Some time ago Topping's R & D staff thanked me for requesting this new product-what I'm sure would be the best MCH answer to their highly successful Pre90 preamp. https://www.stereophile.com/content/topping-pre90-line-preamplifier
Indeed, I am facing the exact same dilemma as did KR here where the otherwise very effective DIRAC Live 3 room correction inflicted a gain loss of almost 20db on his 5.3 system. As his Exasound s88 DAC's balanced outputs apparently could not provide output voltage to drive the amplifiers and/or using the DAC's remote for attenuation would result in resolution loss, perhaps especially at lower listening levels, KR mentioned that he purchased three of these preamps to solve the problem.
True, Fig. 3 here shows the superbly low distortion which continues to virtually decline all the way to 17v.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/topping-pre90-line-preamplifier-measurements And for many users the price certainly allows purchasing multiple Pre90.
But having to contend with a stack of them is unappealing to many and as KR found that controlling system volume-especially with the Pre90's badly engineered remote-can't be the most effortless thing in the world.
Meanwhile, I've spent half nearly this month hunting for the handful of custom amplifier designers who might build for me an 8 channel preamp with balanced inputs/outputs, ~ 15v output/channel, a stereo balance control to set the levels between the front and side/rear speakers of the 5.3 system I want to build and a volume/mute remote to master control the output of all 8 channels by digitally controlling an analog potentiometer.
But after all of that hunting, emailing and web chatting, no luck, of course.
An 8-channel version of the Topping Pre90 preamp would be a godsend for users of MCH channel DACs like the Exasound S88 and the Okto DAC 8 Pro. And it would be the perfect opportunity for Topping to make good on offering a well designed bug free volume/mute remote.
AND for adding a front/rear speaker pair stereo balance control.
Let's go Topping, make this 8-channel preamp happen in 2023!
Indeed, I am facing the exact same dilemma as did KR here where the otherwise very effective DIRAC Live 3 room correction inflicted a gain loss of almost 20db on his 5.3 system. As his Exasound s88 DAC's balanced outputs apparently could not provide output voltage to drive the amplifiers and/or using the DAC's remote for attenuation would result in resolution loss, perhaps especially at lower listening levels, KR mentioned that he purchased three of these preamps to solve the problem.
True, Fig. 3 here shows the superbly low distortion which continues to virtually decline all the way to 17v.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/topping-pre90-line-preamplifier-measurements And for many users the price certainly allows purchasing multiple Pre90.
But having to contend with a stack of them is unappealing to many and as KR found that controlling system volume-especially with the Pre90's badly engineered remote-can't be the most effortless thing in the world.
Meanwhile, I've spent half nearly this month hunting for the handful of custom amplifier designers who might build for me an 8 channel preamp with balanced inputs/outputs, ~ 15v output/channel, a stereo balance control to set the levels between the front and side/rear speakers of the 5.3 system I want to build and a volume/mute remote to master control the output of all 8 channels by digitally controlling an analog potentiometer.
But after all of that hunting, emailing and web chatting, no luck, of course.
An 8-channel version of the Topping Pre90 preamp would be a godsend for users of MCH channel DACs like the Exasound S88 and the Okto DAC 8 Pro. And it would be the perfect opportunity for Topping to make good on offering a well designed bug free volume/mute remote.
AND for adding a front/rear speaker pair stereo balance control.
Let's go Topping, make this 8-channel preamp happen in 2023!