• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Topping A90 Discrete Review (Headphone Amp & Preamp)

Rate this Headphone Amp/Pre-amp

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 16 4.0%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 13 3.2%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 69 17.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 306 75.7%

  • Total voters
    404
Joined
Mar 31, 2021
Messages
24
Likes
35
Some considerations disregarding sound.
Reliance on remote control for basic functions like changing gain is a pretty bad choice and an immediate disqualifier. A fancier looking but less practical A90, while also being more expensive. The stepped relay is really the only worthwhile improvement. The LED volume display is definitely better looking than the super dated blue and green WindowsXP-like displays on the competing SMSL stuff, but looks tacked on with little respect for the preexisting design, is bound to age poorly design wise (why is it slanted? bad SP200 vibes going on here), and just a totally unnecessary possible point of failure in an headphone amp. The OG A90, while not being a beautiful looking amp or anything, looks more elegant and better put together, while also having very functional PHYSICAL SWITCHES.
Hopefully the next A90 iteration (A90SE?) or the rumored Singxer "SA-2" will finally get it right (just give me an SA-1 with front gain switch and stepped relay volume, no needless stupid shenanigans like displays and remote dependency).
 

GiFi

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2021
Messages
93
Likes
35
Location
Rome
does anyone know anything about th possibility to adjust the channel balance?
 

dsnyder0cnn

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Dec 14, 2019
Messages
540
Likes
800
does anyone know anything about th possibility to adjust the channel balance?
I've not seen that feature on any Topping product, so I doubt it's an option. I've not found a link to the user manual, but there's probably one around somewhere.

I handle channel balance upstream of the DAC, but that may not be convenient for everyone.
 

Trell

Major Contributor
Joined
May 13, 2021
Messages
2,752
Likes
3,285
Hopefully the next A90 iteration (A90SE?) or the rumored Singxer "SA-2" will finally get it right (just give me an SA-1 with front gain switch and stepped relay volume, no needless stupid shenanigans like displays and remote dependency).

But would that not require a new volume control with fixed min/max rotation as to be able to see what the current volume level is? I would think that makes adjusting volume in small steps not that easy considering how powerful the amp is.
 

Atanasi

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 8, 2019
Messages
713
Likes
792
does anyone know anything about th possibility to adjust the channel balance?
I suppose adjusting channel balance in an analog amp like this is not feasible while keeping its high performance. D90SE and RME ADI-2 DAC, for example, support channel balance in the digital domain, where it can be implemented practically losslessly.
 

bkdc

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 28, 2022
Messages
274
Likes
269
I’m switching back and forth at my computer between HPA and Pre-amp mode. Physical switches should exist for gain level as well. The lack of a physical switch would be really annoying. It’s an upgrade in one way but really a step back (cost cutting measures) in another. If faced with both options at the same price point, I take the A90 over the A90 discrete.
 

David_M

Active Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2019
Messages
293
Likes
182
Ok...I'm confused a bit. This amp has great specs but the Topping A30Pro reviewed by Amir here but has better specs (SINAD/THDN) and equal or more headphone output power, etc.... for $200 less at $349.99 at the time of the review. What am I missing here to justify the extra $$$ over the A30Pro?
 

pseudoid

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 23, 2021
Messages
5,125
Likes
3,439
Location
33.58 -117.88
What am I missing here to justify the extra $$$ over the A30Pro?
Seems like you may not be the one that is missing parts but the Topping A30Pro most definitely is missing the XLR outputs in rear.:facepalm:
 

da Choge

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 31, 2018
Messages
231
Likes
220
Location
DFW
Does this display which input is selected when the EXT is connected?
There is the indicator light for the Ext 90, which is not really very helpful. But on switching inputs, the display might flash the label of the input for 10 seconds or so, before returning to the volume display. It could use notations like B1 (Balanced 1) or S1 (Single-Ended 1), etc. Course, B1 would look the same as 81. Don't know if it actually does this, but maybe John Yang could comment or if someone has the Ext90 they could test this out when their A90 Discrete arrives. This is one feature, when the A90 Discrete is used as a preamp, that it might not be functionally as good as the Pre90.
 

Veri

Master Contributor
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Messages
9,596
Likes
12,036
Ok...I'm confused a bit. This amp has great specs but the Topping A30Pro reviewed by Amir here but has better specs (SINAD/THDN) and equal or more headphone output power, etc.... for $200 less at $349.99 at the time of the review. What am I missing here to justify the extra $$$ over the A30Pro?
Pass through VS Pre. Digital volume control. But yes for SE performance A30 Pro is not exactly easy to beat ;)
 
Last edited:
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,376
Likes
234,549
Location
Seattle Area
Hi @amirm
Thanks for the review.
What gain setting are you using with the Stealth?
I appreciate your help!
I used high gain for all my listening tests.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,376
Likes
234,549
Location
Seattle Area
I might be missing it, but any sense for its performance as a preamp via its line level XLR out?
It is the same as headphone out but with higher impedance.
 

enricoclaudio

Major Contributor
Audio Company
Joined
Jan 7, 2021
Messages
1,106
Likes
2,156
Location
Houston, TX - USA
I've not seen that feature on any Topping product, so I doubt it's an option. I've not found a link to the user manual, but there's probably one around somewhere.

I handle channel balance upstream of the DAC, but that may not be convenient for everyone.
Here you got it:

 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,376
Likes
234,549
Location
Seattle Area
@amirm: Are you going to replace your RME with the new Topping?
In my main system, Topping is the DAC. On the desktop, I need the diagnostic value of RME as I develop EQ, test for distortion and such. So RME will stay but I will augment it as needed with Topping as I need it (currently an A90 is doing that).
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,376
Likes
234,549
Location
Seattle Area
It's great to see you back! :)

Interesting release, but I was expecting some improvements at volume knob as it was pretty much the only and extremely picky downside of A90.
??? Volume control here is drastically different. It is an encoder now and drives a stepped ladder volume circuit. It also has remote control. What all were you expecting?
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,376
Likes
234,549
Location
Seattle Area
@amirm When testing SMSL SP400 you wrote:

Is this amp behaving the same way?
No, I didn't notice that kind of slowness. They are not quite as fast as an analog volume control but I did not feel there was an issue here. I will spend more time with it and report back if different.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,376
Likes
234,549
Location
Seattle Area
Hello everyone

Is there any advantages to use this preamp A90 discrete instead of a Topping dx30 pro used as a preamp in front of a class D amp?

I start to think that a dac preamp offer lifeless music , i'm looking for a preamp that would bring life back

Cheers
An integrated DAC is a great solution if you don't have any other analog inputs to manage. On the rest of your comment, no preamp brings life to your music. The music, its recoding and speaker/headphone do that.
 
Top Bottom