Topping LA90 Discrete Amplifier Review

[PuX]

Well, so. It's not really common to have this amplifier either. Cables are very cheap, on amazon one can easily find premiumcord cables cheaply. I now have 3 different sets of balanced cables.

I think you are missing the point. standards exist for a reason.
every other hi-fi amp uses XLR and/or RCA.
but Topping uses much less common things like 1/4 jacks, see other amps they produce.

at least in this case it's compatible with XLR, better than nothing.

 

[abdo123]

It did when I was playing with my loadbox.

Is it me or is this way more concerning than reliability issues that are not even experienced yet?

 

[Trudius]

I think you are missing the point. standards exist for a reason.
every other hi-fi amp uses XLR and/or RCA.
but Topping uses much less common things like 1/4 jacks, see other amps they produce.

at least in this case it's compatible with XLR, better than nothing.

Maybe the reason why they went with these uncommon connectors is both supply chains and cost. Also I am not sure that the XLR + RCA is a global standard, whereas Topping sells products all around the globe, including China.

 

[Trudius]

I shouldn't have to write it for any of them. What are you all, children? My testing is about performance of a device, not reliability. That folks keep complaining about reliability is off-topic in a review thread. And certainly improper when it is a new device where we have no history. I don't know how it got started in this forum. I don't see this kind of complaining for any other reviewer out there.

I put the disclaimer here since Topping amp reviews trigger it. I am not going to waste space on other reviews.

I would posit that whereas a product that measures well on the bench can be unreliable, nearly in every case a product that measures poorly will almost always be unreliable. How can a company have a good quality control on products that have poor/no good specs?

 

[Billy Budapest]

I would posit that whereas a product that measures well on the bench can be unreliable, nearly in every case a product that measures poorly will almost always be unreliable. How can a company have a good quality control on products that have poor/no good specs?

Quite easily, actually. Some products can be built like a tank and have great quality components but have poorly-measuring circuit designs.

 

[b7676]

I havent every looked at Topping amps but it would make sense to release this as a pure power amp (with the mono/stereo and gain switches but one input and no volume control).

Does/will such a beast exist?

Peter

Great performer, but a proper integrated amplifier should have a remote control.
I don't think it's appropriate to have to get out of your chair every time you need to adjust the volume when listening.
If it were a power amplifier intended to be connected to a preamp or DAC with integrated volume control (and its own remote) it would make sense. But it's an integrated amp, I don't think it would be that hard to add that functionality.

In my case, one of the inputs would come from the phono preamp, and therefore I need a remote control and volume control. Both of them.

But the trick is that the price for such an amplifier is too high.
No preamp, no motorized low distortion high quality analog volume control, no remote control.

L70 is the stealth pre-amp product.

 

[amirm]

capacitive and inductive loads graph?

I addressed it in the review and post the results of the tests for 8 ohm. The automation software for the loadbox doesn't work with amplifiers that shutdown and that is the case here with Topping (and many other amplifiers). There are workarounds for it but too time consuming for this review and its deadline to publish.

 

[ivanj]

Okay. Previously I considered this amp then after read that it made me cancel it.

But more than 50% voted as not defective.

Would one fly in an airplane that was this defective? Don't get me started....

 

[theREALdotnet]

Would one fly in an airplane that was this defective?

No, the risk would be far too high (risk being likelihood x impact).

The impact of an amplifier failure pales in comparison to the impact of airplane failure.

 

[enricoclaudio]

wow-that's some service. I wonder how old those modules are? The new ones, that is?

Oh they are recently made. In fact, I had to wait 5 weeks until they were made because they had none in stock.

 

[ivanj]

No, the risk would be far too high (risk being likelihood x impact).

The impact of an amplifier failure pales in comparison to the impact of airplane failure.

However, the annoyance of an amplifier failure can be much more protracted....

 

[LesterNZ]

It is a figure 8.

My LA90 Discrete via "AliExpress, BrightAudio Store" ordered on 25 March and received in Auckland NZ on 4 Apr, was supplied with a USA type mains plug end lead with a THREE (not a "little twin, flat 8") socket plug into their outboard PS pins. NZ is 50Hz/220-230 Volts, as I fitted an Aus/NZ "angled pins" P-N+E plug to their lead.

And it runs continuous, only "slightly warm" (roughly 30 C, or 85 F) pushing my old KEF LS-50's at louder than "normal conversation" levels. But not head-banging or disco-dance-shout over thumps. Just reasonable (85 dB(c) peak) level, not pissing-off the neighbours etc. Excellent clean, clear, sound and apparently a very nice match for the venerable KEF point-sources. Quite pleased, and considering another for mono-blocking, though there is adequate grunt - even in my plush lounge.

 

[theREALdotnet]

My LA90 Discrete via "AliExpress, BrightAudio Store" ordered on 25 March and received in Auckland NZ on 4 Apr, was supplied with a USA type mains plug end lead with a THREE (not a "little twin, flat 8") socket plug into their outboard PS pins. NZ is 50Hz/220-230 Volts, as I fitted an Aus/NZ "angled pins" P-N+E plug to their lead.

Oh, C5/C6 “clover leaf”? I wonder whether they bundle different power bricks for different markets?

 

[tritopia]

The combo terminal port is a global standard terminal port.

 

[JSmith]

Would one fly in an airplane that was this defective? Don't get me started....

That's one weird analogy... how is a defective plane remotely close to a defective amp?

Also, why is this thread being polluted with discussions about defective products, when the original LA90 had no such reports and the LA90D is a brand new product? One can see from the internals this amp is built quite well using quality components and case. It's a different class (AB not D) to and nothing like the small, cheap PA5 for example. Further being a review thread of a new product, defect discussions are certainly way off topic and should have a separate thread.


JSmith

 

[shpong]

Topping LA90D internal/tear down pictures.
1)It appears that all Topping product tear down need this 9 inches 2 mm hex keys.
2)Reservoir cap are 4 Nichicon FW 4700uf 35v.
3)Input cap are 4 Nichicon FW 47uf 63v.

 

[shpong]

Nichicon FW appears to be the lowest on the audio series from Nichicon but it sounds good.

 

[shpong]

All wiring are ordinary cables not OFC or branded audio cables.

 

[shpong]

Two black rectangular boxes seem to be advertised Topping secret.

 

[shpong]

Bottom view