[aokman]

The square wave test spritzer ran tells me everything
I need to know. It's not a good choice. Nice try.

And what exactly does the square wave tell you

 

[ktm]

It's not doing a good job of reproducing the audio signal.
The scope display of input vs output is pretty easy to
Understand.

 

[aokman]

It's not doing a good job of reproducing the audio signal.
The scope display of input vs output is pretty easy to
Understand.

A square wave is not a traditional audio signal that this amplifier would see.

I would want to see testing by someone who has proper equipment for deep measurements / I would also be going back over the testing procedures for how to measure an output transformer with correct loading to emulate normal usage.

I would finally add that there is nothing in this price point currently that would compete with this setup. It’s definitely budget and the output transformers are average at best but I doubt a manufacturer would release a product with such obvious flaws that would easily show themselves in testing, after all that work…

If you saw how agricultural the STAX SRD is and people still enjoy the sound, this is still on a different planet compared to that…

 

[Beefy]

A square wave is not a traditional audio signal that this amplifier would see.

I would finally add that there is nothing in this price point currently that would compete with this setup. It’s definitely budget and the output transformers are average at best but I doubt a manufacturer would release a product with such obvious flaws that would easily show themselves in testing, after all that work

Music might not contain exactly square waves, but they are very useful for assessing slew rate and stability of fast transients. The slow rise and the oscillation at peak are both pretty damn awful.

And maybe consider that cheap Stax isn't something that's possible. I've seen it attempted a few times in my limited time in the hobby, and those efforts always fall flat. I hold little hope that Topping has suddenly found the magic formula, by putting cheap transformers on a middling amp.

 

[aokman]

Music might not contain exactly square waves, but they are very useful for assessing slew rate and stability of fast transients. The slow rise and the oscillation at peak are both pretty damn awful.

And maybe consider that cheap Stax isn't something that's possible. I've seen it attempted a few times in my limited time in the hobby, and those efforts always fall flat. I hold little hope that Topping has suddenly found the magic formula, by putting cheap transformers on a middling amp.

I guess my perspective is that I’ve used STAX SRD-7s extensively and they sounded great honestly after a couple little mods (a match for my SRM-1 mk2 anyways). I couldn’t imagine they would test as good as this even.

It does make me wonder what a square wave would look like with my LA90 and the Lundahl transformers. Measuring OTs seems to be a bit of an art form though while trying to mimic a typical load from all the forum threads I dig through building mine…

Keen to see the final consensus on this anyway as there is too much elitism and gatekeeping in the electrostatic space.

 

[MartussDer]

The new topping eha5 has arrived today.

My first impressions (10min of test) were: it had an elevated bass with neutral mids and treble. Other amplifiers that I know very well, sound more neutral in bass and some of them (srm 323s, carbon cc, srm 1mk2, t1s, srm 007tii) sound rounded in treble.

But this topping sounds as clean as the carbon cc.

After about 2 hours and connect and disconnect other dacs and turn on, turn off a lot of times.... the bass now sounded very neutral and flat and the body was the same in bass, mid and treble.

The treble again neutral but not rounded. Just correct and power is very good. Maybe the same power of srm 323s of 400v but less than srm 007tii.


And in comparison to srm 252s, this topping is better!!! Just better!!!!!


My final impressions will be in some days...

 

[aokman]

Interesting result as normally transformer based setups will tail off in the bass regions. Would love to get this on a scope and see where it falls apart in the bass region.

 

[aokman]

Was posted on FB, thought I’d pass it on and provide some balance

 

[josiah177]

I just got my EHA5 arrived, it sounds amazing with my 007mk1, I know its topping's style: soft and smooth, but that just hit my mind!!

 

[ThanatosVI]

I just got my EHA5 arrived, it sounds amazing with my 007mk1, I know its topping's style: soft and smooth, but that just hit my mind!!

Never heard "soft and smooth" as the typical sound of Topping products

 

[josiah177]

Never heard "soft and smooth" as the typical sound of Topping products

Maybe I shouldn't use these 2 words. What I want to say is that the sound of the toppings is very clear, and the sound stage is not very big but is enough for me, I have D90 D10b EHA5, and LA90d. And I think these products are sharing similar styles. And after I compared EHA5 and BHSE, I believe EHA5 is softer than BHSE, but it's stronger than my T1W. My stat headphone are SR007 mk1 and SR009s.

 

[MartussDer]

Was posted on FB, thought I’d pass it on and provide some balance

Yes, I made the question to topping. I told them that I will make a youtube review saying all my thoughts and that is very important to say the truth!! My afraid is in the BIAS voltage. I want to be sure that is totally limited to 580v and no more. The stator voltage don't worry me too much.

 

[DenverW]

In case you haven't seen it, Spritzer has examined the amp and absolutely loved the design and everything about the amp!

Just kidding, he absolutely tore it apart in every way imaginable. It looks like Topping joins the ranks of Woo, Viva, Rudistor, Ray Samuels, Hifiman, Linear Tube Audio, most Stax amps, Wells Audio, Bottlehead, and numerous others in the electrostatic reject bin.

spritzer didn’t like it?!?! I can’t believe it!!!!

 

[timb5881]

I use the Stax SRD-7 Professional and I like the sound out it a lot. Of course the key advantage is I can swap speaker amps, which I do often.

 

[SemiAudiophile]

I've had my EHA5 for about a week now. Pairs well with L700mk2 and it sounds beautiful. Typical Topping sound signature being pretty clean and neutral. Using Ares II as source, it almost sounds tube like. I don't mind the fake tube glow at all.

I don't have anything to compare it to (owned a SRM-T1 way back when), but I'm happy with the performance. Can't complain.

Mines did get damaged during shipment (not Apos fault), but it sounds fine to me. And will do until I get my replacement.