[TheoS53]

I've not seen a thread about the A50 yet. It's not exactly super new, but maybe not enough people know about it.

I've had my eye on it for about 2 months or so and finally pulled the trigger. I'm also planning on getting the D50s soon-ish.

Bang-for-buck the A50 is probably one of the (if not *the*) best headphone amps you can get for its asking-price. It sounds great (meaning it sounds transparent...doesn't add anything to the sound from the source) and has really decent amount of power available too which can easily outdo similar amps from the likes of Schiit and JDS.
The build quality is also really good. It feels solid and perhaps even premium. There are no rattles, the volume knob is smooth, and the finishing is very well done. It's also a pretty compact unit, making it perfect for smaller desks.

There are only 3 downsides, really. The first is that the rear outputs are just a pass-through which means that the incoming signal is sent straight to the output RCAs when the A50 is turned off...there's no preamp feature. So, if you don't have a source device (DAC) which has a volume control, then you'll need to control it from the software on your computer.

The second negative is that the power button is also the only button on the device. So, since it features both a low (0 dB) and high (9 dB) gain option, you need to press the power button once (when the device is on) to switch between the gain modes. To turn off the amp, you need to hold the power button in for a bit longer. This can be really dangerous, because if you forget to hold the button in and you accidentally switch from low to high gain, you could potentially damage your headphones or your ears. SO BE CAREFUL!

The third con is the output impedance. at 4.7-ohm for the single-ended (3.5mm and 6.5mm) outputs and 9.4-ohm for the balanced output, it may result in the frequency response of your headphones changing. This will depend from headphone to headphone though, and the change might be pleasant or not. The Sennheiser HD6-series, for example, might sound a little warmer and have a touch more bass, especially with the balanced output. Your mileage may vary.

Overall, it's a great little amp and I find it highly unlikely that most people (even audiophiles) will need more than what the A50 has to offer. Highly recommended.

 

[TheoS53]

 

[sensenonno]

no one? interested in this to stack with a D50

 

[Tom Brown]

I'll chime in.

I like my topping stack.

I've noticed that some people on the forums evangelize their gear aggressively. "Buy what I have. It's the best!"

I don't know how the A50 compares to anything other than full size stereo components. I have enjoyed it for a few weeks. It certainly has a nice feel.

Right now, I've been using it with my vintage Sony headphones but some decent gear should start rolling in next week.

 

[sensenonno]

I'll chime in.

I like my topping stack.

I've noticed that some people on the forums evangelize their gear aggressively. "Buy what I have. It's the best!"

I don't know how the A50 compares to anything other than full size stereo components. I have enjoyed it for a few weeks. It certainly has a nice feel.

Right now, I've been using it with my vintage Sony headphones but some decent gear should start rolling in next week.

.Is the glowing knob a volume control? USB? may I ask what brand is it? looks really cool.

 

[Tom Brown]

.Is the glowing knob a volume control? USB? may I ask what brand is it? looks really cool.

It's a 3dconnexion SpaceNavigator. It's a CAD mouse. Not audio related.

 

[tmb821]

Nvm

 

[indykun]

I've just gotten my P50, A50, D50 stack but so far my impressions are very positive. A very transparent and powerful combination that is driving my modest MDR-7506's to have more punch then I ever thought they could. I have some higher end cans arriving soon, so after they get in, I'll post my impression, but so far very positive!

 

[indykun]

I have a question for you guys, I'm waiting for my cans to arrive, HE-560's. I know they like juice because they have low sensitivity, does it makes good sense to get a balanced set of cables for them to use with the A50 or should I just stick to single ended?

Thanks!
--Brad

 

[indykun]

Ok, so i'm going to disclaimer all of my thoughts here as "I'm a casual audiophile" so take them for what they may be worth to you. I've had a couple of weeks now with the A50/D50/P50 stack. I purchased all units except for the P50 open box so I believe they have had some break in time in addition to the time I have been using them. Before these units I originally ran a Schiit Modi/Vali (v1) with HD600's and before that rig I ran a UDAC 2, Little Dot MKIII and DT880's. I've been fortunate to listen to many other cans/amps at can jams and local meetups. A few years ago I sold my home rig and just kept my work rig which is a Schiit Fulla and MDR-7506 (my trusted can's of over a decade).

So with the lock down and working from home, I became interested in more critical listening again and began the quest for creating a new rig. I have a smallish desk, but I work at it for long periods of time as I'm a developer. I found the Topping 50 series intriguing. Nice looks, looked like excellent build quality and very desk space friendly. Build quality is indeed fantastic. These are attractive, and quite heavy for their size. They remind me of the mini rack systems of the 90's.

For the first week, I only had the D50 and A50 and my Sony's from work. Right away the A50 brought so much more punch to them then the Fulla. In fact, I was rather surprised they could even be that punchy. Lows dipped lower, were fuller and snappy. I could tell the D50 was bringing all the detail to the show and the A50 was delivering it cleanly, with no noise floor, sound just came out of darkness. The Sony's are bright and while the Topping 50 combo brought the bass up, it also evenly brought up the treble as well, making these cans even brighter. With the stock power supply, there was an edging to the highs that I didn't care for but I was still just astounded by the amount of punch that was brought to these old daily driver can's of mine.

The P50 arrived lastly. Was it a world of change? No. It did take the edging off the highs slightly, but it was still there. Did it look bad ass on my desk, hell yes it did!

Then the He560's I purchased from a fellow headfi'er arrived a few days ago. All I can say here is "hot damn". I'm only connected single ended right now but for my ears the A50 delivers PLENTY of volume for me at 11 O'clock. I do not' think I could take it past 12. This seems like a really great pairing and for a midfi audiophile like me probably my endgame. This amp is so clean and powerful. Sound on the 560's just comes from darkness. It is rich, and natural. Strings are textured and sound more natural then they did on my HD600's on the Schiit stack. I think what stands out more then anything is, I get lost in the music. It's so good, I've stopped thinking about the WHY is it good, the gear is transparent and it's about the music. I think this is really what we all want in a rig. The thrill of chasing the perfect gear, perfect cables etc etc, it's always present in this hobby. I'm always interested in being analytical, trying to find that magical "bang for my buck" setup; always flirting that line of diminishing returns per dollar. I believe the A50 definitely delivers gobs of clean power and good features for a sub $200 amp. I highly recommend it. If you pair it with the D50, you're in for a treat.

I believe this is my first review on head-fi, hope I did ok!
Happy listening!

 

[Delocalised]

Hello All

I am new to this and over time bits are gently drip feeding into my set up. Anyway I had a Fiio Q1 mk ii that was running some Sennheiser HD660s and it sounded good! Plenty of power and detail when running the 2.5mm Balanced connection. However I saw a pair of Massdrop/Fostex T-X0 on Ebay and bought them on a whim (wanted some bass in my life).

The Massdrop/Fostex T-X0 sounded DEAD on the Q1 so you know how it goes....Time to amp up! I went for an SMSL sAp-1 wanting something cheap and thinking anything running off 220V is going to be more powerful than a Q1mk ii. As it turned out the SMSL sAp-1 was just enough to show me there was something to these planar beasts but it was just the meerest glimpse of their potential. Time to amp up! This time the Topping stack looked great so ordered the A50 to start with and OMG night and day difference....These headphones are now alive with authority and ever seductive energy.

I think this amp is a great pairing with the Massdrop/Fostex T-X0 and by extension the other Fostex phones in the T X0 rp range and presumably their mods.....

You have to run the A50 at full volume on low gain or I prefer 12 on high gain (plenty of headspace left) to feel the full drama.

If you have Fostex phones and are wondering what all the fuss is about let the A50 pull back the veil and reveal the glory of planar magnetism.

Try first 60 secs of One More Year by Tame Impala....Love the vibrato or the funky drummer on I'm Not Afraid by Earth Trax

Go Get One.........

 

[indykun]

Ok, so i'm going to disclaimer all of my thoughts here as "I'm a casual audiophile" so take them for what they may be worth to you. I've had a couple of weeks now with the A50/D50/P50 stack. I purchased all units except for the P50 open box so I believe they have had some break in time in addition to the time I have been using them. Before these units I originally ran a Schiit Modi/Vali (v1) with HD600's and before that rig I ran a UDAC 2, Little Dot MKIII and DT880's. I've been fortunate to listen to many other cans/amps at can jams and local meetups. A few years ago I sold my home rig and just kept my work rig which is a Schiit Fulla and MDR-7506 (my trusted can's of over a decade).

So with the lock down and working from home, I became interested in more critical listening again and began the quest for creating a new rig. I have a smallish desk, but I work at it for long periods of time as I'm a developer. I found the Topping 50 series intriguing. Nice looks, looked like excellent build quality and very desk space friendly. Build quality is indeed fantastic. These are attractive, and quite heavy for their size. They remind me of the mini rack systems of the 90's.

For the first week, I only had the D50 and A50 and my Sony's from work. Right away the A50 brought so much more punch to them then the Fulla. In fact, I was rather surprised they could even be that punchy. Lows dipped lower, were fuller and snappy. I could tell the D50 was bringing all the detail to the show and the A50 was delivering it cleanly, with no noise floor, sound just came out of darkness. The Sony's are bright and while the Topping 50 combo brought the bass up, it also evenly brought up the treble as well, making these cans even brighter. With the stock power supply, there was an edging to the highs that I didn't care for but I was still just astounded by the amount of punch that was brought to these old daily driver can's of mine.

The P50 arrived lastly. Was it a world of change? No. It did take the edging off the highs slightly, but it was still there. Did it look bad ass on my desk, hell yes it did!

Then the He560's I purchased from a fellow headfi'er arrived a few days ago. All I can say here is "hot damn". I'm only connected single ended right now but for my ears the A50 delivers PLENTY of volume for me at 11 O'clock. I do not' think I could take it past 12. This seems like a really great pairing and for a midfi audiophile like me probably my endgame. This amp is so clean and powerful. Sound on the 560's just comes from darkness. It is rich, and natural. Strings are textured and sound more natural then they did on my HD600's on the Schiit stack. I think what stands out more then anything is, I get lost in the music. It's so good, I've stopped thinking about the WHY is it good, the gear is transparent and it's about the music. I think this is really what we all want in a rig. The thrill of chasing the perfect gear, perfect cables etc etc, it's always present in this hobby. I'm always interested in being analytical, trying to find that magical "bang for my buck" setup; always flirting that line of diminishing returns per dollar. I believe the A50 definitely delivers gobs of clean power and good features for a sub $200 amp. I highly recommend it. If you pair it with the D50, you're in for a treat.

I believe this is my first review on head-fi, hope I did ok!
Happy listening!

I'm re-thinking this review (faceslap) After just putting my cans on a receiver, life is very different. I do not believe the A50 is a good pairing for the HE-560's, they sound like they are in a tunnel on it compared to putting them on a receiver. Back to the quest.

 

[Tom Brown]

I thought I'd circle back with thoughts on the A50/D50s/P50 stack after having used them for a few months.

I picked up a bunch of gear in March. Primarily: A50, D50s, HD580X, HE4XX

Early on, I did some comparisons between the A50, a restored Kenwood KA-7300, and an unrestored Yamaha C-80. The KA-7300 made the A50 sound bad. The C-80 was similar to the KA-7300 to the point of being almost indistinguishable. I give the nod to the KA-7300 (my backup integrated) over the C-80 (my primary pre-amp) but it's so close I hesitate to call a winner.

Working from home, I was putting in big hours with the headphones on. Early on, I switched to the HD58X exclusively. They were smooth sounding and comfortable. What's more, they sounded better over time.

Last weekend, I took the A50 back out to our main stereo and did the A50/KA-7300/C-80 comparison again. The A50 no longer takes a back seat to either of the other two.

What I think is happening is component break-in.

What's more, I sold the HE4XX to a guy from work who loved them from the start and listened to them every day. Other guys in his department rave about them. I gave them another listen, just off his phone, and they don't sound nearly as harsh as I felt they were when I sold them. I believe this is due to break in, as well.

In retrospect, I think I would have been happy with either pair of headphones and the A50 has become a wonderful piece of equipment. I doubt I will upgrade when the A50s comes out.

One thing I've noticed is that re-sampling causes distinctive and far worse SQ problems than a bad recording. The other night, I was listening to Doucette's first album from 1977. Three of the songs were independent recordings, before he got a contract. The rest were either done or re-done in a real studio. There is a stark difference between SQ of these tracks but I'd rather listen to a poor analog recording from 1977 with a proper digital path than a good recording from any era through a path being re-sampled by PulseAudio.

 

[Kuze]

My topping A50 has no audio and a blinking LED light, can anyone assist?

 

[cirodts]

I bought an a50s and a p50 and I'm waiting for the d50s but I have some doubts, the a50s is a good amplifier but if I connect it to the p50 the sound becomes clean but sterile lacking depth is not exciting.
Why do you think you tried a50s and p50?
impressions?