Topping A90 Headphone Amplifier Review

[e30Birdy]

I got a question. Really keen on the A90 and later the D90 to add on to it.

Currently I run a DT880 600 ohm, yes i bought this long ago in 2013 not knowing anything really and powering it off my ROG soundcard. I then bought a Magni 3 and it has been ok but from late reqding i hear is not so good with bright headphones and we all know about the Beyer Peak. Currently my setup goes from my PC to my Rodecaster Pro and then the Magni 3. I was wondering if i upgrade to the A90 and later D90 will help my setup? I have also debated on balance modding my 880s to be able to drive them a bit easier, haven't found the right jacks here in germany yet though like some of the ones i have seen in guide.

I just want an endgame solution that will last me a good while without breaking the bank and taking my music/listening experience to the next level.

 

[dmac6419]

I got a question. Really keen on the A90 and later the D90 to add on to it.

Currently I run a DT880 600 ohm, yes i bought this long ago in 2013 not knowing anything really and powering it off my ROG soundcard. I then bought a Magni 3 and it has been ok but from late reqding i hear is not so good with bright headphones and we all know about the Beyer Peak. Currently my setup goes from my PC to my Rodecaster Pro and then the Magni 3. I was wondering if i upgrade to the A90 and later D90 will help my setup? I have also debated on balance modding my 880s to be able to drive them a bit easier, haven't found the right jacks here in germany yet though like some of the ones i have seen in guide.

I just want an endgame solution that will last me a good while without breaking the bank and taking my music/listening experience to the next level.

Only you know your end game,should be some headphones stores in Germany,pay a visit and check out stuff.

 

[lyons238]

I got a question. Really keen on the A90 and later the D90 to add on to it.

Currently I run a DT880 600 ohm, yes i bought this long ago in 2013 not knowing anything really and powering it off my ROG soundcard. I then bought a Magni 3 and it has been ok but from late reqding i hear is not so good with bright headphones and we all know about the Beyer Peak. Currently my setup goes from my PC to my Rodecaster Pro and then the Magni 3. I was wondering if i upgrade to the A90 and later D90 will help my setup? I have also debated on balance modding my 880s to be able to drive them a bit easier, haven't found the right jacks here in germany yet though like some of the ones i have seen in guide.

I just want an endgame solution that will last me a good while without breaking the bank and taking my music/listening experience to the next level.

Redco and switch craft make these they’re called 4 pin mini xlr surface mount.

and yes the d90/a90 are pretty end game if you value very well measuring clean no BS products. Now it may not give the character a high end class A amp like the HeadAmp GS-X or a tube amp like the Woo Audio stuff would give but if character is not what you’re after it really doesn’t get much better than the d90/a90. There are certainly better dacs with 2x silicone chips in them that may be better but tbh many times the implementation is not stellar where the d90 seems to have a really good design and implemention making good use of its single top line AKM DAC chip.

 

[e30Birdy]

Only you know your end game,should be some headphones stores in Germany,pay a visit and check out stuff.

Yeah the only issue is that they don't carry Topping or many other of those products. Thomann has more of the mainstream stuff. I could get an RME ADI-2 all day but that is a league I don't know if I want into, at least not at the moment.

Redco and switch craft make these they’re called 4 pin mini xlr surface mount.

and yes the d90/a90 are pretty end game if you value very well measuring clean no BS products. Now it may not give the character a high end class A amp like the HeadAmp GS-X or a tube amp like the Woo Audio stuff would give but if character is not what you’re after it really doesn’t get much better than the d90/a90. There are certainly better DACs with 2x silicone chips in them that may be better but tbh many times the implementation is not stellar where the d90 seems to have a really good design and implementation making good use of its single top line AKM DAC chip.

I need to look if they have those there and if there is room in the 880s to fit those, most builds I have seen use TRS 3.5mm with winglets which seem to fit quite easy.

Yeah but HeadAmp is also like 3k and that is a league I am not ready for. I only own 1 set of cans at the moment, but eyeing a few things (Sundara, DT1990 Pro, Elex, maybe even some 600 series Sennheiser) as I listen to a lot of Hip Hop, Pop but do love my 880s for some London Symphony Orchestra Canon in D Major.

I am just a newbie in all this and want to get something that the price and what I get is good for years to come. Something that beats out this little Magni 3 and gives me nice clean sound and the ability to power my 880s nicely.

SMSL M400+SP400 are also a healthy combo I may need to look into.

 

[lyons238]

Yeah the only issue is that they don't carry Topping or many other of those products. Thomann has more of the mainstream stuff. I could get an RME ADI-2 all day but that is a league I don't know if I want into, at least not at the moment.



I need to look if they have those there and if there is room in the 880s to fit those, most builds I have seen use TRS 3.5mm with winglets which seem to fit quite easy.

Yeah but HeadAmp is also like 3k and that is a league I am not ready for. I only own 1 set of cans at the moment, but eyeing a few things (Sundara, DT1990 Pro, Elex, maybe even some 600 series Sennheiser) as I listen to a lot of Hip Hop, Pop but do love my 880s for some London Symphony Orchestra Canon in D Major.

I am just a newbie in all this and want to get something that the price and what I get is good for years to come. Something that beats out this little Magni 3 and gives me nice clean sound and the ability to power my 880s nicely.

SMSL M400+SP400 are also a healthy combo I may need to look into.

They have the HeadAmp GS-X Mini for like $1700 but I wasn't infering you get that. I was saying the D90/A90 is endgame unless you want a high end amp with character as I listed.

Also, the 4 pin mini XLR's do fit the 880s, just look for balanced mods for beyers, they all have the same housing for the most part. plus the 4 pin mini xlr is easy to mount you just drill a hole and the set screw tightens it down. use an o-ring if you please. also regardless of where you are you can def get one of these from any country shipped to you for cheap enough.

EDIT: Also the Topping D90/A90 outperforms the ADI-2 but it lacks the EQ and crossfeed features. Which doesn't make a difference to me since I prefer my software plugins for that.

 

[e30Birdy]

They have the HeadAmp GS-X Mini for like $1700 but I wasn't infering you get that. I was saying the D90/A90 is endgame unless you want a high end amp with character as I listed.

Also, the 4 pin mini XLR's do fit the 880s, just look for balanced mods for beyers, they all have the same housing for the most part. plus the 4 pin mini xlr is easy to mount you just drill a hole and the set screw tightens it down. use an o-ring if you please. also regardless of where you are you can def get one of these from any country shipped to you for cheap enough.

EDIT: Also the Topping D90/A90 outperforms the ADI-2 but it lacks the EQ and crossfeed features. Which doesn't make a difference to me since I prefer my software plugins for that.

Sorry I misunderstood you. Yeah i know most places ship around the world but import customs kills ya. I am looking at a coffee grinder at the moment and just the import tax is like 550 euro so I am trying to stick with things in the EU already if I can. I am in love with things like the Benchmark HPA-4 but those are also like 3750 here and way above what I am willing to spend.

I will look up more mods. Seen most use the dual TRS on theirs as it is easy to get in there. 4 pin mini XLR would be nice though since I can keep it one sided.

How would you compare the Topping 90 stack against lets say the 400 stack from SMSL? Been reading a few reviews here and there and heard a bit of issues with Topping QC, some people with multiple devices and vendors they bought it from.

 

[lyons238]

Sorry I misunderstood you. Yeah i know most places ship around the world but import customs kills ya. I am looking at a coffee grinder at the moment and just the import tax is like 550 euro so I am trying to stick with things in the EU already if I can. I am in love with things like the Benchmark HPA-4 but those are also like 3750 here and way above what I am willing to spend.

I will look up more mods. Seen most use the dual TRS on theirs as it is easy to get in there. 4 pin mini XLR would be nice though since I can keep it one sided.

How would you compare the Topping 90 stack against lets say the 400 stack from SMSL? Been reading a few reviews here and there and heard a bit of issues with Topping QC, some people with multiple devices and vendors they bought it from.

Yeah the one sided 4 pin xlr surface mount is the best way to go i believe. i think you should not have a problem sourcing one and maybe the import taxes are different but on a 5$ item it should not be a lot.

The SMSL m400/sp400 stack is comparible to the d90/ad90 you could flip a coin. but keep in mind the output impedance of the smsl 400 series has a much higher output impedance so it could be a tad more picky if you try and pair it with a different amp or certain headphones.

 

[bequietjk]

This is going to be a very subjective point of view, but...

As a THX 789 owner, seeing that the A90 is basically twice the cost depending on what day it is, I cant help but wonder if the A90 will provide twice the enjoyment. I wouldnt expect the A90 to provide twice the fun as a seasoned owner of a relatively good measuring amp, but what about someone who is listening to the 789 vs A90 for the very first time? Value?



New amps are emerging each day and the tech is getting crazy. Hoping for some input here.

 

[Doodski]

what about someone who is listening to the 789 vs A90 for the very first time?

The same old answer applies here. They won't hear a difference because the two amps are very good.

 

[lyons238]

This is going to be a very subjective point of view, but...

As a THX 789 owner, seeing that the A90 is basically twice the cost depending on what day it is, I cant help but wonder if the A90 will provide twice the enjoyment. I wouldnt expect the A90 to provide twice the fun as a seasoned owner of a relatively good measuring amp, but what about someone who is listening to the 789 vs A90 for the very first time? Value?



New amps are emerging each day and the tech is getting crazy. Hoping for some input here.

well always keep in mind the law of diminishing returns. You’re going to pay a lot more to get a little better the closer you get to the high end/towards the current ceiling.

with that said despite what the poster above said, I have heard the difference between the a90 and 789 and the a90 sounds a touch better. Specifically, the 789 is a tad harsh in comparison to the a90, while the a90 is just as detailed if not more and it is extremely clean power (with more power on tap than the 789) with great dynamics. So again the biggest difference between the two is the a90 is a touch smoother sounding without sacrificing detail, it must be that the 789 has an element of a very slight harsh edge to it and secondly the power if you have hard to drive cans the a90 has more sauce.

 

[Veri]

it must be that the 789 has an element of a very slight harsh edge to it

Nah. Blind test would rid you of that preconception. A90 has proper pre-outs and more power on tap though. And a much more enjoyable knob. And an internal PSU rather than external brick.

 

[Audioent]

I have ordered a Sennheiser HD800s headphone. I am trying to setup an amp dac system for it. Should I buy Topping A99 with Topping D90 or should I buy Topping Dx7 Pro as a single unit?
Or should I combine Topping D90 DAC with Monolith Monoprice THX AAA 887 amplifer for the best teçhizat performance?

 

[lyons238]

I have ordered a Sennheiser HD800s headphone. I am trying to setup an amp dac system for it. Should I buy Topping A99 with Topping D90 or should I buy Topping Dx7 Pro as a single unit?
Or should I combine Topping D90 DAC with Monolith Monoprice THX AAA 887 amplifer for the best teçhizat performance?

I'd recommend the A90/D90 combo. It's going to be slightly better than the THX counterparts and also having a separate DAC will allow you to have more options for adding future amps or changing things around.

 

[Audioent]

I'd recommend the A90/D90 combo. It's going to be slightly better than the THX counterparts and also having a separate DAC will allow you to have more options for adding future amps or changing things around.

Thank you

 

[lyons238]

Thank you

Youre welcome. I actually just went down this decision path myself and after research and I've heard the THX 789, I chose the D90/A90. Really good combo. It's extremely clean and has a lot of power and also a good feature set. To me the A90 sounded just as detailed as the THX 789 but more clean and smooth, it didn't have the slight harsh edge that the 789 seemed to have.

 

[Moonhead]

Is there any headphone amp other than the benchmark that has more power than A90?
Sorry if I am a moron

 

[pimy]

Is there any headphone amp other than the benchmark that has more power than A90?
Sorry if I am a moron

Flux Lab Fa-10 : https://www.headfonia.com/flux-lab-acoustics-fa-10-review/3/
Burson Soloist 3X Performance : https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/burson-soloist-3x-performance.24591/

 

[Moonhead]

Thx mate
They look nice as well, but I Where thinking of all The headphone amp Amir have tested, should have stated that, sorry.

 

[Inkey31]

This is useful piece of info as I am having this problem with D90 + THX 887. I just came here to ask this specific question. D90 + 887 connected using short XLR cables will result into distortion / clipping at high gain settings no matter the volume level. My guess is that it is because of the voltage supplied to THX887 (4v in case of XLR connection) and THX887 is probably not design for that voltage. Can anyone confirm this? I can work around this problem by using either RCA cable or by using D90 in preamp mode and lower the volume a bit on D90. Both are not ideal solution as in both cases I am loosing headroom in terms of loudness / volume. The volume is important to me as I am using Hifiman Susvara which requires high gain on 887 to reach good level of listening.

Yes I need high gain for my Hifiman Susvara headphones to reach good listening levels on THX887 and A90 will be no different and if I buy A90 then I have to use high gain on A90 as well. Am I reading it correctly that A90 is free from this problem? Is there any distortion / clipping at high gain mode when A90 is connected with D90 using XLR?

Hello, I am in the market for a Susvara, I currently own the 887 Monoprice amp, which has the most power here on my desktop. Did the A90 make a large difference? Did you try it yet with a speaker Amp?

I see the a90 puts out a whole extra watt at 50Ohm's, so my guess would be that at 80Ohms you are getting an additional watt vs the 887.

I am also eyeing the Jouinthinam 2 from Schiit that does about that same amount of power as the a90 but in Schiits tech which is like Class A apperntally.

 

[Inkey31]

Anyone compared yet to the Singxer SA-1?