TOPPING Professional released the MA4 — two-way active monitors with class D amplifiers. According to the brand, the model is optimized for professional sound recording and will work well for a home studio.
What the manufacturer claims:
- Two-way design: 4″ woofer (paper cone) + 1″ tweeter (soft dome), crossover at 1.4 kHz
- Separate Class D amplifier for each band: 50W for lows + 25W for highs, 75W total continuous power — per speaker
- Frequency range 46 Hz – 20 kHz (±3 dB), lower limit at −10 dB — 38 Hz
- Peak sound pressure 105 dB at 1 m. System distortion — less than 1% from 100 Hz–10 kHz at 86 dB SPL at 1 m
- Each speaker has one balanced XLR input, input impedance 20 kOhm, sensitivity switches between +4/+14/+24 dBu — TOPPING suggests starting with +24 dBu for better signal-to-noise ratio and lowering it if you need more volume
- High-frequency switch −2 / 0 / +2 dB at 3 kHz — to adjust for room acoustics
- Recommended listening distance — 0.3–2.5 m
- Enclosure 14.0 × 25.5 × 28.8 cm, weight 3.78 kg per speaker
- Power — AC 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz
Why this is interesting. Modern desktop monitors often have DSP, a calibration app, USB, and Bluetooth. The MA4, according to its specs, only has an analog XLR input and an analog crossover, with no digital signal processing inside. The focus is on a simple analog circuit instead of complex DSP.
What’s concerning. For a pair, you need a source with two line outputs and the right cables — for example, an audio interface, a monitor controller, a preamp, or a DAC with adjustable volume. Balanced connection is preferred: XLR or TRS–XLR. You can’t connect the monitors directly from a computer via USB. TOPPING doesn’t publish the recommended price on its website.
What’s inside
- Analog XLR input — one on each speaker
- Bi-amp — separate amplifier for each band
- High-frequency switch −2/0/+2 dB for the room
- 3 stages of input sensitivity (dBu)
What’s missing
- USB and other digital inputs
- Bluetooth
- Apps and DSP room calibration
- Officially published price
Price and where to buy. TOPPING announced the MA4 would hit the global market on July 14, 2026 (official brand Facebook), but they haven’t named a recommended price themselves. At the British reseller Scan, the model costs $255 (£189) for one speaker — it’s available for pre-order, with delivery marked as overdue since August 1, 2026.
What we’ll check in the test. How much useful bass the MA4 provides in near-field: how much sound pressure is maintained at the stated 38 Hz (this is the −10 dB drop-off point, not the lower limit) and how room gain affects the result. Separately — the shape of the high-frequency correction: does the switch provide a true ±2 dB around 3 kHz and what frequency range does it affect.
If you’re choosing your first monitors for a home studio, we have a selection of proven options for different budgets.
- read also: best studio monitors — top 10
Should we bet on a purely analog circuit without DSP in 2026? Write in the comments — I’ll gather your arguments for the review.
