• Welcome to ASR. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Topping Pre90 Review (preamplifier)

I bought one over the Internet from a Chinese seller. How exciting! I could have bought the LA4. It's £2900 pounds here in the U.K. And the Pre90+Ext. was £409. That's £2500 pounds cheaper for a product that performs equally well. Now, I am a big fan of USA audio brands, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy the Benchmark even though I have the AHB2! My final decision was based on spending money where it was required in priority. The Topping will help the Mytek's feeble XLR output voltage drive the AHB2s. That's all I need. Benchmark should drop in a similar product imo. Here's another thing, I'm buying the Benchmark xlr cables and seeing if there is a difference between my incredibly stupidly priced chord version. Blind test here it comes! I have to get rid of my audiophile madness!
 
Ha, you are following in my footsteps. :)

All you need now is an SMSL M400 with 5.2V output to run your AHB2 in low gain mode.

Though I have just ordered a Gustard X16 to compare, as it has a much better multitone IMD and linearity, but 'only' 4V out.
Technically all the better measures of the X16 are below -115 dB so should make no audible difference, remains to be seen, or not as I will be wearing a blindfold :)
 
Last edited:
misterdog said:
Ha, you are following in my footsteps. :)

All you need now is an SMSL M400 with 5.2V output to run your AHB2 in low gain mode.

Though I have just ordered a Gustard X16 to compare, as it has a much better multitone IMD and linearity, but 'only' 4V out.
Technically all the better measures of the X16 are below -115 dB so should make no audible difference, remains to be seen, or not as I will be wearing a blindfold :)
Click to expand...
It is a voyage of discovery! The Mytek BB is good enough I think and it is practical with the internet directly sourced. Great for Tidal. Wonder why Amir hasn't tested one yet? I know there are a lot of shenanigans going on between Hem and Mytek USA. Also with the BB you can drop in 12v DC.
 
Any help would be great.
I have Blue sound node 2i (Using app for volume) connected to my Denafrips Ares II via Coax then into my Elac Navis ARB51 XLR. It seems i am not getting any sound improvements ? I am getting the same quality of sound when i just had them connected to the Blue sound node 2i.
How can this be right?
The more i look into this am i maybe missing something with impedance miss matching? and by connected a pre amp such as the topping Pre90 between the DAC and the active speakers i may unlock the full potential from the DAC? By boosting the signal from the DAC to the actives?

Could this be right? does anyone agree this maybe my issue?

So i have read the following - Ares 2 Should not be used with a pre amplifier or amplifiers with input impedance of less than 10,000 ohms.

I assuming the pre 90 should be fine as it it 1.44k ohm

Your help would be great
Thanks
 
ohnonate said:
Any help would be great.
I have Blue sound node 2i (Using app for volume) connected to my Denafrips Ares II via Coax then into my Elac Navis ARB51 XLR. It seems i am not getting any sound improvements ? I am getting the same quality of sound when i just had them connected to the Blue sound node 2i.
How can this be right?
The more i look into this am i maybe missing something with impedance miss matching? and by connected a pre amp such as the topping Pre90 between the DAC and the active speakers i may unlock the full potential from the DAC? By boosting the signal from the DAC to the actives?

Could this be right? does anyone agree this maybe my issue?

So i have read the following - Ares 2 Should not be used with a pre amplifier or amplifiers with input impedance of less than 10,000 ohms.

I assuming the pre 90 should be fine as it it 1.44k ohm

Your help would be great
Thanks
Click to expand...

Why did you expect an improvement?
 
ohnonate said:
Any help would be great.
I have Blue sound node 2i (Using app for volume) connected to my Denafrips Ares II via Coax then into my Elac Navis ARB51 XLR. It seems i am not getting any sound improvements ? I am getting the same quality of sound when i just had them connected to the Blue sound node 2i.
How can this be right?
The more i look into this am i maybe missing something with impedance miss matching? and by connected a pre amp such as the topping Pre90 between the DAC and the active speakers i may unlock the full potential from the DAC? By boosting the signal from the DAC to the actives?

Could this be right? does anyone agree this maybe my issue?

So i have read the following - Ares 2 Should not be used with a pre amplifier or amplifiers with input impedance of less than 10,000 ohms.

I assuming the pre 90 should be fine as it it 1.44k ohm

Your help would be great
Thanks
Click to expand...
Any difference will be subtle. Don't expect fireworks.
 
Rottmannash said:
Any difference will be subtle. Don't expect fireworks.
Click to expand...
I think my expectation were high. I was thinking the different technology would have mad a larger difference. I will admit the bluesound node 2i for a streamer and DAC aint to bad at all for its quality and price. when the denafrips is nearly double the cost.
 
ohnonate said:
So i have read the following - Ares 2 Should not be used with a pre amplifier or amplifiers with input impedance of less than 10,000 ohms.
I assuming the pre 90 should be fine as it it 1.44k ohm
Click to expand...
Actually, "should not be used with less than 10kOhm", and pre90 is 1.44kOhm? That is not ideal then, you will notice a voltage drop. But besides that there should in theory not be any bad side effect on sound.
Input impedance of pre90 RCA is higher, you could try Ares 2 RCA into Pre90 and see if it's any "better". But like the others said, pre90 can yield a slight SNR benefit due to the superb pre-amp performance, but will that be audible? Maybe not...
 
That IMO too low impedance is used to get the best numbers (on paper) re the OPA1612 used (most probably in inverting mode with input series resistor that defines the input impedance). With special low-noise JFETs, there would be no need to keep such low impedance.

1617353073384.png
 
Last edited:
Just reporting back on my views on the Pre 90. Astonishing delivery timescale from order to delivery from Shenzenaudio; China. Unpacked and plugged in. Switched on, did a bit of configuring. XLRs to AHB2 and MyTek BB. Played a few challenging tracks from Tidal, a range of flac 16 bit and MQA 24 bit. There is an improvement and it's not psychoacoustic phenomena. I know this because I can hear clear separation of overlaying backing vocals. This is none more so apparent on the MQA (digital master) New Order track Dreams Never End. Also, Arlo Parks "Hurt" is rendered with more resolution with her vocals being more detailed and pronounced. Not to forget, Andrew Weatherall‘s “Unknown Plunderer” which I label the “speaker killer“ So, it is an audible improvement. I think this is because the output voltage on the MyTek is much less than 4v - XLR. Hence, the Pre90 is helping to drag the most out of the AHB2s. On sensitivity, the Topping is i think about 40 Ohms while the AHB2 is over 500K so that makes it a good "match". I'm very happy with my combo at the moment. The entire hardware cost me less than my speaker cables - they're going out of the window soon too! I wonder if Amir would test them?????
 
Last edited:
Docmoggy said:
Just reporting back on my views on the Pre 90. Astonishing delivery timescale from order to delivery from Shenzenaudio; China. Unpacked and plugged in. Switched on, did a bit of configuring. XLRs to AHB2 and MyTek BB. Played a few challenging tracks from Tidal, a range of flac 16 bit and MQA 24 bit. There is an improvement and it's not psychoacoustic phenomena. I know this because I can hear clear separation of overlaying backing vocals. This is none more so apparent on the MQA (digital master) New Order track Dreams Never End. Also, Arlo Parks "Hurt" is rendered with more resolution with her vocals being more detailed and pronounced. So, it is an audible improvement. I think this is because the output voltage on the MyTek is much less than 4v - XLR. Hence, the Pre90 is helping to drag the most out of the AHB2s. On sensitivity, the Topping is i think about 40 Ohms while the AHB2 is over 500K so that makes it a good "match". I'm very happy with my combo at the moment. The entire hardware cost me less than my speaker cables - they're going out of the window soon too! I wonder if Amir would test them?????
Click to expand...
So no A/B, unsighted or any other testing? Just plugged in and heard the improvement?
 
Jimbob54 said:
So no A/B, unsighted or any other testing? Just plugged in and heard the improvement?
Click to expand...
Yes. Was obvious. I know others haven’t had the same experience and that may be because of DAC output voltage. I think over 4V and there probably isn’t a need.
 
Post removed by mods.

They have saved you, basically the same as my Google link
The poster claimed that .the one For All URC7935 Streamer Universal Remote Control works better than the Topping remote.
 
Can John or anyone else tell me if the remote issues i keep reading about, not working more than 6 to 8 feet. Is this on all the units or just a few ? Has this issue been resolved ?

Regarding the volume control, i know the unit makes a clicking sound when adjusting volume, due to the relays. But is that clicking sound audible through the speakers.
 
Slayer said:
Regarding the volume control, i know the unit makes a clicking sound when adjusting volume, due to the relays. But is that clicking sound audible through the speakers.
Click to expand...

No.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
XLR input impedance of Topping LA90/LA90d power amp is higher than its recommended preamp Pre90?!
Replies
5
Views
1K
Snoopy
S
Manojrc
  • Poll
Do I need Topping pre90 ??
Replies
1
Views
1K
terryforsythe
terryforsythe
T
Topping pre90 - how to test?
Replies
4
Views
594
tonapo
T
MAB
Mitsubishi DA-P20 Preamplifier Measurements
2 3 4
Replies
73
Views
18K
BigVU's
B
D
Preamplifier for Nilai500DIY
Replies
11
Views
712
db&light
D
Back
Top Bottom