Topping Pre90 Review (preamplifier)

[misterdog]

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.

 

[Slayer]

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.

 

[misterdog]

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.

No.

 

[Flo]

Lets see how it compares to my current DIY preamp with it's £ 5 car stereo potentiometer for volume control....

Using the RCA input from my phono stage >XLR out, I have to increase the volume from -20dB from my M400 DAC to around -08dB for my phono stage.
So I suspect the output is just pseudo balanced.
Regarding the relay clicks, you cannot avoid them, they are not that intrusive and how often are you changing volume, once set just enjoy the 'extra' music.
Bought mine from HiFiGo £453 to the UK inclusive.

How does the Pre90 works with your phono stage so far?
And what is your phono preamp?

 

[misterdog]

How does the Pre90 works with your phono stage so far?
And what is your phono preamp?

Mighty fine, the phono stage is a fully tricked out Paradise Dual mono with a dual mono power supply designed by a collaboration of the finest folk on DIYAudio . It has been compared favourably to £ 5/7 K stages like the West and others. Basically it is no slouch.
A friend of mine has built around 25 of them.
https://flic.kr/p/2dDx65h
Fed from an Ortofon Cadenza Black.

Gustard X16 DAC just arrived which gives it a good run for the money.

£ 350 DAC V £ 9/10 K Vinyl front end.

 

[Brab]

Any problems with this unit being driven by a 500 Ohm output impedance source, e.g. my EAR 834P phono?

 

[ohnonate]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...reamplifier-extender.17635/page-3#post-572778

seems like 2kohm, so from common internet hifi principles those old high output impedance dacs would get FR strongly affected by that

So this wouldn't go well with Denafrips Ares II DAC ? RCA Un balanced 1,200 ohms ?

 

[ohnonate]

A lot of people are missing the point that this is a reference level product. Asking them to worsen their performance so that it’s more flexible with poorly designed products isn’t fair. Use this preamp with a modern high end amplifier and DAC for state of the art sound. That’s it’s use case and what it was designed around. I get that people have devices they’d like to use with it, but in order to do so it makes this product worse in performance and cost. I don’t see that making sense at this level.

I’m picking one up because I was actually in the market for a stereo preamp, nearly went for tubes, but I’ll try this first and check back.

Did you end up picking the Pre 90 up ?

 

[Peternz]

^Apparently the RCA input impedance is 10k so should be fine. The 2k is the XLR input.

I have an Oppo UDP-205 which has a supposedly lossless digital volume control so I connect it directly to a power amp. My question is, can I expect to see any benefit at all if instead of doing things the way I do now I set the Oppo to max output and put a Topping pre90 between it and the power amp? If you think there will or will not be any benefit I would much appreciate it if you gave a reason for your opinion. Thanks in advance.

 

[ohnonate]

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...

Do you know what the Impedance level is for RCA ? I may have read it was 10k ohm can this be confirmed. The thing is this Pre 90 cost $950 Australian and im stretching my budget. But on the other hand say something like the Denfrips HESTIA that is 60k ohms Input Impedance / 400 ohms output impedance this would ideally be a better fit but it cost $1,450. (if i can save $500 for something that wont really affect my sound that bad id be happy) I seem to be reading mixed responses to stay away from the Pre 90.

 

[Peternz]

Please check this thread, ohno. The output impedance is discussed quite a bit:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...re90-ext90-preamplifier-extender.17635/page-7

"There's no standard. And it works fine with majority of devices. Also it's only the balanced input that has 2kohm. Single ended is 10k which is what majority of modern devices use.
Also there's simply no reason for me to design for every use case possible. It's meaningless. And it's not beneficial. "

Furthermore, it looks like the Hestia's input impedance is 20k Ohm
https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...s-a-full-discrete-true-balanced-pre-amplifier

 

[ARAJO]

Please check this thread, ohno. The output impedance is discussed quite a bit:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...re90-ext90-preamplifier-extender.17635/page-7

"There's no standard. And it works fine with majority of devices. Also it's only the balanced input that has 2kohm. Single ended is 10k which is what majority of modern devices use.
Also there's simply no reason for me to design for every use case possible. It's meaningless. And it's not beneficial. "

Furthermore, it looks like the Hestia's input impedance is 20k Ohm
https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...s-a-full-discrete-true-balanced-pre-amplifier

If Topping have done odd implementations to game snaid charts I’d also be concerned about cut corners on the pre amp output to the power amp

 

[misterdog]

Though 10 years ago many would have said that XLR connectors were an 'odd implementation'.
Or not using a rotary potentiometer.

Maybe hi-fi should just stick to all the design implementations of the 1970's.

 

[Veri]

I’d also be concerned about cut corners on the pre amp output to the power amp

Cut corners, like what? This isn't exactly a budget device anymore. Not sure what you mean. Pre amp output to power amp looks 100% fine..

 

[Jinshan]

Greetings, newb here, just wondering if there have been any reports of failures like with the L30 as they seem to use the same NFCA module (also the A90).

Regards from downunder, J

 

[ohnonate]

Quick question do Pre amps change the tone of the sound ? I haven't read any review regarding the Pre 90 changing the sound but i did read that the Denafrips Hestia can give the sound a more " warmer sound" is this even possible? i though it was the DAC's Doing ?

 

[Brab]

SQ-wise, how would a Pre90 differ from a stepped attenuator like the one I use, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000761808834.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.48024c4djPQUhk? Would there be any improvement?

 

[misterdog]

Send it to Amir and we can see.

 

[Harmonie]

Greetings, newb here, just wondering if there have been any reports of failures like with the L30 as they seem to use the same NFCA module (also the A90).

Regards from downunder, J

Hello @Jinshan
Haven't you been officially greated by our moderator yet ?

 

[AdamG]

Greetings, newb here, just wondering if there have been any reports of failures like with the L30 as they seem to use the same NFCA module (also the A90).

Regards from downunder, J

Welcome Aboard @Jinshan.