Topping Pre90 Review (preamplifier)

[Deleted member 43441]

I have good news for you. I had all my Pre90s set up with XLRin/XLRout/0.0dB and I pulled the plug on one. After about 10seconds, I plugged it back in and it booted up into XLRin/XLRout/0.0dB, just like the others.

Not to change topics, but you have an interesting approach to multi channel music. I can’t help but think that because the A/V industry doesn't do state of the art, so you brought it to yourself instead. I’ll leave the A/V industry out of this, I was just making a tongue-in-cheek comment.

What I’m looking forward to is your Freya + review. Your comparisons are always interesting to say the least, but I would like to see the Freya compared to the pre90.

Anyway, I’m really looking forward to that review which I understand is coming up soon.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Anyway, I’m really looking forward to that review which I understand is coming up soon.

Yup.

 

[arshinov101]

Hello everyone, thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.
Recently tried the Topping Pre90 and hock back with Rotel RC1572, here is the listening comparison without any measurement.
My setup is Linn CD12 XLR -- preamp -- Nord IcePower 1200AS2 -- KEF R11, originally chosen Rotel RC1572 due to the L/R subwoofer output which is very rare for stereo preamp, recently read some reviews of Topping Pre90 and bought one, hope it could bring some improvement.
Unfortunately the listening result won't support the idea, I usually turn to 65 on RC1572 for listening symphony, Pre90 need to turn on to-15dB with same volume level, the difference is the middle frenquency became quite thin and high frequency became harsh, Pre90 volume scale is from -99dB to 16dB, -15dB is about 85% of total scale, connected subwoofer through high level connection when using Pre90, and use same crosseover and volume. Seems it doesn't well transport input signal to Amp, my understanding is right? Any idea what cause the result?
CD12 output 4Vrms and impedance is 300 Ohms, IcePower 1200AS2 input impedance is 38K Ohms.

Maybe Rotel volume control does not have dB but the display of steps? And with a non-linear dependence dB to step? My set D90SE - Pre90 - 1200AS1 * 2 -Audio Physic Tempo. At -15 dB scary to turn on, loudly at -35 dB.

 

[arshinov101]

I see Nothing about volume range in User Manual RC1572.
But I see that "Input Sensitivity Line Level XLR - 300 mV"
"Input Overload Line Level - 4V". Not good with 4V XLR Linn out.

Google search to find out what happens with RA-1572MKII (similar engineering)
100 volume steps:
steps 1 and 10, step increases range from 7dB to 2dB
Steps 10 and 11 offer 1.5dB volume increments
steps 11 through 20 offer 1dB
then from 21 to 100 each volume step is 0.5dB

If 100 is maximum volume and 0 dB then step 65 is -17,5 dB and its close to position on Pre90

 

[eduardw]

Any news of possibility of a revised version. I hoping for a real HT bypass and better placement of IR receiver.

 

[sibi1865]

Am I misunderstanding something, or has the Pre90 been revised? The channel crosstalk is stated as -140dB on the manufacture's website, which is different to what was measured here and in Stereophile...

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Am I misunderstanding something, or has the Pre90 been revised? The channel crosstalk is stated as -140dB on the manufacture's website, which is different to what was measured here and in Stereophile...

I doubt it.

That there is a difference between what is advertised by the manufacturer and what is measured independently is common. Has what is advertised been changed?

 

[Rottmannash]

I doubt it.

That there is a difference between what is advertised by the manufacturer and what is measured independently is common. Has what is advertised been changed?

Btw just read your review of my beloved Schitt Freya+. Was nice to see a thorough review-thanks!

 

[sibi1865]

I doubt it.

That there is a difference between what is advertised by the manufacturer and what is measured independently is common. Has what is advertised been changed?

I wouldn't know if it has changed. It raised an eyebrow because I had only just read Amir's and Stereophile's review.

 

[gandalfandula]

i‘ve got an active system with 4 channels, and i’ve been trying to find an analog volume attenuation solution that would be relatively cheap and not harm the signal. if i had two of these could i control the volume on both simultaneously with one remote?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I wouldn't know if it has changed. It raised an eyebrow because I had only just read Amir's and Stereophile's review.

It depends on how you measure

i‘ve got an active system with 4 channels, and i’ve been trying to find an analog volume attenuation solution that would be relatively cheap and not harm the signal. if i had two of these could i control the volume on both simultaneously with one remote?

Not easily.

 

[gandalfandula]

It depends on how you measure

Not easily.

well that was fast! thanks Kal!

when you say not easily are you referring to the discussion about the IR issues re: the remote? or would the remotes and individual preamps simply not work with one IR command?

ah i see where you discuss it in your review. boo. i wanted this to be the magic bullet! ok, i’m becoming convinced that maybe the IR extender/transmitter thing may be the way to go until a proper multichannel hifi preamp shows up (70s quadraphonic preamp maybe?). i was thinking about trying this IR remote volume thing at the DAC level with multiple DACs, but i’m seeing the benefits of a properly executed analog domain control, e.g. extra gain after the digital stages, easy integration of analog sources, etc.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

when you say not easily are you referring to the discussion about the IR issues re: the remote? or would the remotes and individual preamps simply not work with one IR command?

Not reliably.

 

[NoClipping1337]

I just received my Pre90+Ext90 today and it seems the rotary encoder is terrible unless you move VERY slowly. Anything beyond very slow will have it jumping up and down like crazy, and if you do it anything near quickly it doesn't even really work.

Does anyone else have this issue?

 

[theREALdotnet]

I just received my Pre90+Ext90 today and it seems the rotary encoder is terrible unless you move VERY slowly. Anything beyond very slow will have it jumping up and down like crazy, and if you do it anything near quickly it doesn't even really work.

Interesting, I’ve got a pre90 on my mid-term shopping list…

Does the volume simply change too fast, or does it jump up and down when you turn the knob in one direction?

 

[NoClipping1337]

Interesting, I’ve got a pre90 on my mid-term shopping list…

Does the volume simply change too fast, or does it jump up and down when you turn the knob in one direction?

Jumps up and down like the rotary encoder is cheap and/or broken.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Does anyone else have this issue?

Not on any of the three I have. Actually, I find it hard to spin the VC fast enough.

 

[NoClipping1337]

Not on any of the three I have. Actually, I find it hard to spin the VC fast enough.

Thanks, that’s helpful. I’ll see if I can get an exchange (might be hard with Shenzhen being locked down). My DDRC-88D’s rotary encoder is flawless in comparison.

 

[JohnnyNG]

No issues of any kind with mine.

Not on any of the three I have. Actually, I find it hard to spin the VC fast enough.

It's not a really "fast" VC, but for me the per-input volume memory means that each source typically only requires minor tweaking despite the very different volume settings I use for my phono stage (RCA) and DAC (XLR).

 

[Kal Rubinson]

It's not a really "fast" VC, but for me the per-input volume memory means that each source typically only requires minor tweaking despite the very different volume settings I use for my phono stage (RCA) and DAC (XLR).

Agreed. The only time I need a really fast VC is if there's a vast mismatch in the set level such that the speaker output is painful and, possibly, damaging. For those times, the on/off button suffices.