombi ?
Thanks for the review and especially the comparisons! Did you compare the Topping to a single Ice power 1200as? I figure I could build an amp with the Icepower module for around 500 euros, which turns around the value proposition quite a lot...
I did briefly before realising it will take two to be a match. One IcePower has narrower soundstage and less bass slam. It's not far behind two - and it is better value for sure. If you can make it for that amount of money I don't know anything else around 500 that could beat it.
Based on generous description of the sound, this impresses as sonically similar to high biased Class AB amp. Is that accurate? And I wish you elaborated more on Fosi comparison esp with its opamp rolling options. Anyways, this sure sounds like a winner
thank you for the video. I know it might not be a direct comparison but generally how would you stack this up with Burson timekeeper GT monoblocks. please
This amp is just adding to my struggle. I am finishing a 3-way design. The tweeter is a compression driver mounted on a horn and passively crossed over to a 10” mid/woofer. Then there is an electronic crossover to dual 15” woofers (Open baffle design). One of the design goals is to be able to use a low power Class A or tube amp on the top (10-20 wpc) and around 200 wpc (or more for the woofers). I entered this design assuming that I would just use a Class D amp for the woofers, but amps like this are giving me second thoughts. While I usually consider myself a solid state guy, there is a real synergy between horns and tubes and I’m beginning to think that a good Class AB amp would pair better with a low power tube amp up top than a Class D amp.
Get a pair of Fosi V3 Monos with two 48 volt power supplies. These will drive your woofers great! Put a good tube amp like a Dynaco ST70 on the upper range.
I listened to 1ET400 shortly but not enough time for full impression. It was quite similar with long tone decays and deep soundstage but maybe slightly narrower. I can't say for sure or go into more details without a longer listen and direct comparison.
@@iiWiReviewsThanks for your honest opinion and I have a good reason to upgrade the Fosi ZA3 monoblocks now that the Acoustic Invader line preamp has been added to the system - all thanks again to your detailed review and Goran has been amazing. Do you think these Topping monos are able to pair well with ATC SCM19 bookshelf speakers also 85 dB sensitivity?
@wegardfjeld3789 The Galion shows off its huge capacitors but there are ultra high end designs driving stupendous systems beyond Galion that has much lower capacity. Listening tells all.
Having enough current with a proper build doesn't need to go as far as A75, but I always prefer overkill than lacking like this thing does. (I have the A75.) This is like the Fosi V3 mono, I have them too btw. The numbers look great on paper, but then you put them on some proper 6 ohm monitors that dip low and it's crumbling. Dry, sterile sound is the result. These amps do not deliver a full range of 200 w in 8 ohms. In fact I'm pretty sure the A75 will with its 75 watts get more out of your speakers. ChiFi products are going down the old car stereo road and it's way beyond getting old..
Srbo, although these B200s are very interesting amps, do you have any plans to review the B100s as well? For those of us who are thinking about Fosi V3 Monos and similar amps...
Why do different amps sound different? Please analyze the sine waves before and after each amps and compare visually. (Stealthy signal processing is what makes amps sound different.)
What are your thoughts for using these as Atmos amps? Perhaps using a Denon 11 channel or higher pre-amp? Understanding that you might need to bolster power to the electrical sockets that they would be plugged into....(as in dedicated electrical power and power circuits to the electrical panel.
How do you think these would pair with the Aune Magic DAC with Sparkos op amp upgrade that you tested awhile back? Know you don't have anymore but any speculation based on it's sound signature as you recall?
I belive it would learn a lot towards analytical sound. I wouldn't use it personally without a preamp that could expend the soundstage and tone timbre a bit. But since I haven't really tried that combination, I might be wrong and it could be a very decent match.
I have JBL 4349 and denon x3800h now. But I´m in the market for something good to my JBL fronts. Been looking for used Rotel RB 1590 but they don´t come out used that often and often to a big price. Also checked the ali express clone of DartZeel NHB-108 amplifier. Also Fosi v3 monos (but they seem a bit power weak. Also Audiophonics class D stuff but they are a bit to expensive. I would say 1400 euros is absout max budget for me. I want something for the long run. I have a 7.1.4 system today but one of the reasons I want a good power amp is that my movie/music room will not last forever. Maybe I will move and then a good stereo setup is good for me there. How do you think these will compare?
Following your glowing review of the B200, I decided to take the plunge. I typically don’t purchase audio equipment without the assurance of being able to return it. My setup includes Pure Audio open baffles, a vintage CJ PV11 with a phono stage (all tubes!), a TD 124, and a few other turntables, as well as the Gustard R26. As a passionate fan of tube amplifiers, particularly 300Bs and KT120s, I was drawn in by your words: “Just get them and thank me later.”
Thank you-I’m absolutely blown away! I’ve never enjoyed solid-state equipment, and while I'm not an expert in this topology, I can confidently say they sound incredible. As you mentioned in your detailed review, they do sound a bit congested at first, but after about 7 hours of playtime, they completely relaxed.
At 60 years old and an audiophile for roughly 40 years, I’m genuinely amazed at how much progress we've made in audio equipment at such a modest price. These units outperform their cost significantly and can easily rival $7,000 to $8,000 tube power amps. If you have an all-tube preamp, prepare for a wonderful experience-you’ll believe you’re surrounded by tube warmth.
While my 300B setup provides a rich midrange for vocals (though they’re typically rated at just 8 watts per channel), they can’t handle my Van Halen, Floyd, or Zeppelin tracks. But with these new additions, I know they’re here to stay for the long haul. By the way, the bass response is excellent, especially for jazz, which I’m a huge fan of.
I wholeheartedly echo what you said: just get them, and thank my friend later!
Hello, I noticed in your comment you use a Conrad Johnson pv11 single ended preamp with the B200 amps. I would also like to use a single ended tube preamp with these Topping amps. How did you connect your pv11 to the balanced inputs on the Topping? Did you use adapters? I have not been able to confirm that these would work with a single ended preamp. Thank you.
@@acrosounder Visit Blue Jean Cable Co. and make sure to get Belden cables-they can create custom XLR to RCA cables for under $80. No need to spend huge money on cables.Their customer service is excellent, so I recommend giving them a call. To connect, use the XLR from the B200 to the RCA "output" on your preamp. The amps are quite revealing, but the right preamp will make all the difference. It will not make a bad recording sound good. So throw only good to great recorded music at it, including streaming. I was fortunate with this combination, and in my opinion, having high-quality speakers is essential for this amp to truly shine. The B200 seems to be sounding a bit better, more defined. As a side note: I have been listening to this combo for many hours with no fatigue.
I took the plunge now, should take few weeks 😬😁
So you use Gustard as dac and preamp? Would you recommend that?
This is perhaps one of the best reviews I have ever heard! I am totally blown away by your command of English and the highly differentiated way you can describe the subtlest of differences in glorious detail while not losing sight of your goal. I don’t know how many other languages you speak but I am very very impressed (I am learning my fifth so I know what it means to achieve such a refined vocabulary).
I won’t be changing any time soon (I have the Topping D90 DAC and love its value proposition) and just changed to the Transaudio D5 Pro which finally drives my KEF Reference Two Threes with authority.
Great UA-cam channel! Excellent work! Thank you for this wonderful review!
All the best Rob in Switzerland
You just saved me $3k. I was trying to save to upgrade my current Hegel h160 hoping to purchase an h390 by 2025. I will instead go for these Topping B200 monos and upgrade my dac to a Gustard a26, also based on your review . I'm 64, and after listening at high decibels movies and music for over 50 years, great detail transparency and fantastic soundstage imaging is my thing. I'm way past tubes, mellow rounded analog sound. Thanks. You, sir, are truly trustworthy.
Great choice! The amp and the DAC as well.
VTV has some Ganfet amps you should check out. Have you heard a SMSL D300 ROHM chip DAC , 😁 THANK ME LATER
I'd hear these first. They have next to no current delivery. Doubt they'd come close to your H160. Tread carefully, and make sure they've got a great returns policy.
But his review are all subjective, no insturmented tests at all. You wouldn't know if how he hears them is how you'll hear them.
I once bought speakers (Sony SSCS5) based on a subjective review from a popular budget audio channel, and now i regret buying it.
Listening before the purchase is always a good idea. But objectively, measurementwise despite the low current delivery it's definitely better than any Hegel amps.
I don’t think folks quite realize how hard it is to do what you do. You deserve way more subs.
Yeah I have to agree. I watch most subjective reviews purely for entertainment but I do feel like my man here truly is great at it. He has a great ear. After listening to a few things he has reviewed I realized how gifted he is. Best subjective reviewer on UA-cam in my opinion.
Him and the British audiophile @@NosEL34
@@NosEL34 Lachlan (Passion for Sound) is also great!
With the issues the LA90D had I'm not impressed by this recommendation.. Add the lack of current on these things and call me beyond sceptical.
@@wegardfjeld3789Care to share more on those issues? Or Leads?
Wow. A review in which all needed info (especially price!) is given early. No dangling info to try to keep us watching. Just an excellent intro and body of info throughout review. Very clear and easy to understand what the gentleman is hearing. Also great that he uses actual music to review. Bravo!
I found your review very clean, very detail oriented,, and not the least bit fuzzy around the edges. Nice drive and pacing, too, and the gain was nicely done. I'm becoming a big fan.
super clear talk - nice pace & fine English diction
Wonderful review of these newest Topping offerings. I appreciate how concise your subjective impressions give us a sense of what to expect, well done.
Oy J, hope alls good an work been treatin' ya well. That why ya havent been posting? Would be grreat to see ya back round if the time ever lent itself.
Thanks bud! I've had my B200s for a couple of weeks now. It's my first Topping, having been an Audio-gd fan myself. I recently got in a Holo Audio Cyan 2, which trumped my Audio-gd R27 DAC - the primary upgrades being clarity and transparency, as well as improved dynamics. The B200s replace my Audio-gd A1 amp - and they have also improved the clarity and transparency even further. The soundstage depth and pinpoint imaging are on another level now, veils have been further lifted and the speakers have truly disappeared. The rig: HTPC USB + Tidal -> Holo Audio Cyan 2 -> Audio-gd Master 9 -> Topping B200 -> Purifi-6R.
Enjoy your new and unveiled sound! 👍
Great review as always! If you’re not familiar, Fiio has a $159.00 USD, K11 R2R DAC/preamp/headphone amp you should check out! I just got one. Sounds fantastic! The volume control is an R2R attenuator, has NOS mode. Just got one delivered today. The thing sounds fantastic! Hope to see you review it.
I read mixed reviews on it. Glad you like yours
@@jayem1826I haven’t seen a review yet. Where at? This shouldn’t be confused with the Fiio K11, non-R2R which has got mixed reviews but it’s a delta sigma DAC. Kind of dumb but they named each version the same model K11, just one is delta sigma and one is an R2R. Lots of reviews out there on the delta sigma version but none I see on the R2R.
I like your review style.
Keep up the good work. 💜
Great job, by far you are the best reviewer out there. the amount of work put into this review for example is to be praised, since comparisons it's one the most time consuming tasks. Thanks for your efforts, they don't go unnoticed.
That's the fun thing about opinions. Everyone has one. This review is giving me a foul taste in my mouth because he should mention the massive issues topping had with the LA90D. This is built on that same template.. The quality control issues that are experienced with many products from Topping and often very difficult to get it sorted. The lack of current that he tries to tell people isn't there.. To recommend this product to anyone without warnings about some of the above mentioned is a no go...
Great review, thank you.I'm impressed with how much detail and resolution you bring to the subject, always learning new things with you. Topping are an intriguing company, always stirring the pot, and I like that, but they are a bit mysterious to western audiences. It's an interesting time to be listening to music, that's for sure.
I really appreciate the detail around how to pair and what to expect wrt transparency. Really helpful
Excellent review and many thanks to explain properly the ADSR envelope to describe the music reproduction trough this equipment.
The master of hi-fi explanation ! Great work as always
Those are some beautiful speakers you have there. 👌 Thank you for all of your solid content, you're an inspiration to continually dive deeper into this awesome love for music.
Thank you as always for your in-depth and very comprehensive review of this equipment. Take care, Sir.
That last tip you gave, awesome brother. Now I have to test it.
great review, you really describe the sound quality well and paint a clear picture ...and very thorough.
But his review are all subjective, no insturmented tests at all. You wouldn't know if how he hears them is how you'll hear them.
I once bought speakers (Sony SSCS5) based on a subjective review from a popular budget audio channel, and now i regret buying it.
Excellent articulation of your sonic description of your experience with these monos! Your careful discussion of your perception of their characteristics relative to your audio related knowledge and experience bases reflect your excellence as a reviewer. As I have shared with you previously, I believe you are one of the most trustworthy reviewers in the audio community.
Excellent review and advice. My Tradutto is fire. Thank you
🙋♂️THANKS 🙏 SRBJ ,FOR CONTINUING TO HELP THE AUDIOPHILE COMMUNITY 🧐💚💚💚
Great review! I had a Peachtree Nova125 I sold because the lack of bass impact on the Bela Fleck tune. I now use a Icepower 1200AS2 with 600watts into 8ohms. Now I have the impact!
Those 1200S2 are looking impressive!
Srboljub, I have really enjoyed your reviews. I like them for two principle reasons. First your descriptions of subltle differences are usually illustrated with examples that help me understand what you are describing. Secondly, you aren't afraid to make comparisons that actually point out the strengths of a product compared to its competitors. So many reviewers are afraid to just state a products superiority for fear of future reviews from manufacturers. In this review you even stated the disadvantages of placing these transparent amps in a mediocre system. I have experienced that before and it can be frustrating to now hear the shortcomings of the rest of my system after installing a very revealing component. This leads me to ask a question.
I am currently piecing together a new and better front end. Due to cost constraints, I did some pieces DIY with well proven designs and superior parts. The last piece I'm struggling with is a budget killer preamp; something in the $1,000 to $2,000 range. I've seen your reviews on the Freya, the ladderbach, the regular acoustic invader, etc. Do you have any advice on a preamp, even one you haven't reviewed, but heard extensively? I've been picky on this last piece because I think it can have the most effect on sound if the other components are top shelf. I've even considered passive. Thank you
Really informative and entertaining review. I've been looking forward to learning how good these amps might be. Thanks for the great review and your awesome channel!
These amps look impressive
I am not surprised that you will be using them in your system
At some point I expect you will end up with Orchard Audio GaN Monoblocks
Im still coming to grips with these amplifiers. Late last night I just leaned back and played my favourite music. Wow! A veil between the performers is dropped and they just seemed so “there”. They may be similar to the LA90 but the increased illusion of real performers was stunning.
What a great music suggestion is the hi fi collective
Awesome (sincerely), I wonder what would happen if you tried driving them with a WiiM Ultra. Let me amend that by saying I watched your review of the Schiit Freya Plus and note you were really not that excited about it, at least compared to your reference preamp. Perhaps Topping itself will solve the problem of appropriate front ends for these monoblocks. I have a decent amount of experience with tube electronics and I like 6SN7s but my own preferences have moved to solid state designs and I’m quite taken with what Topping is doing, stoked further by your excellent review of the B200s. Well done and I look forward to more of your reviews.
Wiim ultra has no XLR
Great review..things have definitely changed in this past year …I’d quibble about the input choice of TRS as opposed to full size XLR and RCA …it would be interesting to see if they improve their build quality in the next iteration .
Have a great weekend.
It does have full sized XLR. The jacks accept both XLR and TRS. Pro audio gear has been using these combo jacks for years.
Thank you for the detailed description of the sound. Great content!
I have the LA90 Discrete (Basically the same amp) in dual mono. They are quite simply the best I have heard no matter price as far as neutral amps go. However they sound the best with Topping Pre90 which is on Stereophiles A list.
Or Topping headphone amps are also excellent pre-amps that work with an input extender. A90D is my pre with bonus of hpa outs. Topping stack is so good now. Going to be hard for me not to buy these monos. I don't like the wall warts though.
I’ve watched this review 5+ times now. My system is what I’d call mid-fi. I have balanced audio tube preamp and solid state amp I got 20 years ago to drive a tough load of Thiel 2.2’s. My main system is now Focal Kanta No2’s. I have Aurender N100 and Gustard R26 for streaming, Technics SL1200G and Gold Note PH/PSU 10 phono preamp. Your amazing description of this amp pairing is most compelling, I’ve never heard another reviewer that comes close. On the beach and. I feel very much like giving these a try to see if I can accomplish but some more transparency. Lol
Very eye opening review . You have your own way of explaining the sound that ( for me) gives a clearer image what to expect. This will make you stand out from the audio review crowd.
And now my big quest for a new poweramp ( or mono's):
I have trouble to find reasonable priced poweramp that can accept my to 2 REL subs in the way they are made for.
All class D amps gives problems in that regard, and nowadays a lot dedicated balanced poweramps like Denafrips.
So the question: Can i use the high level input of the REL's in the way it was meant to be??
Hi Srboljub! Thank you for continuing to post these reviews. They are my most important guidance in the audiophile world. I have an Acoustic Invader Amp/preamp stuck, a VOLUMIO streamer, Harmony DAC, and Marten Oscar duo speakers. I also lubed my system with snake oil, like LHYaudio linear power supply and SW6- SFP ethernet switch. I think I will resist the temptation to buy these new Topping B200 amplifiers. I put definition and transparency above all other sound characteristics, but I am not taking the risk of sacrificing the roundness of the sound I have just achieved.
Thank you for nice words. I agree, changing components that already have great sinergy is a road to getting gray prematurely.
Thank you for putting the prices onscreen. 👍
Very cool. I'll have to test these out. I've been looking for replacements to my Iota VX PA3 monoblocks. Thanks for the review 👍
I really enjoyed your review. I will now consider these amps for the system I am building soon. Thank you.
Excellent review, honestly. Please keep up the work!
Excellent stuff.
(Hint: ""Anyways" is not a word in English, it is vernacular, like "ain't"")
22db gain seems kinda low for a 200w amp, for use with typical home 2v devices. I suspect certain use cases are going to be volume limited based on the input voltage you're able to send it, whereas I'd rather be limited by the power amplifier, and have it outputting maximum power with a 2v input or even less, like 1.4, so you never come close to distorting or clipping your output devices preamplifier/op-amps.
The standard output voltage for XLR sources is 4V. Active preamps deliver much more Voltage. Low gain makes the amp suitable for DACs with digital volume control. Most speakers run at 1 to 5 Watts at sane volume levels. Nobody really needs gain - its all about current delivery and stability. And this amp has very poor current delivery.
22db is fine. My nuerochrome mono's are set for 20db and 240w. I have volume to spare with a 64db MC phonostage and unity gain pre-amp/buffer into yamaha ns1000m.
You'll only want more with sub 80db speakers or a huge room. Or very low impedance speakers, and then you want current not volume.
@@soulfunkjazz I don't think that's accurate, why do you say this amp has poor current delivery? This is a purely objective measurement.
Most dacs are 2v not 4, and most home users aren't running 4v XLR, but having a selectable input gain for exactly this reason is a good thing. When talking input/output voltage of components it's sometimes also overlooked that RMS isn't the same as peak.
@@BestKiteboardingOfficial I have no doubt that it's "fine" subjectively, you're right we're usually not using that much power. My point was merely that with a typical 2v DAC I want the amp to deliver maximum rated power at or below that level, whether most people use it or not, they should be able to get maximum power out of the amp without clipping anything ahead of the amp.
I have a unique use case, not subs, where I in fact can use 200+ watts continuously from an amplifier, since this is a pure 2ch system, no sub, with pro 15" woofers, which are EQ'd such that I can have my desired level of bass (above flat) down to 30hz. The speakers are quite capable of this but I've sent fairly powerful amps into protection playing certain material at high levels. My 150ish watt amp will trip long before I'm worried about driver excursion or heat or distortion. My 500w crown amp is another story, but that doesn't sound as good.
These amps are interesting, but I'll be getting a hypex or purifi based amp.
Great music mentioned in this video! Do you have a public playlist?
Been a min! Good to see your reviews again
Great review! It would be nice to compare it with a Purifi 1ET400 amp which is around the same price!
I listened to 1ET400 shortly but not enough time for full impression. It was quite similar with long tone decays and deep soundstage but maybe slightly narrower. I can't say for sure or go into more details without a direct comparison.
@@iiWiReviews Yeah, it's hard to tell if you've heard it in a different setup but according to this they might be on the same league which is a compliment for Topping!
It was my setup but for a short time, with some friends, and several weeks apart. Not critical listening.
The theoretical maximum efficiency of a Class A B amplifier is 74% that is with a idealized output architecture and load architecture so a 64 volt at 4 amps 256 watt supply would get about 189 watts out under super ideal conditions
Schiit's mono offering compare to Topping B200 would have been great.
There is another video from another reviewer that just did that about a week ago I believe.
Pretty compelling amps for the money, I'm confused as to the point of the 3 inputs on a power amp though.
Also, is there anything special going on in the front end of the IcePower Acoustic Invader power amps? I built a IcePower amp a few years ago but really didn't care for the sound.
Fabulous review of these unusual amps.
Finest reviewer ever👍👍❤️❤️
Monoblocks are so cool. They have such a minimalist vibe and purity of purpose. I like the design. I'm running an integrated, but monoblocks are on the wish list.
Didn't notice any transformers inside.
Interesting review on these beastly amplifiers. I have my eyes on them whenever i build a speaker system.
Really well presented. Thank you!
Nice review. I hope you review new Vista Audio Zest
Nice review. Some great insights. I've got the Fosi Audio V3 Mono and I think I'll give these a try at some stage. But why is a flat frequency response "boring"? I'm pretty certain these will measure "flat" in terms of a typical in room response.
Great review, just found this channel. Which DAC do you prefer with the B200s, the Gustard A26 or the R26 with a nice preamp in between?
Am working on a list of components to build a system. Appreciate the review on them and are on my shortlist. Any plans to review the Matrix Element P2 amplifier?
It stands to reason, I think, that the Topping would be overall a bit brighter in sound than one of the larger IcePowers (which is the only other amp you use here that I've listened to at length). I'd venture to imagine that the Class AB architecture of this Topping would introduce some level of added harmonics that would account for the overall "upward frequency tilt" of the Topping, versus the "honest and reliable, if a bit dry" (and these are my words based on thousands of listening hours) character of the IcePower amps.
EDIT: ...and let me join the chorus of the rest here, thanking you for your fine work!
Great reviews of the Chinese amps! But, how does a traditional amp like the Marantz M1 compare?
Cao Srboljub!
Hvala na odličan kanal na UA-cam. Pratim te več odavno🙂.
Now to my question, I have an Audiolab 6000 play and Elac 247.2 speakers that I am really happy with. The problem is Play-Fi DTS which is a pain, especially as I use Tidal 99% of the time as music source (no Tidal connect, and the native DTS Tidal integration is a disaster).
You review of the Topping m200 had me thinking. Could a Eversolo A6 streamer combined with two Topping m200 monoblocks be a good upgrade? Do I need a pre-amp or can I plugg in the Eversolo directly to the m200?
Thanks again for a great channel!
Srđan pozdrav iz Švedske!
/Saša
Pozdrav Saša!
I wouldn't use Eversolo as a preamp, especially with these amps... It would sound thin and analytical to my ears. A preamp is a must there in my personal opinion. At least plan for it sometime down the road if you want to hear what these can really do.
@@iiWiReviews Hvala :)!
Great review! Thank you so much.❤
WOW! …This sounds like a very desirable and exciting product that I have not seen reviewed elsewhere! I am VERY satisfied with my McIntosh MC152 Power Amp, driven by upgraded (audiophile caps & resistors) Schiit Freya + with NOS tubes. …but my power amp costed FIVE times the price of these interesting mono blocs. Would love to compare! Thanks for the music!🎶 😊
These have been reviewed by Tharbamar.
I noticed a few curios points with these amps, but first up, mono blocks are the best configuration for HiFi systems because they preserve the damping factor of the speakers (assuming the amps are capable of handing the reactive load properly). This requires the speaker leads to have the smallest possible impedance.
The external PSU though is woefully under powered. 200W into 8 Ohms needs 40VRMS and 5ARMS. Into 4 Ohms it is around 30VRMS and 7.5ARMS. There are many reasons they may have settled on a 64V supply, some good and some not so good. If it is to keep the transistors in the amplifier in a more linear region that could be good unless they do that so they can rely less on the negative feedback loop which will destroy the damping factor and the bass will be muddy (for a start).
IMHO you did not find the right tracks to test these amps in the areas they might fail. Old school amps using more traditional mains frequency transformers have the advantage of going into overload or heavy load gracefully. But those types of power supply are becoming rare due to regulatory requirements. These amps will be relying on bulk capacitance to carry the heavy load peaks of current and the designer is relying on the music not demanding those peaks for too long.
Have you measured the power output of these amps? I think you might be surprised and maybe a bit disappointed. I would also say the heatsink is undersized for the power output and the power rail voltage.. What I am saying is that the are not 200W amps. Power supply and heatsink strongly suggest this to be the case.
Would be fun to have them compared to something like the A75. Similar price range. I'm pretty sure the 75 water will have more power 😉
Great review as always. Just received my order of the B200. One thing I will complain about are the binding posts. They are extraordinarily cheap and are probably impacting sound quality to a degree. Not sure if they are easy to swap out but I will try. I know Topping cuts some corners to keep price down but there's no excuse for this poor quality given the cost.
Tank you for this great review from you ayou have provided very good destails .I Great work !!!!!!
You should ask Topping to send the Pre90 preamp to test with the B200s. Pearl Acoustics spoke highly of the Pre90 in a recent video. They keep one in their showroom to audition speakers.
Nice review again, as usual. You’re one of my go to reviewers fod subjective listening. I’m sure it has top sounding quality like Topping always known for, I have no doubt at all. But the last few Topping amps have them broken after a few months, I really want to own a couple of this but that uneasy feeling of them dying soon is making me step back. I don’t have that much money so I don’t feel like gambling. I’ll have to wait 6 months.
I don't keep using actively most products I review. So I usually don't get to test the reliability. But these stayed in my setup, and I make them work 12h a day. I'll report if there is a problem with them.
@@iiWiReviews Thank you so much!
I don't really like the power blocks and would probably look for something better to replace them. It seems that Class D having more detail is not a given. I am still on the fence about the Hypex Nilai Mono blocks. Those are rated for 2 ohm and have dedicated manufacturer designed power internal supplies. These would set me back 800 less though (or 300 if i were to get the stereo version).
I do like the fact they have multiple RCA inputs. If you want to use different pre-amps you easily can.
Comparison of this and Schiit Vidar would be a good review.
I'm looking into purchasing mono blocks soon as my Spectron musical MK lll class D amp designed by John Ulrich just lost the right channel It's output was 500watts@8ohm 650@4ohms and 1,200 watts@1ohm So I'm looking for amp that will bring my Maggie's to their knees, like my Spectron Thanks for the great review! I will definitely check out the Topping monoblock amps I have been considering Orchard Audio (know of them?) and Leo's GaN monoblocks I took this description from Leo's web page Oh he's a one man show
Linear power supply
Custom 1000VA toroidal transformer
133,600uF of capacitance
Fully balanced from input to output
Extremely low noise and distortion
Power output 250/500W (500W/1000Wpeak) into 8/4Ω
2-ohm capable
Size per monoblock(W x D x H): 31cm (12.2″) x 35.3cm (13.9″) x 11.6cm (4.6″) - w/o binding posts
Weight per monoblock: 11.3kg (25lbs)
Have you thought about second hand? I am driving my acoustat x with Harman Kardon citation 22 in mono. Gives 400 watt per channel. And with loads of power/current. Total cost for two amps 800€. And unlike most new gear, these prices are rising 😊
@annebokma4637 I bought my beast of an amp, the Spectron used, weighing in at 54 lbs That's a lot for a class D amp I think it was less than a $1,000 USD but It lost the right channel So do I go down that road again? Mind you I still have my VAC tube amp and ARC LS15 tube pre amp that I bought back in 1996 and they are still going strong
@@Jack96993 couldn't be repaired?
@@Jack96993 most of my gear I bought new... In 1988 😎 had them checked once in all that time. For my latest buys it is vintage (like a pair of Quad ESL 57 for €200 with an €80 service) or new headphones or dac. Headphones are too personal (specially if you can't/don't replace earpads)
My problem is I don't wanna sell anything 😎
Interesting; If I didn't know what amp you were talking about, your class AB comments would seem to align more to class D expectations and visa versa!
I couldn't find your written review when I went to your link. One question I have is that on their site they don't really speak to their power supply. Are you completely happy with the one they supply & do you think a better aftermarket power supply would help them even better?
Generally I'd avoid a switching PS. Having it separate is probably the best way to get around the fact that thay are not serviceable. Current limiting is a sure deal breaker for me though.
I love your reviews, but please explain at 5.00 min how does an amp relax in your view if possible please.
Hi. I enjoy your reviews a lot, especially how you explain the sound. You said in this review that you tested purifi based amplifiers. Can you please name the amplifiers or the purifi module? How does it compare with B200? Now seeing your review I am trying to decide between B200 and purifi 1ET400A based amplifier. Thank you.
It was 1ET400 from Audiophonics. Very clean and transparent sounding amp. Very similar in tonality to B200 but somewhat softer and more laid back sounding, less punchy than two B200.
Hi. Audiophonics now offers monoblock's 1et400a based amplifier with 600w power unit. Don't know if this makes any difference compared to the unit with 1200w and 2 purifi 1et400 modules. Audiophonics is also customizable offering the possibility of upgrading the OPA. Your answer is much appreciated. Thank you. Do you think the OPA can improve the sound of an amp? Best regards.
i wonder how comparison to schiit vidar 2's are
I have never seen a Class AB amp powered by a switching power supply! I wonder how much effect the power supply has on the amps? With all our other hifi gear, we consider a linear power supply to be an UPGRADE over a switching supply… would that be applicable in this case too? Would a LPS improve these amps?
I belive that Benchmark is using smps with their amps that are class AB too. A good LPS might be an upgrade but for this power it would be huge and expensive.
Not as usual as you may think, can work very well 🎵
Schönes Video zum B200.
Ich Frage mich nun, ob ich ich mir zwei B200 für meinen Eversolo DMP-A6 zulegen sollte ?
Was denkst du ?
Gäbe das eine brauchbare Kombi ?
Thanks for the review and especially the comparisons! Did you compare the Topping to a single Ice power 1200as? I figure I could build an amp with the Icepower module for around 500 euros, which turns around the value proposition quite a lot...
I did briefly before realising it will take two to be a match. One IcePower has narrower soundstage and less bass slam. It's not far behind two - and it is better value for sure. If you can make it for that amount of money I don't know anything else around 500 that could beat it.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks!
Thanks for the very thorough and useful review, Srboljub!
Based on generous description of the sound, this impresses as sonically similar to high biased Class AB amp. Is that accurate?
And I wish you elaborated more on Fosi comparison esp with its opamp rolling options.
Anyways, this sure sounds like a winner
Great Review !
thank you for the video. I know it might not be a direct comparison but generally how would you stack this up with Burson timekeeper GT monoblocks. please
This amp is just adding to my struggle. I am finishing a 3-way design. The tweeter is a compression driver mounted on a horn and passively crossed over to a 10” mid/woofer. Then there is an electronic crossover to dual 15” woofers (Open baffle design). One of the design goals is to be able to use a low power Class A or tube amp on the top (10-20 wpc) and around 200 wpc (or more for the woofers). I entered this design assuming that I would just use a Class D amp for the woofers, but amps like this are giving me second thoughts. While I usually consider myself a solid state guy, there is a real synergy between horns and tubes and I’m beginning to think that a good Class AB amp would pair better with a low power tube amp up top than a Class D amp.
Get a pair of Fosi V3 Monos with two 48 volt power supplies. These will drive your woofers great! Put a good tube amp like a Dynaco ST70 on the upper range.
Thank you for adding Turkish subtitles🎉
I have Cyrus amps and separate power supplies. Makes a difference, not large, but it's better.
It's the same as power amps and pre-amps.
Great review👍 But why this versus Purify as you also mentioned?
I listened to 1ET400 shortly but not enough time for full impression. It was quite similar with long tone decays and deep soundstage but maybe slightly narrower. I can't say for sure or go into more details without a longer listen and direct comparison.
😊Thanks!
You're welcome!
@@iiWiReviewsThanks for your honest opinion and I have a good reason to upgrade the Fosi ZA3 monoblocks now that the Acoustic Invader line preamp has been added to the system - all thanks again to your detailed review and Goran has been amazing. Do you think these Topping monos are able to pair well with ATC SCM19 bookshelf speakers also 85 dB sensitivity?
Nice! I wonder how they compete against Giant Killer Galion TS A75 Power Amp
These monos are significantly cheaper now and more so on sale within a year.
The difference in current capabilities alone should give you a hint .
@wegardfjeld3789 The Galion shows off its huge capacitors but there are ultra high end designs driving stupendous systems beyond Galion that has much lower capacity. Listening tells all.
Having enough current with a proper build doesn't need to go as far as A75, but I always prefer overkill than lacking like this thing does. (I have the A75.) This is like the Fosi V3 mono, I have them too btw. The numbers look great on paper, but then you put them on some proper 6 ohm monitors that dip low and it's crumbling. Dry, sterile sound is the result. These amps do not deliver a full range of 200 w in 8 ohms. In fact I'm pretty sure the A75 will with its 75 watts get more out of your speakers. ChiFi products are going down the old car stereo road and it's way beyond getting old..
Class A watts are not the same as class D watts on a watts per watts basis. This may be due to its current inductance capabilty
Great video. Can I ask what walnut speakers you have there in the background?
Thanks. It's Spirit Wind speaker: ua-cam.com/video/_9uFO_qozDk/v-deo.html
Srbo, although these B200s are very interesting amps, do you have any plans to review the B100s as well? For those of us who are thinking about Fosi V3 Monos and similar amps...
Yes, they're on their way. Given the queue of products waiting, it will probably take a month or two to get that review done.
Why do different amps sound different? Please analyze the sine waves before and after each amps and compare visually. (Stealthy signal processing is what makes amps sound different.)
What are your thoughts for using these as Atmos amps? Perhaps using a Denon 11 channel or higher pre-amp? Understanding that you might need to bolster power to the electrical sockets that they would be plugged into....(as in dedicated electrical power and power circuits to the electrical panel.
Nowadays get confused isn't topping known for d class amps like smsl their now producing class AB mono blocks what next turntables?
Love your channel, but I doubt these will sound any better than Fosi V3 mono.
How do you think these would pair with the Aune Magic DAC with Sparkos op amp upgrade that you tested awhile back? Know you don't have anymore but any speculation based on it's sound signature as you recall?
I belive it would learn a lot towards analytical sound. I wouldn't use it personally without a preamp that could expend the soundstage and tone timbre a bit. But since I haven't really tried that combination, I might be wrong and it could be a very decent match.
Thank you 🙏🏼 A comparison with IOTAVX AVXP 2-840 would also be very nice 🤔
Haven't iota gone bankrupt good luck getting customer service and warranty after purchase
@@carlitosgomez71 Don't think so... it should now be part of the german company HifiPilot 🤷🏻♂️
Thanks for these insights. Can you please evaluate the Accuphase A 48 or A 80 power amps?
Hi! You said you listen for short period purifi amp, it s sounds better than pa7 plus? It s worth to upgrade?
I have JBL 4349 and denon x3800h now. But I´m in the market for something good to my JBL fronts. Been looking for used Rotel RB 1590 but they don´t come out used that often and often to a big price. Also checked the ali express clone of DartZeel NHB-108 amplifier. Also Fosi v3 monos (but they seem a bit power weak. Also Audiophonics class D stuff but they are a bit to expensive.
I would say 1400 euros is absout max budget for me. I want something for the long run.
I have a 7.1.4 system today but one of the reasons I want a good power amp is that my movie/music room will not last forever. Maybe I will move and then a good stereo setup is good for me there.
How do you think these will compare?