CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 11:18:56 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Author Topic: Topping TP22 T-Amp, because sometimes you need cheap and OK  (Read 1992 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

shipsupt

  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +160/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1687
Topping TP22 T-Amp, because sometimes you need cheap and OK
« on: January 11, 2015, 05:54:26 PM »
For several unimportant reasons I found myself needing a small and cheap amp in the 25-30W range.  A class D or T amp seemed like it would fit the bill.  I considered doing a quick DIY, but when I compared the cost of parts, a chassis, my time, and the available DIY kits, it really didn't make much sense for me to skip over the "built in China" options that are abundant on eBay and Amazon.  Google research offered reviews that ranged from condemnation to claims of audiophile bliss.

I found myself interested in the Class T amps and Tripaths TA2020 chip. 
I settled on the Topping TP22.  It's a basic unit, I didn't need any bells and whistles. At about $90 USD it's not the cheapest option out there, but not the most expensive either. The build feels really good, not cheap at all.





The (claimed) numbers:
Output：2*30W/4Ω,0.65%THD+N；  2*25W/8Ω,10%THD+N
Distortion：0.018%THD+N@15W/8Ω
Input voltage：AC100V-240V




Set up is a snap.  A walwart PSU provides the 20VDC power and you've got two RCA inputs and one set of speaker outputs:




This little guy is right at home filling the room with sound from some Energy RC-10's or lighting up the AKG K-1000's.  Listening to speakers offers a clear and dynamic sound just a bit on the cold side.  The low end does lack some punch/heft, but this isn't as noticeable when listening to headphones.  The background is dead quiet, and of course the whole thing runs cold to the touch.   I'll be interested to set this up side by side with my Sprout when it arrives!

Hell, add an Airport Express and some decent monitors and you can stream good tunes wherever you want! 

If you need a amp in this power range that's small and cheap and you're not expecting a giant slayer the TP22 absolutely delivers!   :)p3




Logged
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

ultrabike

  • Burritous Supremus (and Mexican Ewok)
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +4226/-2
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2384
  • I consider myself "normal"
Re: Topping TP22 T-Amp, because sometimes you need cheap and OK
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2015, 06:33:00 PM »
Awesome Ship! Thanks! :)p5
Logged

Armaegis

  • Uphill, both ways
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +76/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 883
  • metallurgist, rocket scientist, swing dancer
Re: Topping TP22 T-Amp, because sometimes you need cheap and OK
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2015, 07:41:48 PM »
I've tried several Toppings over the years and have always been pleased with the sound (the exact model #'s escape me as they all sorta look the same). Enough juice to push my HE-6's, and I've even heard them through a WEE and other stax transformers to good effect.

They tend to choke a bit with small (inefficient) bookshelf speakers, but larger ones tend to sound better.

For a hundred-ish bucks you can't really complain. Better than those super cheap Lepai amps you can find. 
Logged
Do you think there may be an acoustic leak from the jack hole? ~Tyll Hertsens

Not sure if I like stuffing one hole or both holes. Tending toward one hole since both holes seems kinda ghey ~Purrin

fishski13

  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +79/-1
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 424
Re: Topping TP22 T-Amp, because sometimes you need cheap and OK
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2015, 07:30:06 AM »
Logged

Armaegis

  • Uphill, both ways
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +76/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 883
  • metallurgist, rocket scientist, swing dancer
Re: Topping TP22 T-Amp, because sometimes you need cheap and OK
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2015, 05:52:31 PM »
The way those four components all fit together is oddly satisfying.
Logged
Do you think there may be an acoustic leak from the jack hole? ~Tyll Hertsens

Not sure if I like stuffing one hole or both holes. Tending toward one hole since both holes seems kinda ghey ~Purrin

shipsupt

  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +160/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1687
Re: Topping TP22 T-Amp, because sometimes you need cheap and OK
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2015, 06:38:20 PM »
That set up is the bomb Fish!!

Logged
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

Armaegis

  • Uphill, both ways
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +76/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 883
  • metallurgist, rocket scientist, swing dancer
Re: Topping TP22 T-Amp, because sometimes you need cheap and OK
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2015, 07:45:34 PM »
Has anyone tried the no-so-cheap Tripath amps like the Virtue Audio or TBI Millenium (not Tripath) or Winsome Mouse?
Logged
Do you think there may be an acoustic leak from the jack hole? ~Tyll Hertsens

Not sure if I like stuffing one hole or both holes. Tending toward one hole since both holes seems kinda ghey ~Purrin

thegunner100

  • Hentai Master Chief
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +42/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 443
  • A chubby anime cat
    • The Emotional Skyscraper
Re: Topping TP22 T-Amp, because sometimes you need cheap and OK
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2015, 08:48:19 PM »
Quote from: Armaegis on January 12, 2015, 07:45:34 PM
Has anyone tried the no-so-cheap Tripath amps like the Virtue Audio or TBI Millenium (not Tripath) or Winsome Mouse?

I have a virtue one.3 with the 130w psu and had the battery PSU briefly. Unfortunately, my only experiences with speakers amps have been with a onkyo receiver, emotiva a-100, and a SMSL SA50.
Logged

fishski13

  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +79/-1
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 424
Re: Topping TP22 T-Amp, because sometimes you need cheap and OK
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2015, 06:33:21 AM »
Halcyon days of living in Columbia Heights. I don't miss the stabbings, shootings,  and graffiti on my garage though. It was stucco and a real pain to clean and paint.

Logged