Topping A70 Pro HP & Preamp Review

[PeteL]

What digital input?
Consider it as a straight wire with volume control , plus a headphone amp on the side.
Preamp is a misnomer. In my book, a preamp would at min. have input switching facilities, if nothing else.

"If you need more inputs, you can get the optional Ext90 extension using the compatible connector".- Amir
For digital Ins, Topping sells DACs as well. It's a modular system based on separate components, You configure it as you wish. You are allowed to not like what they propose, they also have Dacs and Amps combined for you. Every one happy.

 

[Ziroz]

This should be at least a warning from one of the moderators imo.

Here you go, it is from one of the mods:

It’s not about what you think it means or how it comes across to you. It’s about how people and companies who produce Chinese Hi-Fi feel about this term and how it has been used as a derogatory term. If you don’t get that than please feel free to not post further about it and move along.

 

[Robbo99999]

Well I guess this is overkill! So you don't need it, but it's nice that it's there!

(I down-voted it from max because of price and not really needed to have this overkill, but it's engineering at it's max in terms of headphone amplifiers in my opinion.)

 

[ribonucleic]

Soooo... changing the subject...

According to the manual, those things on the back are "balanced XLR + 6.35mm TRS combo inputs". Are those as good as regular balanced XLR inputs?

 

[Bleib]

Soooo... changing the subject...

According to the manual, those things on the back are "balanced XLR + 6.35mm TRS combo inputs". Are those as good as regular balanced XLR inputs?

No difference. Use which one you want

 

[enricoclaudio]

Soooo... changing the subject...

According to the manual, those things on the back are "balanced XLR + 6.35mm TRS combo inputs". Are those as good as regular balanced XLR inputs?

Yes they are. A lot of sound boards and pro audio pre amps comes with that kind of balanced inputs. Also Neutrik makes those balanced connectors.

NCJ6FA-V

3 pole XLR female receptacle with 1/4" stereo jack, vertical PCB mount XLR / jack hybrid chassis connector combining 3 pole XLR receptacle and 1/4" jack in the smallest available XLR housing.

www.neutrik.com

 

[AdamG]

I know you don't mean this in a derogatory manner but let's avoid the term Chi-fi as it can have negative connotations for such companies. I hope you understand. Thank you for keeping an open mind and willingness to work with us on this.

I’m quoting myself here because this is the last time we are going to talk about this. We asked nicely and told you our reasoning why. Then a whole bunch of people started debating this. It’s not up for debate anymore. Follow our guidelines or find the door. I deleted every post that mentioned this term or quoted the term. No Warnings were issued. That changes as of this post. Any further discussion about this term or off topic posts will result in a Warning and a Thread Ban.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

 

[Kevinfc]

Since I’m not a headphone guy and would use it as a preamp, it would be nice to have another input or two.

 

[enricoclaudio]

Since I’m not a headphone guy and would use it as a preamp, it would be nice to have another input or two.

Get the Topping Ext90 to increase the total inputs to 4 x XLR and 2 x RCA.

 

[Tovarich007]

If you are not a headphone fan, I don't think it's very interesting to buy the A 70 Pro.
Of course, it's very performing and nice looking, but there are a lot of other performing analog preamps on the market, maybe some measure a little less superlatively, but does this really matters ? I don't think so, such performances are so far above the audition threshold of the best golden ears than even the dogs and the cats can't hear any difference between a 110 and a 125 or more SINAD, so why bother about the absolute measured performance ?

If you absolutely want to keep the same level of stellar measurements, you can stay at Topping and go for the Preamp90 without headphone amp and, as Enricoclaudio wrote, you can add the extension (Ext90). This combo is as perfoming as the A70 pro and if their easthetics are a bit more spartian than the cute A70 Pro, the preamp and its extension looks are perfectly matched.

 

[ribonucleic]

If you are not a headphone fan, I don't think it's very interesting to buy the A 70 Pro.

On the other hand, if you are...

How many distortion-free decibels could this squeeze out of the Dan Clark Stealth versus the RME ADI-2 FS?

 

[Robbo99999]

On the other hand, if you are...

How many distortion-free decibels could this squeeze out of the Dan Clark Stealth versus the RME ADI-2 FS?

(Or any other headphone that has low distortion in it's drivers! HD560s, etc.......for example, but I don't say you'd notice a difference with this headphone amp......but I like the idea of maximising everything which is why I've got a JDS Labs Atom Amp connected to a SoundblasterX G6 DAC rather than just using the G6 on it's own.) Why not maximise your chain if you can, but think twice before spending a shed load on it!

 

[Ken Tajalli]

"If you need more inputs, you can get the optional Ext90 extension using the compatible connector".- Amir
For digital Ins, Topping sells DACs as well. It's a modular system based on separate components, You configure it as you wish. You are allowed to not like what they propose, they also have Dacs and Amps combined for you. Every one happy.

My post was a reply to another post that seemed to imply the unit has a digital input, hence my reply "What digital input?".
At any rate, from what I have seen, Topping themselves refer to this unit as a Headphone Amp, not a preamp.
By adding components, even 1970's amps can have Toslink inputs. Adding separate boxes, can add any functionality to anything.
As a headphone amp, its great, can't pick a fault with it. But a preamp it ain't really.
With the extension box, then it becomes one.

 

[Tovarich007]

The Sennhesier HD 560S which i own works fine without distorsion with much less powerful amps.
I think the Dan clark Stealth can work reasonnably well with the RME ADI-2 FS, even at high volume.
Of course, for a headphone fan who wants the best headamp at a reasonable price, this Topping A70 Pro has to be on his very short list, maybe on top of the list.

 

[Tovarich007]

My post was a reply to another post that seemed to imply the unit has a digital input, hence my reply "What digital input?".
At any rate, from what I have seen, Topping themselves refer to this unit as a Headphone Amp, not a preamp.
By adding components, even 1970's amps can have Toslink inputs. Adding separate boxes, can add any functionality to anything.
As a headphone amp, its great, can't pick a fault with it. But a preamp it ain't really.
With the extension box, then it becomes one.

From how many inputs do you consider a preamp as a "real" preamp ?
No doubt the A70 Pro or the A90 are preamps, and very good ones, but with only two inputs (one balanced, one unbalanced). For some people, it's enough.

 

[PeteL]

My post was a reply to another post that seemed to imply the unit has a digital input, hence my reply "What digital input?".
At any rate, from what I have seen, Topping themselves refer to this unit as a Headphone Amp, not a preamp.
By adding components, even 1970's amps can have Toslink inputs. Adding separate boxes, can add any functionality to anything.
As a headphone amp, its great, can't pick a fault with it. But a preamp it ain't really.
With the extension box, then it becomes one.

Indeed most won't buy that if you don't plan on using headphones. I don't think it's worth making a debate on what's constitute a Preamp. It don't have the same multi input functionalities of a classic input selector preamp, true. Most will use it with just a DAC plugged in it. It gives you variable gain line outputs to connect to a power amp, hence the name preamp. In my book anyway, most people using headphone use it at a desk, or in other config where it's at arms length, due to the wire. I have difficulties seeing who would need to connect a full stack of gear like turntables and CD players and such. In 2023 not a lot of people connect their headphone to a 12 feet cable to sit at the couch. There is Bluetooth for that.

 

[ribonucleic]

In 2023 not a lot of people connect their headphone to a 12 feet cable to sit at the couch. There is Bluetooth for that.

Is there?

AFAIK none of the Bluetooth codecs can reliably stream lossless Redbook even in the forgiving conditions of a living room.

Sure, 320 is probably indistinguishable. But it would seem a shame to feed a measurements monster like this anything less nutritious than FLAC.

 

[PeteL]

Is there?

AFAIK none of the Bluetooth codecs can reliably stream lossless Redbook even in the forgiving conditions of a living room.

Sure, 320 is probably indistinguishable. But it would seem a shame to feed a measurements monster like this anything less nutritious than FLAC.

Feed? I am talking about headphones, it's a sink not a source, and saying that most will use this amp near by due to the limitative nature of wired headphones. Not suggesting bluetooth is used to feed this.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

Is there?

AFAIK none of the Bluetooth codecs can reliably stream lossless Redbook even in the forgiving conditions of a living room.

Sure, 320 is probably indistinguishable. But it would seem a shame to feed a measurements monster like this anything less nutritious than FLAC.

On one hand, I have no use for a desktop headphone amp, for the same reason of a "12 foot cable", on the other hand, I have experimented with LDAC , whicris supposed to handle redbook and beyond, but subjectively, a direct digital connection surely sounds better.
LDAC can handle a living room, if you don't move too much.

 

[usern]

As a headphone amp, its great, can't pick a fault with it. But a preamp it ain't really.
With the extension box, then it becomes one.

It can attenuate line level signal - it has preamp functionality. Does not matter what anyone calls it.

In contrast A30pro can only pass through line level signal - it does not have preamp functionality even though it has RCA and balanced TRS outputs.