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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

staticV3

Master Contributor
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Messages
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could I use a suitable adapter to connect my headphones (Meze 109 Pro) to the XLR outputs on the back of the A90d? Are the rear connectors not suitable for headphones for some reason?
The rear connectors are not suitable for headphones. They're Line outs intended for plugging in other Amplifiers.
 

Veri

Master Contributor
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Messages
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12,036
Hello all,

being new to HiFi, I have a question that is probably a bit silly: could I use a suitable adapter to connect my headphones (Meze 109 Pro) to the XLR outputs on the back of the A90d? Are the rear connectors not suitable for headphones for some reason?

Best regards

Bojan
Mmm often times the line outs have resistors in place which will make the output impedance a lot higher, say something like 20Ω maybe. Connecting a dynamic headphone to that output like you'd be intending to will have an affect on the frequency response, specifically it'll make the sound a bit "muddy".

So no, I would not suggest doing it, for this reason.
 

WeBuild4Life

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2023
Messages
26
Likes
15
Got my new a90d this weekend. Came with new firmware out of the box and all the features and SE output works flawlessly. An overkill amp for sure. I don't see this doing anything negative to the sound and is very unobtrusive. Much better at higher output than my magni 2 uber, better detail I believe as well. Can run at lower volumes without sacrificing anything too. Overkill but 10/10 don't see why I'd spend more or replace it.
 

Bow_Wazoo

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Jan 3, 2021
Messages
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661
My Switcher box is ready for the a/b comparison A90D with the Schiit Lyr+, which is on its way.
Presumably, this comparison will also end quite unspectacular.

20230115_153310.jpg
 

Phony846

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2020
Messages
49
Likes
61
Location
San Diego
Apos was super slow in replacing my A90D that died with a -5 after a few months. Took numerous emails and slow response, but they are finally shipping me back a working A90D. Hopefully it lasts longer than a few months. Super disappointed in the A90D quality, as others have had -5 deaths too.
 

Bow_Wazoo

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Jan 3, 2021
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My Switcher box is ready for the a/b comparison A90D with the Schiit Lyr+, which is on its way.
Presumably, this comparison will also end quite unspectacular.

View attachment 257680
The Lyr+ is actually supposed to arrive today.

Following plan: A90D vs. Lyr+ in a blind comparison.

The E50 DAC is connected to both amplifiers.
The amplifiers are connected to the x and y input and brought to the same volume.
(Play 1khz sine wave
Measure voltage including load (so parallel at the headphones), and measure the volume with a sound level meter.
Whereas it should actually be enough if I just take the sound level meter?!)

Then at the output from the trs switcher the headphones.
I will then ask a second person to plug the connectors coming from the 6.3mm outputs of the amplifiers, into the x and y inputs as they choose, and cover a certain area so I can't see where the cables are coming from.
I will then be able to switch back and forth between the amplifiers with an estimated millisecond interruption.

Screenshot_20230117_091944_Amazon Shopping.jpg


It would be exciting, of course, if I could hear a difference.
However, I don't expect to.

Any suggestions, or ideas for improvement?
 

beq1990

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2021
Messages
16
Likes
11
Got my new a90d this weekend. Came with new firmware out of the box and all the features and SE output works flawlessly. An overkill amp for sure. I don't see this doing anything negative to the sound and is very unobtrusive. Much better at higher output than my magni 2 uber, better detail I believe as well. Can run at lower volumes without sacrificing anything too. Overkill but 10/10 don't see why I'd spend more or replace it.
Hi, from which reseller did you buy it? If I pull the trigger on this I would love it to work perfectly out of the box..
 

Phony846

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2020
Messages
49
Likes
61
Location
San Diego
I got my replacement A90D back from Apos after the fatal -5 error code. Has anyone heard what's going on with all these -5 failures? I'm afraid it will happen again after my warranty is up and I'm SOL.
 

escalibur

Active Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2018
Messages
236
Likes
161
I got my replacement A90D back from Apos after the fatal -5 error code. Has anyone heard what's going on with all these -5 failures? I'm afraid it will happen again after my warranty is up and I'm SOL.
-5 error code seems to be more common than it probably should. I hope Topping will release updated version where this issue has been addressed. Currently I would hesitate to buy second hand unit, especially with no warranty or uncertain warranty terms.
 

Gggggas

Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2018
Messages
62
Likes
36
I got my replacement A90D back from Apos after the fatal -5 error code. Has anyone heard what's going on with all these -5 failures? I'm afraid it will happen again after my warranty is up and I'm SOL.
After having it tweaked by Topping in China I no longer have any issues regarding codes or pops while plugging/unplugging headphones. They had told me that those are hardware issues and unfortunately it needs to be done by them. It is time consuming having to send it to China but since they cover all your expenses I think it's worth it.
 

Phony846

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2020
Messages
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61
Location
San Diego
After having it tweaked by Topping in China I no longer have any issues regarding codes or pops while plugging/unplugging headphones. They had told me that those are hardware issues and unfortunately it needs to be done by them. It is time consuming having to send it to China but since they cover all your expenses I think it's worth it.
It's disconcerting that it sounds like a hardware failure/design flaw. Numerous early deaths of an A90D is highly unacceptable. This, along with the non-compliant USB-C port, points to poor hardware design and decision making from Topping program leadership. Sounds like costs or corners were cut.
 

pouni

Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2022
Messages
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4
Hi together,

I would like to connect a tube amp to the preamp output of the A90 discrete. I do not know if I will use the balanced or the single ended preamp output of the A90 discrete. Could you tell me if the preamp outputs have a passthrough when the A90 discrete is turned off so that I can use the tube amp even when the A90 discrete is turned off? Would this usage degrade spund quality in any way?

Best regards

Bojan
 

enricoclaudio

Major Contributor
Audio Company
Joined
Jan 7, 2021
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2,145
Location
Houston, TX - USA
As far I know the A90D has to be ON for the pre amp to pass signal. Regarding sound quality, I think your weakest link is the tube amp, not the A90D. Pretty sure your tube amp SINAD would be half the A90D SINAD. If you want to blame a component for bad SQ, in this case is going to be your tube amp and not the A90D.
 
Joined
May 29, 2020
Messages
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I've been watching and reading quite a few reviews about this particular amp, and nearly everyone seems to agree that the a90D is 'warmer' sounding than the original a90, last video I watched was Joshua Valour, he not only said that he noticed this difference but even blind tested himself and could dercen the difference form the two, I find this fascinating because we have two amps that technically should sound identical, especially given the measurements, so was this ever explained?
 
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