Topping Pre90 Review (preamplifier)

[A Surfer]

You have to have some crazy passion for vinyl to make all that work worthwhile. My brother has stayed true to loving vinyl and bless him for all that work for, pleasant, but compromised sound.

I think he likes the process so probably sounds extra sweet to his ears. For me, a turntable wouldn't even be an ornament. I would rather have the free space.

 

[Mikig]

You have to have some crazy passion for vinyl to make all that work worthwhile. My brother has stayed true to loving vinyl and bless him for all that work for, pleasant, but compromised sound.

I think he likes the process so probably sounds extra sweet to his ears. For me, a turntable wouldn't even be an ornament. I would rather have the free space.

too much work, or rather, too many variables to explore which in the long run made me tired. I no longer listened to music, but I spent a lot of time adjusting, moving, changing, weighing...
The world of vinyl is beautiful and fascinating, but now with a good Dac and Roon at the monthly price of half an LP I listen to everything I want. above all, I discovered a myriad of artists, with Roon's radios, that I would never have listened to with vinyl or even with CD.

 

[Mikig]

question to those who already own it: how do you think the gain of this preamp? do you have to stay close to zero to hear at a good volume? practical example: xlr-xlr, -10 already becomes an annoying volume or are you inclined to raise it further? thanks to those who want to share!

 

[BurntFinger]

The Pre90 has ample gain for most users. I tend to operate in the -40 to -32 range most of the time. -10 approaches concert volume levels with my system.

 

[Mikig]

The Pre90 has ample gain for most users. I tend to operate in the -40 to -32 range most of the time. -10 approaches concert volume levels with my system.

Thank you. certainly my current speakers are really inefficient so with each amplifier the throttle must be raised more. I have to stay around -10. I will try another pair of speakers anyway, just to have a comparison.

 

[BurntFinger]

The Pre90 tops out at +10. There is a lot more gain available!

 

[Kal Rubinson]

The gain on the Pre90 tops out at +16dB. Whether you need it depends on what it feeds and what feeds it.

 

[BurntFinger]

Mine tops out at +10. Is that absolute dB? I don't actually know. Is there an update I missed?

Bought my Pre90 in February just for reference.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Mine tops out at +10. Is that absolute dB? I don't actually know. Is there an update I missed?

Bought my Pre90 in February just for reference.

RCA or XLR output?

 

[BurntFinger]

XLR

 

[Kal Rubinson]

??? You should be able to get +16 with XLR in/out. Check your manual.

 

[BurntFinger]

I get you. All XLR in and out.

+10 is the top of the displayed output.

In any case, there is more than enough gain available.

 

[Mikig]

The gain on the Pre90 tops out at +16dB. Whether you need it depends on what it feeds and what feeds it.

tried the system with other speakers, it sounds louder. The speakers I'm using have a good 82 db, so it goes without saying that the knob definitely needs to be turned. I would say the amp is above all suspicion.

 

[Dgob]

Thanks, yes I saw it. I now only use the DAC as a source, to which the computer is connected, and the CD player which I practically never use. The turntable ended up acting as an ornament, I haven't used it for some time.

Don't under estimate the values of vinyl (when well engineered and played on a quality set-up). Many tracks sound better under those (sadly, too often, 'expensive') conditions than they do on the equivalent digitally streamed alternative.

 

[Dgob]

too much work, or rather, too many variables to explore which in the long run made me tired. I no longer listened to music, but I spent a lot of time adjusting, moving, changing, weighing...
The world of vinyl is beautiful and fascinating, but now with a good Dac and Roon at the monthly price of half an LP I listen to everything I want. above all, I discovered a myriad of artists, with Roon's radios, that I would never have listened to with vinyl or even with CD.

I hear you, although my views on vinyl are as above. Still,

Best Music for Equipment Reviews and Listening Pleasure

I have already thanked you on your relevant thread, but would just like to point out how magnificent it is - for anyone here or in search of excellent sampling music. To paraphrase Lawrence Oates: "I'm just going inside and may be some time!" So much to explore...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[mocenigo]

question to those who already own it: how do you think the gain of this preamp? do you have to stay close to zero to hear at a good volume? practical example: xlr-xlr, -10 already becomes an annoying volume or are you inclined to raise it further? thanks to those who want to share!

It depends on the output of your source(s), the gain of your power amp, the sensitivity of your speakers and your listening distance. There is no rule. It could be -40 as well as 0.

 

[staticV3]

I get you. All XLR in and out.

+10 is the top of the displayed output.

In any case, there is more than enough gain available.

Max volume should be +16:


If yours tops out at +10, then you may have enabled Safe volume in the menu, and set that to +10.

 

[Fred_B]

question to those who already own it: how do you think the gain of this preamp? do you have to stay close to zero to hear at a good volume? practical example: xlr-xlr, -10 already becomes an annoying volume or are you inclined to raise it further? thanks to those who want to share!

I just got my Pre90 today. A normal listening volume for me is -10 to -15 dB, but I have my amplifier set for low gain (3.9X). Everyone's amplifier may have different amounts of gain but it seems like the Pre90 has a wide range of gain which should work with most amps.

 

[Fred_B]

I have a couple of questions about the Pre90, for those of you that have one.

Has anybody confirmed the "below 1 mV" DC offset? Manual says "<1mVrms" but I assume they mean <1mV DC. My current preamp has 9mV of DC on one output and I'm trying to see if I can reduce that. My amplifier amplifies the DC at the input so I have it set to low gain (3.9X). Still I am getting about 25 mV DC on the worst channel.

And (I assume this is true) can you have a configuration where RCA input and XLR output is selected?

Edit: Never mind the second question, I see SE IN / BAL OUT is a listed configuration in the specifications.
Edit: Placed an order with Apos. Will measure DC offset when it arrives. Also ordered an $8.99 IR extender from Amazon.

Received my Pre90 today (Monday). Ordered it Thursday afternoon. I don't think it stopped moving for very long between China and Texas! Thanks to DHL for quick delivery, and Apos for free shipping.

First thing I did before connecting it to my system was to check the DC offset levels on both channels to see if it met the "less than 1 mV" spec. It certainly did, I measured 0.1 mV from + to ground and 0.0 mV from - to ground (XLR pins) on both Left and Right channels.

I had to use a $9 IR extender since I sit about 12 feet from the Pre90, but that works OK. Unfortunately, the display is just a bit too small for me to read the dB numbers from my chair, but I can HEAR the volume anyway.

Now I'm going through the process of comparing the Pre90 to my other preamp, a Schiit Kara. So far with about an hour of listening, I can't tell a difference. According to the specs for both preamps, they SHOULD sound the same.

 

[JohnnyNG]

Everyone's amplifier may have different amounts of gain but it seems like the Pre90 has a wide range of gain which should work with most amps.

Exactly. The volume I use for my phono stage, and its relatively low output voltage, is much higher than that for my DAC. The per-input volume memory comes in very handy. As do the audible/tactile relay clicks since my pre90 is to the side of and slightly behind my seat. I don't use the remote.