Topping A90 Headphone Amplifier Review

[Bow_Wazoo]

If you play square waves as a signal (you clip digitally, signal from DAC, if bass frequencies are too high amplitude with the +8 dB boost) it might indeed stress it a bit too much? How does the headphone sound if you turn down the volume (so it doesn't drop out) and without normalization and +8 dB low shelf enabled? Enable Normalization and see what happens. The manual says normalization even removes DC component.

As I said, the problem only occurs when I exceed a certain volume on the amplifier.
Or rather, a certain position on the volume control.
Topping E30 (RCA), same issue.

 

[usern]

As I said, the problem only occurs when I exceed a certain volume on the amplifier.
Or rather, a certain position on the volume control.
Topping E30 (RCA), same issue.

It's nothing to do with amplifier (which might even explain why this happens with multiple amps). If you apply too much digital EQ boost, then there is not enough bits per sample to represent the boosted signal and it will be hard clipped in software. All bits are 1 per sample. It is then sent to DAC which will send hard clipped analog signal to amp which might not like it.

Did you try to enable normalization? The manual says it will automatically apply negative preamp to avoid digital clipping. You want to do this when applying any boost with EQ.

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

It's definitely not digital clipping, as I've had Automatic gain protection enabled 90% of the time over the last few days.

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

It certainly isn't the load (HE6SE) causing this.
Without EQ no issues ?

I just tried it. EQ completely disabled, same problem.

 

[cheapmessiah]

I just tried it. EQ completely disabled, same problem.

Has the room temperature increased recently? you might've been on the limit of what passive dissipation was able to do when RT was lower if the problem strarted recently.

 

[solderdude]

I just tried it. EQ completely disabled, same problem.

I suspect the A90 is defective. Could also be the reason you find it lacking in power. It shouldn't be.

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

Yes, that's what I have come to suspect

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

Has the room temperature increased recently? you might've been on the limit of what passive dissipation was able to do when RT was lower if the problem strarted recently.

I thought the same at the beginning, but it was not confirmed

 

[Tachyon88]

I used oratory1990 EQ on my susvara when I had it with my A90 and mainly stayed in medium gain and never went into high unless it was quieter recordings, but I have never experienced what you are with your A90. I had a su-8 feeding it with xlr and now I have a D90se xlr as well it never did what I heard in your video. I've even played with higher bass shelfs too.

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

Topping writes:
"This is not an overload protection, this is DC protection triggered.
Some music has DC or a lot of very low frequency (under 5hz) signals, which will then trigger the headphone protection."

I replied that my Sub Sonic filter did nothing. And also I measured the volume when the amplifier turns off: 86dB.

 

[tritopia]

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[reasons]

Explains why topping is on a 10% off sale right now I guess lol

 

[enricoclaudio]

When I thought no more upgrades for the rest of year, Topping releases the A90 Discrete LOL

TOPPING A90 Discrete Headphone Amplifier

Fully discrete NFCA also create wonderful amp As its name, A90 Discrete uses fully discrete components toredesign the NFCA (Nested Feedback Composite Amplifier)module. 4 built-in NFCA-Discrete modules which each themuses 39 transistors build up fully balanced structure.Theoptimized Voltage...

shenzhenaudio.com

Can't wait to read @amirm review of this top performer.

 

[Human Bass]

When I thought no more upgrades for the rest of year, Topping releases the A90 Discrete LOL

TOPPING A90 Discrete Headphone Amplifier

Fully discrete NFCA also create wonderful amp As its name, A90 Discrete uses fully discrete components toredesign the NFCA (Nested Feedback Composite Amplifier)module. 4 built-in NFCA-Discrete modules which each themuses 39 transistors build up fully balanced structure.Theoptimized Voltage...

shenzhenaudio.com

Can't wait to read @amirm review of this top performer.

Some insane specs

 

[tritopia]

A90D!!

It's disappointing that it's $100 more expensive than its predecessor, but we're excited about the new performance. Order complete!

 

[nonnyno]

How do you guys think the A90 would pair with the S.M.S.L M200? Does it suffer from the same output impedance issue as the M400?

dont know about the the m200 but my a90d arrived today. Whilst waiting for my new d90se and dca stealths, I plugged an old smsl m500 mk 1 into it using balanced with the beyer dt770's 32 ohm on the 6.3mm connection. On high gain I had to push the volume knob to 50 to get comfortable listening levels - not loud. At low gain it was very quiet indeed. At the same volume setting on an l50/e50 combo. I would have been reaching for the phone to dial for an ambulance - it would have been really eye wateringly loud. I virtually never ran that combo above 1/4. I am wondering if I've got a dud but seeing your comment on the smsl m400 I wonder if its an smsl issue. That swas on high gain btw.

 

[drumlesstrance]

I figure it is the DC protection kicking in not clipping or over current protection.
Add a steep 10Hz high-pass filter as well and you will probably be rid of the cut-outs.
A bass shelf will also increase frequencies below 16Hz which should not be there in music anyway.

Just wanted to say that this really helped me with my issue. Was listening to an Autechre track and then experienced the same issue of the relay flickering, causing sound to drop out. Autechre, being Autechre, were probably pumping a ton of subsonic frequencies. Applying a sharp rolloff below 10Hz on EAPO solved this completely. Thank you!

 

[raif71]

dont know about the the m200 but my a90d arrived today. Whilst waiting for my new d90se and dca stealths, I plugged an old smsl m500 mk 1 into it using balanced with the beyer dt770's 32 ohm on the 6.3mm connection. On high gain I had to push the volume knob to 50 to get comfortable listening levels - not loud. At low gain it was very quiet indeed. At the same volume setting on an l50/e50 combo. I would have been reaching for the phone to dial for an ambulance - it would have been really eye wateringly loud. I virtually never ran that combo above 1/4. I am wondering if I've got a dud but seeing your comment on the smsl m400 I wonder if its an smsl issue. That swas on high gain btw.

Keep us posted will ya on the pairing of a90d with d90se and the various headphones that you have. Thanks.

 

[Dueprocess]

I am running a D90LE > A90D (BAL, XLR; DAC set to 5.2v output), and I have driven my old DT880s (600 ohm, SE) and a new pair of DCA Aeon 2 Noires (BAL, 4 pin XLR).

The amp has had no problem driving either in the low gain setting. I did note that I had to turn the volume down a fair bit when using the BAL output as opposed to SE.

Keep in mind, volume levels ~ 50-60 leave plenty of headroom (max is 99). I wouldn't be concerned with the number, per se; I'd be concerned with whether or not you have available headroom or not.

I would also keep in mind that:
- A90D has input voltages of 3v (high gain) and 9.1-9.3v (SE, BAL, respectively; low gain). Most high perf. DACs can drive the amp to clipping via BAL input on high gain (including the D90); very few consumer DACs can drive the amp to max power on low gain (via either SE or BAL input, or even on high gain via SE input).
- There are several volume curves available for the amp.
- The D90 can output various output voltages (4.2 or 5.2v BAL);

Always check the input / output voltages of your gear before assuming your amp is anemic.

 

[registlse]

Bonjour à tous, tout d'abord je suis français je traduis mes propos via Reverso... désolé !

Jusqu'à présent j'utilisais la sortie casque de mon Naim 272 (Il fait streamer, dac et préamp, prix environ 4500 euros) avec un Focal Clear, je suis abonné à Qobuz Hires. J'étais satisfait de l'écoute et pour avoir comparé plusieurs casques d'ampli entre 500 et 1000 euros, le 272 était meilleur... jusqu'à ce que je décide de commander le A90 suite aux excellents avis que j'ai pu lire...

Le numéro de série est 2110....2022, c'est une fabrication récente ? en tout cas il n'y a aucun défaut, je le trouve de très bonne facture, de qualité, le potard de volume est bon, lisse comme il se doit... J'utilise une sortie RCA ligne de 272 et il n'y a pas de bruit.

Pour l'écoute j'utilise la sortie 6.35 que je préfère à la sortie XLR sur le Clear.
Deux choses importantes à mon avis, remplacer le cordon secteur livré avec le A90 par un meilleur qualité (j'utilise un Neodio PC1 qui va très bien !) et la phase secteur.

Bravo Topping d'avoir conçu un ampli casque de cette qualité pour moins de 500 euros... c'est le meilleur, et de loin, ampli que j'écoute depuis longtemps ! ça me rappelle un Benchmark HPA4 que j'écoutais avec le même casque il y a quelques semaines... douceur mais dynamique, sonorité superbe, aigus raffinés, basses basses tenues... neutres mais dans le bon sens du terme, non chiant, le son change à chaque morceau, s'il est mal enregistré tant pis, mais quand c'est bien enregistré, quel bonheur !!!

Pour conclure, je pense que même s'il n'est pas très cher, comme il est de qualité il faut un dac de grande qualité, sinon il ne fera qu'amplifier les défauts... Merci de m'avoir lu !