Topping LA90 Discrete Amplifier Review

[tmitchmd]

"This situation has been taken seriously by us, and we have collected several machines with similar problems for research, but there are no definite results yet.
However, don't worry, as a serious and responsible manufacturer, we will continue to do more tests and analysis until we find the root cause of the problem and solve it...
you don't have to send back the LA90D."

Seems obvious enough, but the email quoted above came from Topping, not BrightAudio.

I really hope Topping figures this out soon as I was beginning to really love these amps before they failed.

 

[Down South]

Seems obvious enough, but the email quoted above came from Topping, not BrightAudio.

I really hope Topping figures this out soon as I was beginning to really love these amps before they failed.

In plain English they are saying - you get a full refund and get to keep the defective unit - really!. So anyone who has the skills can probably resolve the issues and gets the unit for free.

On the chat function on ShenzhenAudio I asked a simple question re. the companies offer of 'free shipping and taxes paid on their 6 day offer period'. Supposedly they reply instantly - I asked the question twice and received - zero response.

My response is - caveat emptor - buyer beware.

 

[renaudrenaud]

I was near to order and decide to check this thread to know. Well, I understood I have to wait to see the evolution of this story. After the first LA90 I thought Topping learned something. Not sure anymore.

 

[Down South]

I finally got a reply with the excuse about time zones. If you want to sell to different time zones isn't it worth it to have a person on call for those different zones. It would only take a couple of people.

The answer is that for the EU - no, they will not pay the tax but will adjust the price. So, I asked will that cover the French 20% import charge - I await their answer.

If tmitchmd is correct and the quote came from Topping, then maybe Topping will offer a properly sorted LA Discrete at some time in the future vamos a ver/let's see.

 

[aphysically]

I was able to get one of the failed LA90D returns authorized with Apos - presumably only one authorization was just a mistake and I’ll get the other one authorized soon (my second one failed after the initial contact so this is a reasonable clerical error to make if you go back to initial email to find order details). I do want to call out that Topping themselves were satisfactorily responsive over email and they worked with Apos and I to get them over the finish line. My real complaint is it felt like Apos was being dragged there over a very long timespan - and to play devil’s advocate I chose Apos on Topping’s rec. I want to be clear I was not ignored privately, so thank you @TOPPING-Service

 

[Down South]

I was able to get one of the failed LA90D returns authorized with Apos - presumably only one authorization was just a mistake and I’ll get the other one authorized soon (my second one failed after the initial contact so this is a reasonable clerical error to make if you go back to initial email to find order details). I do want to call out that Topping themselves were satisfactorily responsive over email and they worked with Apos and I to get them over the finish line. My real complaint is it felt like Apos was being dragged there over a very long timespan - and to play devil’s advocate I chose Apos on Topping’s rec. I want to be clear I was not ignored privately, so thank you @TOPPING-Service

Good news part 1 - will they send replacements and will they have sorted out the problems?

 

[tritopia]

The LA90 IC version was replaced with the discrete version even though there was a defect issue. It's purely out of curiosity.
I hope that there will be no defects, and I hope that the manufacturer will take a perfect follow-up response when a problem occurs.

 

[aphysically]

I was able to get one of the failed LA90D returns authorized with Apos - presumably only one authorization was just a mistake and I’ll get the other one authorized soon (my second one failed after the initial contact so this is a reasonable clerical error to make if you go back to initial email to find order details). I do want to call out that Topping themselves were satisfactorily responsive over email and they worked with Apos and I to get them over the finish line. My real complaint is it felt like Apos was being dragged there over a very long timespan - and to play devil’s advocate I chose Apos on Topping’s rec. I want to be clear I was not ignored privately, so thank you @TOPPING-Service

Never mind, total silence from Apos again (nothing since before this post). I think I’ll give it a little longer before just giving up and going through the route of my credit card’s buyer protection. I feel like my standards for customer support are incredibly low - one response a week - but they can’t even manage that and are consistently ignoring what I wrote/asked when they do respond.

 

[restorer-john]

Apos

A POS. *hehe*

 

[b7676]

I tried to get a silver LA90 IC after production quietly ended while A_POS kept it listed as in-stock.
Figuring this lie was my job, took weeks with Sheila then Bob to make each reply and cancel.

 

[Down South]

Never mind, total silence from Apos again (nothing since before this post). I think I’ll give it a little longer before just giving up and going through the route of my credit card’s buyer protection. I feel like my standards for customer support are incredibly low - one response a week - but they can’t even manage that and are consistently ignoring what I wrote/asked when they do respond.

It should be remembered that AFAIK /Apos/Shenzhenaudio are all part of one company. When do you expect to receive the 1st replacement amP?

 

[aphysically]

It should be remembered that AFAIK /Apos/Shenzhenaudio are all part of one company. When do you expect to receive the 1st replacement amP?

After my second LA90D failed I was no longer interested in a replacement and Topping appears to have been supportive of my bid for a refund in that situation - hence the one LA90D refund auth before the silence from Apos. The last thing Apos requested was patience on the refund, so if that means longer than things have been taking before I’m guessing a refund in 1-2 months. Right now I’m just under 40 days into the warranty/return process - quite a bit longer than the amps even appeared to be working. There’s still silence from Apos. I’m thinking I will wait 1-2 weeks to see refund for first amp and if nothing and/or silence from Apos I’ll just dispute both transactions on PayPal first and credit card later if needed - there’s now a clear paper trail authorizing a refund and PayPal disputes set a maximum timeline on the refund happening (20 days iirc). Undecided for sure but that seems reasonable and allows me to put this behind me.

 

[Down South]

After my second LA90D failed I was no longer interested in a replacement and Topping appears to have been supportive of my bid for a refund in that situation - hence the one LA90D refund auth before the silence from Apos. The last thing Apos requested was patience on the refund, so if that means longer than things have been taking before I’m guessing a refund in 1-2 months. Right now I’m just under 40 days into the warranty/return process - quite a bit longer than the amps even appeared to be working. There’s still silence from Apos. I’m thinking I will wait 1-2 weeks to see refund for first amp and if nothing and/or silence from Apos I’ll just dispute both transactions on PayPal first and credit card later if needed - there’s now a clear paper trail authorizing a refund and PayPal disputes set a maximum timeline on the refund happening (20 days iirc). Undecided for sure but that seems reasonable and allows me to put this behind me.

Your being more than reasonable, I hope you don't get too much hassle getting refunded. Topping is not doing itself any favours, I would think they are losing lots of business - their choice.

 

[aphysically]

Apos has never acknowledged I own a second LA90D with the same problem and has managed to completely ignore over 10 emails requesting acknowledgement over more than a month, including the one just asking for warranty options, so bizarrely I think I will need to chargeback one of the two since they’re being completely unresponsive.

 

[Doodski]

Apos has never acknowledged I own a second LA90D with the same problem and has managed to completely ignore over 10 emails requesting acknowledgement over more than a month, including the one just asking for warranty options, so bizarrely I think I will need to chargeback one of the two since they’re being completely unresponsive.

If you attempted resolution of the matter and no response the credit card company should back you up in the matter.

 

[Down South]

Apos has never acknowledged I own a second LA90D with the same problem and has managed to completely ignore over 10 emails requesting acknowledgement over more than a month, including the one just asking for warranty options, so bizarrely I think I will need to chargeback one of the two since they’re being completely unresponsive.

It will obviously mean you have to spend time doing it but surely you have consumer protection laws in Texas?

If you can get media coverage, especially TV in California where Apos is based it will scare them ##itless. Losing face is a fact of life for many cultures on the planet and China is is one of them. It's obvious that Topping/Apos and Shenzhenaudio are effectively one operation. If Topping was controlled by rational westerners they would have turned this negative into a positive by admitting the problems with design and very possibly components. re-designed the product and relaunched it. This would have received lots of attention from the audio media and resulted in increased sales.

It was a long long time ago that I was sitting having a beer in one of the cafes in the Vondel Park in A'dam and there was a couple of American guys sitting at a table close to me. One was a complete wally talking a load of crap. The other wasn't, he looked at me because I could barely suppress my laughter at what the wally was saying. He said to me "I've got to put up with this asshole for another 3 weeks before we fly home". After a another couple of minutes he could stand it no longer and said "listen asshole in business ego isn't worth s#~t, only reality has value" - absolutely true and that has been a personal mantra for me ever since, in business and life in general. It's a shame that Topping doesn't know this commercial truth, who knows they may just get it and produce a properly sorted product.

 

[Lräk]

Apos has never acknowledged I own a second LA90D with the same problem and has managed to completely ignore over 10 emails requesting acknowledgement over more than a month, including the one just asking for warranty options, so bizarrely I think I will need to chargeback one of the two since they’re being completely unresponsive.

I mistakenly bought a refurbished L30 when I really wanted the L50 to match my E50 and PA5. Upon opening the box I saw my mistake and asked if I could return it and get the L50 (at normal cost). Apos said no returns of refurbished items so I figured I had to eat it. Well, when they asked for a review, I mentioned my mistake and said I probably wouldn't buy from Apos again. The VERY NEXT day I got an email saying they were willing to do the exchange. Maybe you should write a similar review that you wouldn't be buying from Apos again.

 

[Down South]

I mistakenly bought a refurbished L30 when I really wanted the L50 to match my E50 and PA5. Upon opening the box I saw my mistake and asked if I could return it and get the L50 (at normal cost). Apos said no returns of refurbished items so I figured I had to eat it. Well, when they asked for a review, I mentioned my mistake and said I probably wouldn't buy from Apos again. The VERY NEXT day I got an email saying they were willing to do the exchange. Maybe you should write a similar review that you wouldn't be buying from Apos again.

So the response you got is totally different to aphysically - why am I not surprised.

 

[Aaronb1138]

I wonder if we can get 1 or 2 of these failed units that have already been refunded / replaced into the hands of someone with the correct EE background to troubleshoot and see if there is some hopefully simple flaw.

I agree 100% with any sentiment that this is a Topping problem to solve and hopefully they will release a revised version and be open about their findings and the fix, but no reason someone with the interest and ability can't also be taking a look from a different angle.

 

[tmitchmd]

I can now confirm a complete refund from BrightAudio on both amps, endorsed by Topping and refunded from aliexpress.
Topping is apparently still troubleshooting the problem with the failing LA90Ds.
Retailers are still listing the amp. I do not know if it is still actually being shipped. I hope not.