Topping A90 Headphone Amplifier Review

[JohnYang1997]

did you have the power cable plugged directly into the wall or a surge protector?

Either wall or regular power strips(most).

 

[Racheski]

Either wall or regular power strips(most).

Sry asking didi

 

[hmscott]

I have several questions to ask and comments:
...
b) I have had an awful, costly experience with D90, which is likely to occur with A90 too! In short, the mains cable to D90 got loose in its socket, with the amplifier on, and the terrible, powerful impulses that resulted (without D90 shutting down, having any protection, as it should) just ruined my audio system, consisting in D90,vMassdrop THX AAA, Sennheiser HD800, Benchmark AHB2, and KEF Q950. None of these work any longer as they used to! That is likely to occur with A90 as well, which features the same mains socket and plug! Benchmark delivers a specially locking-in mains cable, which prevents such incidents! The 220/110V cable should either feature an autolock or just be unremovable! Now I need to have all of the audio equipment replaced by, courtesy of Topping! I also own Topping D50, which has worked for years wonderfully!

Anyway, I presently returned the Topping D90 to the vendor!

The first time I saw someone had kicked out a power cord - while cutting their corner too close rounding a corner in a data center, the other redundant power supply kicked in and there wasn't a glitch in power delivery or downtime. The powering down of the currently primary power supply was logged however - so it did happen. That's how we catch those little events - even if you plug the cord back in quickly.

Why don't A90's / D90's have redundant power supplies, or log such events in the log server??!!

Most consumer devices don't come with a "strap" to hold in the power cord - or any of the other socketed cords going in to the back of devices.

This is done to reduce costs and allow the "Darwin Effect" to play through.

Ethernet cables have locking lugs designed in to the socket, speaker wires that screw into posts will hold well enough to pull the equipment out of their position, and even RCA's grip hard enough for children to drag equipment by the wires, room to room.

There are positives and negatives around locking cords / cables, and overall it's better to have the cable pull out than the equipment be pulled down off their perch.

Usually the equipment survives the "unplugging" event just fine, as silence usually follows. The "dangerous" event is when plugging in a new AMP without reducing the volume controls to Zero before plugging the power cord in...you did turn the volume down before plugging back in?

c) I wonder why D90 features a voltage selector, which may be wrongly activated and burn the equipment? Was it too difficult to have voltage get selected automatically?...!

The power doesn't change on minute by minute, second by second basis. The power is a constant, until the device is physically moved to another geographical region. There's no reason to burden the device with circuitry to detect power changes, set it and forget it.

In the past there were different sub-models used as solution - as there were different printed manuals - different power cables - etc - but that made inventory fracturing a problem - too many models. You'd get an order from a region without product on the shelf and they'd re-box them to fit, a costly and time wasting process. There would be overstock of one model and not enough of another model, as each region focused sales efforts.

Now multi-language manuals - or no manuals, all online - kits of plugs for power with power switches on the device - result in much lower costs for inventory on hand and much quicker response to fill sales orders. The needed options are "built-in" and consumer selectable.

The D90 is likely just fine, reset all the volume controls down to Zero and plug in the power cord firmly this time, dress the cable with cable ties if you feel so inclined - you expect another potential incident to occur - that's why I "child proofed" my home racks for years.

Personal responsibility is in play here. Take responsibility for not plugging in the power cable adequately, or goofing some personal movement that jerked out the cord.

There's no manufacturer blame due here. It's all your responsibility.

If you did return the D90 the seller may charge you for user-inflicted damage, and not provide free warranty repair or replacement.

Usually when someone pulls a boner like this the vendor laughs to themselves, and kindly replaces the user inflicted damage, if the customer is nice about it.

 

[yapst38]

Hi all
Presently I am using a Denafrips Ares I DAC, wonder if A90 would go well with this DAC. Tks.

 

[ripvw]

https://benchmarkmedia.com/collections/cables/products/locking-power-cord?variant=6863689473

 

[mt196]

I don't get this thing about locking power cords, what problem are they addressing? The fact that if the IEC is a bit lose you can damage your equipment?

 

[NunzioLan]

I have read the ebony is not coming back. Very hard to find a used one for sale these days...

That's sad! Where did you read that? Any other comparison among all the models with some clue on the sonic signature of each one?

 

[didi]

Let me thank you all for your kind, soothing and informing feedback to my post! I do use surge protectors, and I do think that the speakers were the ones that were affected the most (save for the sensitive Topping D90, which no longer sounded the same after the incident)! I would expect the Topping D90 to shut down, the way computers do, and Massdrop THX AAA 789, when accidentally unplugged from the mains! I have not tried that with my Benchmark AHB2 amplifier, which, from what I read, is protected against such incidents as well, as well as against clipping etc. The speakers could have tens of times more expensive than my KEF Q950, and I will have my set sent to the manufacturer for testing and replacing of tweeters/woofers! Ill luck! Next time, I will glue the power cord to the socket that I plug it in!...

 

[hmscott]

Let me thank you all for your kind, soothing and informing feedback to my post! I do use surge protectors, and I do think that the speakers were the ones that were affected the most (save for the sensitive Topping D90, which no longer sounded the same after the incident)! I would expect the Topping D90 to shut down, the way computers do, and Massdrop THX AAA 789, when accidentally unplugged from the mains! I have not tried that with my Benchmark AHB2 amplifier, which, from what I read, is protected against such incidents as well, as well as against clipping etc. The speakers could have tens of times more expensive than my KEF Q950, and I will have my set sent to the manufacturer for testing and replacing of tweeters/woofers! Ill luck! Next time, I will glue the power cord to the socket that I plug it in!...

Please give your ears and your emotional state time to recover - I know just how shell shocked one can be when someone plugs in power to AMPs at full tilt into huge speakers sitting mere feet from your ears... it's not fun, it is a shock to your system and your ears. It takes time for both to recover.

I seriously doubt any damage was done, and there's no need to prove it either. It's not going to be covered by your Topping Warranty

Kicking out a power cord is your own fault, no one else's. It's a drag, a pain, a learning experience.

If you press the overdrive reset on your speakers they might be just fine too. Many have protection that is resettable.

There are certain practices that become habits over time if you work at it. Number one is to only use 1 hand to work on high power feeds, the other is to turn down all the volume controls on all your new devices before powering them on the first time.

My A90 has only just been pulled out of the box to oggle, and I've already turned the volume control from 50% to 0%, it's been habit for me for decades.

Before I turn anything on I check all the buttons and settings - have you had your girlfriend or wife - or daughter - test you this way yet? Go into the car in the morning and put down your coffee and turn on the car before checking the radio, wipers, or any other buttons they can find to turn on?

It's all a learning experience. It's easy to blame others for one's own mistakes, take the more difficult road - blame yourself first and then find out what really happened to cause the accident before assigning blame externally.

I hope you recover quickly from your experience, and come back and post more often than every 2 years.

 

[boXem]

 

[Veri]

Hi all
Presently I am using a Denafrips Ares I DAC, wonder if A90 would go well with this DAC. Tks.

Yes, of course. Should pair great!

 

[Racheski]

That's sad! Where did you read that? Any other comparison among all the models with some clue on the sonic signature of each one?

Drop.com forums. Lots of comparison online and on YouTube.

 

[Paolosnz]

I have a question, in my a90 at volume 0 you still hear some audio, how come?

 

[Jimbob54]

Ho una domanda, nella mia a90 al volume 0 senti ancora un po 'di audio, come mai?

If I have used Translate properly, why is there sound at 0?

Must digital volume controls are in minus dB - you have that turned to 0dB- that is FULL volume, anything else will be quieter.

 

[mt196]

I am Italian, I just realized that the question was asked in Italian and not in English my mind cannot understand anymore what is what after reading so much English all the day (and studying in English)

 

[Jimbob54]

I am Italian, I just realized that the question was asked in Italian and not in English my mind cannot understand anymore what is what after reading so much English all the day (and studying in English)

Google is our friend. I answered

 

[Paolosnz]

I apologize, I wrote it in English but I had the translator who entered it in Italian
however I asked why the A90 even with the volume at zero contuna to reproduce sound

 

[Jimbob54]

I apologize, I wrote it in English but I had the translator who entered it in Italian
however I asked why the A90 even with the volume at zero contuna to reproduce sound

I translated it and answered a few posts ago #580

 

[Wazzupi]

I apologize, I wrote it in English but I had the translator who entered it in Italian
however I asked why the A90 even with the volume at zero contuna to reproduce sound

When u say sound what kind of sound ? Like music or a buzz ?

 

[Paolosnz]

When u say sound what kind of sound ? Like music or a buzz ?

I speak of music, even at zero volume it feels very soft but you can hear it