OK, so my LA90 Discrete is arriving soon! Obviously I'm excited...
Strange thing: I didn't get notified that duty was due, so unfortunately, after an order mishap causing an initial 1.5 month delay for my order, I recently had to wait another two weeks with my unit in limbo at customs. Good thing I randomly decided to check the tracking number and paid it!
I have a question before it arrives...
Why are some people here so against the discrete version of the LA90 vs the first one?
I've read through reviews of both, and subjectively, performance is the same!
The small measurable differences there are always (except once) place the LA90 discrete (newer version) ahead of the original.
What's marginally better in the discrete?
Power handling: ~1dB
Power vs distortion 20Hz, 500Hz, 1k, 5k: 5dB
Power vs distortion 10k, 20kHz: 10-15dB
What's marginally better in the LM3886 (that's what they used, right?)
Stereo crosstalk: ~10dB better (discrete is already below -90dB by 5kHz. Like I said "subjectively, performance is the same!"
The discrete version is spec'd to run 4 ohm bridge mode, but it's not much of a feat. Why not?
Because, 4 ohm bridge gives you 180W @ 1% distortion. Non bridged you get 120W x2! Probably better in most situations to bi-amp then, no? 120W to 180W and giving up an entire channel is nothing compared the gains gotten with 8 ohm bridge: 56W x2 into 8 ohms becomes 180W x1! Pretty great!
Literally the power output into 4 ohm in bridge mode is the same as 8 ohm! I've never seen that anywhere lol
* just don't bridge! *
Distortion and power over the audible spectrum (the 20Hz, 500Hz, 1k... 20kHz test), technically the discrete is better, but they're both at -100 for all of it and only usually 5-10dB different, so... no huge deal.
CLEARLY the Topping LA90 Discrete is technically better than the non-discrete version when it comes to measurements.
Why is it, then, that I've seen it written the LA90 is good, whilst the LA90 Discrete (LA90D) is bad?
My LA90D will be here imminently. I'm not expecting a pile of trash on the porch, but I am very curious as to why some are vehemently opposed to the D?
Also: I'll do a mini review of it here after I've had the thing for about two weeks. I need time to see how it sounds and behaves with my different speakers, with different music, at different levels, at different times!
Strange thing: I didn't get notified that duty was due, so unfortunately, after an order mishap causing an initial 1.5 month delay for my order, I recently had to wait another two weeks with my unit in limbo at customs. Good thing I randomly decided to check the tracking number and paid it!
I have a question before it arrives...
Why are some people here so against the discrete version of the LA90 vs the first one?
I've read through reviews of both, and subjectively, performance is the same!
The small measurable differences there are always (except once) place the LA90 discrete (newer version) ahead of the original.
What's marginally better in the discrete?
Power handling: ~1dB
Power vs distortion 20Hz, 500Hz, 1k, 5k: 5dB
Power vs distortion 10k, 20kHz: 10-15dB
What's marginally better in the LM3886 (that's what they used, right?)
Stereo crosstalk: ~10dB better (discrete is already below -90dB by 5kHz. Like I said "subjectively, performance is the same!"
The discrete version is spec'd to run 4 ohm bridge mode, but it's not much of a feat. Why not?
Because, 4 ohm bridge gives you 180W @ 1% distortion. Non bridged you get 120W x2! Probably better in most situations to bi-amp then, no? 120W to 180W and giving up an entire channel is nothing compared the gains gotten with 8 ohm bridge: 56W x2 into 8 ohms becomes 180W x1! Pretty great!
Literally the power output into 4 ohm in bridge mode is the same as 8 ohm! I've never seen that anywhere lol
* just don't bridge! *
Distortion and power over the audible spectrum (the 20Hz, 500Hz, 1k... 20kHz test), technically the discrete is better, but they're both at -100 for all of it and only usually 5-10dB different, so... no huge deal.
CLEARLY the Topping LA90 Discrete is technically better than the non-discrete version when it comes to measurements.
Why is it, then, that I've seen it written the LA90 is good, whilst the LA90 Discrete (LA90D) is bad?
My LA90D will be here imminently. I'm not expecting a pile of trash on the porch, but I am very curious as to why some are vehemently opposed to the D?
Also: I'll do a mini review of it here after I've had the thing for about two weeks. I need time to see how it sounds and behaves with my different speakers, with different music, at different levels, at different times!