Topping LA90 Review (Integrated Amplifier)

[snakeoilsalesman]

Bridged mode? No, I run a single LA-90 in bypass and regulate the volume with my PRE-90. The D-90 i also use in pure dac mode, so the only volume regulation is ran through the preamp.

The power in the La-90 is many times higher than anything you could ever need. With the LA-90 in bypass mode, i usually run the pre at a -40 or -30 db gain. Never once have i gone above -20, as police would be called. -0 or god forbid any + levels of volume would be acutely dangerous to hearing.

I don't understand why you would think you need more power. The trio's are 107db sensitivity. Most people I know with speakers at that sensitivity never output more than 2-3 watt through them, as even that is extremely loud.

 

[radeon]

Bridged mode? No, I run a single LA-90 in bypass and regulate the volume with my PRE-90. The D-90 i also use in pure dac mode, so the only volume regulation is ran through the preamp.

The power in the La-90 is many times higher than anything you could ever need. With the LA-90 in bypass mode, i usually run the pre at a -40 or -30 db gain. Never once have i gone above -20, as police would be called. -0 or god forbid any + levels of volume would be acutely dangerous to hearing.

I don't understand why you would think you need more power. The trio's are 107db sensitivity. Most people I know with speakers at that sensitivity never output more than 2-3 watt through them, as even that is extremely loud.

Thanks, I just ordered an LA-90 off amazon to test. Would love to hear if anyone has any other feedback comparing this to the Purifi 1ET400A modules.

 

[Laserjock]

Finally got the whole setup as I intended, with the D90 in DAC only mode and LA-90 in bypass mode, with the PRE90 regulating everything including the input from my phono preamp.
Both turntable and dac as a source sound absolutely phenomenal. I'm very pleased. Also kind of cool is that the stack with the rack fits neatly into a typical cube shelf, saving a lot of space while also looking very nice.

What do you use for below 100 Hz?

 

[IncognitOz]

It's amazing to see how today you can get high-quality equipment at such a low price. This amp features better engineering and performance than any high end luxury product I've ever seen. I have not seen such performance even from equipment priced at $20K from the manufacturer AVM Germany. As long as you can be satisfied with a power lower than 36 watts at 8 ohms, this is an excellent amplifier that seems to have no competitors regardless of the price.

 

[mike70]

I want the LA100 with 70 watts

 

[James Romeyn]

My 30-minute search, including Google, this thread, Apos and Topping sites, failed to answer this Q. What is LA90 input impedance, both stereo and bridged mode?

A different but related subject: I consider a Bryston preamp > RCA IC > RCA/XLR adapter > 2 bridged LA90 (might switch to XLR IC.) If Bryston posted BP-17 output impedance, it's well hidden. John Atkinson of Stereophile measured the Bryston preamp's output Z (IIRC using the same AP test rig as Amir) RCA 690-ohms, XLR 420-ohms @ 20 Hz, 340-ohms @ 1k and 20k Hz.

Stereophile author LG reviewed the same Bryston preamp > XLR IC > power amps A and B. Amp A had 26 dB gain and XLR input Z of 1M-ohm. Amp B had 27 dB gain and XLR input Z of 98k-ohm. In LG's Bryston review he concluded the preamp/amp interface caused his big preference for Amp B over Amp A.

Does anything above indicate the Bryston performing better > Amp B vs. Amp A? Up to a point, all other things being equal, is a higher input Z generally easier or more difficult to drive? In the above review, do readers tend to agree that whatever caused LG's power amp preference was 100% unrelated to the preamp/power amp interface?

TX.

 

[restorer-john]

What is LA90 input impedance, both stereo and bridged mode?

Plenty of people asked, nobody got an answer...

It will be low for sure knowing Topping's attitude to get the best noise numbers it can and screw the upstream devices. Whether it's too low for proper traditional preamplifiers to drive without a) losing output swing or, b) causing distortion in the preamp buffers, is anyone's guess.

A higher input impedance to a preamplifier is much easier to drive than a low input impedance. But, a high input impedance will mean more potential noise and interference. In practice, once a source is connected with a normal output impedance, it's not an issue. Topping's preamplifer input impedances are so far away from normal as to be plain ridiculous in my opinion. Their gear is designed and specified individually to get the best number for each product in isolation, not when integrated into a system where the entire chain is optimised for interconnection.

Your Bryston is more than capable of driving any well designed power amplifier. Whether the LA-90 fits that category in the input impedance department I don't know. Maybe email Topping and ask (but don't hold your breath for an answer)?

 

[manisandher]

What is LA90 input impedance, both stereo and bridged mode?

Don't know.

I drive the LA90 monos directly from my DAC, which has an output impedance of just 2 Ohms. I also have a preamp with an output impedance of 600 Ohms. I'll try to find the time this week to drive the LA90s with the preamp. If this preamp drives them well enough, I would have thought that most other sources should be fine.

Mani.

 

[mdsimon2]

My 30-minute search, including Google, this thread, Apos and Topping sites, failed to answer this Q. What is LA90 input impedance, both stereo and bridged mode?

A different but related subject: I consider a Bryston preamp > RCA IC > RCA/XLR adapter > 2 bridged LA90 (might switch to XLR IC.) If Bryston posted BP-17 output impedance, it's well hidden. John Atkinson of Stereophile measured the Bryston preamp's output Z (IIRC using the same AP test rig as Amir) RCA 690-ohms, XLR 420-ohms @ 20 Hz, 340-ohms @ 1k and 20k Hz.

Stereophile author LG reviewed the same Bryston preamp > XLR IC > power amps A and B. Amp A had 26 dB gain and XLR input Z of 1M-ohm. Amp B had 27 dB gain and XLR input Z of 98k-ohm. In LG's Bryston review he concluded the preamp/amp interface caused his big preference for Amp B over Amp A.

Does anything above indicate the Bryston performing better > Amp B vs. Amp A? Up to a point, all other things being equal, is a higher input Z generally easier or more difficult to drive? In the above review, do readers tend to agree that whatever caused LG's power amp preference was 100% unrelated to the preamp/power amp interface?

TX.

Are you sure you searched this thread?

Michael

 

[snakeoilsalesman]

What do you use for below 100 Hz?

I have two REL S5 subs

 

[MyCuriosity]

I will be honest here and a reminder that ignorance (mine) is sometimes difficult. I see the performance and appreciate the breakthrough but I can’t get myself buying a topping product to drive my relatively expensive speakers. They just had one too many broken designs and I simply don’t trust them. Any thoughts guys?

 

[IncognitOz]

I will be honest here and a reminder that ignorance (mine) is sometimes difficult. I see the performance and appreciate the breakthrough but I can’t get myself buying a topping product to drive my relatively expensive speakers. They just had one too many broken designs and I simply don’t trust them. Any thoughts guys?

These are all psychological barriers, there is no connection between the cost of the product and its quality. And I also have very expensive speakers built from woofer and midrange from AudioTechnology & RAAL ribbon tweeter, a well designed crossover, 60 kilos per channel and the speaker sounds no less good than the speakers at a price of tens of thousands of dollars from premium high end companies. Over the years I have connected to them a number of amplifiers from companies such as Krell, Pass lab, AVM, Hegel, BMC, Hypex, Bryston... and a few more that I must have forgotten. I recently did an experiment and connected the speakers directly to the headphone amplifier of the RME ADI2 DAC fs that I have, I agree that the power is low and I would like a little more power, but in my small room and as long as I do not require deafening power, I must state that the sound of this small amplifier every So good that it compares and even surpasses a number of very expensive branded amplifiers I've ever tried. I also own an amplifier of 150 watts at 8 ohms, 300 at 4 ohms, 25 kilogram and I prefer the sound of the RME without a doubt. It's so funny to see how a 60 kilo speakers is driven by a careful 1 kilo DAC.

 

[snakeoilsalesman]

I will be honest here and a reminder that ignorance (mine) is sometimes difficult. I see the performance and appreciate the breakthrough but I can’t get myself buying a topping product to drive my relatively expensive speakers. They just had one too many broken designs and I simply don’t trust them. Any thoughts guys?

I tested 3 custom built tube amps in the 10-20k price range before deciding the LA90 was better. Not cheaper, better.
I’m running AG trios with REL subs, and if I noticed only 5% improvement with the tubes I would have kept them.

 

[manisandher]

I will be honest here and a reminder that ignorance (mine) is sometimes difficult. I see the performance and appreciate the breakthrough but I can’t get myself buying a topping product to drive my relatively expensive speakers.

Fair enough.

My LA90 monos drive a 15k pair of speakers. (I'd happily use them with my main speakers too, but I'm driving these actively nowadays, so would require 10x monos.)

They just had one too many broken designs and I simply don’t trust them. Any thoughts guys?

Though I'm sure there must be some out there, I haven't heard of a single LA90 malfunction. I have three LA90s in total (two running as monos, and one as stereo for my headphones) - no issues to date whatsoever.

And should I be taken as a fanboy, I'll just state that I own no other Topping products.

Correction: I have a Topping TP60 amp that has been doing duties in an AV system for 9 years... without a hitch.

Mani.

 

[MyCuriosity]

I see your points and you all have valid views. I am just talking from my personal experiences and faults in designs from products that measured very well such as the A90, A90 discrete and last but not least the L30. I bought the A90D from Amazon which I had to return because the amplifier was keep tripping when plugging the 6.4mm. I just don’t trust the company and it feels to me that they rush out products with good measurements but poor designs.

 

[snakeoilsalesman]

Not sure what you are asking. I don't really care to convince anyone that this is a great choice, I can only share my experiences and logic behind buying it.

I don't know what setup you are running, but as I mentioned previously, my alternatives to this amp are so expensive that just replacing a knob (let alone a set of great 300b tubes) might cost more than the entire Pre90/LA-90/d-90 stack combined. Now add that the LA-90 is objectively a lot better measuring, which means a ton when you have super sensitive speakers. It was a no brainer for me, and I'm very glad i went for this setup. my only niggle is that I dislike the remote, but I plan to remedy that with a smart IR system some time in the future.

 

[restorer-john]

I am just talking from my personal experiences and faults in designs from products that measured very well such as the A90, A90 discrete and last but not least the L30. I bought the A90D from Amazon which I had to return because the amplifier was keep tripping when plugging the 6.4mm. I just don’t trust the company and it feels to me that they rush out products with good measurements but poor designs.

Topping will get better. Eventually. We have no idea of the size of their market. I would expect a massive proportion of their product is sold into the Chinese home market. If that isn't the case, I'd be very surprised, as they have essentially zero brand recognition outside fringe hype sites like ASR.

However, a good review from ASR would likely buy them credibility in their own country, as well as the wider audience of low-budget audiophiles spread around the world wanting something cheap, cheerful and "ASR approved" to put on their gaming desk or basement sound system.

 

[MyCuriosity]

Topping will get better.

till then I can’t really trust them and I am somehow disappointed that the faults in the A90 and A90D had no measurable effect or to be fair, there wasn’t a test to highlight the faults. I mean Golfer panther for a faulty design is not exactly ideal.

 

[restorer-john]

till then I can’t really trust them and I am somehow disappointed that the faults in the A90 and A90D had no measurable effect or to be fair, there wasn’t a test to highlight the faults. I mean Golfer panther for a faulty design is not exactly ideal.

Certainly not if you bought one based on the ASR rating.

The reviews are just a point in time measurement or group of measurements. It takes time, expertise, experience and insight to predict failures. There’s plenty of cheap HiFi being peddled as something special, and I and plenty of others would not touch it with a 10ft barge pole.

Some of our predictions have already proved to be eerily accurate. And we have no dog in the fights.

You decide. Cheers.

 

[theREALdotnet]

I’ve been using a Topping D90 for two and a half years now, so far so good (knock on wood). But I never turn it off. For some reason, power cycling is when most of these devices fail.