Paul Klipsch was right - What the world needs is a good 5 watt amplifier

@jasonbourne52 

The Topping PA5 ($349) is more powerful than the Pass amp and has lower distortion. Why pay 10X the money for the Pass?  

I've great appreciation for topping devices and with great respect I think the PA5 wouldn't be able to drive those speakers above 80dbs before it will start clipping. Don't rely on laboratory measurements as the music is much more complex and dynamic and it is not 1 KHz sine wave

I cannot name this individual ( it is not me )....He owns top of the line CJ gear / Avantgarde horns....Based on my very positive recent talks with him about a chip amp I have been listening to, he went ahead and purchased the PA5, AND LOVES IT. He also has gone passive, and is loving his new sound. His words : From warm and colorful, to clean, precise, immediate, snappy, detailed, fast........more truthful to the recording ( whatever that means ). Enjoy. I am loving my chip amp. 

This is so appropriate for me right now. A couple weeks ago I built a $150 K-12G tube amplifier of 8w/ch......I built it just for fun as I like building stuff and the price was right. I had zero intention of ever using it seriously. But then I connected it to my KEF LS50 Metas and Oh My Lord, does it sound great! At up to 80dB in my 12X24X8 heavily damped room it never strains. The sound quality is simply magnificent and I find myself listening to it for hours. I also have a Pass Labs First Watt F5v2 (50w/ch) and a VTA ST120 Dynaco Clone (60 w/ch) and a Yamaha M45 (125w/ch)....And recently I’m favoring the K-12G.....Read all about my adventure with the little amp here... www.rvbprecision.com

The Topping PA5 ($349) is more powerful than the Pass amp and has lower distortion. Why pay 10X the money for the Pass?  

Measures Good,,,,Sound?...Not so much....I can

t tell you how many components I bought in the last two "Covid Years" that had great reviews/measurements by "Audio Science Reviews" that I had to return because they were unlistenable. I have an Topping MX3 that I use in a sunroom and in that environment it is fine, but no way is it to be compared to my $150 tube amplifier kit (8w/ch) or my Pass First Watt F5v2 (50w/ch).......ASR has really panned the Pass Kit "Amp Camp Amp" (ACA). Called it everything but a total POS. And the specs they posted are horrible. But I've heard quite a few of these little amps and they sound fantastic. Extremely "musical" and do not sound like computer sound cards like most higher power, lower price Class D Chinese amplifiers. Don't get me wrong, I'm a real fan of Class D. This past week I built an ICE Power class D 200w/ch kit and for $300 it is amazing. Not tubes or First Watt, but very, very close......Read all about THAT adventure here... www.rvbprecision.com

I cant tell you how many components I bought in the last two "Covid Years" that had great reviews/measurements by "Audio Science Reviews" that I had to return because they were unlistenable.

IMO too little attention is paid to distortion spectra when amps are measured; IME its one of the more important things to study in an amp. The real problem here isn't the measurements, its what is defined as 'good'.