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Topping Pre90 Review (preamplifier)

Veri

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Thanks for your reply, I'm totally green and I understand that my questions must be so irritaring. I don't have speakers. I have only headphones Sennheiser HD650, topping A90 and D90. I'm just wondering if I can add PRE90 to this chain or PRE90 is for the speaker amp only.
Ok, put simply Pre90 would add an extra volume knob between D90 and A90. Do you need a volume knob before the A90 volume knob?
I think the answer would be "No". Right?
 

Rekurbetator

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You answered before "Why? Pre90 is a more advanced pre-amp. A90 is a head-amp with basic pre-amp functionalities."
That's why I was confused.
If it is only adding extra knob then I don't need it. Thanks for your time
 

Veri

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You answered before "Why? Pre90 is a more advanced pre-amp. A90 is a head-amp with basic pre-amp functionalities."
That's why I was confused.
If it is only adding extra knob then I don't need it. Thanks for your time
Yes it is a more advanced pre-amp, with capability of adding inputs/outputs(Ext add-on). But I don't see a use case for your usage really :)
 

iLoveCats

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Dec 8, 2019
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I bought this recently to pair with a D90SE dac I've been using for awhile and eventually a PA5 amp (I had a defective one thats in the exchange process) the Pre90 is currently on a Aiyima A07.

My thoughts:

What a miserable remote control range. I can't remember using a remote in my 44 years on this earth, that has as bad of range as this. My wife is extremely disappointed in this annoyance.

I feel like this is the biggest sound upgrade I have ever experienced though. I would have never guessed volume control on the DAC is the wrong way to do it. I can't wait for the PA5 amp to get back in the system.

My main living area stereo sounds very close to what I call my reference setup on my computer with headphones. HD6XX Sennheiser, Hifiman HE 400i and Topping EX5. Its never been this close before.

The Pre90 is used on my TV and has a phono, TV, disc player, raspberry pi as inputs either through the DAC via XLR or to the Pre90 direct. I know what everything sounds like, I watch many of the same TV programs every day and hear commercials and intros/outros over and over. They sound huge and have finer details I've never heard, causing me to look up from my phone or computer.

I'm getting an IR repeater for the remote. I have to keep this preamp. I'm disappointed to find out that once again, I've been doing it wrong for all these years and the dedicated preamp is THE way.
 

marcom22

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Feb 7, 2020
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I bought this recently to pair with a D90SE dac I've been using for awhile and eventually a PA5 amp (I had a defective one thats in the exchange process) the Pre90 is currently on a Aiyima A07.

My thoughts:

What a miserable remote control range. I can't remember using a remote in my 44 years on this earth, that has as bad of range as this. My wife is extremely disappointed in this annoyance.

I feel like this is the biggest sound upgrade I have ever experienced though. I would have never guessed volume control on the DAC is the wrong way to do it. I can't wait for the PA5 amp to get back in the system.

My main living area stereo sounds very close to what I call my reference setup on my computer with headphones. HD6XX Sennheiser, Hifiman HE 400i and Topping EX5. Its never been this close before.

The Pre90 is used on my TV and has a phono, TV, disc player, raspberry pi as inputs either through the DAC via XLR or to the Pre90 direct. I know what everything sounds like, I watch many of the same TV programs every day and hear commercials and intros/outros over and over. They sound huge and have finer details I've never heard, causing me to look up from my phone or computer.

I'm getting an IR repeater for the remote. I have to keep this preamp. I'm disappointed to find out that once again, I've been doing it wrong for all these years and the dedicated preamp is THE way.
the dedicated preamp is THE way ...... this is the way ;)
 

misterdog

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Does anyone know if Pre90 has a fuse?

Doesn't look like it, why ?

topping-pre90-balanced-single-ended-preamplifier-nfca-black.jpg
 

maudio

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Feb 9, 2022
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Doesn't look like it, why ?

topping-pre90-balanced-single-ended-preamplifier-nfca-black.jpg
Yeah doesnt look like it to me either but maybe its hidden. How does it handle safety risks then?
Though i had a tube integrated that didnt have a fuse. It used tubes instead per design (Audio Illusions 500). And yes they blew very often (but cos of´ another failed design)
 

loomspah

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Nov 21, 2022
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Thank you for your great review. I purchased the PRE90 and connect to my amp and just by turning the power on my amp, I almost blow up my speaker!!! Luckily my amp kick in protection mode and save my speakers but I do not understand what is going on? I check the connection, nothing unusual, connecting both input and output using XLR
turn on the PRE90 and turn on my amp and almost blow my speaker up I see the woofer corn is moving forward all the way. And my source DAC is not even turn on.
PRE90 volume was at safe level -40 dB ,,,,What am I doing wrong? Defective unit maybe? My amp is fairly new, less than 6 month old and used single end connection with no issue so far. Need your advice ,,, thanks
 
Last edited:

wizardofoz

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Feb 16, 2019
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Thank you for your great review. I purchased the PRE90 and connect to my amp and just by turning the power on my amp, I almost blow up my speaker!!! Luckily my amp kick in protection mode and save my speakers but I do not understand what is going on? I check the connection, nothing unusual, connecting both input and output using XLR
turn on the PRE90 and turn on my amp and almost blow my speaker up I see the woofer corn is moving forward all the way. And my source DAC is not even turn on.
PRE90 volume was at safe level -40 dB ,,,,What am I doing wrong? Defective unit maybe? My amp is fairly new, less than 6 month old and used single end connection with no issue so far. Need your advice ,,, thanks
did you check the settings for all the volume and level related items? Failing that could be a DC issue from the pre or maybe a cable issue with your balanced cables
 

sq225917

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Jun 23, 2019
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Loomspah, if the woofer cone is moved all the way in or out then you are outputting DC from your pre amp. Check your cables are correctly wired, just measure continuity pin to pin from each end of the cable, ie pin 1 to 1, pin 2 to 2 etc.

If the cables ate good measure to see if there's any dc voltage coming out the back of your pre amp.

But from what you say the unit sounds faulty. There should be not set of conditions where any pre amp can output lots of DC. Lots of DC for a preamp would be more than a few mV.
 

Sokel

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Sep 8, 2021
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Thank you for your great review. I purchased the PRE90 and connect to my amp and just by turning the power on my amp, I almost blow up my speaker!!! Luckily my amp kick in protection mode and save my speakers but I do not understand what is going on? I check the connection, nothing unusual, connecting both input and output using XLR
turn on the PRE90 and turn on my amp and almost blow my speaker up I see the woofer corn is moving forward all the way. And my source DAC is not even turn on.
PRE90 volume was at safe level -40 dB ,,,,What am I doing wrong? Defective unit maybe? My amp is fairly new, less than 6 month old and used single end connection with no issue so far. Need your advice ,,, thanks
If you have a multimeter put it in the DC range and measure the output with nothing connected to it.
If you see something more that a few mV send it back ASAP.
 

Sokel

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Loomspah, if the woofer cone is moved all the way in or out then you are outputting DC from your pre amp. Check your cables are correctly wired, just measure continuity pin to pin from each end of the cable, ie pin 1 to 1, pin 2 to 2 etc.
Not only ensure the continuity measuring 1 to 1,etc but the non-continuity too measuring 1 to 2 and 3 and so on.
 

loomspah

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Nov 21, 2022
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Thank you all,, I bought it from Amazon and request to replace the unit... It was kind of shocking experience for few seconds to see my speakers going to moon. Hope my amp is OK too. I will check my cables ( also bought together with Pre90 from Amazon) and check the output of new unit before I connect to my amp..... Thanks for all your advice....
 

Frontino

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Does this Pre90 have individual input volume control separated from main volume control?
 
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