Topping LA90 Review (Integrated Amplifier)

[PeteL]

Wow thats massive for anyone to outclass the Benchmark ahb2, power is a little light, but this is indicative that Topping could be working on something that pumps out big power and measures well in the future~

To be able to know that, we'll have to know if it's a chip amp. I have nothing again chip amps but you don't get to decide how much power. You can of course optimise the design. The size and external supply suggest that, but we can't conclude anything. We cannot make a shortcut like that, maybe they can make a powerful amp, maybe not. What's under the hood is undisclosed so far.

 

[AdamG]

Please,please,please Stay on Topic folks. I will keep asking until my “Delete Post” trigger finger gets anxious and takes control. No, seriously keep this conversation rooted in the product reviewed and the test bench results. Final Warning!!!

 

[srkbear]

I share wholeheartedly this sentiment.

If this was priced $499, the market would have been disrupted. All these low power talk would have been superceded by price/performance.

Lately I feel Topping is inching towards more profiteering (excuse this it's just an opinion) than being famous for disruption. Off course I don't fault that approach.

I feel exactly the opposite, really. I believe Topping is really trying to achieve something as a brand in a grander sense—I can’t quite articulate what it is, but it involves breaking some barriers in the fidelity achievable from relatively affordable gear. And they did indeed demonstrate progress in this regard with this release, even if it missed the goal of fulfilling an unmet need.

Surely there must be substantial R&D and machining costs involved in their quest, and I think that’s as reasonable an explanation as any for their current price points. They’ve also got Gustard chasing their tails, since their recent X18 nearly toppled the D90se from its perch with similar architecture and $150 shaved off the price.

But I have high expectations for future offerings from Topping that will truly paint mustaches on the outlandish claims from the PS Audios of the industry, and will potentially bring state of the art audio to mainstream markets at affordable prices. We shall see…

 

[HooStat]

Sorry if I should know the answer, but is there a measurement of instantaneous peak output (for transients) when playing at a "normal" output level (e.g., something like 1W)? That seems to be a recurring concern for people given the amplifier's moderate output rating, and I don't see that it is ever addressed.

 

[Talisman]

Another small general consideration, if on a product with these stellar measured performances, capable of greatly undermining a monster like AHB2, the votes of 1/3 of the voters were not "great" evidently people are starting to expect something a bit different from the run-up to the sinad. It was absolutely not the plebiscite of approval of many other products at the top, and I think this should make us reflect, leaving aside all the technical discussions on power, low impedance, etc. In general, evidently, someone begins to get bored of the usual soup and you begin to show discontent with the drift of the products. As always, the market will decide who is right, but we are the market with our portfolios, we will see what happens.

 

[solderdude]

Sorry if I should know the answer, but is there a measurement of instantaneous peak output (for transients) when playing at a "normal" output level (e.g., something like 1W)? That seems to be a recurring concern for people given the amplifier's moderate output rating, and I don't see that it is ever addressed.

Why would any amp have trouble with say 40kHz sine wave at 1W ?
It does not get any faster than that with music.

 

[Billy Budapest]

In the end, the SINAD race is mostly just replacing consumer spending recommendations chasing mythical sonic attributes derived by uncontrolled subjective reviews with consumer spending recommendations chasing mythical sonic attributes derived by controlled objective reviews.

I don’t think anyone denies that the “race” to decrease noise and distortion surpassed audibility ages ago. However, the pursuit of perfection is human nature (or perhaps a human failure). Advancing the state of the art wherein manufacturers are held to measurable scientific criteria is a more worthy goal than ripping off consumers with snake oil that can only be evaluated on the basis of pseudoscience and magic.

The 100 vs 120 dB SINAD fixation is also bizarre and ironic when you consider that speakers are reviewed with ports radiating pipe resonances 15 dB down and that hardly raises an eyebrow.

Speakers contribute the most distortion to the audio playback chain but not the most noise. Most people find noise more objectionable than distortion. While distortion can be rationalized as “coloration,” there are no positive attributes to noise. It’s just garbage.

 

[AudioArchitech]

I really hope Topping did more bench testing and quality control on this amp compared to the previous PA5 ! I would caution anyone looking to purchase this amp and see how they handle all the PA5 warranty issues first. Let's see if the LA90 still works in a few months. At this point, the LA90's SINAD score doesn't mean much until we get feedback later.

 

[sq225917]

it’s a great measuring product for smaller rooms, desktop setups and efficient speakers. for big rooms and big multi-way speakers not so much. i appreciate the engineering but the use case isn’t me.

 

[Billy Budapest]

It was told many times, for us who know what we speak about is 1kHz SINAD a silly measure of amplifier quality. No need to repeat the reasons why.

That’s why there are other measurements like the multitone.

 

[Talisman]

I don’t think anyone denies that the “race” to decrease noise and distortion surpassed audibility ages ago. However, the pursuit of perfection is human nature (or perhaps a human failure). Advancing the state of the art wherein manufacturers are held to measurable scientific criteria is a more worthy goal than ripping off consumers with snake oil that can only be evaluated on the basis of pseudoscience and magic.

This is undoubtedly true, the pursuit of a higher level of engineering is a noble aim compared to certain snake oil products which I would not hesitate to call scam.
However, if we try to look at the matter from a different point of view, we are talking about paying a lot more in both cases for something we cannot hear, which therefore has no added value from an acoustic point of view, but many audiophile products. they can be defined as beautiful, or elegant, or well built (not all of them, of course) and this at least in part is really an added value.
In short, we started making fun of "audiophiles" to buy things they can't hear at a high price, and we rediscover ourselves as they are, except that at least they still have a beautiful product to look at.

 

[Billy Budapest]

it’s a great measuring product for smaller rooms, desktop setups and efficient speakers. for big rooms and big multi-way speakers not so much. i appreciate the engineering but the use case isn’t me.

I have a fairly large listening room and my 26 wpc amp has been able to fill the room with music for the last 20 years.

With all due respect to those with inefficient, power-hungry speakers, watts are overrated.

 

[Sal1950]

Nice review Amir.
What a great little amp this would be for some ultra high sensitivity speakers.
Dump those expensive, high distortion SET tube amps and plug this in for a revelation in clean, clear sound.
Hat's off to Topping for showing what can be done.

 

[solderdude]

Why buy any well measuring equipment ?
Peace of mind ?
Love for engineering ?
Because it matches well with other gear one already owns ?
I really don't get all the negatives and comparisons and 'doubts' based on completely other devices and assumptions made.

 

[Billy Budapest]

This is undoubtedly true, the pursuit of a higher level of engineering is a noble aim compared to certain snake oil products which I would not hesitate to call scam.
However, if we try to look at the matter from a different point of view, we are talking about paying a lot more in both cases for something we cannot hear, which therefore has no added value from an acoustic point of view, but many audiophile products. they can be defined as beautiful, or elegant, or well built (not all of them, of course) and this at least in part is really an added value.
In short, we started making fun of "audiophiles" to buy things they can't hear at a high price, and we rediscover ourselves as they are, except that at least they still have a beautiful product to look at.

You will always have consumers who want “the best,” even when the benefits are illusory. In terms of the hi-fi industry, the hi-fi community, and the hi-fi press and internet reviewing corps, I’d rather have “the best” to be defined in terms of measurable, repeatable scientific evaluations than make-believe. Now, do *I* want “the best?” No, I do not see a need. We reached the limits of audibility a long, long time ago. I’d rather satisfice than maximize performance.

 

[Bleib]

You will always have consumers who want “the best,” even when the benefits are illusory. In terms of the hi-fi industry, the hi-fi community, and the hi-fi press and internet reviewing corps, I’d rather have “the best” to be defined in terms of measurable, repeatable scientific evaluations than make-believe. Now, do *I* want “the best?” No, I do not see a need. We reached the limits of audibility a long, long time ago. I’d rather satisfice than maximize performance.

This is true if we hunt down the good gear, but there's obviously a lot of crap.
Now we need a SINAD / dispersion race for loudspeakers

 

[SuicideSquid]

Speakers contribute the most distortion to the audio playback chain but not the most noise. Most people find noise more objectionable than distortion. While distortion can be rationalized as “coloration,” there are no positive attributes to noise. It’s just garbage.

Tell that to people who fetishize vinyl surface noise because it adds "warmth".

(Generally I agree though).

 

[Garrincha]

Pair this not too potent but basically noise- and distortionless amp with these highly efficient speakers (107dB) https://www.avantgarde-acoustic.de/en/products/duo-series/duo-xd.html and you fill a very large room with magnificent sound.

 

[Billy Budapest]

The recently released Topping PA5 measured very well too. Really low noise floor… That didn’t last long, now a bunch of them are failing and getting warrantied for static noise and cackle pops. There are reports of some having their PA5 replaced numerous times and the same failures happening on those too. I’m just about to send mine back to HiFiGo in China, then wait for repair or replacement, and shipping.. And it seems like I may just have to do it all over again since it seems like Topping hasn’t solved the problems yet based on other people’s experiences so far. See the last dozen or so pages of Amir’s PA5 review thread for more info. Amir, I wonder if you could do bench testing for reliability as well and follow up on your reviews. Measurements don’t mean much if they don’t keep working.

This does appear to be an ongoing issue for some buyers of the PA5. Truthfully, it has given me pause as I have been considering purchasing it.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Tell that to people who fetishize vinyl surface noise because it adds "warmth".

(Generally I agree though).

I don’t think it’s the surface noise that gives vinyl warmth, it’s deviations from the RIAA curve that emphasize the midrange, among other peculiarities of vinyl playback. But surface noise, groove damage, clicks and pops? That’s just noise.